1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:29,980 Let's pray. 2 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:59,980 Let's pray. 3 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:29,980 Let's pray. 4 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:29,980 Good morning. We are glad that you're here with us this morning. We want to start, before we get into our opening prayer and our Scripture reading, we want to 5 00:07:29,980 --> 00:07:59,960 read together our verse that we're working on memorizing this week. So if you would go ahead and read with me from James, it says this, "Know this, my beloved brothers, let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger." And in just a moment, we're going to read from the 86th Psalm together. 6 00:07:59,960 --> 00:08:15,960 of celebrating God's steadfast love. It's a prayer of David in the moments where he is struggling. And so we're going to go ahead and stand and we'll read from the 86th Psalm together. 7 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:29,940 It says this, "Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth. Unite my heart to fear your name. 8 00:08:29,940 --> 00:08:49,940 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God. With my whole heart I will glorify your name forever. For great is your steadfast love for me. You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol." 9 00:08:49,940 --> 00:08:59,920 This is the word of the Lord. Let's have a word of prayer. Father in heaven, we thank you for your steadfast love. And we ask this morning that you would teach us to 10 00:08:59,920 --> 00:09:19,920 walk in your ways, that we would walk in truth, that you would have us, as we read a moment ago, consider our words and how we listen, how we speak, and that you would guide us with your steadfast love, that we might show that steadfast love to others. Be with us this morning as we worship. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 11 00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:29,900 We're going to begin by singing about the hope that we have in the gospel. 12 00:09:29,900 --> 00:09:59,880 How great the chasm that lay between us! How high the mountain I could not climb! In desperation, I turned to heaven and spoke your name. 13 00:09:59,880 --> 00:10:29,860 Into the night. Then through the darkness, your loving kindness tore through the shadows of my soul. The work is finished. The end is written. Jesus Christ, my living hope. 14 00:10:29,860 --> 00:10:59,840 Who could imagine so great a mercy? What heart could fathom such boundless grace? The God of ages stepped down from glory to wear my sin and bear my shame. 15 00:10:59,840 --> 00:11:29,820 The cross has spoken, I am forgiven. The King of kings calls me his own. Beautiful Savior, I'm yours forever. Jesus Christ, my living home. 16 00:11:29,820 --> 00:11:59,800 Hallelujah. Praise the one who set me free. Hallelujah. Death has lost its grip on me. You have broken every chain. There's salvation in your name. Jesus Christ, my living home. 17 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:29,780 Then came the morning that sealed the promise. Your buried body began to breathe. Out of the silence, the roaring lion declared the grave has no claim on me. 18 00:12:29,780 --> 00:12:59,760 Jesus, yours is the victory. 19 00:12:59,760 --> 00:13:29,740 Hallelujah. Praise the one who set me free. Hallelujah. Death has lost its grip on me. You have broken every chain. There's salvation in your name. Jesus Christ, my living hope. 20 00:13:29,740 --> 00:13:59,720 Hallelujah. Praise the one who set me free. Hallelujah. Death has lost its grip on me. You have broken every chain. There's salvation in your name. Jesus Christ, my living hope. 21 00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:29,700 Oh God, you are my living hope. 22 00:14:29,700 --> 00:14:59,680 We have in Jesus all our sins and griefs to bear. What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer. Oh, what peace we often forfeit. 23 00:14:59,680 --> 00:15:29,660 What needless pain we bear. All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? 24 00:15:29,660 --> 00:15:59,640 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? 25 00:15:59,640 --> 00:16:29,620 Every weakness. Take it to the Lord in prayer. Are we weak and heavy laden? Cumbered with a load of care. Precious Savior still our refuge. 26 00:16:29,620 --> 00:16:59,600 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 will find a solace there. 27 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:29,580 You may be seated. We're going to move into our prayer and share time. If you are watching online, we will have a short video playing, and there will be a number. You can text us with your prayer requests. 28 00:17:29,580 --> 00:17:59,560 We'll see you next time. 29 00:17:59,560 --> 00:18:29,540 Let's pray. 30 00:18:29,540 --> 00:18:35,540 Let's pray. 31 00:18:35,540 --> 00:18:41,540 Let's pray. 32 00:23:29,540 --> 00:23:31,540 Amen. 33 00:23:59,540 --> 00:24:01,540 Amen. 34 00:24:29,540 --> 00:24:42,540 As we prepare for our time of communion, we are going to sing, "All Who Are Thirsty." 35 00:24:52,540 --> 00:25:18,540 "All Who Are Thirsty." "All Who Are Weak." "Come to the fountain." "Dip your heart in the stream of life." "Let the pain and the sorrow be washed away." 36 00:25:19,540 --> 00:25:46,540 In the waves of His mercy, as deep cries out too deep. "Come, Lord Jesus, come." "Come, Lord Jesus, come." "Come, Lord Jesus, come." 37 00:25:46,540 --> 00:26:13,540 All who are thirsty, all who are weak, come to the fountain. Dip your heart in the stream of life. Let the pain and the sorrow be washed away. 38 00:26:13,540 --> 00:26:42,540 In the waves of His mercy, as deep cries out too deep. Come, Lord Jesus, come. Come, Lord Jesus, come. 39 00:26:42,540 --> 00:27:11,540 Come, Lord Jesus, come. Come, Lord Jesus, come. As deep cries out too deep. As deep cries out too deep. 40 00:27:11,540 --> 00:27:40,540 As deep cries out too deep. As deep cries out too deep. Holy Spirit, come. Holy Spirit, come. 41 00:27:40,540 --> 00:28:00,540 Holy Spirit, come. Holy Spirit, come. 42 00:28:09,540 --> 00:28:38,540 In the 107th Psalm, a psalm we spent some time in a few weeks ago begins like this, "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from trouble, and gathered in from the lands, from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south." And then in the 107th Psalm, it begins 43 00:28:38,540 --> 00:29:07,540 to go and list the places and the people who were gathered in. Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in, hungry and thirsty. Their souls fainted within them. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way until they reached a city to dwell in. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His steadfast love, for His wondrous works 44 00:29:07,540 --> 00:29:36,540 to the children of man, for He satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry He fills with good things. And what we find is that in our lives we are searching for something to fill our hungry souls. And we try a million different things, and everything sort of habitually leaves us unsatisfied. And so we try going deeper, we try going bigger, we try finding new things, 45 00:29:36,540 --> 00:30:05,540 and we jump from thing to thing, hoping that we will eventually stumble upon the thing that will give us rest and leave our hearts satisfied. But we find in Scripture that there is only one thing that will satisfy the longing of our soul. And that is the steadfast love of God. And so this morning as a church, as we come to the table, and as we take this little piece of bread that carries with it such a 46 00:30:05,540 --> 00:30:34,540 weighty picture of the sacrifice of the Son of God on our behalf and for our sins. And as we drink this cup, which Jesus says is a new covenant given to us for the forgiveness of our sins, we want to be reminded that the satisfaction and hope and contentment that we find in this life is not from the things we acquire, or the things we do, or the things we have, or the places we go, but that our hearts 47 00:30:34,540 --> 00:31:03,540 are only satisfied when they find their home in the good news of the gospel. So let's pray, and then we'll partake together. Father in heaven, I thank you for Jesus and for grace. I thank you for how you have cared for us. I thank you that you take hungry and thirsty souls, souls lost in the wilderness, and souls who are longing for a place to belong. And you bring us in, and you feed us, and you satisfy us, 48 00:31:03,540 --> 00:31:17,540 and you bring us to contentment. So help us in this moment to fix our eyes and our hearts on you, that our heart would be fixed on the good news of the gospel. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 49 00:31:17,540 --> 00:31:32,540 Matthew will record this. As they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it, he broke it, and he gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat. This is my body." Let's partake together. 50 00:31:32,540 --> 00:32:01,540 And then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he said, "Gave it to them, saying, 'Drink of it, all of you, for this is the blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.'" 51 00:32:01,540 --> 00:32:30,540 We are in Joshua, the second chapter this morning. We're spending just sort of a few weeks, probably about five, I think, in Joshua, and then we'll take a little break, and then we'll come back to the next section of Joshua, and take a little break, and then come back again to the third. And one of the remarkable things of this book is how it directs 52 00:32:30,540 --> 00:32:59,540 us to the good news of the gospel. We looked last week at how Joshua, strengthened by God and called by God to lead his people into the land, ultimately should direct us not to ourself and our ability to be strong and courageous, but to Jesus, who is strong and courageous on our behalf and has brought us in to the city of God. And so we're going to take a look at Joshua chapter 2, and if the first chapter points us to our Savior Jesus, 53 00:32:59,540 --> 00:33:28,540 the second chapter points us to the people who need to be saved. And so it's sort of a remarkable way that this book, you know, more than 1,000 years before Jesus, tells us so clearly about the one who came to save us. So let's pray, and we'll dive right into it. Father in heaven, I thank you for Jesus. I thank you for grace. I thank you for how you have cared for us. I just ask that you would be with us this morning as we unpack this section of Scripture that you would 54 00:33:28,540 --> 00:33:57,540 of Scripture, that you would help us to see your grace and your love, that you would help us to see how you take broken, sinful, and hurting people, and you bring them in, and you make them a part of your community and how you use them for the proclamation of the gospel. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. And so one of the things that I've been thinking about as I've been reading through this chapter is how sometimes when we're younger, there are things that maybe we don't quite understand. And I was thinking about 55 00:33:57,540 --> 00:34:26,540 those this week is I had all the kids in the car, and I was getting ready to get on the interstate. And when I was little, I remember various adults saying this, you know, in the middle of traffic, and they'll say, "Hey, kids, be quiet. We're trying to drive here." And I always thought that was ridiculous, because what does all the noise in the car have to do with being able to navigate traffic? And then here's the kids. They're all asking me a question at once. You know, there's cars coming this way. There's cars this way. There's cars behind me. And I'm like, "Just everybody be quiet." 56 00:34:26,540 --> 00:34:55,540 I'm trying to see the drive here. And it's like, "Well, what connection do my ears have with my eyes?" And I became the very thing that, as a child, I thought was completely ridiculous. But what happens in life is that we go through these moments where we realize that maybe what we understood as a child, we didn't quite understand as deeply when we began to look a little more closely. And for me, at least, 57 00:34:55,540 --> 00:35:24,540 Joshua, the second chapter, is one of those places, right? I've always sort of seen this chapter in sort of the Sunday school class lesson when you're like in third grade, and you got these spies, and they sneak in. This really nice lady whose last name happens to be Harlot helps them sneak out of the city. And it's just sort of this cool story about sneaking in, sneaking out, and then God ends up saving the nice lady. 58 00:35:24,540 --> 00:35:40,540 The reality of Joshua chapter 2 is a little bit more gritty. It's a little bit more, I think, deep than just simply a Sunday school lesson. And those aren't bad, right? That's how we learn the Bible. 59 00:35:40,540 --> 00:35:53,540 But one of the great things about the Bible is that as we grow, we get to go deeper and deeper into it. And so one of the things I want us to do as we dive into this is there's a couple things. I want us to see this story for what it is. 60 00:35:53,540 --> 00:36:07,540 We may be familiar with it. Maybe we're not. But secondly, in this chapter, there is a remarkable amount of connections to the rest of Scripture, both before Joshua chapter 2 and after Joshua chapter 2. 61 00:36:07,540 --> 00:36:14,540 And so as we move through this, we'll point out sort of how this ties Scripture together. And this isn't just true of Joshua chapter 2. 