Week Commencing Sunday June 13th 2021

Devotional Materials. Week Commencing. Sunday 13^th June 2021.

Call to Worship

“Since we have a great high priest (Jesus Christ)…let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience (and having our bodies washed with pure water).” Hebrews 10: 21, 22

Let us begin our service conscious we worship a Holy God, but also knowing that through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, and through ‘faith in His blood’, we can ‘draw near’ to God today. Fully accepted and washed of any sin that would otherwise separate us from Him.

Prayer of Confession.

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we have sinned against you and against our fellow men, in thought and word and deed, through negligence, through weakness, through our own deliberate thought. We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins. For the sake of your Son  Jesus Christ, who died for us, forgive us all that is past; and grant that we may serve you in newness of life to the glory of your name. Amen

Prayer of Absolution

Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy upon us, pardon and deliver us from all our sins, confirm and strengthen us in all goodness, and keep us in life eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Opening Hymn

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Saviour, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

Blessed Saviour, Thou hast promised
Thou wilt all our burdens bear;
May we ever, Lord, be bringing
All to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright, unclouded,
There will be no need for prayer—
Rapture, praise, and endless worship
Will be our sweet portion there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SCorW9r_Is

Reading. Joshua 2:1-3, 8-11, 17, 18. 6:15-25

2 Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. “Go, look over the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.

² The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” ³ So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab: “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.”…

⁸ …Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof ⁹ and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. ¹⁰ We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea^[a] for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed^. 11 When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below…

¹⁷ …Now the men had said to her, “This oath you made us swear will not be binding on us ¹⁸ unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother, your brothers and all your family into your house…

6¹⁵ On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. ¹⁶ The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city! ¹⁷ The city and all that is in it are to be devoted^[a] to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. ¹⁸ But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. ¹⁹ All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.”

²⁰ When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city. ²¹ They devoted the city to the Lord and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys.

²² Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house and bring her out and all who belong to her, in accordance with your oath to her.” ²³ So the young men who had done the spying went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother, her brothers and sisters and all who belonged to her. They brought out her entire family and put them in a place outside the camp of Israel.

²⁴ Then they burned the whole city and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the Lord’s house. ²⁵ But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho—and she lives among the Israelites to this day.

Hymn

Cleanse me from my sin, deep within.

Refiner's fire….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMTcyl2kqmw
 

It has been my privilege to officiate at a number of weddings. I read these well-known words to the couple: ‘Marriage is given so that husband and wife may comfort and help each other, living faithfully together in need and in plenty, in sorrow and in joy. It is given that with delight and tenderness they may know each other in love, and, through the joy of their bodily union, may strengthen the union of their hearts. It is given so that the stability it imparts to their relationship may be the foundation of a secure family life for any children they may have’

The Lord instituted marriage between a man and a woman for life. It is His means of providing mutual love, and stability for any children they may have. This is the place God intended for the gift of sex- for the reinforcement of their love and for the procreation of children. The minister affirms Jesus’ words in marrying the couple ‘Those whom God has joined together, let no one separate’. This is orthodox Christian teaching about marriage and the family.

But the question arises what happens when men and women fail God-in this or any other ordinance He has given us? Though we are filled with regret or were perhaps ignorant of God’s command- is there any hope for us? Here is the teaching unique to Christianity- the grace of God, and how His love can redeem and transform us. Paul writes ‘Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men, nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ... (1 Cor.6: 9-11). ‘What some of you were’ His grace means a forgiveness that washes us of those sins we think unforgiveable and He gives us a fresh start with Him.

The story of Rahab powerfully illustrates the grace of God. Rahab was a common prostitute of Canaan, yet the Lord saw fit to have her name recorded in the book of Hebrews as an outstanding example of faith.  Not only that but He lavished on this gentile woman the privilege of motherhood in the line of Jesus Christ- something every Hebrew woman would have hoped for.

Let’s begin with a brief overview of what we read from Joshua:

Joshua 2:1-3. The Jews finally entered the Promised Land of Canaan after wandering 40 years in the desert. Moses had died and they were now led by Joshua. Joshua secretly sent two spies to scout out the fortified city of Jericho. They entered Rahab’s house. Rahab hid the spies on her roof top because the king of Jericho sent orders for her to turn them over to him. She lied to the king's soldiers concerning the whereabouts of the spies, and sent them away. Rahab returned to the spies and pleaded for her life and for the lives of her family members. She made an oath with them. Rahab would keep silent about their mission and the Israelites would spare everyone in her household when they invaded the city. She was to hang a scarlet cord from her window as a sign, so the Jews could find and protect her (18).

