Rahab was a Mother

So we're going to. Dive right?

Into the scriptures this morning I want to ask you.

If you have your Bibles, why don't you open your Bible up?

We're going to jump in scripture so you don't have to follow

everyone but. Stick to the scripture, Joshua

Two verse. One, we're going to speak on a

very. Special lady this morning.

A Very, very. Special Lady.

And you get my heart. Behind it and my.

Heart is for faith to be. Stirred in us again like never.

Before let's read Joshua 2. And we're going to read from

verse one. Joshua two, then Joshua.

Son of nun secretly, secretly sent 2 spies from sheet Shetim

got to pronounce. That very carefully.

She's especially for. Afrikaans Boyki, not Shatim

Shatim. Go look over the.

Land, he said. Especially.

Jericho, So they. Went and entered the.

House of a prostitute. Named Rahab next scripture.

James Two verse 25. In the same way, was not Rahab

even the even Rahab the prostitute considered?

Righteous for what she. Did when she gave lodging to the

spies and sent them off in a different direction.

Hebrews. 11 verse 31 You can just follow on screen friends.

Hebrews 11:31

By faith the prostitute Rahab because.

She welcomed the spies, was not killed.

With. Those who were disobedient and

friends, we can carry on if we had time this morning.

I would take us to Joshua. Six verse 17.

Rehab the prostitute. I would take us to Joshua.

Six verse 27. Rehab the prostitute.

And imagine, friends imagine. If that is all we read.

About this lady. Imagine if that was the end of

the story. Wow, but.

God, the magnificent God, the genius God, the Pursuing God

that he is, had it in his heart. For a scripture that.

Changed. The fate of that Lady.

And the the genealogy and the inheritance of that Lady forever

in Matthew one verse 5. Matthew one verse 5.

Salmon. The father of Boaz, whose mother

was Rayab. You see all the scriptures that

we've quoted. Friends up to now points back to

Rayab. 'S past points back to Joshua 2.

Every single scripture points back.

To Rayab the prostitute. But when Jesus stepped in, when

God stepped in, he redeemed that out of that.

And she's no longer known as Rhea the prostitute.

She's known as Rhea, the mother she's actually taken out of

being a Canaanite woman into being part of the inheritance of

Israel redeemed. Out of her culture.

Thing friends, this is massive. Rahab.

The mother. So if I can give a heading to

our to our sharing this morning. It will be Rahab was a mother

Rahab. Was a mother.

Now that's the movie scene. Now you've seen the end.

Now we're going to rewind a couple.

Of years. You know, like the movies, they

do it. They show you the.

End they show you the end result and then they show.

You how it got. There, and especially, I mean

I'm on this trail of monk and. All these.

Spies and all these. Guys.

To get to the end, I enjoy that. So I've.

Showed you the end, but we're. Going to go right back to Joshua

2. And we're going to ask Jesus to.

Stare our faith every step of the.

Way And why did it end? Up as Rahab.

The mother. So let's go back, friends.

Joshua two. Then Joshua, son of Nun secretly

sent 2 spies from Shatim. Go look over the.

Land he. Said especially Jericho.

So if you know a little. Bit of the history of.

Israel. They were in Egypt, and then God

promised them to free them out of Egypt and bring them into a

promised land. And that promised land is

Canaan. And God called Moses to lead

them out of the promised land, and he called Moses to lead them

into But what happened? 40.

Years before this scripture was. Written there was a.

Time in the Book of Numbers. Go and read it.

Numbers 13 and 14 where Moses sent out. 12 spies.

To go and check out the land at that time, friends, Israel.

Was about a couple. Of months almost.

Two years out of. Egypt they went through.

The Red Sea they arrived, they arrived at.

Canaan and I believe that God could have given them the land,

but Moses sent 12 spies. Those were not just 12 guys he

picked randomly. Those were twelve of his

leaders. Guys, that was like.

Rory Dyer standing here and say Christian, would you?

Go, Rob, would you go? Matt, would you go?

Pete, would you go? Suzanne, would you go?

And on and Eugene, would you go, Stephen, would you go and on and

on and on go and. Explore because.

God's got something for us and. Ten of those spies.

Friends missed the Milkanani. They missed the big.

Fruit. They missed the big.

Veg they missed. The promise of God.

And they came back. To Israel, just.

