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welcome to everyone it's good to be back in the house of our God for our call to worship you can turn with me in your Bibles to Psalm 32. Psalm 32 . and I'll begin reading in verse 1 a Psalm of David a contemplation blessed is he whose transgression Is Forgiven whose sin is covered blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity and in whose Spirit there is no deceit when I kept silent my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long for day and night your hand was Heavy upon me my Vitality was turned into the drought of Summer say law I acknowledge my sin to you and my iniquity I have not hidden I said I will confess my transgressions to the Lord and you forgave the iniquity of my sin say law for this cause everyone who is Godly shall pray to you in a time when you may be found surely in a flood of Great Waters they shall not come near him you are my Hiding Place you shall preserve me from trouble you shall surround me with songs of Deliverance say law I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go I will guide you with my eye do not be like the horse or like the mule which have no understanding which must be harnessed with bit and bridle else they will not come near you many Sorrows shall be to the wicked but he who trusts in the Lord Mercy shall surround him be glad in the Lord and rejoice you righteous and Shout for Joy all you upright in heart amen well please turn with me in your hymn books to number 212. hymn number 212 will stand as we sing together [Music] I think I hate to say and help us to praise [Music] foreign ER 's gather our clothes [Music] the Holy Father I stay away [Music] [Music] [Music] from us [Music] he turned away as ever more is sovereign [Music] just a moment I did text Ryan today it's his first day as the pastor of Trinity Reformed Baptist Church I think is the name they're going to go with in Armstrong British Columbia asked him how the day went he said today was a glorious day of worship and celebration I preached on the church's Mission from first Peter 2 9 to declare his excellencies we celebrated the supper as well which was quite emotional for many as they hadn't had the supper for several years after a fellowship meal we had a time of corporate prayer and singing praises it was truly a blessed Lord's day amen so we'll pray to God and praise God for that good report let us pray our blessed God and our our glorious father We Gather again on this Lord's Day evening to call upon you to come to you through your son and in the power of your Holy Spirit and to acknowledge that God is all in all we acknowledge your handiwork in the created order we see your power in Providence we see your grace and your mercy so vividly display played in the Redemption of your people we give praise to you for the life and the death and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ we know Lord God that you made him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him we thank you for the ordinances of the church for baptism and the Lord's supper and tonight God as we come together in this place may it be communion may it be a good Fellowship of the Saints and may it be to the praise and the glory and the honor of God most high may you strengthen us may you encourage our hearts may you build us up in our in our Most Holy Faith and stabilize Us in this in this lower world we confess much weakness we confess much remaining corruption we confess many things that are perplexing in this present evil age we know that you are with us and you have promised and covenanted to never leave us nor forsake us so God as we come to the supper tonight let us be mindful of these realities and may it be a means of Grace for our hairy Souls we bless you and we praise you for your mercy and your grace in the gospel of our Salvation certainly as David said how blessed is that man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity how blessed is the man to whom the Lord does impute the righteousness of Jesus Christ Our Lord and we confess that with David and we praise you for your abounding grace and the riches of your grace that Paul celebrates in Ephesians chapter one we ask even now that you would forgive us for all of our sins and wash Us in that precious blood of the Lord Jesus and cause us to to leave from this place further conform under the image of our blessed savior and help us to live in a manner that is consistent with the gospel of our Salvation in this lower world we Rejoice with our brother Ryan tonight we Rejoice with your goodness and the planting of this church and Armstrong and we pray God Almighty that you would just establish it that you would cause it to be a faithful Beacon of light in that community may our brother know the power and presence of the Holy Spirit as he goes into that Pulpit may he Proclaim Christ and am crucified and resurrected and may you just encourage and strengthen the Saints there and may they be blessed of God most high as well we pray for your your grace to be upon the Saints and Siri we thank you for Pastor Mike and pray that you would continue to look with favor upon him in that congregation and the work in Dryden God we know that planting a church is a difficult situation we know that you are able and you are powerful and you give Grace and wisdom and strength so God we pray that he would sustain these men in Northern Ontario and just bless the ministry of the word in that part of the world as well God we pray for the persecuted church as we read this morning we saw so many instances where the people of God are targeted the people of God are persecuted and oppressed because of the cause of God and Truth we just commit them to you into the word of your grace and pray that you would sustain your suffering Saints and increase their faith that they may persevere in the midst of these hardships and God we pray that through their testimony through their witness through their proclamation of the truth as it is in Jesus more and more people would be called out of Darkness into marvelous light that your gospel would go throughout this globe calling sinners from every tribe tongue people and nation and assembling a great multitude that no man can number that will one day stand Before the Throne to magnify the grace of God and the power of our Lord Jesus Christ and the salvation of Sinners thank you again for this meeting tonight bless and encourage our hearts fill us with your Holy Spirit and and cause us to know that reverence and that fear of you that is mingled with great joy and gratitude and we ask these things through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well you can turn with me again in your hymn books to number 381 hymn number 381 will stand as we sing together [Music] foreign [Music] foreign [Music] Glory [Music] this is [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] with me in your Bibles to Joshua chapter 2. the Book of Joshua chapter 2. I'll read beginning in verse 1. Joshua chapter 2 at verse 1. now Joshua the son of nun sent out two men from Acacia Grove to spies secretly saying go view the land especially Jericho so they went and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab and lodged there and it was told the king of Jericho saying behold men have come here tonight from the children of Israel to search out the country so the king of Jericho sent 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 country then the woman took the two men and hid them so she said yes the men came to me but I did not know where they were from and it happened as the gate was being shut when it was dark that the man went out where the men went I do not know pursue them quickly for you may overtake them but she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax which he had laid in order on the roof then the men pursued them by the road to the Jordan to the Fords and as soon as those who pursued them had gone out they shot the gate now before they lay down she came up to them on the roof and said to the man I know that the Lord has given you the land that the terror of you has fallen on us and that all the inhabitants of the land are faint-hearted because of you for 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 the two kings of the amorites were on the other side of the Jordan saihan and OGG whom you utterly destroyed and as soon as we heard these things our hearts melted neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you for the Lord your God he is God in heaven above and on Earth beneath now therefore I beg you swear to me by the Lord since I have shown you kindness that you also will show kindness to my father's house and give me a true token and spare my father my mother my brothers my sisters and all that they have and deliver our lives from death so the man answered her our lives for yours if none of you tell this business of ours and it shall be when the Lord has given us the land that we will deal kindly and truly with you then she let them down by a rope through the window for her house was on the city wall she dwelt on the wall and she said to them get to the mountain lest the pursuers meet you hide there three days until the pursuers have returned afterwards you may go your way so the man said to her we will be blameless of this oath of yours which you have made us swear unless when we come into the land you bind this line of scarlet scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down and unless you bring your father your mother your brothers and all your father's household to your own home so it shall be that whoever goes outside the doors of your house into the street his blood shall be on his own head and we will be Guiltless and whoever is with you in the house his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him and if you tell this business of ours then we will be free from your oath which you made us swear then she said according to your word so be it and she sent them away and they departed and she bound the scarlet cord in the window they departed and went to the mountain and stayed there three days until the pursuers returned the pursuers sought them all along the way but did not find them so the two men returned descended from the mountain and crossed over and they came to Joshua the son of none and told them all that had befallen them and they said to Joshua truly the Lord has delivered all the land into our hands for indeed all the inhabitants of the country are faint-hearted because of us amen well let us pray our gracious God and Father we thank you for your salvation we thank you for the mercy that you demonstrate to Rahab the Harlot and we know that the Lord Jesus Christ is powerful to save to the uttermost all who draw nigh unto God through him again forgive us now for our sin guide us by your Holy Spirit strengthen and encourage our hearts and we pray through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well the Book of Joshua is about conquest and the background at least in part is Deuteronomy 7. you can turn there God gives instruction to the children of Israel regarding holy war they're going to enter into the land that God promised to give to Abraham Isaac and Jacob and that time is upon them Deuteronomy chapter 7 notice in verse 1 when the Lord your God brings you into the land which you go to possess and cast out many nations before you the Hittites and the gurga sites and the amorites and the Canaanites and the parasites and the hivites and the jebusites Seven Nations greater and mightier than you and when the Lord your God delivers them over to you you shall conquer them and utterly destroy them you shall make no Covenant with them nor show Mercy to them nor shall you make marriages with them you shall not give your daughter to their son nor take their daughter for your son for they will turn your sons away from following me to serve other gods so the anger of the Lord will be aroused against you and destroy you suddenly but thus you shall deal with them you shall destroy their Alters break down their sacred pillars and cut down their wooden images and burned burned their carved images with fire so as they go into the land they're not supposed to make peace with the Canaanites they're supposed to destroy that decimate them bring uh God's judgment to Bear upon them because these were Wicked people they're not supposed to have political social or religious alliances with the people of the land now when you turn to Joshua we see that it's focused upon four things first they enter the land chapters one to four secondly they take the land in chapters 5 to 12. third they divide the land in chapters 13 to 21 and then they have encouragement to retain the land in chapters 22-24 if you're interested the summary of the book is found in chapter 21 at verses 43 to 45. I'll just read that just to set it in the context so chapter 21 verses 43 to 45 so the lord gave to Israel real all the land of which he had sworn to give to their fathers and they took possession of it and dwelt in it the lord gave them rest all around according to all that he had sworn to their fathers and not a man of all their enemies stood against them the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel all came to pass now when we go back to Joshua chapter 2 if you were to read chapter one and then move right into chapter 3 you wouldn't miss anything you would still get the emphasis on entering the land Conquering the land dividing the land and retaining the land chapter 2 is as it were a moment for us to Marvel at the mercy of God most high to see his grace to see his salvation applied to a