A Scarlet Thread Reminder
Scripture: John 14:1-4; Philippians 4:13; Joshua 2:8-21
The title of my message this morning is “A Scarlet Thread Reminder.” My definition of a scarlet thread reminder is this: “A scarlet thread used to remind me of something I need to remember.” In this case, my personal scarlet thread is represented by the word of God which I use to remind me of God’s promises when I face certain situations in life.
I shared with you a few weeks ago that one of my “go-to” Scriptures whenever I feel stressed is John 14, especially verses one through four. This chapter in the Bible has been a stronghold promise for me for over forty years. There are other Scriptures that I quote also when I am stressed like Philippians 4:13, but for me it starts with John 14. Let me explain as this will be important later in the message. John 14:1-4 says, “Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” (John 14:1-4) When I feel stressed I think on these four verses where Jesus tells the disciples (and me) not to let my heart be troubled because as I believe in God I should also believe in Him. He tells me He is preparing a place for me also where He is which lets me know that He is looking out for me continuously. As these verses flow through my mind I go to Philippians 4:13 which say, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13) For Rodney, John 14:1-4 tell me what to do – don’t allow my heart to be troubled and Philippians 4:13 tells me why – because I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. This is how the Word of God works in me. These two Scriptures are like a scarlet thread that’s tied around my finger so I do not forget what God has said to me when my mind starts running wild with anxiety and worry. It reminds me not to forget my source.
All of us have symbolic scarlet threads that cause us to remember something. We might not physically tie a thread around our finger, but in certain situations we reach back into our memories banks for that stored piece of information that will enable us to address whatever situation we are facing in that moment. In other words, that stored memory acts like a thread tied around our fingers so that we wouldn’t forget how we were to respond to that situation. Forgetting is not fun and I know this because I have forgotten things in the past, present and I know I will forget something tomorrow. I have walked down stairs in my home to get something from my office only to get distracted before I got there and then forgot what I was going there to get. So I stand there looking lost trying to grasp that thing from the black hole in my memory banks. I mean, obviously it must have fallen into that black hole forever covered in darkness. Well, that is until I get back upstairs without it and then remember what I needed and start the process all over again. Some of you know exactly what I am talking about.
This often happens when we are trying to remember Scripture in a moment of need. We know we read something that would help us but we just cannot seem to put our finger on it because we did not fully commit it to memory. And what is so terrible about not remembering Scripture is that when we forget it, we forget that we forget – it is as if we never knew it in the first place. God understand how our mind works and how we can forget things. I want to read something to you from the book of Numbers chapter fifteen. In this chapter God was giving Moses explicit directions of things He wanted the Children of Israel to do. At the end of the chapter, God told Moses to have the Israelites do something so that they could remember the commandments that He was giving them. Let’s read verses thirty-eight through verse forty. It says, “Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them tassels in the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the tassel of the corners a thread of blue. And it shall be unto you a tassel, that you may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that you seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you use to follow harlotry; that you may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.” (Numbers 15:38-40) God told Moses to have the people sew tassels in the corners of their garments with a thread of blue. Those tassels of blue were to remind them of the commandments of God so that they would not forget them. God knew that they would need something to remind them of what they were supposed to do – who they were supposed to be – and it is the same with each of us.
This morning I want you to think about those scarlet threads in the Word of God that reminds you of “whose” you are and “who” you are. What are your scarlet threads that remind you of the promises of God when you are in a tough situations? Now if you are wondering why I am using the term “scarlet thread” versus blue, red, yellow or any other color you can think of, it is because of the story of Rahab. Do you remember the story in the book of Joshua about the two spies who were sent secretly to spy out the land that included the fortified city of Jericho? After ending their reconnaissance, the men spent the night at the house of a harlot named Rahab. Word gets back to the king that two men from Israel had been spotted in the land at several locations and that they were now spending the night at Rahab’s place. The king sends soldiers to Rahab and demands that she bring the men out so that they can be taken to the king and interrogated. But she disobeys the king’s order and hides the men in separate places among the drying flax stalks on her roof. She then tells the soldiers that the men are gone and that they should pursue them to the city gates before they are closed. Why would Rahab lie to the king’s men for two foreigners? Let’s pick the story up in Joshua 2:8.
