Joshua

Faithful People

Joshua 2:1-16

 

Opening Words: It has become my custom to preach on a single Old Testament character during the summer months. Perhaps, you remember one of these characters from past summers: Nehemiah, Elijah, Ruth, Moses, Joseph or Esther. This summer we are looking at Joshua’s story.

 

Do you remember his story? The story of Joshua begins with a funeral. Moses, the great law giver and leader, had died. That was a difficult pill for the people to swallow. They had grown dependent on Moses. He took them from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the wilderness. He promised them a new land was waiting for them. For 40 years they waited for their new home. Their waiting was about over. They can see that Promised Land but Moses suddenly dies. The great question that must be answered is, “Who will replace Moses? “ The answer is Joshua. It would be his job to conquer that sacred soil.

 

This is the setting for this weekend’s reading. God’s Chosen people are still on the opposite side of the Jordan River. They can see the land but they have not taken the land. Joshua is forced to make his first decision as a leader. He decides to play it safe. He sends in two spies to evaluate the land and their enemies. It is while they are on that mission they receive some unexpected help from an unexpected source, Rahab. We hear her story in the first sixteen verses of the second chapter of Joshua. May God give you ears to hear. Let me call the message Faithful People.

 

Joshua 2:1-16 1 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." 4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, "Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. 5 At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, the men left. I don't know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them." 6 (But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof.) 7 So the men set out in pursuit of the spies on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as the pursuers had gone out, the gate was shut. 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 this land to you 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 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 and everyone's courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below. 12 Now then, please swear to me by the LORD that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign 13 that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and that you will save us from death." 14 "Our lives for your lives!" the men assured her. "If you don't tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the LORD gives us the land." 15 So she let them down by a rope through the window, for the house she lived in was part of the city wall. 16 Now she had said to them, "Go to the hills so the pursuers will not find you. Hide yourselves there three days until they return, and then go on your way."

 

Let me begin with an old preaching story. When a traveler in the early days of the west, came to the Mississippi, he discovered there was no bridge. Fortunately it was winter and the great river was sheeted over with ice. But the traveler was afraid to walk on the ice. He didn’t know how thick it was. Finally with infinite caution, he crept on his hands and knees and managed to get halfway over. It was at that moment that he heard something. He heard someone singing. Cautiously he turned, and there, out of the dusk, came another traveler, driving a four-horse load of coal over the ice, singing as he went! The traveler got up and began to walk. There was no reason to be afraid. As you travel down the road of life are you worried about every step you take? Or are you enjoying the journey? It all depends on the condition of your faith!

 

At the very heart of this weekend’s message is the matter of faith. Joshua and the people are still standing on the wrong side of the Jordan River. God has promised them the land on the other side but Joshua is a little cautious. He could have simply led the people to the other side but he doesn’t. He takes a more cautious path. He decides to send two unnamed spies to the other side to evaluate the situation. They are instructed by Joshua to go to the city of Jericho. It is one of those things that sounds good in a meeting but doesn’t play out well in reality. When the spies arrive in Jericho their secret is out. Verse three tells us that the King of Jericho discovers their location. Verse two tells us they are in the home of the local prostitute, Rahab. (I am sure there is an untold story there.) She is put in the most difficult situation. Just think about it for a moment. She must choose between her king and country or complete strangers. For some unknown reason she chooses to side with these strangers. It doesn’t make sense but she does it. She chooses to side with the spies and teaches us something about faith.

 

Today, I want to talk about the three kinds of faith that Rahab illustrates for us. Each one is more complex then the one prior. They are like wading into your favorite pool on a hot summer day. At first you find yourself in shallow water but in time you find yourself over your head. I hope you evaluate your faith so you can discover what kind you have. Never forget. God only uses people who can completely trust Him. So if you are ready to look at three kinds of faith say, “Amen!”

 

Believing Faith

The first kind of faith is believing faith. Do you have believing faith? Believing faith is faith that comes from your mind. Everyone has a list of things that they believe. It is not really limited to the spiritual mature. You can be a babe in Christ and have believing faith. People tell me all the time what they believe. They believe criminals should be punished for their crimes. They believe governments should represent the people. They believe lazy people should receive financial help for being lazy. Everyone believes something about God. Rahab had believing faith. In verses nine through eleven we are told that Rahab believed in Joshua’s God. She had heard and believed the story of the parting of the Red Sea. She believed the spies’ god was the god of gods. That is what she believed. What you believe is very important.