heathen a heathen woman one that was outside the Covenant Community of Israel so before they go into the land and kill people and break things the the author wants to remind us us that God most high is about salvation he's about bringing people to himself through the blood and work of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ it is a marvelous chapter of Holy Scripture I want to look first at the contact with Rahab in verses one to seven secondly the confession of Rahab in verses 8 to 14 and then thirdly the contract with a Rahab in verses 14 to 24. now notice in the first place the contact in verses one to seven the purpose is given in verse 1. now Joshua the son of nun sent out two men from Acacia Grove to spies secretly saying go view the land especially uh Jericho now Joshua was one of those men that was on the original reconnaissance mission of the land of Canaan back in numbers chapters 13 and 14 Moses dispatched these spies to go into the land and Survey it and the spies came back into a man they said the land is good it's filled with all kinds of benefit but 10 of them said there are giants in the land Joshua and Caleb however were not put off whatsoever by the Giants and the land Joshua and Caleb said let us go at once and take the land because God has given it to us he's already blessed us with it it is our inheritance of course the tan spies Prevail and the children of Israel whine and they Grumble and God brings judgment to Bear upon them so this is the reason a reconnaissance a reconnaissance mission to survey the land of Jericho to see what strength they had what abilities and capabilities they had now notice secondly their reception by Rahab notice her business verse 1B so they went and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab and lodged there she's identified as a harlot she's identified as a prostitute a woman who has relations with men for money now the alternative translation Innkeeper is not with without warrant though whenever the New Testament refers to her the New Testament authors authors refer to to her as a pornay or as a prostitute or as a harlot you see that in Hebrews chapter 11 at verse 31 and then in James chapter 2 at verse 25 so she was a sinner she was far from the kingdom of God at one point by Grace she has been brought nigh by Grace she has confessed the supremacy of Yahweh by Grace she has understood the power of the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ notice the threat to her person in verses two and three it says and it was told the king of Jericho saying behold men have come here tonight from the children of Israel to search out the country so the king of Jericho sent to Rahab saying Bring Out The Men Who you who have come to you who have entered your house for they have come to search out all the contrary so the king of Jericho is alerted to this this is an act of treason this is an act of War if in fact spies have come from Israel to survey the land to reconnaissance the land in order to bring judgment upon the land then this is a threat to the Civil order now when we look at this particular passage we oftentimes stumble on rahab's lie we never think about rahab's treason she engaged in a capital offense in terms of the city-state of Jericho she betrayed her country she gave them over into a foreign enemy Hess makes this observation it was treason against Jericho and its king to Aid these men rahab's helpful Deeds indicate her renunciation of allegiance to the Canaanites of Jericho and her acceptance of the rulership of Joshua and his agents now as far as the LIE is concerned you see that in Verses 4 to 7. notice then the woman took the two men and hid them so she said yes the men came to me but I did not know where they were from and it happened as the gate was being shut when it was dark that the men went out where the men went I do not know pursue them quickly for you may overtake them but she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the Roof then the man pursued them by the road to the Jordan to the Fords and as soon as those who pursued them had gone out they shut the gate so a report to the King's Men was simple yeah they came here I didn't know their origin I didn't know their purpose I didn't know their plan but they managed to get out of the city before the gates were closed in reality she had in the spies on the top of a roof among the stalks of flats and she had lied to the King's Men again a lot of Christians trip up in this particular instance but we need to remember that the Bible oftentimes reports things without necessarily condoning or encouraging us to go thou and do likewise David in second Samuel commits murder and adultery certainly that's not written for our admonition so that we'll go out like wise and do murder and adultery as well the obsession with the lie but again not the treason and the treason as has says actually shows and demonstrates that she was now uh relinquishing that uh right and citizenship to Jericho and wants to identify with Israel and the Covenant people of Yahweh but as well this was a time of War Brethren camouflage in a time of war is an act of deception but we don't lose our minds over that but with reference to this lie the New Testament authors never comment on it she makes her way into the Hall of faith in Hebrews chapter 11 verse 31. the author there I take as the Apostle Paul tells us it's by faith she does what she does and of course in James 2 at verse 25 as James is demonstrating that those who have a justifying faith will inevitably have good works as Lively evidences as fruits of that saving Faith James appeals to Abraham a patriarch and to Rahab a prostitute to indicate that faith without works is dead he's not a papist he's saying exactly what the Apostle Paul says we're saved by grace through faith and that not of ourselves it is the gift of God but then Paul goes on to say for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works so a similar emphasis in both Paul and James but James appeals to rahab's Faith appeals to this particular activity as the demonstration of her justification by faith alone so when it comes to this particular instance we're not to get caught up on this particular uh Thorn rather were to extol the grace of God and see in this the courage of Rahab the courage and the willingness for her to provide safe haven for the spies that are going to bring the Judgment of Yahweh upon these Godless men people this is a commendable act I mentioned Hebrews 11 and James 2. the other place that we find this woman is in the genealogy of our blessed savior in Matthew chapter 1 at verse 5. Hess again the commentator says the ethical issue is not the concern of the narrative it stresses the deception not in order to condemn Rahab but to magnify her personal risk in hiding the spies have