Joshua 2 & Romans 5

Romans 5:18-21 18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. 19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. 20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, (ABOUND: TO BE IN GREAT PLENTY; TO BE VERY PREVALENT) grace did much more abound: 21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

V. 18 justification of life: justify - To prove or show to be just, or conformable to law, right, justice, or duty; to defend or maintain; to vindicate or assert as right.

Sam Duncannan, a simple soul with very few talents, had a great desire to do something for the Lord. So he made it his practice to cut out pictures from cards and magazines and to paste on to these pictures appropriate verses and poems…..One day, Sam came across a picture of Niagara Falls, but for a long time could find no poem appropriate for this picture. Then he heard Sankey sing a hymn and the moment he heard it, Sam Duncannan knew he had found the poem for which he had looked so long. Sankey’s hymn went like this:

Have you on the Lord believed?

Still there’s more to follow.

Of His grace have you received?

Still there’s more to follow.

Oh, the grace the Father shows,

Still there’s more to follow.

Freely He His grace bestows,

Still there’s more to follow.

More and more and more and more,

Always more to follow;

If you were look at Niagara Falls and think about the sheer volume of water that rushes over it, 3,160 tons per second, 6,320,000 pounds, 757,500 gallons per second, it really is something to stand in awe of. Then to think that it has been doing that for thousands of years, and can continue for thousands more you can understand why Mr. Duncannan struggled to find the proper poem.

Now, think of the same thing in terms of GRACE. If you were to try to think of it all at once it boggles the mind.

What I want to do though is to look into the life of a few people, and catch just a glimpse of what grace is, to see in their life

A MOMENT OF GRACE

I. Rahab

Joshua 2:1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there.

Joshua 2:18 Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee.

This scarlet thread has nothing to do with Rahab, but everything to do with the one she put her trust in!

We come to chapter 6 and the spies have returned and given their report to Joshua. The children of Israel have passed over Jordan on dry land, and by verse 21 have been marching around the city once a day for six days, now on the seventh day they march around it seven time. They, blow their trumpets and the walls fall down flat….

Joshua 6:21-25 21 And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword. 22 But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot's house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her. 23 And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel. 24 And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD. 25 And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

OLD TESTAMENT

Joshua 2:1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there.

Joshua 6:17 And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlotshall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.

Joshua 6:25 And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

NEW TESTAMENT

Hebrews 11:31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

James 2:25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

CONNECTED TO CHRIST

Matthew 1:5-6 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; 6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;

Matthew 1:16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.