Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro; Faith is sometimes a word that is hard to grasp.

For example;

Faith involves “the whole personality”: the mind is instructed, the emotions are stirred, and the will then acts in obedience to God.

Hebrews 11:7 (NKJV)

7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen [the intellect], moved with godly fear [emotions], prepared an ark [the will] for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

This is the type of faith that we’re going to look at for the next couple of weeks as we see Rahab and the Two Spies “Stepping Up In Faith”

Text; Joshua 2:1-21

Let’s look at the faith of Rahab according to our definition; intellect, emotion, will

1.

Rahab’s Intellect; 8-10

Rahab believed [faith] in God by what she had heard.

[9] Rahab confessed “I know the Lord has given you the land”.

Know- to learn about, realize, knowledge of, to be acquainted with

What was Rahab’s intellect faith based upon?

Terror has fallen upon the land because of what we have heard about God!

[10] The Red Sea crossing [40 years ago] and the defeat of Sihon and Og recently.

Can the things we hear about God lead a person to saving faith in Him? Yes

2. Rahab’s Emotion; 11-12

[11] Rahab moved with Godly fear by acknowledging that Israel’s God is the only true God! Based on her hearing about God [intellect] it then moved to her heart [emotion].

[12-13] She also asked a promise of kindness [mercy], a “true token” of her faith.

[14] Our lives for yours.

Trust!

Have faith!

Believe!

[14] What a contrast to the believer’s relationship to Jesus Christ, for He wants everybody to know that He has paid the price of redemption and that they can be saved by trusting Him.

If Rahab talked too much, her life was in danger; but if we don’t talk enough, the lives of lost people around us are in danger.

3. Rahab’s Will; 17-21

Though Rahab had an intellectual and emotional response to faith, unless her will surrendered to faith, and acted upon her faith in God, she would still be lost!

[21] Rahab tied the “scarlet cord” in the window right then not knowing when God would come and take Jericho.

She put her life and that of her family at risk by faith trusting the God of Israel.

Faith begins privately between the Lord and a individual, but it cannot stay private.

Faith is a public display of the power and mercy of God.

Unless the whole personality is involved, [intellect, emotion, will] it is not saving faith as the Bible describes it.

Matthew 7:21 (NKJV)

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

Close;

Was it okay in the eyes of God for Rahab to lie about the two spies to the king to save them from death?

[Joshua 2: 2-6]