you ever done something like that and you're hopeful that somebody up on the roof isn't going to sneeze they're not going to cough you're trying to get rid of the King's Men if one of these men blow it up on the top of the roof the King's Men are going to figure out that you've been lying that you've engaged in treason and that you should lose your head as it were Dale Ralph Davis says it is tragic when people snag their pants on the nail of rahab's lie quibble endlessly about the matter and never get a around a hearing at rahab's truth which the writer has conspired to make the center of the whole narrative what is her truth her truth is in verse 11. and as soon as we heard these things our hearts melted neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you for the Lord your God he is God in heaven above and on Earth beneath Brethren that's what we're supposed to focus on that's what we're supposed to appreciate that's what we're supposed to delight at now the King's Men believe her and off they go according to verse 7. now that brings us secondly to the confession of Rahab in verses 8 to 14. notice in the first place the fear of God Solomon says the fear of God is the beginning of life it is a most blessed and wonderful thing and with reference to the fear of God we know that is conferred by grace to his grace that taught My Heart To Fear John Newton didn't make that up rather it reflects Jeremiah 32 in a promise of the New Covenant Yahweh says I will put my fear or put the fear of me in their hearts so she by Grace exhibited the fear of God that is most blessed and wonderful notice what she says verse uh uh verse verse 8. now I now before they lay down she came up to the mat to them on the roof and said to the man I know that the Lord has given you the land this is something that not every Israelite even confessed all throughout the pentateuch God had emphasized this promise to Abraham Isaac and Jacob I am giving you the land of Canaan in fact look at chapter one in Joshua verses 2 and 4. the emphasis is upon the land that God is giving notice in verse 6 the land which I swore to their fathers to give them verse 11. the the possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess and then again in verses 13 and 14 and 15 she understood Israel didn't deserve the land they hadn't earned the land it wasn't their righteousness that got for them the land brother can you turn the fans on please thank you it wasn't anything in them in fact God points that out in the book of Deuteronomy I'm not blessing you because you're more numerous I'm not blessing you because you're more more righteous I'm blessing you because I love you God set his heart upon these people and as a result he promises to give them the land so she understands that she knows the grace of God I know that the Lord has given you the land now notice verse 9 I know that the Lord has given you the land that the terror of you has fallen on us and that all the inhabitants of the land are faint-hearted because of you the fear of the Lord is a blessed thing again it comes by grace and oftentimes I explain the fear of the Lord as not the running under the piano and hiding from God sort of a fear but it's that reverent off John Murray defines it as thus soul of godliness to fear the lord but there is mingled with it a running and hiding under the piano for God most high is indeed a consuming fire he is most glorious most wonderous most righteous and most Justice most jaws and so with reference to Rahab she says that we have heard of this and our hearts are faint-hearted because of you now notice she highlights the power of God in verse 10. she says for 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 the two kings of the amorites were on the other side of the Jordan saihan and dog whom you utterly destroyed that victory in Egypt she refers to the Exodus and here she sounds very much like what the song of Moses prophesied or predicted concerning the heathens surrounding the nation of Israel Exodus 15 14 and 16. the people will hear and be afraid sorrow will take hold of the inhabit evidence of philistia then the chiefs of Edom will be dismayed the Mighty Men of Moab trembling will take hold of them all the inhabitants of Canaan will melt away fear and dread will fall on them by the greatness of your arm they will be as still as a stone till your people pass over O Lord till the people pass over whom you have purchased you see what Rahab does she is faint-hearted she is fearful she understands the great power of God but instead of running from him she runs toward him see that's Faith Brethren when Adam and Eve fell into sin they run from God it's God who comes a secant it's God who comes after them Faith goes after the most high and that is precisely what Rahab does she has faith in the living and true God she acknowledges the power of Yahweh and The Exodus and she acknowledges the power of Yahweh in the destruction of saihan and OG you can read about the wanderings of the people of Israel and how these Kings molested and how they tried to stop them how they tried to curtail their movement in the land and so God brings judgment and decimation upon them and she sees that and she confesses that so she has this fear of God verses eight and nine she acknowledges the power of God verse 10 but as well she dwells now on the Majesty of God in verse 11. notice the effect on Rahab and as soon as we heard these things our hearts melted again for most of the Canaanites their hearts melted in Terror and in horror her heart melted and it drew her to the Lord God most high it drew her to the Covenant God of Israel notice her glorious confession of Faith she sounds just like a covenant member in Israel she says neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you for uh for the Lord your God he is God in heaven above and on Earth beneath Deuteronomy 4 39 therefore know this day and consider it in your heart that the Lord himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath there is no other you see what she's doing you see what's happened to her The Great Exchange the blessedness of Salvation has been wrought in the heart of Rahab the prostitute in the city-state of Jericho she demonstrates that justification by faith alone by hiding the spies by committing this act of treason by handing over the city-state to the power of Israel's Army and when she does this she is exhibiting that she had come to know Yahweh as the god of Heaven and the god of Earth now this is contrary to the Heathen conception of God they had gods for all kinds of things they had gods for a whole host of things they had Baal they had ashra they had a Molech they had a whole host of deities turn over to First Kings chapter 20 for just one illustration of this reality and when we consider this it is an amazing thing that