62 00:36:14,540 --> 00:36:22,540 As you and I read the Bible, one of the things that we need to be aware of is that this book is remarkably unified, 63 00:36:22,540 --> 00:36:31,540 written by more than 40 authors over a couple of millennia, and somehow God ties it all together beautifully. 64 00:36:31,540 --> 00:36:37,540 But most of all, I think I want to deceive in this chapter the goodness of the Gospel. 65 00:36:37,540 --> 00:36:47,540 And so we begin in the first half of verse 1. And there is this sort of secret mission going on. And it begins like this: 66 00:36:47,540 --> 00:36:57,540 "And Joshua, the son of Nun, sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, 'Go and view the land, especially Jericho.'" 67 00:36:57,540 --> 00:37:06,540 And so in the previous chapter, God has called Joshua, and it appears that Joshua doesn't waste any time in getting to work. 68 00:37:06,540 --> 00:37:14,540 And so Joshua immediately picks two trusted men, and you see that Joshua, in his life, has learned a little bit 69 00:37:14,540 --> 00:37:20,540 in terms of his age and experience and wisdom. Because remember, he was one of two spies, right? 70 00:37:20,540 --> 00:37:30,540 A group of twelve, and he and one other were sort of the good spies. And so he picks two men, and he sends them into the land. 71 00:37:30,540 --> 00:37:36,540 Now he sends them secretly, and I think there's a couple reasons for that, and I think they're all wise. 72 00:37:36,540 --> 00:37:41,540 First of all, Joshua wants an approximation of what's in front of him. 73 00:37:41,540 --> 00:37:50,540 So, just like Nehemiah, when he begins to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, secretly goes out at night and prepares, 74 00:37:50,540 --> 00:37:56,540 sort of looks through and sees what needs to be done, right? We need gates here, and bricks here, and mortar over here, 75 00:37:56,540 --> 00:38:02,540 and sort of surveys what he's getting into. Joshua is a good leader, and he wants to be prepared, right? 76 00:38:02,540 --> 00:38:08,540 He doesn't just sort of want to walk into the promised land, but he puts his faith in God's promises to work, 77 00:38:08,540 --> 00:38:15,540 and he begins to scout out the land so that, as they move forward, he is not surprised. 78 00:38:15,540 --> 00:38:20,540 Second reason for the secrecy is that Canaan seems to be on high alert. 79 00:38:20,540 --> 00:38:25,540 When we get later on in the chapter, these spies, they walk into Jericho, 80 00:38:25,540 --> 00:38:30,540 and they're almost instantly alerting the authorities because everybody's on the lookout. 81 00:38:30,540 --> 00:38:36,540 And so they're sort of engaging in some operational security here to sort of keep that circle small 82 00:38:36,540 --> 00:38:41,540 so the word doesn't get out that they are out spying in third. 83 00:38:41,540 --> 00:38:50,540 The last time spies came back and reported publicly and immediately for God's people, it didn't go well, right? 84 00:38:50,540 --> 00:38:55,540 Because God's people begin to jump to conclusions. The message was this land is inhabited by giants. 85 00:38:55,540 --> 00:38:58,540 They're way bigger and way stronger, and the people panicked. 86 00:38:58,540 --> 00:39:04,540 And so Joshua wants to hear what they're up against, knowing that God will help them win this victory. 87 00:39:04,540 --> 00:39:10,540 And so he sends these spies in secretly, right? 88 00:39:10,540 --> 00:39:17,540 Now, almost immediately, in the second half of verse 1, this begins to take a surprising turn. 89 00:39:17,540 --> 00:39:20,540 I'm going to read down through verse 6. 90 00:39:20,540 --> 00:39:26,540 "And they went and they came into a house of a prostitute, whose name was Rahab, and lodged there. 91 00:39:26,540 --> 00:39:29,540 And it was told to the king of Jericho, 92 00:39:29,540 --> 00:39:33,540 Behold, men of Israel have come tonight to search out the land. 93 00:39:33,540 --> 00:39:36,540 The king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, 94 00:39:36,540 --> 00:39:41,540 Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered into your house, and have come to search out the land. 95 00:39:41,540 --> 00:39:45,540 But the woman had taken two men and hidden them. 96 00:39:45,540 --> 00:39:48,540 And she said, True, these men came to me. 97 00:39:48,540 --> 00:39:52,540 But I did not know where they were from, and the gate was about to be closed at dark. 98 00:39:52,540 --> 00:39:54,540 And the men went out, and I do not know where the men went. 99 00:39:54,540 --> 00:39:57,540 Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them." 100 00:39:57,540 --> 00:40:05,540 But she had brought them up to the roof and hid them with the stalks of flax that she had laid in order on the roof. 101 00:40:05,540 --> 00:40:12,540 And so our first surprise in this is, immediately, there is this woman named Rahab. 102 00:40:12,540 --> 00:40:17,540 And Joshua chapter 2 calls her a prostitute. 103 00:40:17,540 --> 00:40:22,540 Now, over time, people have tried to sort of lessen the impact of that word. 104 00:40:22,540 --> 00:40:27,540 And so, you know, Josephus will talk about how she's an innkeeper. 105 00:40:27,540 --> 00:40:35,540 But the word here used for her occupation is the word that's used elsewhere in Scripture for a prostitute. 106 00:40:35,540 --> 00:40:41,540 When she's referred to in the New Testament, the word that's used for her is porne. 107 00:40:41,540 --> 00:40:43,540 She is a prostitute. 108 00:40:43,540 --> 00:40:53,540 Here is a lady whose occupation goes against the very standard of what God has laid out for his people. 109 00:40:53,540 --> 00:41:01,540 And so, almost immediately, the central character that we see in here is somebody that sort of stands against the standards of God, right? 110 00:41:01,540 --> 00:41:05,540 She's a Canaanite, so she's far from God's people. 111 00:41:05,540 --> 00:41:16,540 Secondly, her occupation is one that isn't just immoral, but encourages immorality in other people, and here she is. 112 00:41:16,540 --> 00:41:24,540 The next thing that sort of jumps out is how do the spies end up in the house of a prostitute? 113 00:41:24,540 --> 00:41:31,540 Now, some people have said these spies are making bad choices, and that might be. We don't know. 114 00:41:31,540 --> 00:41:42,540 But the second thing that sort of happens in this time period is these houses of ill repute, the place where Rahab lived and worked. 115 00:41:42,540 --> 00:41:53,540 Oftentimes, in addition to being sort of a house of immorality, it was a place where people would gather, especially strangers, from outside the wall. 116 00:41:53,540 --> 00:42:00,540 These are exactly the kind of places where spies and people who are up to no good tend to congregate. 117 00:42:00,540 --> 00:42:14,540 In fact, in the law code of Hammurabi, the Persians, he will talk specifically about those prostitutes who harbor spies and who begin to let plots form in their establishment. 