Sunday Sermon on Rahab, the type of people God uses
26-FEB 2006 Sunday Service
Speaker : Elder Peter Tsen
Topic : Rahab : The type of people God uses
Passage : Joshua 2, 6:17, 6:22-23
How God used Rahab, the prostitute in
* Rahab sheltered & hid the 2 spies sent by Joshua
* Defied the King's order
* Misdirected the King's men
* Helped the 2 spies to escape
Sermon contents
* The attributes of Rahab's Life
* The impact of Rahab's Life
* The lessons from Rahab's sin
The attributes of Rahab's life
1) She heard testimonies about the Lord and taken them to heart (vs 8-11)
- I know the Lord had given this land to you and a great fear has fallen on us
- we have heard how the Lord dried up the
- the Lord your God is in heaven above and on their side
2) Convicted and plead for salvation (vs 12-13)
- please swear to me ... You will show kindness to my family
- that you will spare the lives of my family and me
- that you will save us from death
3) Accept the Lord and trust His Word (vs 14, 18)
- "Our lives for your live!".. If you...
- don't tell what we are doing
- have tied the scarlet cord on the window
- have brought all your family into the house
Hell is timeless (eternity) and so is heaven. The difference is that hell is timeless suffering!
Rahab was facing a life or death situation here... Or to paraphrase that, she was facing either heaven or hell! She had to make a decision to save herself and her family by entrusting her life in the words of God's people.
4) Involved in the Lord's work (vs 6 & 15)
- Rahab took the spies and hid them on the roof
- And helped them to escape
James 2:25, 2:26
25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
5) Discerning spirit (vs 16)
- Rahab discerned it would not be wise for the 2 spies to return to Joshua straight away
- she advise them to hide in the hills for 3 days until the pursuers give up pursuing
6) Faithful and obedient (vs 6:22-23)
- Rahab fulfilled the conditions laid down by the spies
- the spies recognised the household by the scarlet cord hanging on the window
- she made sure all her family members are inside the house.
The significance of the RED scarlet chord : this ensures salvation for her. RED signifies the blood of Christ. The blood of Christ saves lives from sin.
Hebrews 11:31
31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.
The impact of Rahab's Life
- The God fearing values are passed down, not curses of sins
Matthew 1:1-17 The genealogy of Jesus
Abraham (several generations later)->Salmon married Rahab -> Boaz (son of Ruth) married Ruth -> Obed -> Jesse -> King David(abt 1000 yrs later) -> Jesus Christ!
Both Ruth and Rahab are Moabites, not Israelites. This shows God can use anyone, even back then in the old days.
Sidetracked : Testimony from the Elder about how his forefathers came to salvation
The Tsen's received salvation after their ancestor's sick cow farted (miraculously healed from a terrible cow disease)! As funny as it sounds, it was a miracle that then saved the rest of the Tsen's family line thereafter. (Gab/Matt, if you are reading this, I hope you can comment in this blog how it actually happened! :D )
The lessons from Rahab's sin (as a prostitute)
1) It does not mean God approves such an evil profession
- Rahab became a true convert & abandoned her business
- God condemns sin but the people, He loves
- God commands people who have been delivered from bondages not to give the Devil anything
John 8:11
"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
2) God can and will use anyone no matter how sinful the background one comes from
- God delivered Rahab and saved her life
Luke 19:10
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.
***************************
By the way, I was typing this message using my Stowaway Bluetooth Keyboard. Below are pics of this new toy of mine.
When folded, this is how the keyboard looks like... very portable. Brand : ThinkOutside - Stowaway.
This is how it looks like with my O2 XDAIIs in horizontal display. Still lovin' it!
posted by The Yongs at 2:40 PM
6 Comments:
Nice portable keyb :)
Hmmm ... the cow story eh? Hahaha. Actually my dad never really told me of the story (unless I had forgotten) till like very recently when he was telling it to Adelene hehehe! I probably know just as much as you only! What can I say- contrary to popular belief, God does have a sense of humour. It often shows in the way he runs this universe ;)
2:36 PM, February 27, 2006
It was indeed funny. But jokes aside, it was a good sermon. Reminding us that God is sovereign and He can use whom He chooses. What an awesome God we have!
I can only sum it up with this : God works in mysterious ways ('cow ways' or otherwise!)!!
6:56 PM, February 27, 2006
Hi,
I saw your blog when I typed "Miri" in my browser. I lived in Miri for 5 years from 1974-79. I have both a son and a daughter who were adopted while I lived there. They are now 28 and 30. I hope that someday they can get back to Miri to see their beautiful country and to experience
some of their original heritage.
I remember the little church that we went to while we were there and know that God's Word continues to thrive all over the world.
We currently live in California.
In His Name,
1:34 PM, March 01, 2006
maybe the Tsen's were converted through the Toronto blessings because of excessive laughter when seeing a cow fart for the first time in China! hahahaha
either way.. Praise God.. i come from a legacy of onward christian soldiers
hahahaha
4:42 PM, March 01, 2006
oh by the way. cool keyboard, uncle!
i hope my mom returned the CLIE cd to u.
thanks for it.
didnt really work though
manage to find mine when i came back
haha
4:43 PM, March 01, 2006
Vicki,
Thanks for dropping by... indeed God's Word is alive and well in Miri still. We need to hunger more for more of Him though. God bless and do come and visit (my blog & Miri - if possible as it is now a city and has changed tremendously!)
Gab,
Yes, that is an interesting link to the Toronto Blessing... I won't be surprised though! Ha ha ha! (I wonder if your dad is reaing this!)
Oh, your mum did return the CDs to me the Friday you left . Too bad it didn't work though.. but glad you restored it when back in Down Under.
4:59 PM, March 01, 2006
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