this Rahab the Harlot had the faith of Israel the scene is Ahab and Ben Haddad so the northern kingdom ruled by Ahab is going to war with Syria they actually have two battles and uh Israel wins both battles but after the first battle Syrian theology comes to its apex comes to its Pinnacle we see why well we see why they're messed up even before that they never blame the fact that 32 of their kings were getting drunk and hammered while the israels were engaged in incursion in this particular land no they they they they described it as sort of parochial Gods notice in First Kings chapter 20 at verse 23. this is after the first battle then the Servants of the king of Syria said to him their gods are gods of the hills therefore they were stronger than we but if we fight against them in the plane surely we will be stronger than they so do this thing dismiss the Kings each from his position and put captains in their places and you shall muster an army like the army that you'll loss horse for horse and Chariot for Chariot then we will fight against them in the plane surely we will be stronger than they see that defective theology see how uh Rahab the Harlot has come out from under that theology she no longer thinks there's the god of the hills the god of the Plains the god of the valleys the god of the seas she knows that Yahweh is the god of Heaven and Earth notice Ben Haddad listened to their voice and did so verse 26 so it was in the spring of the year that Ben Haddad mustered the syrians and went up to afac to fight against Israel and the children of Israel were mustered and given provisions and they went against them now the children of Israel and Camp before them like two little flocks of goats while the syrians filled the countryside then a man of God came and spoke to the king of Israel and said thus says the Lord now notice this isn't because Ahab was a great guy it's not because the northern kingdom was great guys and girls it's for the glory and the honor and the Majesty of God Almighty that he brings this particular veteran so the man of God comes and speaks to the king of Israel and said thus says the Lord because the syrians have said the Lord is the is God of the hills but he is not God Of The Valleys therefore I will deliver all this great multitude in your hand notice and you shall know that I am the Lord it was a demonstration and a display of the Supreme Majesty of God most high similar to first came uh first came uh I'm sorry first Samuel chapter 17. when David goes out on the uh to the valley of elah to defeat Goliath it's not there to moralistically show us how we're supposed to deal with our Giants that's not the the gist of the story when David slays Goliath it's so that all the Earth may know that there is a God in Israel as well so that the Israelites themselves would understand that blessed reality when David the shepherd boy brings judgment to Bear upon that Philistine giant so God vindicates his glory god manifests his power verse 29 they encamped opposite each other for seven days so it was that on the seventh day the battle was joined and the children of Israel killed one hundred thousand foot soldiers of the syrians in one day but the rest fled to afac into the city then a wall fell on 27 000 of the men who were left and Ben Haddad fled and went into the city into an inner chamber what about that theology that he's the god of the hills but not the god of the plains that was defective there is but one only the true and living God and this one blessed God exists eternally as Father Son and Holy Spirit the Father unbegotten the Son begotten by the Father the spirit proceeding from the father and the son and so Rahab makes that confession this is a most lofty confession on par with John 20 28 remember post-resurrection Jesus comes to the disciples Thomas is absent and then the disciples find Thomas and they say we have seen the Lord Thomas lays down the gauntlet unless my eyes see unless my hands touch then I will certainly not believe Christ comes to Thomas and says reach your hand here and put it into my side what does Thomas confess in that grand hour he says my Lord and my God this is on par with that Brethren this isn't the auto salutist that you find in Romans chapter 8 per se this isn't what the reformers would wax eloquent on in terms of uh of justification and sanctification and glorification but it's the same exact thing she has been Justified freely by God's grace through the mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ we saw that in the morning reading this morning Hebrew is 9 15 had a retro the Cross of Christ has a retrospective benefit so when Christ dies on the cross everyone prior to him who was looking in faith toward him received that justification not at the time that he died but by virtue of the fact that he would die and be raised again so back to Rahab she makes a very lofty confession ascribing the reality that your God he is God in heaven above and on Earth beneath John Calvin said here the image of rahab's Faith appears as if reflected in a mirror when casting down all Idols she ascribes the government of Heaven and Earth to the god of Israel alone for it is perfectly clear that when Heaven and Earth are declared subject to the god of Israel there is a repudiation of all the Pagan fictions by which the majesty and power and glory of God are portioned out among different deities so what she does in this confession is simultaneously renounce those deities he says and hence we see that it is not without cause that two Apostles have honored rahab's conduct with the title of faith and then notice finally under this head that she acknowledges the mercy of God see to just cognitively understand that God is is good but he who believes that God is is must uh he who comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him Hebrews 11 says and so we see that Rahab not only understands this at the cognitive level but she receives it for herself she casts herself upon the mercy of Yahweh notice in verse 12. she says now therefore I beg you swear to me by the Lord since I have noticed swear to me by Yahweh now there are persons that say we can never take those we can never swear absolutely positively we can in issues of monument and issues that are big not your normal everyday ordinary conversation but she swears or wants them to swear by the Lord since I have shown you kindness that you also will show kindness to my father's house and give me a true token and spare my father my mother my brother my my brothers my sisters and all that they have and deliver our lives from Death so she sees there's Mercy to be had in Yahweh and she casts herself upon that Mercy Davis makes the observation genuine faith never rests content with being convinced of the reality of God but presses on to take refuge in God you