118 00:42:14,540 --> 00:42:23,540 And so, where you have outsiders and people are talking back and forth, this is a good place to go and to get some information. 119 00:42:23,540 --> 00:42:40,540 It's also, as we learn, sort of a great location on the city. It's in a poor district of Jericho, and archaeologists have uncovered these kind of sections of walls where you have sort of an outer wall, inner wall, and you have rooms built between them. 120 00:42:40,540 --> 00:42:47,540 And evidently, they were maybe hoping for a place where they could escape if they had need of. 121 00:42:47,540 --> 00:43:06,540 But it's also possible, too, that Rahab, in sort of executing her trade, one of the ways in which you would drum up clientele in this time period, you see this in the book of Proverbs, is you would sort of walk through the streets looking for people who are likely customers. 122 00:43:06,540 --> 00:43:22,540 And it's possible that Rahab, it seems like she knows, and she's pretty tied into the political events in Jericho, she knows what's going on, knows that there's people looking for spies, and so she sees these men, and maybe it's not anything immoral, she's just simply trying to protect them. 123 00:43:22,540 --> 00:43:29,540 We don't know how they get there or why they get there, we just know that it's a really surprising situation. 124 00:43:29,540 --> 00:43:50,540 The third thing that is surprising is these guys walk through the gates in the wall, they show up somehow in Rahab's place, and immediately the king knows that they are there, whether it's an informer in Rahab's house, whether it's somebody who sees these people, maybe the word is out in town. 125 00:43:50,540 --> 00:44:06,540 Right? And so immediately the king sends his sort of counterintelligence agents to Rahab saying, "Give us these spies!" And then she begins to say, "Well, they're not here, they went this way, they went out there, send your men out there, maybe you can catch them if they're quick enough." 126 00:44:06,540 --> 00:44:17,540 And one of these big questions that people have often raised in these verses is you see Rahab just blatantly lying to these people. And people have asked, "Is it okay to lie in these situations?" 127 00:44:17,540 --> 00:44:28,540 And they use Rahab as an example. Keep in mind that at this point Rahab is not a member of the people of God. She doesn't live by the Ten Commandments, doesn't likely even know about the Ten Commandments. 128 00:44:28,540 --> 00:44:42,540 She hasn't heard God say, "Thou shalt not lie." And the author of Joshua here is not giving her to us as an example saying, "Be like her," but rather what he's saying to us is, "This is what happened." Right? 129 00:44:42,540 --> 00:44:51,540 There is a difference between recording history and saying, "This is how you should live according to that history." 130 00:44:51,540 --> 00:45:01,540 One of the interesting things you see at the very end of these verses, and it's one of those places where this ties back into the early part of Exodus, 131 00:45:01,540 --> 00:45:09,540 as Rahab takes these spies up on her roof, where you have flax, which are these long reeds, and sort of has them all piled up nicely for processing, 132 00:45:09,540 --> 00:45:20,540 hides these spies under them. The word here used to say hide, the word translated hide, up until this point in Scripture is only used in one other place. 133 00:45:20,540 --> 00:45:31,540 And it's when Moses' mom takes this little baby, right, and takes him out to the reeds, and covers him up and hides him there in the river to protect him. 134 00:45:31,540 --> 00:45:47,540 That in this moment, this surprising person, Rahab the prostitute, an immoral outsider to the people of God, is behaving to these spies exactly like Moses' mom did to him. 135 00:45:47,540 --> 00:45:59,540 And in verse 7, we find the spies are now trapped. "So the men pursued them on their way to the Jordan as far as the fords, and the gate was shut as soon as the pursuers have gone out." 136 00:45:59,540 --> 00:46:09,540 So the pursuers leave town, they lock the gates to keep anybody else from going out, right? So attention has been diverted, but now you're trapped in a city, and how do you get out? 137 00:46:09,540 --> 00:46:17,540 You can't spend the rest of your life just hiding under the reeds. It's only a matter of time until you are caught. 138 00:46:17,540 --> 00:46:27,540 And in verse 8, we hear Rahab move from protecting to pleading. "So before the men lay down, they were hiding under the flax, 139 00:46:27,540 --> 00:46:34,540 she came up to them on the roof and said to them, 'I know the Lord has given you the land, and the fear of you has fallen upon us, 140 00:46:34,540 --> 00:46:41,540 that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you, for we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you 141 00:46:41,540 --> 00:46:48,540 when you came out of Egypt. And what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, 142 00:46:48,540 --> 00:46:55,540 whom you devoted to destruction. And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any 143 00:46:55,540 --> 00:47:03,540 man because of you, for the Lord your God. He is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. Now then, please 144 00:47:03,540 --> 00:47:12,540 swear to me by the Lord that as I have dealt kindly with you, you also will deal kindly with my father's house and 145 00:47:12,540 --> 00:47:20,540 give me a sure sign, that you will save alive my father and mother and my brothers and sisters and all who belong to 146 00:47:20,540 --> 00:47:29,540 them and deliver our lives from death. And the men said to her, "Our life were yours even to death. If you do not 147 00:47:29,540 --> 00:47:37,540 tell this business of ours when the Lord gives us the land, we will deal kindly and faithfully with you." And as 148 00:47:37,540 --> 00:47:44,540 everybody else in Jericho panics and tries to protect and tries to counterattack and tries to figure out what's 149 00:47:44,540 --> 00:47:54,540 happening, Rahab throws herself upon the grace and mercy of God. And in verse 15, "Then she let them down by a 150 00:47:54,540 --> 00:47:59,540 rope through the window, for her house had been built into the city wall, so she lived in the wall. And she 151 00:47:59,540 --> 00:48:06,540 said to them, "Go into the hills, or the pursuers will encounter you. And there hide three days until the 152 00:48:06,540 --> 00:48:13,540 pursuers have returned. Then afterwards you may go your way." And the men said to her, "We will be guiltless with 153 00:48:13,540 --> 00:48:18,540 respect to this oath of yours that you have made us swear. Behold, when we come into the land, you 154 00:48:18,540 --> 00:48:24,540 shall tie