Telling them of these big giants they saw and the interrogated

language they heard and they they indoctrinated Israel and

they said we cannot take the land.

And because 10 spies did not believe, God said, Now you will

go around and around and around for 40.

Years for every. Day that you spent spying out.

You spent 40 days spying out. You're going to travel for 40

years. And every single one of.

You that was. Of military age will not see the

promised land 80% Imagine friends.

Ross says to us. Listen to us as.

Leaders say, listen, we're going to, we're going to build this

building. And 80% of us said no way and we

came amongst you and we said no, we're not going.

To build this building. What the heck who's?

God didn't tell us, but thank God for Joshua and thank God

for. Caleb.

And. 40 years later, Joshua. Learned the lesson I'm going to

send two men full of. Faith.

The Bible doesn't. Even mention their names, but

two men full of. Faith because I.

Don't need a committee to. Decide I just.

Need God's word, and I need two men full of faith, and those men

friends is where we. Pick up this story.

They went to. Rab's house, The House of a

prostitute. If two spies come to your house

and they say. We're just coming to spy out the

land. Can we stay?

In your house, I tell you, Ben, you would kick their butt so

quickly. Buddy, it's not even funny.

Who will protect spies? That's coming to take South

Africa? No way.

But Rahab had a cry. In her heart.

She had. A cry in her heart and she

protected those spies. She brought them in, she took

them to on top of the roof, and she hid them.

And then the King's gods came to and said, who's?

Those spies. Who's those guys that came?

And she lied friends. And.

She said to. The gods listen.

Go. They have left.

Already go that. Way go and follow them.

Go and follow them quickly and you'll get them and the spies.

The gods listened. To her, and they ran, and they

followed. What she was saying?

And she closed the door, and she rushed.

Up upstairs, she rushed. Upstairs, she started.

Speaking to the guys now, friends, a lot of theologians

and a lot of people and we can stand here today and try and

justify a lie and we can listen, let.

I believe one. Day with.

Jesus, we will. Know why she?

Told what she told The beauty of the Bible is the Bible.

Does not hide things, It exposes things because the Bible.

Is the truth and. When you read the.

Scripture. You'll get something.

Out of it and if I read. The scripture I'll get.

Something out of it. But all I.

Know that is. In there because God wanted it

in there. I don't have to justify it, I.

Don't have to clarify. It all I.

Know it's part. Of his story.

Like you and I have got a. Story We've lied.

We've deceived but. God's grace, God's word is true.

It's bigger. Than all of that.

Bigger than all of that, friends.

She went to the roof. And I can.

See this girl probably. Shaking a bit.

What the? Heck have I done.

I've just. Lied to the gods?

What? Have I done?

She went. Upstairs and, she said, men.

I know who your. Lord is, He's the Lord of

Israel. And because we've heard.

Of the Lord of Israel. Fear.

Filled. Our hearts as Canaanites.

We are fearful. We heard of the Red Sea.

We heard how, the Lord. Allowed you to conquer the King

of Sion and the King of Ogg and the Amorite.

I'm telling you the story for time's sake, friends.

You can go and read it in your own time.

And when we heard of. All these things our heart.

Melted, our heart melted and our courage failed us.

Those are the words. That's been used in the NIV our.

Courage failed us because the Lord, your Lord, is the Lord of

heaven. And the Lord of earth.

You see what we. Miss in this story?

Is. That Canaan had many gods.

Lowercase G. And Rahab probably.

Said I've prayed so. Many times to the gods in my

nation, but they didn't. Help me.

I've I can't. Rely on the giant men that the

thin spies were. Afraid of because probably.

Though some of those men came and abused.

Their friends took. Advantage of her, I.

Can't rely on them. Let me tell you friends, Rahab,

as a Canaanite woman had more faith in her heart hearing about

the. God of Israel.

Than the thin spies. Who were part?

Of the God. Of Israel's army.

Silence the negative voices. Friends.

That's. The story of the spies.

Silence the negative. Stories over your life.

Listen to what God say. Don't listen to the crowds.

Don't follow the crowds, Rahab. Knew what she heard.

She knew what she heard. She didn't rely on the.

Political system. Because the political system.

Just sent gods to murder the people of God that's in her home

she didn't trust. That she didn't.

Trust the justice system. She probably.

Friends. Raya probably reported rape.