hear a gospel sermon you hear about the Lord Christ who lived who died and was raised again you're convinced that based on the scripture that is true data take it believe on it go to him because those who come to him he will certainly not cast out so Rahab acknowledges Rahab casts herself upon God but as well she shows concern for her family can we see that with reference to the converted Soul they have concern for other people they actually care for somebody the outside of themselves they actually understand something of what Paul says in second Corinthians chapter five that Christ died for all so that those who live for themselves will no longer live for themselves but for him who lived and died for them the idea being is that it it weans us from that narcissistic introspective attitude where we think that we're the only ones that ever matter now Brethren I have to make an admission here when I'm out driving about in my car I've often said that it's a test of my faith especially when I'm around other drivers Chilliwack seems peculiarly bad I guess everybody thinks they're okay drivers nobody ever admits yeah I'm a pretty terrible driver but whenever anybody Cuts me off I typically have this moment of reflection and I say something to the effect oh of course you're far more important than me you deserve that parking spot way more than I do it's a bit of a reflection on the whole narcissistic scheme now not to say that I haven't ever cut anybody offer narcissistically tried to buy my or or wiggle my way in front of others we are narcissists we are like that man narcissist that looked in the reflection and couldn't look away because he was so enamored with himself not Rahab the Harlot I want you to spare my father I want you to spare my mother I want you to spare my brothers and my sisters we have heard of the Lord God most all right we understand what he did to the to the Egyptians we understood that those Egyptian corpses littered the seashore we know that and it's terrifying to me so I make this deal with you as it were that when we when you come into this city-state to desecrate it please spare my family and that brings us finally to the contract with Rahab in verses 14 to 24. notice the spy's promise in verse 14 and verses 17 to 20. so verse 14 so the men answered her our lives for your doors if none of you tell this business of ours and it shall be when the Lord has given us the land that we will deal kindly and truly with you she had done them a solid she hid them she kept them safe her justification by faith alone In Christ Alone was demonstrated in the works that she did a perfect reflection of what our confession says faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness is the alone instrument of justification yet it is not alone in the person Justified but is ever accompanied with all other saving Graces and is no dead Faith but worketh by love they acknowledge that they see that and they enter into this particular deal notice they lay down some requirements we won't go over this in great detail but she must hang a scarlet cord in the window according to verse 18a she must gather the entire family into her house 18b and 19 and there must be a commitment to Absolute secrecy according to verse 20. the spies essentially say loose lips sink ships you need to keep your mouth shut because we don't want the the king of Jericho to be tipped off when we come we want to decimate we want to devastate we want to destroy as Yahweh Our God has commanded notice her response verses 15 and 16. she lets them down by a rope through the window for her house was on the city wall she dwelt on the wall she said to them get to the mountain lest the pursuers meet you hide their three days until the pursuers have returned afterwards you may go your way she sends them out she gives them the instruction she gives them the guidelines and guidelines on how they're going to get out of the city of Jericho and then she agrees to their requirements in verses 21 to 23. it is a Most Blessed and excellent transaction and then that brings us to this statement by the two men in verse 24 they testify concerning God's faithfulness notice verse 22 they departed and went to the mountain and stayed there three days until the pursuers returned the pursuers sought them all along the way but did not find them so the two men returned descended from the mountain crossed over they came to Joshua the son of none and told him all that had befallen them and they said to Joshua Listen to This truly the Lord has delivered all the land into our hands it's a done deal the promise to Abraham to Isaac to Jacob that reiterated to General Joshua in Joshua chapter 1 is true God is faithful he is not going to let us uh lose in this transaction and then he says or they say for indeed all the inhabitants of the country are faint-hearted because of us and then turn over to chapter six just to see the Fulfillment I mentioned that you could read chapters one to three and not really miss anything in terms of the lay of the land in terms of the trajectory of the narrative the chapter 2 not only describes the great mercy of God but it does fill in a bit of information for six 17 and 6 23-25 there we see that Rahab and her family are spared by the mercy the power and the grace of God the god that she had confessed the god that she had owned the god that she now knew and the god that she would serve in conclusion with reference to her conversion in the first place Rahab heard of God Romans 10 17 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God sometimes people come to me and they say you know I've got this guy at work and trying to witness to him and evangelize him and talk to him about the Bible I've got this friend or I've got this family member one of the best things the best thing you can do is get a Bible in their hands or better sit down with them and read scripture together go to the passages go to the texts faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God your testimony is encouraging the way that God has dealt with you is certainly a a a a blessing but it's the word of the living and true God that God uses to bring Sinners to himself James 1 18 of his own will by the word of Truth he brought us forth it is most wonderful secondly Rahab confessed the Majesty of Yahweh so not only does she hear but she's convinced by the power of the Holy Spirit as the rest of the Bible to declares to us that that what God is or who God Is is true he is trustworthy his word is truth thirdly she casts herself on the mercy of God she doesn't just cognitively say yeah there is a living and true God yes he is the god over Heaven and Earth she says I want this God I have this God and I want to be spared by this God when he comes to destroy my city and then Rahab demonstrated her faith by her works