Speaker: Pastor Bill Vecchio Jr.
Fort Myers Community Church Podcast
Joshua 2:1-24 "The Scarlet Cord"
You are listening to Sermon Audio from Fort Myers Community Church. For more information about how to get involved in the life of this church family, please visit www.fmcc.life. Raise your hand if you ever said to somebody for any reason, wow, this is a small world. Raise your hand. You commented, oh, this is such, like, right, you've ran into somebody maybe while you were traveling, when you were in the store, that knew your sister's uncle's aunt from where you came from, back home in the little small town that had one flashing light, right? You met somebody that went to your college. You met somebody that knows your mom and your dad. And then we articulated it by saying, wow, what a small world. And there is a theory about how interconnected our world is. It's actually called the butterfly effect. And this is just a theory, and this is just kind of this abstract idea. But what this is, is the idea that an insignificant butterfly would flap its wings in some part of the world, and then that flap would continue to snowball and grow and create some kind of a typhoon on the other side of the world. It's a theory, go science, right? So this little insignificant butterfly creating a typhoon on the other side of the world, a theory that concludes that a tiny action could unleash global impact. So this morning we're going to look at the story of a woman named Rahab. This is not a character. This is a person. I just want to get that all the way, because often I think we see people in Scripture just as these like movie stars. No, like this is an actual person, and this is the story of her life. And seemingly she is an insignificant, unworthy person that you would ever look at and think of that could maybe even begin to change the world. And so I want to give us some context on why I would say, why would come out like seemingly unworthy, insignificant person, like why would I use this phrase? Well, here's the deal. For me, Rahab is one of my most favorite people in Scripture. And I think she's one of the most relatable people that we see in Scripture, because I think often you and me, we could look at ourselves as unworthy and insignificant. We could think we have no ability to change the world. In fact, we were driving home the other day from church, and one of my daughters said, she was like, we were talking about impacting the world, and she's like, I could never do that. Like I'm just me. I couldn't change the world. And I think that most, if not all people in this room today would also feel that same way. How could I, how could my story, how could my life, how could I actually change the world? This is Rahab's story too, and here's the context of her story. History would paint Rahab as a liar and a whore. And that's wrong, because no little girl dreams of being a prostitute when she gets older. This happens because people are wicked and evil and abusive. And Jericho was a wicked, evil city. This is actually why God intended Jericho for destruction. This is why the people of God were coming in to the land to wipe out Jericho, because they were an evil city. And culturally, they would have looked at women as second-hand citizens. And even more so, they would have looked at Rahab as just an object to be used. And so if there's anybody that could feel like she is not seen and not known and not loved, it truly was Rahab. Honestly if you had to pick one person in all of Jericho, if you went around and you did a survey and you had to pick one person that you thought was going to change the world, you wouldn't pick Rahab. And I believe that she believed the same about herself. I believe that she would have believed that she was unworthy of love, unworthy of affection, that nobody really saw her for who she was. Nobody saw her gifts, her abilities. That nobody loved her, that nobody cared for her, that nobody saw her as a true person. But God did. The God of the universe, the God of the cosmos, the God that spoke the world into being, he saw her. And this story is about how he saw her and she is seen, known and loved and what he's going to do is he's going to use her in a mighty way. And I think that most of us, most of us, feel insignificant and unworthy. But let me say this, that that God of the cosmos, that God that created everything that spoke the world into being, that God, he left eternity to be wrapped in human flesh, to feel pain and hurt and sickness so that he could be murdered on a cross for you. So if you're sitting here today and you believe in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, automatically you sit here as someone who is worthy, you have to in some way shape or form, see yourself as that because he has seen you as that, because he left eternity for you. And if you're here today and you do not know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, I want you to walk away with one thing today, to know that the God of the universe knows who you are and sent Jesus for you so that you may know him, that you