THE REAL SAVERS
THEME: HELPING TO SAVE OTHERS WILL SAVE OURSELVES
TEXT: JOSHUA 2
Two missionaries traveled to Iraq to attempt to establish a mission congregation. The area was dangerous so everything had to be done secretively. They were sent by a large congregation to secure a house to begin a congregation in. As they were traveling, it became late and they started to look for lodging. Since they were Americans, no one took the chance on letting them into the inns or houses. Finally, the only person who would put them up for the night was a prostitute. So the pair of missionaries lodges with this woman. During the night there is a knock at the door. Somehow, the government learned of the missionary’s mission to establish a congregation in the country. Through word of mouth news spread that two Americans were staying with this prostitute. But instead of delivering the missionaries, she lied to the authorities and arranged a way of escape for the Americans.
This is how maybe the story about Rahab and the spies would have sounded in today’s world. It might have been a little different but the similarities are numerous. The story is shocking to us. Most missionaries would never have spent the night with a hooker. Most hookers would not have lied to protect these strangers. This is truly a remarkable account in the bible.
Here is the story in Judges 2:1-6 “Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from Shittim, saying, "Go, view the land, especially Jericho." So they went and came into the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab, and lodged there. And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, "Behold, men from the sons of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land." And the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab, saying, "Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land." But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them, and she said, "Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. "And it came about when it was time to shut the gate, at dark, that the men went out; I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them." But she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them in the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof.”
This woman of the night somehow heard about the stories of God’s people in Egypt. She believed in the power of God. So she makes a deal with them to promise to rescue her when they come to overtake the city.
The most unlikely people are responsible for the salvation of others. No one could have imagined that a harlot would help God’s people. Good people, but not bad people help God. But we never know who will help.
Recently, my friend Burnice was telling me about this truck driver he converted. Burnice was working in the prison ministry and he meets this one man from a horrible background. Burnice said that he was as tough and rough as possible. But he opened his heart to the Gospel and Burnice was able to baptize him for the remission of his sins. When the guy got out of jail Burnice continued to work with him and mentor him. The man became a truck driver. To this day he is still driving trucks all around the nation. Recently, Burnice got a call from this man who lived in the projects in Nashville. The man was picked out by this truck driver. In fact the man who Burnice converted picks up everyone he sees on the roads that needs a drive. He picks them up and tells them about the Gospel. He says that he has a captivate audience for hours. And the people always listen because they need the ride. Well recently, he picked up this one man and told him about the Gospel and told him how Burnice converted him and taught him the Gospel. The man called Burnice. Burnice called one of his friends that work in the inner-city ministry in Nashville where this man lives. On Friday, Burnice received a call telling him that this man and his family were baptized into Christ. We never know what the chain of salvation will look like. The most unlikely people can be involved.
Now the Israelites enter into the land to overtake the city but they do not forget the promise that they made to Rahab. As long as she was in the house and had the mark on it. She and her household would be saved from destruction. Joshua 6:16-26 “And it came about at the seventh time, when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, "Shout! For the LORD has given you the city. "And the city shall be under the ban, it and all that is in it belongs to the LORD; only Rahab the harlot and all who are with her in the house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent. So the people shouted, and priests blew the trumpets; and it came about, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, that the people shouted with a great shout and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight ahead, and they took the city. And they utterly destroyed everything in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword. And Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, "Go into the harlot’s house and bring the woman and all she has out of there, as you have sworn to her." So the young men who were spies went in and brought out Rahab and her father and her mother and her brothers and all she had; they also brought out all her relatives, and placed them outside the camp of Israel. And they burned the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only the silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD.
However, Rahab the harlot and her father’s household and all she had, Joshua spared; she has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, for she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
Rahab was the first to save the spies from the natives. But they returned the favor by going into the land and rescuing her. So who really saved who? Was it Rahab because if it was not for her the people of the city would have captured them and put them to death. If it was not for Rabah the spies would be death. In fact in a way you could say that Rahab provided salvation from death to the Isrealites. But on the other hand the spies are responsible for saving Rahab and her family. If it was not for them, she would have perished with the rest of the city. So who saved who? James 2:25 tells us that Rahab was saved by her works. The fact that she helped to sneak the spies out of the city, “And 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? Also, the Hebrew writes tells us that her faith saved her. The faith that she had in the living God, that he was able to deliver her. “By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace” (Heb. 11:31). Many times, salvation is a partnership.
Salvation many times is a mystery. The one who is going out to teach souls could be seen as saving souls. But many times those that the individual is working with are really saving his soul. Salvation is a partnership.
One of my friends Brennan grew up in the churches of Christ. His father was an elder. He went to FHU become a preacher. Brennan is incredibly smart. He studied all the languages; he received his Masters in Bible. The guy knew his Bible better than most people could even dream about. But while he was there he lost his passion for the ministry. He saw too much fakeness and lack of commitment. He started to explore other religions to expand his mind. This caused him to lost his faith and become an Atheist. He graduated school and moved back home with little purpose in his life. He was working at walmart because he has trained himself to be a minister but he lost his faith. Finally, I started to work in the congregation where he was at. He was not involved and only went to church to appease his parents. He did not want to get involved. But I started asking him to help me out with the inner city ministry in Gallatin. He writes in his blog that this changed his life. He started to see God working again in his life. He saw these young people come to the Lord. There were numerous baptisms. He was there to look after these young people and invest his time with them. He states that this saved his soul. In fact he went back to Lipscomb and finished his Master’s of Divinity and now he is about to start a work in Florida as a Campus Minister. So who really saved who’s soul? He was responsible for teaching these young people and befriending them when the majority of the congregation wanted nothing to do with them. He was the one who spent time modeling Christ and investing in their lives. In a sense you could say that he saved their souls. But on the other hand you could say that the teens saved his soul. He was so encouraged and built up by working with these teens that this inspired his faith in his heart again. This was God’s way of restoring his soul.
One time I was visiting with an elder. The night was not overall productive. But as the elders was getting out of the car. I stated that I hoped tonight did some good. He shot back; at least we know that this helped our souls. Helping to save others will save us.
In a sense when two groups are helpful in saving each other, you could say that ultimately they brought salvation to each other. In the case of Rahab, she saved the lives of the spies, the spies saved her life, both because of their actions the world was saved. Look at Matthew 1:5 “and to Salmon was born Boaz by Rahab; and to Boaz was born Obed by Ruth; and to Obed, Jesse.” Rahab is in the linage of Jesus. When you reach out to someone to help save them, you never know what the results will be. You never know the outcome of your actions. You are participating in a wonderful story of God. You do not know the effects that your actions will have on others or the world or on yourself. We are all interconnected to each other in someway through salvation. Because of this mystery, the world was saved by Jesus.
Who knows the outcomes of the stories of salvation that are told today? Maybe someone in this room will be response for working with a family whose child will be responsible for curing cancer. Maybe someone here will help someone who will bring about global peace for the next two hundred years. Maybe you will work with someone who will lead the Country back to Christ and moral values. Who knows what the impact you will have on someone or that person might have on you. The ways of God are beyond out understand. The plans of God are too big for man to see on earth. The interconnection of salvation forms a great relationship that might be responsible for the salvation of the world.
Who would have thought that a harlot and two spies would help save the world!