this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down. And you shall gather into your 155 00:48:24,540 --> 00:48:30,540 house your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father's household. Then if anyone goes 156 00:48:30,540 --> 00:48:36,540 out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head and we shall be 157 00:48:36,540 --> 00:48:42,540 guiltless. But if a hand is laid on anyone who is with you in this house, his blood shall be 158 00:48:42,540 --> 00:48:48,540 laid on our heads. And if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be guiltless with respect to your 159 00:48:48,540 --> 00:48:53,540 oath that you have made us swear. And she said, "According to your words, so be it." Then she sent them 160 00:48:53,540 --> 00:49:02,540 away and departed, and she tied the scarlet cord in the window. And here, in addition to this 161 00:49:02,540 --> 00:49:10,540 oath or this covenant that is made between Rahab and the spies, you find this scarlet cord. And people have 162 00:49:10,540 --> 00:49:16,540 always asked, "Where did this scarlet cord come from? Did the spies bring it with them, hoping 163 00:49:16,540 --> 00:49:22,540 maybe to use it as some sort of signal? Did Rahab have it?" But one of the things that's remarkable 164 00:49:22,540 --> 00:49:28,540 about this little scarlet cord that signals where Rahab lives to the people of Israel when they 165 00:49:28,540 --> 00:49:36,540 eventually take the city, is that in Scripture, it's not the first place we see this kind of picture. In 166 00:49:36,540 --> 00:49:45,540 fact, in Genesis, the 38th chapter, there's a woman by the name of Tamar, and she has twins. And as the 167 00:49:45,540 --> 00:49:51,540 twins are being born, the firstborn has his arm, and they wrap a scarlet cord around it so they know which 168 00:49:51,540 --> 00:49:58,540 one of the twins is the firstborn. But then there's a fight, and the second twin is born first, and God 169 00:49:58,540 --> 00:50:05,540 switches the firstborn for the secondborn, one who will eventually be in the family line of Rahabah. 170 00:50:05,540 --> 00:50:14,540 We'll read that in just a few minutes. But also, there's a picture not just back to that, but to 171 00:50:14,540 --> 00:50:21,540 Passover, right? Where God marks the house of the people by having them put blood over the 172 00:50:21,540 --> 00:50:25,540 doorway. If you're in the house, you're safe. If you're out of the house, your blood is on your own 173 00:50:25,540 --> 00:50:34,540 head. And in many ways, what is happening to Rahab right now is her Passover, her exodus from the pagan 174 00:50:34,540 --> 00:50:43,540 Canaanite religion and immorality into the people of God. The spies make it back safely. 175 00:50:43,540 --> 00:50:48,540 They depart and return to the hills. They remain there all their days, three days, until the pursuers 176 00:50:48,540 --> 00:50:54,540 returned. And the pursuers searched all along the way and found nothing. The two men returned. 177 00:50:54,540 --> 00:50:59,540 They came down from the hills, passed over, came to Joshua the son of Nun, and they told him what had 178 00:50:59,540 --> 00:51:04,540 happened to them. And Joshua, they said to Joshua, "Truly the Lord has given all the lands 179 00:51:04,540 --> 00:51:11,540 into our hands, and also the inhabitants of the land melt away because of us." 180 00:51:11,540 --> 00:51:18,540 Now this text, while maybe interesting how it connects the Bible, you have a picture of 181 00:51:18,540 --> 00:51:23,540 Passover. You also have pictures found in the New Testament. Scholars have identified 182 00:51:23,540 --> 00:51:28,540 things that point ultimately to Jesus in the New Testament. These three days in the 183 00:51:28,540 --> 00:51:34,540 wilderness, this red cord, the promises and covenant, the substitution of the 184 00:51:34,540 --> 00:51:40,540 spies for Rahab. There's all of these pictures, but for many of us, this feels 185 00:51:40,540 --> 00:51:44,540 a little bit distant. It might be an interesting story with some interesting 186 00:51:44,540 --> 00:51:50,540 trivia fitting it into the Bible. It may be surprising in some ways and exciting in 187 00:51:50,540 --> 00:51:57,540 others. But what about us? And one of the things that I would have you consider 188 00:51:57,540 --> 00:52:04,540 this morning is how do we react when we see the just judgment of God? And one 189 00:52:04,540 --> 00:52:09,540 of the things that happens when we see the just judgment of God, when we realize that 190 00:52:09,540 --> 00:52:14,540 things are not the way that they should be, and that we are in trouble, and 191 00:52:14,540 --> 00:52:18,540 not only are we in trouble, but we're responsible for it. One of the things that 192 00:52:18,540 --> 00:52:25,540 we try to do is we try to fix the problems that we have created. In fact, much of the 193 00:52:25,540 --> 00:52:30,540 controversy, in fact, even in the political world, is how do we fix the 194 00:52:30,540 --> 00:52:34,540 problems in this world, right? And what are we trying to do when we do that? We're 195 00:52:34,540 --> 00:52:40,540 trying to fix the problems that we, as sinful people, have created. But then 196 00:52:40,540 --> 00:52:44,540 sometimes what we try to do is we hide ourselves from the problems we've created, 197 00:52:44,540 --> 00:52:49,540 right? We distract ourselves, we entertain ourselves, we keep ourselves 198 00:52:49,540 --> 00:52:54,540 busy. And then other times we try to sort of accomplish our way out of the 199 00:52:54,540 --> 00:53:00,540 problems, right? We understand that we have messed things up, that we are the 200 00:53:00,540 --> 00:53:06,540 problem. We think, well, if I can accomplish this, right, I can outweigh 201 00:53:06,540 --> 00:53:12,540 all of my brokenness with all of my goodness and all of my achievements. And 202 00:53:12,540 --> 00:53:16,540 regardless of whether we're here trying to fix it, whether we're running and 203 00:53:16,540 --> 00:53:20,540 hiding from it, whether we're trying to accomplish our way out of it, whether we're 204 00:53:20,540 --> 00:53:24,540 making excuses or pointing blame to somebody else for it, 205 00:53:24,540 --> 00:53:28,540 ultimately you and I have to face the consequences 206 00:53:28,540 --> 00:53:32,540 and the responsibility of the fact that we have sinned against 207 00:53:32,540 --> 00:53:36,540 God and we deserve just judgment. 208 00:53:36,540 --> 00:53:40,540 You see it in Jericho. As the just judgment of God 209 00:53:40,540 --> 00:53:44,540 is coming, these people understand it, right? Their hearts are melting 210 00:53:44,540 --> 00:53:48,540 within them. And some people are fortifying a city, some people are trying to 211 00:53:48,540 --> 00:53:50,540 prevent it by catching spies. 