Joshua 6:15-25 describes the miraculous battle of Jericho- that supposedly invincible city did fall. Joshua gave orders to rescue Rahab and all in her house. She and her family were adopted by the Jews and stayed with them.

New Testament emphasis looking back on these narratives:

Rahab’s faith.

Hebrews 11:31 ‘By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient’

Here is high praise for Rahab. In a nutshell Rahab trusted in the God of Israel more than she trusted her own king of Jericho. She believed the Lord was more powerful. She had heard what He had done for Israel at the Red Sea and in defeating the two kings of the trans-Jordan (Joshua 2:8-12). The high point that best expresses Rahab’s faith in the Lord comes in Joshua 2: 11: she says to the spies ‘…the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below’. The demonstration of that faith in the Lord is seen in her receiving the spies.

And Rahab’s Faith was costly. Many people would not risk their lives for family and friends, yet Rahab risked her life to protect "enemy" spies. She did this because of her faith in the Lord. She believed it was He who was bringing Israel into the Promised Land. This faith influenced her actions.  Risking her very life, she only had the same reports from others had -the God of Israel had given His people great victories. Yet she alone acted upon her faith in the Lord.

Rahab was acting by faith and not by sight, for, remember she saw none of these events actually happen, but she had faith to believe that Israel's God was more powerful and that He would take care of her and her family.

Further, her faith was evidenced by obedience:

James 2:24, 25, ‘You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and set them off in a different direction?’  Now we are justified through faith in Christ as Paul teaches, but the point James makes is that saving faith will show itself in good deeds. Rahab’s protection of the spies is an example of this.

But Rahab’s faith was also shown in a further obedience; in repentance and moral reformation. New Testament teaching on true saving faith is always accompanied by repentance- of turning from known sins. Pink writes ‘Since the faith of Rahab was a saving one it must have been attended with godly sorrow for sin and reformation of life. There can be no pardon while there is no repentance’ (Cf Isaiah 55:7, Mark 1:15, Luke 24:27, Acts 3:19.).

Rahab was soon to become aware prostitution was sinful before the Lord. The phrase in Joshua 6:23 indicating she was taken ‘outside the camp’ suggests this was for purification purposes. Here we see humility on Rahab’s part, to turn from her old way of life, as well as make a serious commitment to God’s people. The Lord saw her faith evidenced in obedience.
 

How does Rahab’s faith in God’s power help break us out of our ‘prison’ backgrounds? In the western world there is a strong tendency to deny human responsibility. It is said that we are unable to choose on the basis of some kind of determinism. It may be a physical, mechanical determinism, the idea that ‘human beings are the product of their genes and body chemistry’, or it may be a psychological determinism, the idea that ‘human beings are the products of their environment and past history’ Either way we are seen as ‘prisoners of our background’- whether of ‘nature or nurture’. If there is no God, then these are the only categories open to us. We ourselves are seen as machines at the mercy of other forces from within us and without

But the biblical view is very different. Francis Schaeffer writes ‘Since God has made man in His own image, man is not caught in the wheels of determinism. Rather man is so great that he can influence history for himself and for others, for this life and the life to come’. We have a true freedom to choose before God. Our spirit can make choices in line with a higher agenda of God’s will above our desires or outward influences. This is what we see in Rahab. Her spirit was responsive to God; her faith in Him and His ways broke her out of the prisons of prostitution, of false religion, nationalism and fear of her state authorities.

Some of you today think your future course is determined by powers beyond your control. Determinism makes you believe all depends on your personality or past experiences/influences. Perhaps you feel imprisoned by your background, for some its how your parents were towards you:

Rob Parsons describes having a meal with one young married couple. The husband had made a thoughtless remark about his wife’s sponge. Parsons writes ‘I’m no cook, but even I could tell this sponge had an endearing Frisbee- like look…but what I didn’t know was that she was about to test its aerodynamics. It hit him square on. She burst into tears and ran out.’ It transpired that the wife’s father was a man who had constantly brought down his wife in public. He humiliated her over her clothes, her weight and, yes, her cooking. The daughter had watched her father do this over the years to her mother and seen her walk out. When this daughter’s own husband made his thoughtless remark about the sponge looking like a frisbee- just for a moment this young woman saw the worst aspects of her father in her new husband.