again James chapter 2 the emphasis of our brother there is whether you're a patriarch or a prostitute if you have justifying faith in the a living savior then there will be works that function not as the means or cause or reason why you're Justified but as the Lively evidence by the the fruit the demonstration that what you have is in fact the real deal secondly in terms of the mercy of God the flow of the narrative again we're in a book that's all about Conquest I I use the the language of Rush Limbaugh he used to describe War as killing people and breaking things that in essence is what the Book of Joshua is about Deuteronomy chapter 7 is no joke holy war you go in and you utterly dispossess the land of the Canaanites you don't do that through inviting them to leave you don't do that by buying another country and sending them there you do that by destroying them by having no political no social and no religious alliances with that now Joshua portrays the conquest very favorably we go to the Book of Judges it's not so favorable we see that in the Book of Judges the Israelites are increasingly becoming like the Canaanites and that will ultimately set them up to be dispossessed from that same land they will be vomited out the way that the Canaanites were but with reference to the mercy of God before we get into the conquest the author says I want you to focus for just a moment on God's mercy see there's a purpose behind the conquest it's not just the behest of some you know bloodthirsty God that just likes to Revel in the destruction of these Canaanite people why does God give them the land God gives them the land to preserve them to keep them together such that Messiah will come from their line if they are dispersed throughout the world if they have compromised by marrying pagans if they have defiled themselves in that regard there will be no Messiah the conquest is absolutely crucial in the Redemptive plan of God most high you've heard the old adage sometimes you got to break a few eggs in order to make an omelet well sometimes you're going to crush a few Canaanites in order to make sure that Messiah comes and does precisely what Yahweh has given him for and so the mercy of God in Chapter 2 is for us to stand amazed at it is the emphasis of this particular their narrative the Geneva Bible says here in appeareth the great mercy of God that in his common destruction he would drop a most miserable sinner to repent and confess his name Rahab the Harlot Hess again says in one of the most nationalistic books in the Hebrew Bible does it not serve the purposes of the promises purposes of the promises to Abraham that all people on Earth will be blessed through you Genesis 12 3 to play side by side with the choice of a military leader and his initial initial preparations for battle the story of a foreign woman who believed and was saved without arms or Bloodshed it is glorious to see what's happening in Joshua chapter 2. and as well Joshua chapter 2 connects us very specifically and directly to the Messiah Joshua chapter 2 is foundational and fundamental in Ruth The Book of Ruth the very end of Ruth which is the purpose of the Book of Ruth it says now this is the genealogy of Paris Perez begot heteron hetron begot Ram Salman was the husband of Rahab the Harlot Salman begot Boaz who was the husband of Ruth and Boaz begot Obed Obed begot Jesse and Jesse begot David so Rahab the Harlot is in the lineage of the Messiah of Israel Matthew 1 specifically tells us verse 5 Solomon begot Boaz by Rahab Boaz begot obad by Ruth Obed begot Jesse and Jesse begot David the king we have Rahab the Harlot a pagan a non-israelite a woman mentioned in the genealogy of the Lord Jesus Christ Brethren that is huge Ralph Davis again makes this observation he says so Rahab is a harlot a pagan and a disreputable one at that yet she is welcomed into the church chapter 6 22-25 but Rahab the Harlot Joshua saved alive and she dwelt in Israel to his day 6 25. he goes on to say now that can be offensive we say we can't have that the church is only for respectable ball clean middle class folks but that is like saying that hospitals are only for doctors nurses and x-ray machines instead of sick people or it is like saying that only morticians and coroners belong in morgues instead of dead people who then should be in the church but sinners brethren we need to guard our hearts against a judgmental Islam and a self-righteousness that looks down on sinners this display of the mercy of God to a pagan woman who is a prostitute should forever disavow us of the no shed that Christ only came to call the righteous no Christ came to call Sinners to repentance Davis goes on to say who then should be in the church but Sinners the church is not a club but a refuge for Sinners who have been touched by the grace of God apparently rahab's past did not bother the writer of the First Gospel who as we saw this morning didn't have the best past either he was a tactical actor he was a wretch Christ says follow me and empowers and enables him to do so by the grace of the Holy Spirit he goes on to say rather Matthew seemed to see in Rahab a trophy of divine grace astounding isn't it that the Shady Lady of Jericho should be the ancestrous of Jesus the Messiah Brethren behold your God there is Mercy to be had in the Lord Christ when we preach the gospel we don't do do so from the vantage point of well I I kind of hope that he's able to save I kind of think that he may be able to save he saves to the uttermost all who draw nigh unto God through him all that the father gives me will come to me and the one who comes to me I will certainly not cast out we preach a Christ who is able to save we preach a Christ who is able to deliver we preach a Christ who brings Grace and salvation to Bear upon needy Sinners with reference to the gospel of our bless blessed savior we see the mercy of Christ toward Rahab we see in light of Ruth 4 18-22 the mercy of Christ toward her great great grandson David and we see hopefully the mercy of Christ and Matthew as we considered this morning we see the mercy of Christ and the Apostle Paul this is a faithful saying it is worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world Sinners to save that was the emphasis of the Apostle he doesn't say I was a righteous holy wonderful individual and it was just natural that I should flow into this communion of Christ's people no the worst of Sinners the chief of Sinners and yet gospel Grace was able to conquer that man and bring him to the Lord Jesus Christ well as we consider this may I encourage our hearts as we enter into the sacrament and remember in particular our Lord's death and Resurrection for us sinners well let us pray Our God and our father we thank you for your word we thank you for your mercy displayed in Matthew chapter 9 to that