212 00:53:50,540 --> 00:53:52,540 I imagine others are raising 213 00:53:52,540 --> 00:53:54,540 up armies and sharpening 214 00:53:54,540 --> 00:53:56,540 swords. Some people are stockpiling 215 00:53:56,540 --> 00:53:58,540 food, right? 216 00:53:58,540 --> 00:54:00,540 Here comes the just judgment 217 00:54:00,540 --> 00:54:02,540 of God and we will figure out 218 00:54:02,540 --> 00:54:04,540 a way to save ourselves from it. 219 00:54:04,540 --> 00:54:06,540 Just like we do, right? 220 00:54:06,540 --> 00:54:08,540 Here is the just judgment 221 00:54:08,540 --> 00:54:10,540 and I can save 222 00:54:10,540 --> 00:54:12,540 myself. 223 00:54:12,540 --> 00:54:16,540 But here in Joshua chapter 2, 224 00:54:16,540 --> 00:54:18,540 what does Rahab do? 225 00:54:18,540 --> 00:54:20,540 She doesn't try to save herself. 226 00:54:20,540 --> 00:54:22,540 She says, "I know that 227 00:54:22,540 --> 00:54:24,540 your God is God 228 00:54:24,540 --> 00:54:26,540 and I know that the only help 229 00:54:26,540 --> 00:54:28,540 that I can expect comes 230 00:54:28,540 --> 00:54:30,540 from Him 231 00:54:30,540 --> 00:54:32,540 through His people." 232 00:54:32,540 --> 00:54:34,540 And what Rahab does 233 00:54:34,540 --> 00:54:36,540 is she throws herself 234 00:54:36,540 --> 00:54:38,540 on to the mercy of God. 235 00:54:38,540 --> 00:54:40,540 And it changes 236 00:54:40,540 --> 00:54:42,540 her life, right? 237 00:54:42,540 --> 00:54:44,540 Her faith in the God 238 00:54:44,540 --> 00:54:46,540 in Israel. And remember, she doesn't have a Bible. 239 00:54:46,540 --> 00:54:48,540 She doesn't have 240 00:54:48,540 --> 00:54:50,540 Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, 241 00:54:50,540 --> 00:54:52,540 Numbers, and Deuteronomy, the only parts that have been written 242 00:54:52,540 --> 00:54:54,540 so far. She has 243 00:54:54,540 --> 00:54:56,540 just seen what God has done 244 00:54:56,540 --> 00:54:58,540 and she throws her 245 00:54:58,540 --> 00:55:00,540 hope and her future 246 00:55:00,540 --> 00:55:02,540 into His hands 247 00:55:02,540 --> 00:55:04,540 and then she 248 00:55:04,540 --> 00:55:06,540 puts her faith into action. 249 00:55:06,540 --> 00:55:08,540 Listen to Hebrews chapter 250 00:55:08,540 --> 00:55:10,540 11. 251 00:55:10,540 --> 00:55:12,540 "By faith 252 00:55:12,540 --> 00:55:14,540 people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land 253 00:55:14,540 --> 00:55:16,540 but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. 254 00:55:16,540 --> 00:55:18,540 By faith, the walls of Jericho 255 00:55:18,540 --> 00:55:20,540 fell down after they had been 256 00:55:20,540 --> 00:55:22,540 encircled by seven days. By faith, 257 00:55:22,540 --> 00:55:24,540 Rahab the prostitute 258 00:55:24,540 --> 00:55:26,540 did not perish with those who were 259 00:55:26,540 --> 00:55:28,540 disobedient because she had given friendly 260 00:55:28,540 --> 00:55:30,540 welcome to the spies. The reason she 261 00:55:30,540 --> 00:55:32,540 welcomed the spies, the friendly 262 00:55:32,540 --> 00:55:34,540 welcome, was because she believed 263 00:55:34,540 --> 00:55:36,540 and she had thrown herself onto the mercy 264 00:55:36,540 --> 00:55:38,540 of God. In the book of James 265 00:55:38,540 --> 00:55:40,540 where he's talking about the relationship 266 00:55:40,540 --> 00:55:42,540 between our faith 267 00:55:42,540 --> 00:55:44,540 and how that faith plays out 268 00:55:44,540 --> 00:55:46,540 practically in our life. In the same 269 00:55:46,540 --> 00:55:48,540 way also, Rahab the 270 00:55:48,540 --> 00:55:50,540 prostitute justified by works 271 00:55:50,540 --> 00:55:52,540 when she received messengers 272 00:55:52,540 --> 00:55:54,540 and sent them out another way. 273 00:55:54,540 --> 00:55:56,540 For as a body 274 00:55:56,540 --> 00:55:58,540 apart from the spirit of dead, so 275 00:55:58,540 --> 00:56:00,540 is faith apart from works dead. 276 00:56:00,540 --> 00:56:02,540 Rahab didn't just say 277 00:56:02,540 --> 00:56:04,540 that she trusted God. 278 00:56:04,540 --> 00:56:06,540 She lived it. She didn't just 279 00:56:06,540 --> 00:56:08,540 say, "Yes, I believe in this." 280 00:56:08,540 --> 00:56:10,540 Right? She took that belief, and it was 281 00:56:10,540 --> 00:56:12,540 in her heart, and it came out 282 00:56:12,540 --> 00:56:14,540 through her actions, and she 283 00:56:14,540 --> 00:56:16,540 sought to save the spies, not 284 00:56:16,540 --> 00:56:18,540 to earn a place 285 00:56:18,540 --> 00:56:20,540 with God, but because she had already 286 00:56:20,540 --> 00:56:22,540 trusted Him. 287 00:56:22,540 --> 00:56:24,540 The call 288 00:56:24,540 --> 00:56:26,540 in this text for us, as we 289 00:56:26,540 --> 00:56:28,540 face the just judgment of God, 290 00:56:28,540 --> 00:56:30,540 as we all will, is 291 00:56:30,540 --> 00:56:32,540 to stop running, 292 00:56:32,540 --> 00:56:34,540 to stop hiding, 293 00:56:34,540 --> 00:56:36,540 to stop distracting 294 00:56:36,540 --> 00:56:38,540 ourselves, 295 00:56:38,540 --> 00:56:40,540 and throw ourselves 296 00:56:40,540 --> 00:56:42,540 onto the mercy of God. 297 00:56:42,540 --> 00:56:44,540 And what you will see 298 00:56:44,540 --> 00:56:46,540 is that your faith 299 00:56:46,540 --> 00:56:48,540 in the Almighty God 300 00:56:48,540 --> 00:56:50,540 will transform you. 301 00:56:50,540 --> 00:56:52,540 He will transform you. 302 00:56:52,540 --> 00:56:54,540 One of the lessons 303 00:56:54,540 --> 00:56:56,540 in Joshua chapter 2 304 00:56:56,540 --> 00:56:58,540 is to stop running, stop 305 00:56:58,540 --> 00:57:00,540 hiding, and throw yourself 306 00:57:00,540 --> 00:57:02,540 upon the grace of God. 307 00:57:02,540 --> 00:57:04,540 The remarkable thing 308 00:57:04,540 --> 00:57:06,540 that victory does not end 309 00:57:06,540 --> 00:57:08,540 with her being commended 310 00:57:08,540 --> 00:57:10,540 for being faithful, 311 00:57:10,540 --> 00:57:12,540 for trusting the God 312 00:57:12,540 --> 00:57:14,540 that she had only heard rumors about, 313 00:57:14,540 --> 00:57:16,540 and living out her faith 314 00:57:16,540 --> 00:57:18,540 in a practical way. 315 00:57:18,540 --> 00:57:20,540 But what's remarkable 316 00:57:20,540 --> 00:57:22,540 about Rahab 317 00:57:22,540 --> 00:57:24,540 is that God takes her, 318 00:57:24,540 --> 00:57:26,540 this pagan prostitute, 319 00:57:26,540 --> 00:57:28,540 this immoral outsider, 320 00:57:28,540 --> 00:57:30,540 the one who 321 00:57:30,540 --> 00:57:32,540 couldn't be further 322 00:57:32,540 --> 00:57:34,540 righteousness that God has given 323 00:57:34,540 --> 00:57:36,540 for His people, and He does 324 00:57:36,540 --> 00:57:38,540 something wonderful with her. 325 00:57:38,540 --> 00:57:40,540 Let me read to you 326 00:57:40,540 --> 00:57:42,540 in Matthew chapter 1. 327 00:57:42,540 --> 00:57:44,540 And one of the remarkable things is we see 328 00:57:44,540 --> 00:57:46,540 her family saved in Joshua 329 00:57:46,540 --> 00:57:48,540 chapter 6, but her story doesn't end there. 