We are influenced by our personalities and our background.  But in Christ they are not what ultimately define us. Faith in Christ releases us from the prison of determinism. We are new creations in Him. If Rahab the prostitute could humbly stop justifying her past way of life, put her faith in the Lord, obey Him and know His empowering, then in Christ this is possible for each one of us- whatever our background.

The Patience and Grace of God

We learn a lot about the patience, mercy and sheer grace of God when we see His dealings with Rahab. Despite her sins, the Lord did not write Rahab off, but rather affirmed where she did show faith in Him, and then freed her of those things that were unholy.

Consider first that Rahab lied to protect the spies' whereabouts. We may sympathise with Rahab, but Romans 3:8 warns us not to say ‘Let us do evil that good may result’. The Bible does not support deceit. The ends do not justify the means. Even if in God’s providence Rahab’s lie allowed the spies to escape harm, this does not justify the method. God is not reduced to unholy acts to fulfill His will. 

In the classroom young people are given imaginary scenarios to work out ‘values clarification’. A boat is going to sink unless you throw someone into the sea. Why save one person over another? One moral position is then pitted against another. But the Bible does not say that protecting innocent life is a greater good than telling the truth. Such scenarios leave God out. But we have to remember the Christian is never on his or her own in such circumstances he/she is to have faith in the living God. The promise in 1 Corinthians 10:13 is that God will provide a way as we put our faith in Him. Rahab was commended for her faith, not her lying. But the Lord was patient with her.

Further, it seems Rahab did not yet fully understand the sinfulness of her past way of life as a prostitute. The example of faith- welcoming the spies- was shown before Rahab became respectable. Still the Lord was patient with her.

The Lord’s patience and mercy towards Rahab- accepting her despite her imperfections. But He didn’t stop there. In addition, such is His grace, He lavished on her multiple blessings:

The Lord brought Rahab and her family into His nation. Made her one of His chosen people. In addition He blessed this former prostitute with marriage to a prominent Israelite: Rahab married Salmon, the son of Judah's tribal leader. From this marriage would come their son Boaz, a faithful man of God. Boaz would marry Ruth (of the book of Ruth), and their son Obed would be the father of Jesse, the father of King David. From David would descend the Messiah, Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:5-6 [5]

So yet another blessing: the privilege of motherhood in the line of Jesus Christ the Messiah! Forgiveness for wrong doing and multiple blessings on top.

So how does the grace of God, as we see it here in Rahab’s experience, break us out of our ‘prison’ backgrounds?

Forgiveness and multiple blessings for the believer. Ephesians 1 describes how we Christians have ‘redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins ‘in accordance with the riches of His grace’ but that chapter describes we are in addition blessed with ‘every spiritual blessing in Christ’, including our being chosen, adopted as heirs of God’s kingdom, brought into His family, sealed with the Holy Spirit, under standers of God’s will and secure in the knowledge we are in sync with His wider and glorious plans for the future of his creation.

We also see the grace of God at work through various initiatives that help free women who have been trafficked into prostitution. It is estimated between 600,000 and 800,000 trafficked women are affected throughout the world.

The work of Lauran Bethell. An American Baptist missionary. She founded the New life Centre in Thailand to offer young women vocational training as an alternative to prostitution and provide rehabilitation for those coming out of prostitution. It was in founding the centre that Bethell got involved in fighting human trafficking. "When we opened the centre, the girls started talking about being tricked and beaten and taken to brothels to work," she said. Her challenge to the church is “Be more involved.  Offer hope in the midst of all that’s unravelling in the world. We must use ALL our God-given ingenuity, creativity and passion to address the issues." She leads a group of up to 15 people who search for contact with women working as prostitutes in the red light district/Amsterdam. They accompany these women with their prayers.

Jackie Pullinger’s work among the drug addicts in Hong Kong’s notorious Walled City during the 1980s is well known. Pullinger tells the story of Alfrida. A woman in her late 60s, still being used as a prostitute. She had made her living in the streets for almost 50 years and for most of that time had been a drug addict. “Her life had been a catalogue of horrors. Born to a father with 2 wives and a mother who was his mistress, she was brought up by an aunt after her mother had committed suicide. This woman was a lesbian and Elfrida was exposed to all the permutations of her Aunt’s affairs. At 17 she had a boyfriend and was going to marry him, but was thrown out of the house when it was discovered she had been seduced by him. Sexually confused, not knowing whether she loved or hated men Elfrida became a prostitute and dulled her senses with heroine.