It reads, “Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof, and said to the men, ‘I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you 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, whom you utterly destroyed. When we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.’” (Joshua 2:8-11) After the soldiers leave, Rahab tells the spies that Jericho is already defeated. The people had heard the story about how Israel’s God takes care of them, how He fights for them. And now they were terrified – no courage, no mental or emotional strength to fight were left in them (“our hearts did melt”). This is what they felt even though they lived behind a wall that had protected them from other armies. Now understand this, when Rahab tells the spies that Jericho had heard how the Lord had dried up the waters of the Red Sea for Israel, she was talking about an event that had happen 40 years before! She was talking about an event that might have happened before she was even born.
Think about how Jericho hears about the Red Sea? Egypt was a little over 6,500 miles from Jericho. That’s like making a round trip from the west coast to the east coast here in the US. In a span of 40 years, Jericho had heard about Egypt’s destruction – from different travelers. After the Lord delivers the nation of Israel by bankrupting Egypt (Exodus 7-12) and destroying its army in the Red Sea (Exodus 14), the people with firsthand knowledge of the events began to migrate to other parts of the region. They would talk about the incredible events with relatives and friends, who in turn retold the stories with their neighbors and friends, who did the same. Because of the mind boggling destruction of Egypt, one of the most powerful kingdoms in the region, the stories were told again and again and again for years. I mean imagine grandpapa George gathering the family together to tell them about what he had heard about the Egyptians – who might have once been one of their enemies. Can you see the wide-eyed, amazed looks and open mouths of wonder he describes what he heard about the plagues and the final destruction of their armies in the Red Sea? This story was shared in every household in Jericho to the point that when the Children of Israel finally arrived at their doorsteps even their famous wall did not provide them with much comfort. Rahab specifically had settled in her heart that if the God of the Israelites had given them into the Israelites hands then no wall could stop them from taking the city. It was a done deal!!!
The Bible says “So then faith cometh by hearing …” (Romans 10:17a) Imagine hearing the stories pertaining to Egypt’s destruction at the hands of the God of Israel for 40 years. Would you not start to believe it when you hear the “same” story over and over and over? I mean there is room for doubt when the stories are not the same, but what they were hearing from different people was the same story. When you hear the same story from different sources it adds a level of credibility. Jericho had heard about the destruction of Egypt enough times that it produced in the people a terror of Israel and their God. Jericho had come to the place of believing – of having absolute faith in – the fact that it truly happened! Are you following me? In 40 years’ time, they had heard the same story from different travelers again, again and again. For the people of Jericho, repeatedly hearing what had taken place, even though they did not witness it themselves, was enough for them to fear – to believe that they would suffer the same fate as Egypt. The more times they heard the story, the more real it became to them.
The spiritual principle of “faith comes by hearing” is being demonstrated in a dramatic way today in our country and the world. We have seen examples of how what is reported in the news as not being entirely accurate is causing people to question the truth. This principle of faith works both ways. You can hear something false for so long that it becomes your truth even in the face of reality. While the people of Jericho had heard about the God of Israel and believed the reports, they also heard all of the reports from the builders of their walls about how secure they were and that no one could get through. Only Rahab believed that their walls could not stop the God of the Israelites. Even though she heard the same reports about the security of their walls, she ‘chose’ to believe the reports coming out of Egypt because the things that happened there had nothing to do with man. Man could not separate the Red sea or cause a plague or kill all of the first born in one night. Only a God could do that! Let’s continue with the story.
Before she allowed the spies to leave, Rahab made a request. Let’s pick the story up at verse twelve. “Now therefore, please swear to me by the LORD, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father's household, and give me a pledge of truth, and spare my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters, with all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.’ So the men said to her, ‘Our life for yours if you do not tell this business of ours; and it shall come about when the LORD gives us the land that we will deal kindly and faithfully with you.’ Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall, so that she was living on the wall. She said to them, ‘Go to the hill country, so that the pursuers will not happen upon you, and hide yourselves there for three days until the pursuers return. Then afterward you may go on your way.’ The men said to her, ‘We shall be free from this oath to you which you have made us swear, unless, when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, and gather to yourself into the house your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father's household. It shall come about that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be free; but anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him. ‘But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be free from the oath which you have made us swear.’ She said, ‘According to your words, so be it.’ So she sent them away, and they departed; and she tied the scarlet cord in the window.” (Joshua 2:12-21)
Rahab asked the men to spare her family from the death and destruction that was coming to Jericho. They gave her their word that her family would be spared. She also asked the men for a “pledge of truth – a true token” – something she could see to remind her of their promise to her and her family. The men of Israel agreed to spare Rahab and her family if she swore not to tell the king of their plans to occupy the land after the Lord had given it to them. Rahab then let the men down by a cord through the window of her house, which was built upon the wall of the city. As she let the men go they gave her that “true token” - a scarlet thread that she was to tie in the same window in which she let them out of. Rahab immediately tied the scarlet thread in her window.