may be in a personal, intimate, interactive relationship with him. It's like Rahab. And he desires you to change the world. And you may look at yourself, ah, that's too far. That's too far, no. Because there are these little things, these little acts that we can do day in and day out that could impact somebody in such a way that may ultimately change their world. And when it changes their world, that may also change somebody else's world. And that will also change somebody else's world. It may change their kids' worlds, their spouses' world, their neighbors' world, whoever it may be. And there's this snowball effect of gospel transformation because of one thing that you may have deemed insignificant. God can use you to change the world. He's called you out of darkness, brought you to light so that you could be light in the darkness. So that's the call and that's what Rahab's story is. And so through Rahab's story, we see these small butterfly wings that flap faith and that impact history and causes this typhoon of salvation for all. So I want to talk about in verse 18 before we really jump in, this scarlet cord, because a scarlet cord, so I bought a red scarlet red cord on Amazon and they didn't deliver it. So I had to go to Joanne Fabrik yesterday, so imagine this is red. So a scarlet cord is basically a rope and what this is, it's as many little fibers woven together. In fact, at the end of it, when the girl was trying to cut this, it was really, really difficult and it started like fraying all over the place. Why? Here, there are all of these little fibers that are woven together and as they weave these things together, it makes a cord that is virtually unbreakable. These little tiny threads, these little tiny fibers that are woven together to make this cord that we are going to see here that hangs out her window and ultimately saves her life and her family's life. So Rahab's story may not blow your mind. When you're looking at the story, you may look at it and you may be like, "Oh, there's a couple of small little things that she does here and there," but these two small threads that we're going to look at weave into the ultimate scarlet cord. So that's what we're going to look at today. So here's the first thread that's woven into this ultimate scarlet cord. It's the thread of risk. Look at verses 1 through 7. The thread of risk, Rahab risks her life by protecting the Israelite spies, defying her own people. I want you to think about this for a moment. I mean, put yourself in Rahab's shoes. You're looked at as a nobody, you're insignificant, you're used as an object and now these spies come and you know who they are. You know what's about to happen and they're seeking shelter in your home. At this point, you could sound the alarm. Maybe she could run out of her house and say, "They're in here. They're in here. Right? Wave her arms. Call the soldiers older." And then maybe the city would look at her as a heroine. Maybe this is her opportunity. Maybe this is her way to find some temporary relief from being unseen and not known and unloved. Maybe she can win some affections of the people around her who have belittled her whole life, that she can sound the alarm and call the army to find these spies because these spies are here to take their land, but she doesn't do that. She hides them. Here's another thing she could have done because that was risky for her not. I mean, if they truly found these spies in her house, like they would have locked her and put her in prison. So this was a big, big risk for her to hide them. But then she goes up after the soldiers leave and she has this exchange with the spies. Now what could she have done in that moment? She could have just been like, "You know what? If you guys really don't want me to sound the alarm right now, I need some money. I need you to promise me some land. I need you to promise me some inheritance. Help me get out of my temporary circumstances." Like, "This is my opportunity," but she doesn't do that either. She doesn't sound the alarm. She risks getting caught. And then she doesn't try to manipulate the situation to better herself. What does she ask for? Look at verses 10 through 12 that God would have mercy upon her and that her family would be saved, verse 10. She says, "For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before when you came out of Egypt, as you did to the two kings of the Amorites who went beyond the Jordan of Sahan and Ag whom you have devoted to destruction. And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted and there was no spirit left in any of us. For the Lord your God, he is the God of the heavens and the earth. Now swear to me as I dealt kindly with you that you will deal kindly with my father's house. She's asking them to protect her and her family that God would have mercy upon them. She's not asking for riches. She's not asking for wealth. She's not asking for popularity, success. She's asking merely that God would have mercy on her and that he would protect her family. This takes risk. Faith requires taking risks and stepping out