Part of my preacher's sermon this morning shared a very impactful truth that I think is great for all of us to keep in mind when others may question our faith in Jesus and the things the bible tells, or even if we ever struggle with moments of doubt ourselves.
You see, one of the biggest PROOFS of Jesus's Resurrection is the obvious change in the attitudes and conviction of the message of Christ's disciples.
If you remember when the soldiers came and captured Jesus, his disciples all scattered in fear, and even Peter denied being one of Jesus's followers THREE times, just as Jesus claimed he would! They were scared, they were sad, they were heartbroken, and to them all their hope had just died with Jesus.
However, that all changed when the RISEN Jesus revealed himself PERSONALLY to those people, and at that moment, their fear and unbelief gave way to complete confidence in the Son of God, so much that each of them set out on a desperate mission to spread the word of the gospel to as many as they could, even when it meant their own demise in the end. They had no fear of what man would do to them because they had absolute assurance in the message they were telling.
Had Jesus not really risen, these people would NOT have risked (and given) their lives for the sake of this man, as each one of them did. Had they not seen Him alive face-to-face AFTER His death, they wouldn't have continued with His message for the cost it meant they would have to pay. And if Jesus's resurrection was just a "lie" the disciples told (as some have claimed), what then was their motivation to tell such things that led to persecution and death for each of them? No one would do that--if it were not TRUE!! Yet this is exactly what Jesus's disciples did!
Anyway, it was a powerful nugget of truth shared this morning that really hit home with me, and I thought could be helpful for many others to consider as well.
HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!!
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Rahab's legacy
My bible study yesterday showed me something really wonderfully inspiring that I had never noticed before.
I'm not sure how many of you know the story of Rahab in the bible. (Joshua 2) She was a prostitute in the city of Jericho, and when the Israelite spies entered the city before they started their "march" to take over the city by God's command, she helped keep them safe and asked that in return that she and her family would be saved when the Israelite took the city. And, all of this happened just as they planned.
To me, that had always been the end of the story, but the bible study pointed out, that it really wasn't.
She (Beth Moore) referenced us to Matthew 1:1-16, the genealogy of Jesus. And right there in verse 5, it shows Rahab's name mentioned as "the mother of Boaz". Then she pointed out something really profound about that.
God had used what most people would have just looked at as "trash" of this earth to help bring about His greatest gift ever! She was not only spared certain death by the Isrealites that day, but because of her FAITH and kindness, she got to be part of the direct family line of Christ! WOW!!
Further point, our past does NOT dictate our future, ANY SIN can be overcome through FAITH, and each and all of us have an important part to do in the work of God, and we are ALL equally worthy to be a part of His plan in His eyes as well.
Anyway, see for yourself. Here lists the direct family line to Jesus, and verse 5 is the special gift Rahab received for her FAITH:
Matthew 1:1-16 (NCV)
The Family History of Jesus
1 This is the family history of Jesus Christ. He came from the family of David, and David came from the family of Abraham.
2 Abraham was the father[a] of Isaac.
Isaac was the father of Jacob.
Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers.
3 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah.
(Their mother was Tamar.)
Perez was the father of Hezron.
Hezron was the father of Ram.
4 Ram was the father of Amminadab.
Amminadab was the father of Nahshon.
Nahshon was the father of Salmon.
5 Salmon was the father of Boaz.
(Boaz’s mother was Rahab.)
Boaz was the father of Obed.
(Obed’s mother was Ruth.)
Obed was the father of Jesse.
6 Jesse was the father of King David.
David was the father of Solomon.
(Solomon’s mother had been Uriah’s wife.)
7 Solomon was the father of Rehoboam.
Rehoboam was the father of Abijah.
Abijah was the father of Asa.[b]
8 Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat.
Jehoshaphat was the father of Jehoram.
Jehoram was the ancestor of Uzziah.
9 Uzziah was the father of Jotham.
Jotham was the father of Ahaz.
Ahaz was the father of Hezekiah.
10 Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh.
Manasseh was the father of Amon.
Amon was the father of Josiah.
11 Josiah was the grandfather of Jehoiachin[c] and his brothers.
(This was at the time that the people were taken to Babylon.)
12 After they were taken to Babylon:
Jehoiachin was the father of Shealtiel.
Shealtiel was the grandfather of Zerubbabel.