330 00:57:48,540 --> 00:57:50,540 This is from Matthew chapter 331 00:57:50,540 --> 00:57:52,540 1. Abraham was 332 00:57:52,540 --> 00:57:54,540 the father of Isaac. 333 00:57:54,540 --> 00:57:56,540 Isaac was the father of Jacob. 334 00:57:56,540 --> 00:57:58,540 Jacob was the father of Judah 335 00:57:58,540 --> 00:58:00,540 and his brothers. Judah was the 336 00:58:00,540 --> 00:58:02,540 father of Perez and Zerah 337 00:58:02,540 --> 00:58:04,540 by Tamar. 338 00:58:04,540 --> 00:58:06,540 Perez, the father of Hezron. 339 00:58:06,540 --> 00:58:08,540 Hezron, the father of Ram. 340 00:58:08,540 --> 00:58:10,540 Ram, the father of Aminadab. 341 00:58:10,540 --> 00:58:12,540 Aminadab, the father of 342 00:58:12,540 --> 00:58:14,540 Nashon. Nashon, 343 00:58:14,540 --> 00:58:16,540 the father of Salmon. 344 00:58:16,540 --> 00:58:18,540 Salmon, the father 345 00:58:18,540 --> 00:58:20,540 of Boaz 346 00:58:20,540 --> 00:58:22,540 by Rahab. 347 00:58:22,540 --> 00:58:24,540 And Boaz, 348 00:58:24,540 --> 00:58:26,540 the mother of Obed by Ruth. 349 00:58:26,540 --> 00:58:28,540 Obed, the father of 350 00:58:28,540 --> 00:58:30,540 Jesse. Jesse, 351 00:58:30,540 --> 00:58:32,540 the father of David. 352 00:58:32,540 --> 00:58:34,540 The king. 353 00:58:34,540 --> 00:58:36,540 And then her story keeps going. 354 00:58:36,540 --> 00:58:38,540 And this genealogy 355 00:58:38,540 --> 00:58:40,540 ultimately culminates 356 00:58:40,540 --> 00:58:42,540 in Jesus. 357 00:58:42,540 --> 00:58:44,540 Do you see what God does? 358 00:58:44,540 --> 00:58:46,540 This pagan prostitute 359 00:58:46,540 --> 00:58:48,540 who throws 360 00:58:48,540 --> 00:58:50,540 herself on the mercy of God, 361 00:58:50,540 --> 00:58:52,540 finds her life transformed. 362 00:58:52,540 --> 00:58:54,540 But not just her life, 363 00:58:54,540 --> 00:58:56,540 her legacy. 364 00:58:56,540 --> 00:58:58,540 God takes her. 365 00:58:58,540 --> 00:59:00,540 He doesn't just say, "We'll keep you alive," 366 00:59:00,540 --> 00:59:02,540 but He takes her, 367 00:59:02,540 --> 00:59:04,540 and He brings her into His plan. 368 00:59:04,540 --> 00:59:06,540 She becomes great-great-grandmother 369 00:59:06,540 --> 00:59:08,540 to the greatest king, 370 00:59:08,540 --> 00:59:10,540 and she becomes 371 00:59:10,540 --> 00:59:12,540 the great-great-great-great-great- 372 00:59:12,540 --> 00:59:14,540 keep going with the greats, 373 00:59:14,540 --> 00:59:16,540 grandmother to Jesus, our Savior. 374 00:59:16,540 --> 00:59:18,540 See how God changes 375 00:59:18,540 --> 00:59:20,540 people? 376 00:59:20,540 --> 00:59:22,540 There are times, I think, when we look at our brokenness, 377 00:59:22,540 --> 00:59:24,540 especially in terms of 378 00:59:24,540 --> 00:59:26,540 the righteousness of God, and we might say 379 00:59:26,540 --> 00:59:28,540 that there is no way that God could love me, 380 00:59:28,540 --> 00:59:30,540 or use me, or want me. 381 00:59:30,540 --> 00:59:32,540 The story of Rahab says 382 00:59:32,540 --> 00:59:34,540 that we are wrong. 383 00:59:34,540 --> 00:59:36,540 That God loves you, 384 00:59:36,540 --> 00:59:38,540 wants you, transforms you, 385 00:59:38,540 --> 00:59:40,540 and changes you, 386 00:59:40,540 --> 00:59:42,540 and can use you 387 00:59:42,540 --> 00:59:44,540 to do something 388 00:59:44,540 --> 00:59:46,540 wonderful. Let's pray. 389 00:59:46,540 --> 00:59:48,540 Father, thank you for your 390 00:59:48,540 --> 00:59:50,540 grace. As we see 391 00:59:50,540 --> 00:59:52,540 this picture 392 00:59:52,540 --> 00:59:54,540 of hope, 393 00:59:54,540 --> 00:59:56,540 we see this picture of salvation, 394 00:59:56,540 --> 00:59:58,540 this picture of faith, 395 00:59:58,540 --> 01:00:00,540 this picture of wisdom, 396 01:00:00,540 --> 01:00:02,540 this picture of faith in action. 397 01:00:02,540 --> 01:00:04,540 Would you remind us 398 01:00:04,540 --> 01:00:06,540 that you are our hope, 399 01:00:06,540 --> 01:00:08,540 and that we throw our hope on you. 400 01:00:08,540 --> 01:00:10,540 Help us to not 401 01:00:10,540 --> 01:00:12,540 just hold this as an intellectual exercise, 402 01:00:12,540 --> 01:00:14,540 but to put it into practice 403 01:00:14,540 --> 01:00:16,540 like Rahab did, 404 01:00:16,540 --> 01:00:18,540 and help us to see how you welcome 405 01:00:18,540 --> 01:00:20,540 broken sinners into your 406 01:00:20,540 --> 01:00:22,540 family. It's in Jesus' name 407 01:00:22,540 --> 01:00:24,540 we pray. Amen. 408 01:00:24,540 --> 01:00:26,540 We're going 409 01:00:26,540 --> 01:00:28,540 to stand, and we're going 410 01:00:28,540 --> 01:00:30,540 to sing in Christ alone. 411 01:00:30,540 --> 01:00:32,540 And one of the things that I've been thinking about 412 01:00:32,540 --> 01:00:34,540 about Rahab all this week 413 01:00:34,540 --> 01:00:36,540 is that Jesus could have chosen 414 01:00:36,540 --> 01:00:38,540 anybody for his family, right? 415 01:00:38,540 --> 01:00:40,540 He's God. 416 01:00:40,540 --> 01:00:42,540 And he could have chosen anybody, and in all 417 01:00:42,540 --> 01:00:44,540 of this, he chose 418 01:00:44,540 --> 01:00:46,540 Rahab. So let's sing 419 01:00:46,540 --> 01:00:48,540 about Jesus and about our hope. 420 01:00:48,540 --> 01:00:50,540 Amen. 421 01:00:50,540 --> 01:01:02,540 In Christ alone 422 01:01:02,540 --> 01:01:04,540 my hope 423 01:01:04,540 --> 01:01:06,540 is found. 424 01:01:06,540 --> 01:01:08,540 He is my light, my 425 01:01:08,540 --> 01:01:10,540 strength, my 426 01:01:10,540 --> 01:01:12,540 soul. This 427 01:01:12,540 --> 01:01:14,540 cornerstone, 428 01:01:14,540 --> 01:01:16,540 this solid ground 429 01:01:16,540 --> 01:01:18,540 firm through the fiercest 430 01:01:18,540 --> 01:01:20,540 drowning 431 01:01:20,540 --> 01:01:22,540 storm. 432 01:01:22,540 --> 01:01:24,540 What heights of love, 433 01:01:24,540 --> 01:01:26,540 what depths of 434 01:01:26,540 --> 01:01:28,540 peace, 435 01:01:28,540 --> 01:01:30,540 when fears are still, 436 01:01:30,540 --> 01:01:32,540 when strivings cease. 437 01:01:32,540 --> 01:01:34,540 My comforter, 438 01:01:34,540 --> 01:01:36,540 my all 439 01:01:36,540 --> 01:01:38,540 in all, 440 01:01:38,540 --> 01:01:40,540 here in the love 441 01:01:40,540 --> 01:01:42,540 of Christ 442 01:01:42,540 --> 01:01:44,540 I stand. 