But the grace of Jesus revolutionized her life:  “In a small room, six foot by four, Elfrida prepared to come off drugs…she was so weak that Nicole carried her to the bath. She soaked a while and then was carried back. We laid her down on her mattress and spoke peace to her.

Elfrida moved in and it became home. She worshipped Jesus, washed and ironed and slept a lot. Gradually as she became stronger and happier, came the desire to share what she received. She saw sadness and lack of love in the lives of others and realised how much she had been given. She began to visit street sleepers and old people’s homes. She became tireless in looking after the old prostitutes still in the Walled City. She sought them out, washed their hair and talked with them about her new life. She loved much more for she had been forgiven much”

Is your failure such that you think God’s forgiveness cannot reach you? God could not love you? God’s grace teaches us it is never too late. The Lord Jesus Christ showed this same grace towards the woman at the well who had had 5 husbands and was now co habiting. He showed this same grace to all his disciples- all let him down, including Peter who disowned him, but such is his patience and grace he reinstated all, making Peter leader of the early church- all that is apart from Judas who did not repent. However difficult your present family situation- it’s not too late to entrust you and yours to His grace. You may have failed but you can know His forgiveness afresh, as well as a generosity of blessing in return. He has a new plan and purpose for you and your family.

Mercy that forgives our sins, grace that lavishes blessings on us beyond our deserving, patience to stay with us through the journey now and into eternity.

Conclusion        

Rahab was not a prisoner to her background

Faith released her, and faith releases us from our prisons. Rahab was no longer a prisoner to prostitution or fear. Her faith was in a more powerful being- the Lord. Faith in our Creator and Saviour means that we need not be determined by our genetic make-up, our past decisions or our environment. Rather, by faith we experience God’s power and freedom. Rahab’s faith also reminds us of the importance of humility and repentance.

God’s grace released Rahab, His grace releases us from our prisons. While as Jude’s letter warns we must never ‘change the grace of our God into a license for immorality’ (4), God’s grace is such that whatever we have done, however far we have fallen- God is willing to forgive and give us a new start. He adds multiple blessings beyond our deserving. God can do all this whatever our family circumstances.

Finally, salvation is not only for prostitutes or for certain people who commit obvious sins. Salvation is for all people. We are not saved by our own virtue nor can we can self-righteously look down on others. Rather the Bible teaches we have all sinned and fallen short – Jesus teaches in his Sermon on the Mount that ‘anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart’ (Matt.5:28). So no one is guiltless. Our sin is not measured in a comparison with other people but in relation to a Holy God. But there is hope- and that hope is the grace of God shown to us through Christ’s atoning sacrifice:

Rahab had to hang the scarlet cord from her window if she was to be saved, the children of Israel had the blood of a lamb painted on their door frames as a sign of their salvation. So too, you must have the covering of Christ’s blood over your life if you are to be saved. This salvation is only yours through faith in Christ.

It is through the gospel, we are released from a spiritual background that is naturally opposed to God: ‘The Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so’ the promised salvation, ‘being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe’ (Galations 3:22, Cf Eph.2:1-10)

………………………………………

Prayers during COVID-19

We pray…

for the health workers tending the seriously ill

for the scientist. Thankyou for the development of vaccines and

how quickly these have been rolled out. 

for the researchers analysing data and identifying trends

for the media outlets working to communicate reality

for the supermarket workers, hygiene and sanitation providers

for the good news stories of recoveries and effective planning

for the singing from balconies by locked-down communities

for the recognition that isolation doesn’t need to mean loneliness

for the notes through letterboxes offering help and support 

for the internet and telephones and technology that connects

for the awakened appreciation of what is truly important

Thanks be to God.

 

For those who are unwell and concerned for loved ones

for those who were already very anxious

for those immune suppressed or compromised

for those vulnerable because of underlying conditions

for those in the ‘most at risk to coronavirus’ categories

for those watching their entire income stream dry up

for those who have no choice but to go out to work

for those who are afraid to be at home 

for those who are more lonely than they've ever been

for those who are bereaved and grieving.

God be their healer, comfort and protection,

be their strength, shield and provision

be their security, safety and close companion

 

And raise up your Church

to be your well-washed hands and faithful feet 

to be present to the pain

to respond with love in action. Amen                              (Christian Aid)

 

Hymn