Sermon-on-a-Stick: Rahab

These are my Sunday sermon notes, if you trust my note-taking, from Dr. Chris' Mother's Day effort.

AN UNLIKELY MOTHERLY HERO
Joshua 2

Rahab was a prostitute who, as documented in this passage, came to know God, was transformed, and affected her family for good.

* Change your choices and you change destinys, including your own.

1. Choose Not To Let Your Past Keep You Down
Scripture doesn't water things down. God is not politically correct; God is honest. Rahab was a prostitute, but God saw her heart's potential.

2. Change Who You Associate With
Rahab decided the God of the spies was the true God.

1 Corinthians 5:9-11 -- "I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat."

Titus 3:10 "Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. 11You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned."

3. Change Who Your Lord Is
Rahab becomes a follower of the true God.
Through our actions, people can see Christ -- or not. Either way, destinys will be changed.

Rahab is true to her oath and Joshua spares her, and "all who belonged to her." One woman changes her choices and changes her destiny and the futures of all those she loved.

James 2:25 "In the same way, was not 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?"

Heb. 11:31 "By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient."

Matthew 1 -- Rahab is the great great great great great grandmother of Jesus.

Let go of the past that drags you down. Mistakes of the past do not have to determine your future.

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