443 01:01:44,540 --> 01:01:48,540 In Christ alone, 444 01:01:48,540 --> 01:01:52,540 who took on flesh 445 01:01:52,540 --> 01:01:54,540 the fullness of God 446 01:01:54,540 --> 01:01:56,540 in helpless 447 01:01:56,540 --> 01:01:58,540 faith, 448 01:01:58,540 --> 01:02:00,540 this gift of love 449 01:02:00,540 --> 01:02:02,540 and righteousness, 450 01:02:02,540 --> 01:02:04,540 scorned by 451 01:02:04,540 --> 01:02:06,540 the ones He came 452 01:02:06,540 --> 01:02:08,540 to save. 453 01:02:08,540 --> 01:02:10,540 Till on that cross 454 01:02:10,540 --> 01:02:12,540 as Jesus 455 01:02:12,540 --> 01:02:14,540 died 456 01:02:14,540 --> 01:02:16,540 the wrath of God 457 01:02:16,540 --> 01:02:18,540 was satisfied 458 01:02:18,540 --> 01:02:20,540 for 459 01:02:20,540 --> 01:02:22,540 every sin 460 01:02:22,540 --> 01:02:24,540 on Him was laid 461 01:02:24,540 --> 01:02:26,540 here 462 01:02:26,540 --> 01:02:28,540 in the death of Christ 463 01:02:28,540 --> 01:02:30,540 I live 464 01:02:30,540 --> 01:02:34,540 there 465 01:02:34,540 --> 01:02:36,540 in the ground 466 01:02:36,540 --> 01:02:38,540 His body laid 467 01:02:38,540 --> 01:02:40,540 light of the world 468 01:02:40,540 --> 01:02:42,540 by darkness 469 01:02:42,540 --> 01:02:44,540 slain 470 01:02:44,540 --> 01:02:46,540 then bursting forth 471 01:02:46,540 --> 01:02:48,540 in glorious day 472 01:02:48,540 --> 01:02:50,540 up from the grave 473 01:02:50,540 --> 01:02:52,540 He rose 474 01:02:52,540 --> 01:02:54,540 again 475 01:02:54,540 --> 01:02:56,540 and as He stands 476 01:02:56,540 --> 01:02:58,540 in victory 477 01:02:58,540 --> 01:03:00,540 sin's curse 478 01:03:00,540 --> 01:03:02,540 has lost 479 01:03:02,540 --> 01:03:04,540 its grip 480 01:03:04,540 --> 01:03:06,540 on me 481 01:03:06,540 --> 01:03:08,540 I am His 482 01:03:08,540 --> 01:03:10,540 and He is mine 483 01:03:10,540 --> 01:03:14,540 brought with the precious blood 484 01:03:14,540 --> 01:03:16,540 of Christ 485 01:03:16,540 --> 01:03:20,540 no guilt 486 01:03:20,540 --> 01:03:22,540 in life 487 01:03:22,540 --> 01:03:24,540 no fear in death 488 01:03:24,540 --> 01:03:26,540 this is the power 489 01:03:26,540 --> 01:03:28,540 of Christ 490 01:03:28,540 --> 01:03:30,540 in name 491 01:03:30,540 --> 01:03:32,540 from life's first cry 492 01:03:32,540 --> 01:03:34,540 to final breath 493 01:03:34,540 --> 01:03:40,540 Jesus commenced my destiny 494 01:03:40,540 --> 01:03:42,540 no power 495 01:03:42,540 --> 01:03:44,540 of hell 496 01:03:44,540 --> 01:03:46,540 no scheme of man 497 01:03:46,540 --> 01:03:48,540 can ever 498 01:03:48,540 --> 01:03:50,540 pluck me 499 01:03:50,540 --> 01:03:52,540 from His hand 500 01:03:52,540 --> 01:03:54,540 till He returns 501 01:03:54,540 --> 01:03:56,540 or calls me home 502 01:03:56,540 --> 01:03:58,540 here 503 01:03:58,540 --> 01:04:00,540 in the power of Christ 504 01:04:00,540 --> 01:04:02,540 I'll stand 505 01:04:02,540 --> 01:04:04,540 no power 506 01:04:04,540 --> 01:04:06,540 of hell 507 01:04:06,540 --> 01:04:08,540 no scheme of man 508 01:04:08,540 --> 01:04:10,540 can ever pluck 509 01:04:10,540 --> 01:04:14,540 me from His hand 510 01:04:14,540 --> 01:04:16,540 till He returns 511 01:04:16,540 --> 01:04:20,540 or calls me home 512 01:04:20,540 --> 01:04:22,540 here in the power of Christ 513 01:04:22,540 --> 01:04:24,540 I'll stand 514 01:04:24,540 --> 01:04:30,540 I want to thank you all 515 01:04:30,540 --> 01:04:32,540 for joining us this morning. We will be back 516 01:04:32,540 --> 01:04:34,540 on Wednesday night 517 01:04:34,540 --> 01:04:36,540 as we're moving through 518 01:04:36,540 --> 01:04:38,540 this series on the gospel 519 01:04:38,540 --> 01:04:40,540 and how it 520 01:04:40,540 --> 01:04:42,540 practically plays out 521 01:04:42,540 --> 01:04:44,540 and how we live. So I would invite 522 01:04:44,540 --> 01:04:46,540 you and encourage you to join 523 01:04:46,540 --> 01:04:48,540 us on Wednesday nights. We've had 524 01:04:48,540 --> 01:04:50,540 several good sessions 525 01:04:50,540 --> 01:04:52,540 and some good discussions, so 526 01:04:52,540 --> 01:04:54,540 I would encourage you to come 527 01:04:54,540 --> 01:04:56,540 and join us as we do that. 528 01:04:56,540 --> 01:04:58,540 We're going to have a word of prayer 529 01:04:58,540 --> 01:05:00,540 and then we will practice 530 01:05:00,540 --> 01:05:02,540 our verse one more time 531 01:05:02,540 --> 01:05:04,540 as I was thinking about this verse 532 01:05:04,540 --> 01:05:06,540 from James over 533 01:05:06,540 --> 01:05:08,540 the last couple days. 534 01:05:08,540 --> 01:05:10,540 It's one that seems to be 535 01:05:10,540 --> 01:05:12,540 pretty relevant as we talk about 536 01:05:12,540 --> 01:05:14,540 be quick to hear, slow to speak, 537 01:05:14,540 --> 01:05:16,540 and slow to anger, especially in a world 538 01:05:16,540 --> 01:05:18,540 where everything seems 539 01:05:18,540 --> 01:05:20,540 produced 540 01:05:20,540 --> 01:05:22,540 to make us, to get a reaction 541 01:05:22,540 --> 01:05:24,540 from us, to make us angry, to be quick 542 01:05:24,540 --> 01:05:26,540 to give our opinions 543 01:05:26,540 --> 01:05:28,540 good wisdom and a good reminder 544 01:05:28,540 --> 01:05:30,540 for us. So we're going to pray, and we'll read 545 01:05:30,540 --> 01:05:32,540 that together, and then we 546 01:05:32,540 --> 01:05:34,540 will sing the doxology. Father 547 01:05:34,540 --> 01:05:36,540 in heaven, I thank you for grace. I thank you 548 01:05:36,540 --> 01:05:38,540 for how you take 549 01:05:38,540 --> 01:05:40,540 broken sinners and bring them into your family. 550 01:05:40,540 --> 01:05:42,540 I thank you for this account 551 01:05:42,540 --> 01:05:44,540 of Joshua, as we have seen 552 01:05:44,540 --> 01:05:46,540 this picture of our hero 553 01:05:46,540 --> 01:05:48,540 who brings us 554 01:05:48,540 --> 01:05:50,540 into salvation, and we've seen how you 555 01:05:50,540 --> 01:05:52,540 save the broken and the 556 01:05:52,540 --> 01:05:54,540 hurting and those who are far from you. 557 01:05:54,540 --> 01:05:56,540 with us. It's in Jesus' name we pray. 558 01:05:56,540 --> 01:05:58,540 Amen. Let's read together. 559 01:05:58,540 --> 01:06:00,540 Know this, 560 01:06:00,540 --> 01:06:02,540 my beloved brothers, 561 01:06:02,540 --> 01:06:04,540 let every person 562 01:06:04,540 --> 01:06:06,540 be quick to hear, 563 01:06:06,540 --> 01:06:08,540 slow to speak, 564 01:06:08,540 --> 01:06:10,540 and slow to anger. 565 01:06:10,540 --> 01:06:12,540 Let's sing the doxology. 566 01:06:20,540 --> 01:06:42,540 Praise God, from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him, all creatures here below. Praise Him, above ye heavenly hosts. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 567 01:06:50,540 --> 01:06:55,540 Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 568 01:06:55,540 --> 01:06:59,540 Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 569 01:06:59,540 --> 01:07:05,540 Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 570 01:07:05,540 --> 01:07:08,540 Thank you. 571 01:07:08,540 --> 01:07:13,540 Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 572 01:07:13,540 --> 01:07:18,540 Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 573 01:07:18,540 --> 01:07:48,520 Thank you. 574 01:07:48,540 --> 01:08:18,520 Thank you. 575 01:08:18,540 --> 01:08:48,520 Thank you.