The Woman With The Red Rope

THE WOMAN WITH THE RED ROPE

Josh. 2:1-24; 6:20-25

INTRODUCTION

A. ACTIVITY

1. Today our story is about a ROPE. So in preparation, we’re going to have a TUG-OF-WAR. The winner will get a piece of candy and the 2nd place winners will get a piece of candy of your choice.

2. We don’t want anyone hurt. The rope has a piece of tape in the middle. The object is to pull the tape past the marking on the floor.

3. You’ll get to pick your candy out of a big bowl as you go out when you leave.

B. THESIS

1. Some people in this world have sunk so low, it's hard to imagine them being saved: drug addicts, inner-city gang members, really confused homeless people -- it would take a miracle of God's grace for them to be turned around.

2. But God is able to transform the worst types of people -- and make them into a child of God.

3. Today we're going back in time to see about a woman who looked like a lost cause, but she saw her chance to make good and did.

C. TEXT

1 Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies…“Go, look over the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a [woman] named Rahab. 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.” She said, “the men...have already 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. 9 [Rahab] said to them, “I know that the LORD has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. 10 We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og…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 save us from death.” 14 “Our lives for your lives!” the men assured her. 15 So she let them down by a rope through the window, for the house she lived in was part of the city wall. 17 The men said to her, “This oath…will not be binding on us 18 unless…you have tied this scarlet cord in the window… and unless you have brought your father and mother, your brothers and all your family into your house. 21 “Agreed,” she replied. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window.

[I omitted the word "prostitute" because this message was to our school children in Chapel.]

D. TITLE

The title of this morning's message is “THE WOMAN WITH THE RED ROPE.”

I. A SINFUL WOMAN & PEOPLE

A. PERSONALLY – HER CHARACTER

Rahab saw herself as a worse sinner than the average person in Jericho. If anyone was doomed to go to hell, she was. She didn't have a ghost of a chance to make heaven.

B. HER PEOPLE – UNDER JUDGMENT

1. But not only was Rahab in DANGER, so were all her people.

2. Her city and people were doomed and under God's judgment. They would all be destroyed!

3. It's an Amazing Parallel; WHAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW:

*Rom. 3:23, "For all have sinned... 6:23 "wages of sin = death." Ezek. 18:4, “the soul that sins, it shall die.”

*John 3:18, "he that believes not is condemned already."

4. We’re ALL in the same danger as Rahab was, exposed to the eternal judgment of God.

II. A WAY OF ESCAPE

A. SEE HOW GOD WAS WORKING AHEAD OF TIME:

1. PREPARING HER HEART. It was no accident that out of all the people in that City, the men from God came to her house. She was a person who feared God and was willing to risk present happiness for future deliverance.

2. GOD MADE A DIVINE APPOINTMENT In sending the spies to her house! It had to be part of a giant plan of God which involved her! Imagine God picking her!