Now I want you to see this. The scarlet thread in the window meant salvation and life for Rahab’s entire family. She tied that thread as a reminder, not only for her, but also for the Israelites who would be attacking the city. She saw the thread as a reminder of the promise made to her that no harm would come to her family – she stood in faith believing the promise of the spies. When the Israelites attacked the city they too saw the thread as a promise. They saw the thread as a promised to be fulfilled “by them” that no one in that house would be touched. When we stand on God’s Word, we are viewing it as a promise – a scarlet thread that reminds us of what God has promised to us. Now get this, when God remembers His Word He see it as a responsibility, not a promise. He sees it as something that must be fulfilled – it’s unchangeable and cannot be undone. Are you seeing the difference? The spies gave their word that if anyone under her roof came to harm it would be on them. So like Rahab who heard the stories of the God of the Israelites and how He delivered the Israelites out of Egypt and believed them, such should be our response to His words to us. When it comes to the promises God has given to us, His children, as detailed in the Bible, are we “hearing” those words of faith again, again and again until we have a faith that’s absolute and unshakeable concerning their truth – concerning God’s promise to us?
When Rahab sent the spies away, she knew Jericho would be destroyed. She knew friends and acquaintances would die. But she also knew that if she did what she had agreed to do, her family would live. Understand, her part in the whole deal did not stop once she let the spies go. She had to make sure that ALL of her family was under her roof when the city was attacked. That was her guarantee – no one under her roof would be attacked. Now if they were not under her roof when the attack came they would be killed. So she had to make sure that they were – this was her responsibility. God has given us His Word, which is chalked full of scarlet threads. The spies told Rahab what she needed to do with her scarlet thread. God has given us scarlet threads and told us what we need to do with them. We must declare them! We must confess them! We must commit them to memory! Before I give you some “scarlet threads” for your “thread bank” I want to share with you what was recorded about Rahab – beyond the fact that she was a harlot.
Hebrews 11:31 records that “By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace.” Likewise, James 2:25 records, “In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? Rahab is remembered for the faith she exercised in believing in the God of Israel which led to all of her family being saved. That is her testimony.
So the question for us is this: God has given us His Word as our scarlet threads for different situations we face but we have to know what our role is with them. The Israelite spies gave her the thread and told her what she needed to do with it for her and her family to be saved. She had to place the thread on a certain window – that was her responsibility. She had to have her family in the house with her – that was her responsibility. If she had not done what she was supposed to do you think the outcome would have been different! The same applies for us – our outcomes are dependent on our belief in His Word. Let’s make sure that the Bible is the only source for our scarlet thread reminders for our lives. So here are some threads for your thread bank:
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4)
“Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits. Who forgives all your iniquities; Who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from destruction; Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies.” (Psalm 103:1-4)
“Be anxious for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Philippians 4:6-8)
“Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession… Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14, 16)
“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised.) Cast not away therefore your confidence, which has great recompense of reward. For you have need of patience, that, after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise.” (Hebrews 10:23, 35-36)
“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than He that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)
“For whoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5)
“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you are called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” (Colossians 3:15-16)
And finally, let’s end where I began with Jesus’s words to His disciples in the book of John and Paul’s words to the Philippians:
John 14:1: “Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in Me.”
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
Ladies and gentlemen, let’s make sure we guard our minds and hearts. Let’s make sure that what they receive comes from the very throne room of God. And when we do, we will not allow anything to overwhelm us. Let His Word continually be the scarlet thread reminders that we hide within our hearts.
Until next time, “The Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up His countenance on you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
(If you are ever in the Kansas City, KS area, please come and worship with us at New Light Christian Fellowship, 15 N. 14th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102. Our service Sunday worship starts at 9 a.m. and Thursday night Bible study at 7 p.m. Also, for use of our social media, you can find us at newlightchristianfellowship on FB. To get our live stream services, please make sure you “like” and turn on notifications for our page so you can be notified when we are live streaming. We also have a church website and New Light Christian Fellowship YouTube channel for more of our content. We are developing more social media streams so please stand by and we will notify you once those channels are up and running. We look forward to you worshipping with us. May God bless and keep you.)
