Wired Series
Being Light to Family and Friends – Part 4
March 26, 2017
This morning is the final message in the series “Wired.” We have been talking about how God has one plan, a plan that he has wired or designed us to be light. This morning’s message is “Being light to Family and friends.” Speaking of family …
Bob heard a rumor that his father, grandfather and great-grandfather had all walked on water on their 21st birthdays. So, on his 21st birth-day, Bob his good friend Brian headed out to the lake. "If they did it, I can too!" he insisted. When Bob and Brian arrived at the lake, they rented a boat and began paddling. When the got to the middle of the lake, Bob stepped off of the side of the boat... and nearly drowned. Furious and embarrassed, he and Brian headed for home.
When Bob arrived back at the family farm, he asked his grandmother for an explanation. "Grandma, why can I not walk on water like my father, and his father, and his father before him?" The feeble old grandmother took Bob by the hands, looked into his eyes, and explained, "That’s because you were born in July, dear. Your father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were all born in January."
Family at times is a funny thing! This morning I want us to consider that we have been born again, wired, to bring light to our family and friends. Go with me to our text this morning found in the book of Joshua…
Josh 2:1-20
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 a 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 b 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. c 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."
17 The men 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. 19 If anyone goes outside your house into the street, his blood will be on his own head; we will not be responsible. As for anyone who is in the house with you, his blood will be on our head if a hand is laid on him. NIV
This is a familiar story to most of us. It is the prelude to the collapse of the walls of Jericho and the utter destruction of the city and its inhabitants. Yet despite the fact the God had told Joshua that everyone in the city was to be destroy – one woman’s actions and faith help her entire extended family escape the judgment of God on this wicked city. God had declared no one we to be left but she dared to believe and press for a different outcome!
Think of it Rahab was instrumental in the salvation of her father, her mother, her brothers, her sisters, her cousins, nieces and nephews. We often focus on the miracle of the collapse, the timing of the collapse of the walls of Jericho and rightly so. But I believe we have over looked the incredible miracle of salvation to Rahab and her family.
I believe this story we can see a template for bring light to our family and friends. There is a pattern or principles that Rahab shows us that are templates for bring light to our family and friends.
As we get ready to dig in I want to remind us of the obvious.
1st God does not want anyone to face destruction
2nd You and I are God’s Plan A and His Plan B – You and your alone are
So, if we are going to bring light to our family and friends, like Rahab we must …
I. Fear God more than Man (vs. 2-4)
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.
A. Lying to the King is no small thing! People died for lesser offenses
Rahab lied. That's the simple truth. The Bible condemns deception. That, too, is the truth. Even so, when Rahab's story is told in Joshua 2, and when she is celebrated for her faith in Hebrews 11:31 and for her works in James 2:25, the Bible—while not justifying her lie—does not condemn it. The same is true of the midwives' lie (Exod. 1:15-21) and Elijah's lie (2 Kings 6:19). The fact is, Scripture offers no subtle philosophical distinctions to justify or to excuse such lies. http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/1999/may24/9t6068.html
B. Plainly Rahab was more concerned about God – Why?
a. She had heard of the Red Sea Crossing
b. She had heard of the defeat of the Amorite Kings
c. She knew that the God of the Israelites was greater that any earthly king or authority – She believed he was indeed the God of Heaven above and earth below (v.11)
C. Rahab shows us that we showed fear the right thing!
a. We fear what people might say when Jesus has said
Matt 5:10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. NIV
b. We what we’ll say – Using the Bibles and Romans road – bracelets – it says all that needs to be said
c. We must stop being led by fear! We must walk and act in Faith! That is the 1st principle Rahab show us in bring light to our family and friends.
Second, if we are going to bring light to our family and friends, like Rahab we must …
II. Intercede for Our Family Members/Friends (vs. 12-13)
A. The Bible tells us they Rahab began to plead for the lives of her family!
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."
B. What Intercession is:
Intercession is prayer that pleads with God for your needs and the needs of others. But it is also much more than that. Intercession involves taking hold of God's will and refusing to let go until His will comes to pass.
Intercession is warfare -- the key to God's battle plan for our lives. But the battleground is not of this earth. The Bible says, "We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and spiritual powers in the heavens above" (Eph. 6:12).
Intercessory prayer takes place in this spiritual world where the battles for our own lives, our families, our friends and our nation are won or lost. http://www1.cbn.com/questions/what-is-intercessory-prayerwe
C. Intercession/prayer changes destinies!
i. Moses intercedes for Israel – owe see the power of intercession:
1. Remember when Moses go the 1st set of tablets/commandments. Israel sinned idolatry – God says I’m going to destroy them and make a great nation of you (Ex.32:10) – Moses intercedes on their behalf and God relents
ii. It changed the destiny and saved the lives of Lot, Abraham’s nephew.
1. He pleaded with God for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah – if there be 50, 45, all the way to 10.
2. Point is that because of his intercession – Lot was spared
3. Your intercession for your family and friends is a key to their salvation.
4. Like Abraham and Rahab we must battle in prayer for their salvation!
iii. Seeing the power of intercession displayed in God’s word by his people it makes me wonder if the lack of my friends and families response to the gospel might be connected to my lack of intercession on their behalf
So to bring light to my family and friends, I need to fear God more than man, I must intercede praying without ceasing and
Finally, if we are going to bring light to our family and friends, like Rahab we must …
III. Convey truth to our family/friends (vs.18-19)
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. 19 If anyone goes outside your house into the street, his blood will be on his own head; we will not be responsible. As for anyone who is in the house with you, his blood will be on our head if a hand is laid on him. NIV
A. Rahab had to convey to her family and friends they only had one option to be saved from the coming destruction.
B. The Bible says – Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." NIV\
C. God has given us some tools to show our family and friends, everyone the way to salvation.
i. Revive Texas is about to happen – 50 days from Easter to Pentecost (April 16 to June 4) of intercession, of conveying truth
ii. April 7 & 8 a preview of it
iii. I’m praying that everyone on who attends ABL will take part at least one time during the 50 days (opportunities – morning, noon and night)
Conclusion:
Bible says all have sinned you, me everyone. That the only way to salvation is confess our sin and believe Christ died and paid the pentaly for us. If you haven’t done that today is the day of salvation for you!
Second – we are going to end this service interceding for our one’s (invite everyone up) and also hear a testimony in closing