of our comfort zone for God's purpose. I think, unfortunately, that our culture has built this weak form of Christianity. We have built a form of Christianity where there is zero risk taking. I mean, think about like the culture that we've created within the American church where when we want to do something, what is the first phrase that comes out? If you're comfortable, hey, if you're comfortable, scooch over and fill in the seats next to you. If you're comfortable, sit closer up front. If you're comfortable, come up front for prayer. You know what? Here's the salvation call. Every head bowed, every eye closed so that nobody feels uncomfortable to raise their hand. This is the culture we've created. We've created a culture of comfort, but Christianity is not about our comfort. It's about taking risks. There is a risk to what we're called to. Biblical Christianity requires that we open up our Bibles and it requires that we get on our knees. We don't need weaklings. We need warriors, but somehow we think that there's no risk. This is just the comfortable thing to do. Oh, get out of hell, free card. There we go. I'll just keep that in my back pocket. So it's going to require something of you. Sacrifice, devotion, dedication, all by grace through faith and the power of the Holy Spirit. And there are big risks that we take. And I know some of you have taken those big risks, like when you started standing up for your faith in your workplace and you lost your job, that's a big risk. You know, there are people around the world today. We don't feel it as much, there are people that are being imprisoned for their faith, that are getting put in jail, that are even being murdered for what they believe. I remember the story of Columbine, where the young girl that was in high school faced an armed person who said, denounce what you believe, denounce your faith in Jesus, and she would not denounce what she believed, and she stood up and said, "I believe in Jesus," and lost her life because of it. There is risk, because this isn't the norm. And guess what? It's not going to get any easier. So yes, there are some big risks involved, but there's also some small risks. You know, students, when you go to school or you're in your neighborhood and you're hanging out with your friends, there are some risks that you're going to have to take when you stand up for your faith. When you share what your friends about who Jesus is and they may make fun of you, they may not want to hang out with you anymore. You know, in those moments, that's terrible and it doesn't feel good, but that's a risk. Maybe people in your neighborhood aren't going to like you. Maybe people at your work are going to stay away from you. Oh, that's that religious person, but it takes some risk because God doesn't call us to sit in a comfortable little cubicle, not ever telling anybody about Jesus. He actually calls us, tells us that we are to make disciples. So we step out in faith. And so there's this thread for Rahap, this thread that she interweaves into this scarlet cord of risk. But then we also see this little thread, this scarlet thread of faith, of faith. Look at verses eight through 14. Look at verse 10. He says, "For we have heard, for we have heard." Rahab is in a city that's pretty far from where the Israelites were roaming in the wilderness. There was like a massive river between the wilderness and where they were. And even further than that was Egypt. But the stories of God traveled from Egypt all the way to Jericho. And so now they're hearing these stories of God who saved them out of Egypt. Hearing these stories of these plagues that happened in Egypt. Hearing the stories about a sea, a sea, splitting, and then walking on dry ground. She heard. She didn't touch the dry ground. She heard about it. She didn't taste the manna that fell from the sky. She heard about it. She wasn't in the battles that were happening where God was helping this Israelite army wipe out these nations. She just heard about it. But her hearing led to faith, believing that God was the true God of the universe. See Jericho would have been a pagan nation. They would have been worshiping other gods. She didn't hear about those stories about her gods. Their gods didn't do anything. Their gods took but a god who actually went before his people that was giving them land and parting seas and feeding them from the skies. I mean, how about lunch today? How about we all just go onto the field and just open up our hands like bread gets popped down in here. Also gluten free for those of you who are gluten free. He's like, she didn't taste it. She didn't touch it. She didn't see it with her own eyes. She heard about it. But that hearing about it caused in her through the power of the Holy Spirit, faith. I don't know who this is for. But I know it's for some of us that you're waiting for God to prove himself to you. You're waiting for God like you would wait on a genie that you're making some wishes to to do something for you that you've set out. And you're like, if God, if you're truly real, then you'll do