So many. Times because.

Of her profession. Because.

She's stayed in a red light district.

And the justice system. Failed over and over and over

again, and she's got this fear in her.

Heart because she's exposing. Her heart.

To these spies, not. Knowing what's going to happen,

but she's. Got a desperation.

And a heart. For the God of Israel to save.

Not only his nation, but to redeem her.

And she's probably. Thinking how I've I've just

spoiled my guts. I've.

Just put my. Heart on the table.

Will this God? Of Israel accept me.

Will. These spies accept me.

Will they actually? Listen, they're from another

nation and friends. She got courage in her heart and

I can just see her getting courage in her heart and she

says. To the spies I've.

Showed kindness to you. Will you please show?

Kindness to me and I. Can see her closing her ears

because she doesn't want to hear the words, no.

And her heart fading. And then she put a little bit of

more courage together and she said, well, why don't you show

kindness to my mother? Who are?

Disappointed so many times. And why don't you?

Say kindness to my father, who are probably dishonored so many

times. And.

My brother and my sister and. Our whole household won't.

You show kindness to. Us and she's.

Closing her ears and I can see her probably standing around and

walking away and so I can't wait for the answer and she's

shaking. Friends.

And then the words came, and what came out of the spies is

mouths. We're not just words, friends.

Those are covenant words. Those.

Are covenant words. Joshua 2 verse 14, Our lives for

Joshua 2:14

your lives. Wow.

She must have said What? It's.

Like almost like Jesus saying to us today my life.

For your life. My.

I paid with my blood. I paid the price.

Eugene, you're a sinful man. But I.

Redeem you. I saw the cry in your heart.

Nothing that you've done deserve for my deserve my redemption,

but I love. You I pursue you 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. She.

Asked for kindness. What do they add allies for your

lives? Kindness, faithfulness.

That to me sounds a bit like covenant it sounds.

Like Jesus saying I'll. Show you kindness.

I've given my life. For your life, I'll be faithful

over you. Nothing will snatch you out of

my hand, Neither height nor depth.

Nothing will rip you out of my hand.

Nothing, my. Life for your life.

And she asked for a sign. The first.

Sign was Covenant language and then to seal this Covenant

language we read in verse 18 Joshua.

Two verse 18 says this. It starts.

In verse 17 it says this oath will not be binding verse 18

unless when we enter the land you have tied.

This Scarlet cord you. See.

She didn't come like Gideon. Give me a sign like.

Tomorrow it's dry the. Next day it's wet and all those

kind of things because of doubt. No way.

She said give me. A sign there's covenant language

spoken over my heart. Give me a sign.

That I can hang so that when you travel around the city or.

When you take this. Land.

She didn't know how it's going to happen, but.

But but but when. You take the city.

Give me a sign. That.

I will be standing. Everybody that's in my house.

Give me a sign. So that you.

Recognize where I stay? It was not a a sign of

disbelief, friends. It was.

A sign of belief. What's the red cord?

Why is the cord? Red Friends, What's?

The color of Jesus's blood that he shed.

For us on Calvary, this. Red cord was a picture of Jesus.

You and I, friends. When Jesus steps in.

I don't see color and Christian doesn't see color and Dennis

doesn't see color. Because what's the color of your

blood? Red.

Jesus paid. With His blood, for our blood.

With his life. For our life, Scarlet.

Cord in the window. And then we see further on in

verse 21, we see that she believes what they're saying.

She'll hang the scarlet cord, she.

They tell her they hang the scarlet cord, She says OK, she

says these words. In verse 21.

Agree, she replied. Let it be.

As you say so. She sent them away, and the

departed, and she tied. The scarlet cord.

In the window. She tied the scarlet cord in.

The window and the story. Goes like this friends.

If you go and. Read the whole.

Story from Joshua to. To Joshua 6, you'll read that

the first day, The Spies. Went back and they gave a good.

Report because their hearts are filled with.

More faith? Because of this Canaanite.

Lady. They told.

Them that there's fear in the land and Joshua.

Said OK, let's cross. Over and they crossed.

Over the Jordan. And they came into the promised

land, and then God says. Through a whole series of

events. Walk around the city once a day

for six. Days The last day you walk 7.

Days and every day. They walk.