 

Last week at Lakeside was West Ohio Annual Conference. I leave this afternoon for the East Ohio Annual Conference with your lay delegate Diane Wise. (Pray for me!) I say it each year. Annual Conference is really three things. It is a reunion. I will see many old friends. It is a revival. We will have the opportunity attend many worship services. However, it is also a business meeting. We will hear reports for the general church and vote on matters that affect the Annual Conference. For example, at West Ohio they voted on a new conference treasurer. The man that was selected by the personnel committee to fill that position was extremely qualified. However, he was also a practicing homosexual. To make matters more complex he decided to bring his life partner to Annual Conference for the vote. The debate was hot. One side said they believed in a loving God, who loves and accepts everyone. The other side said we believed in the witness of the Bible. The Bible says homosexuality is wrong and against God’s will. There are about 2000 delegates. Everyone gets a vote. West Ohio accepted their new treasurer by 20 votes. Don’t tell me your vote doesn’t count.

 

What do you believe? I don’t mean about homosexuality. I mean about God. Is what you believe grounded in orthodox Christian theology or personal opinion? Every week during the 11:00 worship service we say the Apostle’s Creed. We say the Apostle’s Creed weekly to remind us what we believe. What are the first two words of that historic creed? “WE BELIEVE!” What do you believe? And all of God’s people said, “Amen!” Everyone has believing faith.

 

Active Faith

The second kind of faith is active faith. Do you have active faith? Active faith comes from the heart. You have active faith if you see someone in need and respond to that need. Rahab had active faith. The King of Jericho is looking for the spies. Rumor has it the spies are in the home of the local prostitute, Rahab. (I am really sure there is an untold story there.) They go to her home and request her to hand them over. Verse four and five say she hid the spies and lied to the authorities. She said they left and she didn’t know their present location. That was a bold faced lie! Why did she lie? She lied because she believed in the God of these two unnamed spies. She lied because she saw people in need and responded. If you believe ever person is valuable because everyone is made in the very image of God then why wouldn’t you respond to human need? Did you know 11 million people in our world starve to death each year? Did you know American spend 236 billion dollars annually eating out and give 1.6 billion to world hunger programs?

 

Do you have active faith? There is an upsetting old preaching story about a man who went fishing in his row boat with his dog. (I really hate this story. I don’t know why I tell it. I love dogs. If you ever heard it then you will remember it.) The man didn’t catch anything because the dog kept barking. The man grew frustrated with the dog so he pulled out his knife and cut off the dog’s nose. The dog kept barking so he cut off the dog’s tail. The dog kept barking for he stabbed the dog and threw his body into the lake. Can I ask you a question? Are you more upset about the fictitious dog or the fact that 11 million real people starved to death last year? Do you have active faith? And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

 

Risking Faith

The third kind of faith is risking faith. Do you have risking faith? Risking faith comes from your backbone. Risking faith takes a stand. Rahab had risking faith. She hid and helped the spies. She risked everything. Hudson Taylor the great missionary to China once said, “Unless there is an element of risk in our exploits for God, there is no need for faith." How much of a risk are you willing to take for God?

 

In 1853, when young Hudson Taylor was making his first voyage to China, his vessel was delayed near New Guinea because the winds had stopped. A rapid current was carrying the ship toward some reefs and the situation was becoming dangerous. Even the sailors using a longboat could not row the vessel out of the current. "We have done everything that can be done," said the captain to Taylor. But Taylor replied, "No, there is one thing we have not done yet." There were three other believers on the ship, and Taylor suggested that each retire to his own cabin and pray for a breeze. They did, and while he was at prayer, Taylor received confidence from God that the desperately needed wind would be sent. He went up on deck and suggested to the first officer, an unbeliever that he let down the mainsail because a breeze was on its way.

The man refused, but then they saw the corner of the sail begin to stir. The breeze had come! They let down the sail and in a short time were on their way! Let there be no doubt about it, history remembers Hudson Taylor as a man of faith.

 

Will history remember you as a person of faith? What kind of faith do you have? Do you have believing faith? Does what you believe match up with basic Christian theology or are you making it up as you go? Do you have active faith? Does your faith respond to human need or are you still only concerned about yourself? Do you have risking faith? Are you willing to trust God or are you willing to do what is considered logical? Rahab lived 3500 years ago! How much are you like her? What kind of faith do you have? And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”