this. And if you do this, then I'll believe in you. God is not a genie. He's not here to make some wishes and hope that they just land in your lap. Faith comes by hearing and believing. We don't want to use this posture of God. If you do this for me, then Rahab doesn't whine about her situation. She doesn't complain about her situation. She doesn't cry. She's like, oh, my life is so hard. Oh, what was me? You ever play that card? Okay, just me. I'm the only one in the room that's playing that card. No. It's quiet because it's true. We look at our own situation and we think it's the worst. Oh, why did this happen to me? Why did I have to go through this? And we whine and complain. She's not whining and complaining. Listen, life can be really hard. Life can be difficult. Life throws circumstances at us all the time. But I tell you another thing, you have also, and I have also made terrible decisions. And in our life, we are not going to stand before a holy God and give an account for what everybody else did. We are so in the posture of blaming the world and everybody else for the bad decisions that we are making. So we just say, oh, it's because of this person and this person and they're what they did to me and with this, and then we never, ever let the mirror reflect on us. But the only way to salvation is when we admit our own depravity, when we admit our own false, when we admit our own wrongs, would we seek forgiveness? That's when we are forgiven, when we repent. Rahab didn't have this posture of, of always me, everybody always did this to me, everybody hurt me. No, no, no. She recognized and realized that she was unworthy and undeserving of this. But she saw a big God that could do big things. And her faith was not in her circumstances, her faith was in Him. And for those of you that are here today, that are continually trying to get God to prove Himself, or you're continually wanting and complaining about what everybody else has done to you, stop it and look to God because He is for you. And if the Bible says, "If He is for you," then nothing can be against you. I think if you can't own, I know. I know that if you can't own the sinful decisions that you have made in your life that has led you into many of the circumstances, then you're never going to truly understand the gospel. The gospel is good news for sinners, not good news for people that have cleaned up their act. It's not morality, it's not religion. The gospel, it means good news. When I use that phrase, it means good news. That good news is about a person and that person's name is Jesus who came and lived his life for you, replaced you. So that when you believe in Him, God no longer sees your sin. He sees His Son. He sees His daughter and there is a real eternity that we are going to face, that when we breathe our last breath, that we either are going to spend eternity with God or eternity apart from God. And if we're spending eternity apart from God, this isn't like some second-rate hotel. The worst pains and the worst hurts that you have ever felt in your life, the worst fears and anxieties are going to be magnified hundreds of fold. You think anxiety is bad now or fear is bad now? Your only faith and hope is in Jesus because He removes you from that eternal damnation into a life where there is no crying, no tears, no hurt, no pain, no anxiety. And that all happens by faith alone, through grace alone in Christ alone. Rahab is placing her faith in Jesus and God, the God of the universe. She heard of God's power and she declares faith in the God that she hears of and please for mercy. Notice that she doesn't declare, "I'm going to clean up my act." She was saved because of her faith. But let me say this, Rahab's life was transformed because of this good news. How do I know that? Well, Rahab has mentioned more in the New Testament than Joshua is or in his book. But the New Testament mentions Rahab because of her faith, because of this scarlet thread of risk and the scarlet thread of faith that's interwoven into this ultimate scarlet cord. Her scarlet thread of faith, it kept the wall up around her house. It kept her home from crumbling. It saved her family and this scarlet thread of faith brought salvation to you. Now, what do I mean by that? Sit with me in this for a moment. Because of Rahab's story, you sit here today. She has these two little threads that are interwoven. She places this scarlet cord in her window. That's what saves the faith and the risk it takes for her. These are interwoven into a larger story, her faith. These risks that she took are interwoven into a larger story, a larger cord. But what is that? Because this cord ultimately has led to you. This is the best part of the story, by the way. If you haven't been paying attention, tune in now. Because this truly is the best part of the story. Rahab places the scarlet cord in her window, and this may seem insignificant, but by placing and keeping this scarlet cord in her window, she reveals two small threads of risk and faith. This cord, the ultimate scarlet cord, is Jesus. That's the ultimate scarlet