13 Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud.
Abiud was the father of Eliakim.
Eliakim was the father of Azor.
14 Azor was the father of Zadok.
Zadok was the father of Akim.
Akim was the father of Eliud.
15 Eliud was the father of Eleazar.
Eleazar was the father of Matthan.
Matthan was the father of Jacob.
16 Jacob was the father of Joseph.
Joseph was the husband of Mary,
and Mary was the mother of Jesus.
Jesus is called the Christ.
Those words, "(Boaz's mother was Rahab)", seem so simple when you don't really think about, "Wait a minute, Rahab was the PROSTITUTE from Jericho."
Sort of blew me away, and why I love the gifted biblical teachers, like Beth Moore, that are able to find little nuggets like that and bring such a larger meaning and understanding to them that I'd never piece together on my own. :)
I'm not sure how many of you know the story of Rahab in the bible. (Joshua 2) She was a prostitute in the city of Jericho, and when the Israelite spies entered the city before they started their "march" to take over the city by God's command, she helped keep them safe and asked that in return that she and her family would be saved when the Israelite took the city. And, all of this happened just as they planned.
To me, that had always been the end of the story, but the bible study pointed out, that it really wasn't.
She (Beth Moore) referenced us to Matthew 1:1-16, the genealogy of Jesus. And right there in verse 5, it shows Rahab's name mentioned as "the mother of Boaz". Then she pointed out something really profound about that.
God had used what most people would have just looked at as "trash" of this earth to help bring about His greatest gift ever! She was not only spared certain death by the Isrealites that day, but because of her FAITH and kindness, she got to be part of the direct family line of Christ! WOW!!
Further point, our past does NOT dictate our future, ANY SIN can be overcome through FAITH, and each and all of us have an important part to do in the work of God, and we are ALL equally worthy to be a part of His plan in His eyes as well.
Anyway, see for yourself. Here lists the direct family line to Jesus, and verse 5 is the special gift Rahab received for her FAITH:
Matthew 1:1-16 (NCV)
The Family History of Jesus
1 This is the family history of Jesus Christ. He came from the family of David, and David came from the family of Abraham.
2 Abraham was the father[a] of Isaac.
Isaac was the father of Jacob.
Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers.
3 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah.
(Their mother was Tamar.)
Perez was the father of Hezron.
Hezron was the father of Ram.
4 Ram was the father of Amminadab.
Amminadab was the father of Nahshon.
Nahshon was the father of Salmon.
5 Salmon was the father of Boaz.
(Boaz’s mother was Rahab.)
Boaz was the father of Obed.
(Obed’s mother was Ruth.)
Obed was the father of Jesse.
6 Jesse was the father of King David.
David was the father of Solomon.
(Solomon’s mother had been Uriah’s wife.)
7 Solomon was the father of Rehoboam.
Rehoboam was the father of Abijah.
Abijah was the father of Asa.[b]
8 Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat.
Jehoshaphat was the father of Jehoram.
Jehoram was the ancestor of Uzziah.
9 Uzziah was the father of Jotham.
Jotham was the father of Ahaz.
Ahaz was the father of Hezekiah.
10 Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh.
Manasseh was the father of Amon.
Amon was the father of Josiah.
11 Josiah was the grandfather of Jehoiachin[c] and his brothers.
(This was at the time that the people were taken to Babylon.)
12 After they were taken to Babylon:
Jehoiachin was the father of Shealtiel.
Shealtiel was the grandfather of Zerubbabel.
13 Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud.
Abiud was the father of Eliakim.
Eliakim was the father of Azor.
14 Azor was the father of Zadok.
Zadok was the father of Akim.
Akim was the father of Eliud.
15 Eliud was the father of Eleazar.
Eleazar was the father of Matthan.
Matthan was the father of Jacob.
16 Jacob was the father of Joseph.
Joseph was the husband of Mary,
and Mary was the mother of Jesus.
Jesus is called the Christ.
Those words, "(Boaz's mother was Rahab)", seem so simple when you don't really think about, "Wait a minute, Rahab was the PROSTITUTE from Jericho."
Sort of blew me away, and why I love the gifted biblical teachers, like Beth Moore, that are able to find little nuggets like that and bring such a larger meaning and understanding to them that I'd never piece together on my own. :)
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