They saw the red cord in. The window, knowing that there's

a Canaanite woman will become part of their tribe, not part of

the Canaanite tribe anymore and they walked around the city.

And on the 7th day, I can only imagine Rahab with her family

sitting in the house hearing it sounds.

Like bombs. Next to her as.

The walls cave in. Looking.

Out the. Window probably and see smoke

because the. Bible says the place was on

fire. Hearing screams.

Hearing voices and inner heart. Thank you Jesus.

Thank you. Lord, the Lord of Israel.

She didn't know Jesus. Then but the Lord.

Of Israel. Thank you, the Lord.

Of Israel. That you saving me.

That you keeping me safe. Oh, another another wall down.

Thank you for keeping me safe. Oh, another wall down.

And then it says. Joshua sent the spies back.

Those exactly. Spies to go and.

Take her out and bring her into the nation of Israel and the

Bible says. That she stays there.

Until this day, Go and read it, friends.

Go and read it. We can stop.

The story there because. That is the end of the picture

that I've painted and we can just end.

There, but there's more to this story, friends.

Let's go to Matthew 1, Matthew one again, and we end with this

Matthew 1 salmon. The father of Boaz.

Whose mother? Was Rahab Boaz the father of

Obed? Whose mother?

Was Ruth Obed the father of Jesse and?

Jesse, the father of King David and down the line, King Jesus.

You see, friends, the spies. Promised her kindness and

faithfulness our. Lives for your lives.

And along came a man with the name of Salmon.

In biblical days, his names, pronounced as Salma we know

today is Salmon and he fell in love with Rahab.

And he fulfilled. Covenant Language My life.

For your life. And he took her as his wife.

And we. Don't know much.

About this man his. Name's only mentioned twice in

the Bible. And it's every time in Luke.

Three in the genealogy and in Matthew in the genealogy.

We know nothing else about this man.

But what we? Do know is there's?

A whole book written. About his boy Boaz in the Book

of Ruth. And it says.

Boaz was a kind. Man.

Says Boaz. Loved truth, says Boaz, redeemed

truth. He will not know this, but in

this baptism pool this morning was a man.

That redeemed. A lady and baptized.

Two daughters this morning. Because he's a Boaz.

Because he's a Boaz. And Rory Dyer said this?

He said. The reason I.

Believe Boaz knew how to take care of Ruth.

Who was? A Moabite lady coming from a

line of incest of the Moabites. It's a story for.

Another day. But.

She was an outsider and the reason why Boaz could redeem

Ruth. Is because he saw.

How his dad salmon. Redeemed his mother, Rahab.

Wow. Wow.

You see when Ruth got. When Rahab got redeemed, she got

redeemed out of the inheritance of Canaan into the inheritance

of Israel. Into.

The inheritance of Christ into the genealogy, friends into the

the genealogy. Salmon not only loved her out.

Of her past he loved. It into her future.

When you made your covenant. Vows and when we said our vows.

Those vows were. Not how we.

Felt at that. Moment, friends.

Those. Vows is how we.

How we going to feel in 80 years time because?

It's built on covenant. My.

Life for your life I. Don't know where you.

Are this morning. But I know when.

God gives a word like this. You might be asking here today

that. Contemplating in your heart.

To walk. Out on your family for whatever

reason. And God says no, I've got your

number this morning. I'm giving you another chance.

Don't do it I've. Called you to redeem.

I didn't call you. To walk out.

You're not known by your past anymore.

Rahab was a mother. Rahab was a mother.

From the story of the spies, friends, we learn silent the

negative voices. The story of Rahab.

We learn. Jesus redeems us completely and

the story of salmon men Man up. Let's.

Walk in covenant. Let's walk in faithfulness.

Let's walk in kindness. Raab, if you have your.

Bible and you look at the book. Of Joshua Raab.

Only had six. Books to believe.

She had Genesis. She had.

Exodus. She had Deuteronomy.

She had Leviticus, she had. Numbers.

And she had. Joshua up to Chapter 2 to

Believe. And that.

Was enough for her. She didn't.

Know her name was. Going to echo throughout the 60

other. Books in the Bible.

She. Didn't know that in the book of

James she would commend it for what she's done.

She didn't know that. In the book of.

Hebrews her. Name will echo next to the names

or with the names of Abraham of. Isaac.

Of Jacob, of Noah, of Moses as the.

Pillars of our faith. She never knew that.