cord that saves. But follow me on this. Look at Matthew 1.5. Seriously, this is the best part. Selman became the father of Boaz by who? Her life is saved because she hangs a scarlet cord in her window. She now integrates, is grafted in, to the Israelite nation. She actually marries into the Israelite nation, and then she starts having children. Don't miss this. Boaz, Rahab's son, became the father of Obed by Ruth. Anybody remember the story of Ruth and Boaz? Obed became the father of Jesse. Huh, that name sounds familiar. And Jesse was the father of David the king. This seemingly insignificant, unworthy person who was unknown places a scarlet cord in her window. God spares her life because of her faith. Marries into the Israelite nation has a son, and that son has a son, and he goes on and goes on to King David. You know who King David is? The great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great is the great, great, great, grandmother of Jesus, because of her faith, her story, her threads that may seem small or interwoven into the story of Jesus. When you look at your life and you start thinking and asking like, what difference can I make? She hits some spies, put a rope in her window and because of that, our lives are changed. This little butterfly flapping its wings, creating a typhoon of salvation for the world. You and I are a part of that story and God calls you to use your story and take risks and have faith in Him and Him alone through the power of the Holy Spirit so that the world might be changed by His good news, by His story, because your threads of salvation or interwoven into the ultimate scarlet cord, into all of this, all of these stories, all of the things that we read about, Old Testament and New Testament point to Jesus, the ultimate scarlet cord, and your story is a part of His story if you have placed your faith in your hope and your trust in Him. Have you? Do you truly believe in Jesus as your Lord and Savior? If so, then begin to see of all the little things that we do. Maybe it's just being friendly to somebody. You're saying hello to somebody as they walk in or helping out your neighbor with a project or mowing someone in your neighborhood's lawn because they don't feel well or they're not doing well in life or maybe it's helping somebody get some food or wrapping around families that are hurting. Maybe it's reading your kid the Bible at night or pulling in your neighbor's trash cans. This butterfly effect isn't just a theory because it's how God changes the world through the small threads of risk and faith in our lives. So what do we do with this? What do we do with these threads of risk and faith? Well, we leave a legacy by threading our life into the scarlet cord of Jesus, and that's the rest of the story. Where she allows God to use her story, Christian, you can come on up. She allows God to use her story. Are you allowing God to use your story? I know a lot of you have a story that you're ashamed of or that you think is insignificant or you maybe even feel like you're unworthy to share it. But God invites you to be a part of his ultimate story, to see that people go from death to life, from hopelessness to hope, from darkness to light. And it's small little things that we do along the way that impact the world. So students, what's one thing that you're going to leave here today that you're going to do that's going to bring the gospel to the people in your neighborhoods and in your friends and in your schools, parents, adults, retirees, don't waste your life, allow God to use and interweave your scarlet threads into his ultimate scarlet thread for his glory. Amen. Is that okay over us? Father, thank you for the story of Rahab. Thank you for these scarlet cords, the scarlet threads that ultimately make up the ultimate scarlet cord, which is the story of you. All of the stories in Scripture point to you and those stories are connected to our lives because of you. God if there's anybody here today that hasn't placed their faith in you, that hasn't received a calling like Rahab received, maybe they think that they're unworthy or insignificant. Maybe they have so many questions that haven't are unanswered. God I pray right now that your spirit would stir something in them so that they may surrender their lives to you. They may know you. They may fall more in love with you every day. God if there's anybody here today that believes that their story is unworthy or insignificant, I pray that you would give them the confidence that you have written their story and that they can use that for your name and for your glory. God if there's anybody here that has not processed past hurts or past addictions or pains or abuse that they would find a place that is comfortable to come find healing from those things so that your name may be made great. God I pray that we wouldn't just set up a place where people are comfortable, but that this would be this place, our church, this family would be an altar call for your name and for your glory. Father we love you. It's in your name we pray, amen. (gentle music) [Music]