brother and in Joshua chapter 2 to this sister as well in Psalm 32 David was no Saint David had a gross amount of sin he was a saint by profession to be sure but with reference to his conduct it was Grace alone that made the difference in his life and God we confess and we know this to be the case in our own lives we didn't seek you you sought us we didn't ask to be saved you saved us you did everything the sending of your son so that he might live that he might die that he might raise again arise again for the Salvation of his very needy people we extol you we bless you and we praise you for your uh excellent mercies to us in our Lord Jesus Christ and we pray in his name amen well you can turn with me in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 26 as we read that particular section of scripture as we now participate in the sacrament a couple of things by way of reminder before we read the text and the brothers pass out the elements in the first place the sacrament is for believers only it is not a converting converting ordinance we don't give it to non-christians in the hopes that they'll become Christians it's not that it is an ordinance given by the Lord for the benefit for the good of his church so if you're not a Believer here tonight we would just ask that you not partake in the actual eating of the bread and the drinking of the cup secondly the sacrament is for believers who are dealing with their sin we see that in First Corinthians chapter 11 the Apostle there rehearses what had been given to him by the Lord in terms of the supper and with reference to the Corinthian Church they were abusing this privilege they were engaged in sin and the Apostle Paul rebukes them as a result and and then he calls upon them to examine themselves now in this examination it doesn't mean make sure that you're without sin no one would ever be able to take the supper it means to have a conscience void of offense toward God and Men You're maintaining short accounts with God and with men you're not harboring sin you're not you're not craving sin you're not holding on to sin but rather you're dealing with your sin in the manner that God specifies as well the sacrament is a means of Grace to be sure but we need to be reminded that these things remain what they are now they're moved from normal use to Sacred use but they don't become something other the bread does not actually become the body of our Lord Jesus the blood or the the wine does not actually become the blood of our Lord Jesus when Jesus says this is my body this is my blood he is speaking metaphorically just like when he says I am the True Vine just like when he says I am the door he does not mean those things in literalistic ways so the doctrine of transubstantiation that the wrong Catholic Church teaches is wrong it is not only repugnant to scripture but as well it is to Common Sense and then finally the sacrament points us to Christ we see Jesus in the sacraments of the church and baptism and in the supper here specifically we see gospel we see Life Death Resurrection we see what Christ has done on behalf of his people the emphasis of course on the death John Murray says it is the Lord we are remembering so frequently Believers become so introspective that preoccupation with themselves excludes preoccupation with Christ yes look at yourself yes confess your sins yes be right with God through his grace and through that precious blood but be preoccupied with Jesus see Jesus broken body see Jesus shed blood see that as the means by which you and I have salvation well I will ask the brothers to come and pass out the bread then we'll read the section appropriate to the bread in Matthew 26 pray and take the bread together while the brothers pass out the bread will sing psalm 130. will remain seated please remain seated we'll sing Psalm 130 A as in Alpha [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] the Lord [Music] my soul [Music] his words foreign [Music] we pray this is [Music] in Matthew chapter 26 and verse 26 and as they were eating Jesus Took bread blessed and broke it and gave it to the disciples and said take eat this is my body well let us pray or God and our father we Marvel at your grace given to Rahab the Harlot we Marvel at your grace given to others in the Bible and to ourselves and we know that it's because of what Christ has wrought on the cross for us men and for our Salvation we praise you for the Incarnation of the second person of the Trinity the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth who see him live that life of perfect obedience to the law we see him die as a sacrifice as a substitutionary cursed Bearer at that cross and we see him raised again that third day and we know it's for your glory and we know it's for our Salvation so we rejoice in this broken body we rejoice in this reality that Christ loved us to the uttermost and we pray in his Most Blessed name amen we'll take together foreign to 341 the juice is in the outer ring if you want wine it's in the center part of the tray the juice if you're so inclined is in the outer part of the tray will remain seated As we sing 341. foreign [Music] last day that for someone [Music] we are the Sun [Music] is a reason [Music] foreign foreign [Music] God for us and every day Lord I hear myself [Music] in Matthew 26 at verse 27 we continue to read then he took the cup and gave thanks and gave it to them saying drink from it all of you for this is my blood of the New Covenant which is shed for many for the remission of sins but I say to you I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my father's Kingdom and when they had sung A Hymn they went out to the Mount of Olives amen let us pray Our God and Father we know that without the shedding of blood there is no remission as we see in Hebrews 9 the blood of bulls and goats could never take away sin but it pointed forward to that Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world we praise you for including us in this Redemptive plan we praise you for The Graces of faith and repentance we praise you for these means that you supply to weary pilgrims on the way you are the householder you know what we need and you bless us with these things so God increase and strengthen our faith cause us to continually look to the Lord Jesus Christ the author and finisher of our faith and may we in all things seek to be bring glory to our great God and we pray in Jesus name amen we'll take together we'll stand with me and we'll sing three five two 352. foreign [Music] amen [Music] my father guilty violence [Music] What A Savior [Music] it is [Music] [Music] God [Music] means that you've ordained for our well-being go with us now we pray and we ask in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ amen well please be seated for a brief time of meditation