And I think if you would. Have told her in.

Matthew. It would be written.

That she. Will be the great.

Great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great,

great, great, great great grandmother of Jesus.

She would have. She would have not believed it,

but. God needs Grace, pursued her.

And God needs grace allowed. Her to be.

Called into his inheritance, I end with this story.

Before I. Do I just want to say?

This the request of today. Listen.

To this mothers listen to this, fathers.

Listen to this young. Man, young girl.

The request of today, the prayers we pray, the faith we

hold on. To.

Will. Echo into eternity through.

The pages of history that we busy writing.

Today. Let.

Me say that again. The request and the.

Prayers, we pray. Today, with the faith we have

today. Will echo into eternity.

Through the pages of history, our lives, that Jesus is

rewritten. And is busy rewriting today I

end with this I. Close the story.

Of my mother. And mom, if you're watching

Happy Mother's Day, you're the kindest lady that I know.

I love you dearly. My grandma was 21 years old and

she stayed in Pretoria and a married man double her age took

advantage of her. My grandma was a single girl,

and this man was, apparently I've heard, a brilliant

sportsman, and he was quite well known in his circles.

And when he heard my grandma's pregnant, he rejected her.

And I've been told that my grandma roamed the streets of

Pretoria many, many, many nights and days, not having a place to

stay. And at that stage she

contemplated suicide. She contemplated abortion

because she was. Outcast, her family casted.

Out at those days, she didn't know where to.

Turn to. But thank God for somebody that

redeemed her. Somebody got on the streets and

took her in. And my mother was born.

And she gave my mom up for adoption because she didn't know

how she was going to care for this baby.

And my. Mother.

Grew up with a beautiful adopted parents who.

Became her own parents. And in the meantime, my my mom's

biological mother. My grandmother.

Got saved. And she started praying for my

mother, not knowing where she is.

And my mom met my dad. Which was a kind.

Man. And my dad and my mom got saved.

And my mom's heart's desire was to know her mother.

And my my grandma's desire was to know her.

Daughter. And in my mom's cities, she met

her mom, biological mom, for the first time and when she greeted

I'll never forget she said hello mother and she got.

Introduced to us as. Grandmother and I just.

Hugged her. And I loved her.

I'll never forget her smell. We've only known her for about 3

years. Before Jesus took her away.

And me and my. Brother my sister was born and.

We serving Jesus. And Jesse and jaded.

And Vika and. Joshua and JC Lee and to my

sister. Olivia is born and.

We're serving Jesus and I believe.

We're serving Jesus because we had a.

Grandmother. That.

Prayed for her daughter. That didn't even know.

Where she was and her daughter. Got saved and.

Her children got saved and our children's getting saved and we

believe our children. Will get saved friends.

You're not defined by your past. You're not called by your past.

You're called by what, Jesus? Is doing in your.

Life. Rahab was a mother.

My question to you is this mother's.

What? Are you praying for?

Who? Are you praying for?

Don't stop. The faith of Rahab changed.

The course of history. Your.

Prayers can change the course of history.

And I want to give you an opportunity.

As Kai just worships and. We just worship and.

If God's busy. With you I.

Don't know where you're at maybe.

You got to get let go of the past.

You can. Just remain in your seat if you

need prayer and you say Eugene like Rahab I.

Bet till I'm struggling. And you want to come to spies?

That's full of faith. You're welcome to just to come

up to the front. There'll be men and women.

Yeah, that's praying. That's going to stand with you

and pray. With you, whatever it might be,

but my challenge. To you is don't walk out of

here. Today.

Unless your past is in the past and Jesus has showed.

You, your future Rahab. Was a mother.

And for every mother that's leaving here this morning, you

in the cube, you in thought zone, you in the mother's room.

If you want to come, you're welcome to.

Come. Or just there, where you are.

But as you leave today, there'll be a scarlet cord, a red ribbon.

Take. A red ribbon.

And put it in your Bible because.

The prayers of A. Mother are being.

Heard by God, Let it be a sign. Every time you see that ribbon.

Jesus saved my boy. Jesus saved my.

Girl, they need to be in my house under my ribbon.

Because you're jealous for them. Father, I want to stand in the

gap. And if you need to leave, leave.

Quietly, but if you want to. Stay.

Now's the moment. Thank you, Kai.