PENTECOST METHODIST CHURCH

LIVE-IT-OUT GUIDE

 

FAITHFUL ONES: SESSION 5 – RAHAB

(70mins – 90mins)

 

Sermon Date: 26^th November 2017

Text/s: Joshua 2:8-14, Hebrews 11:31

Speaker: Pastor Jacob Lim

(The sermon recording and slides can be found on the PMC website and MyPMC App.)

 

Sermon Recap & Discussion (20mins)

 

A)     Key Lessons

 

Although Rahab was a prostitute, a Canaanite, and had lied, she demonstrated faith that feared Yahweh as the one true God.

 

B)     Key Application Questions

 

1)      Do you realise the battle of 2 fathers in your life – between the father of lies and the Father of truth?

 

2)      Will you fear God more than any other thing and be transformed into the image of the Father of truth?

 

 

Further Observations on the Text (20mins)

 

Read Joshua 2:1-24

 

1)      What did Rahab, the people of Jericho, and the surrounding nations know about Israel and its history? How did this make them feel?  

 

2)      Rahab was given an opportunity to make a decisive choice for God and she responded in faith. What actions did Rahab take and what were the risks involved?   

 

3)      Consider Joshua 2:12-21. A covenant was made between the spies and Rahab.

 

a)      What conditions must Rahab and her family fulfil in order to be saved?

 

b)      How are these conditions similar to those of the first Passover, when Israel was redeemed from Egypt (Ex 12:21-23)?

Further Application (30mins)

 

4)      Although all the inhabitants of Jericho had heard about God and were even fearful of Him, only Rahab responded in faith. The rest remained “disobedient” (Hebrews 11:31, ESV).

 

a)      Why do you think many people hear and know about God but continue to act in disobedience instead of faith?

 

b)      Are some of these things obstacles to your own faith? Explain.

 

5)      Although Rahab began as a Canaanite prostitute under God’s judgment, her name goes on to appear 3 times in the New Testament.

 

c)      Read Matthew 1:5, Hebrews 11:31 and James 2:25. How is Rahab commended in these verses?

 

d)      How does Rahab’s story give you assurance today that God is able to forgive your past and to give you a new future?

 

Take some time as a LG to pray and give thanks to God for rescuing us from our past and blessing us with a secure future in Christ.

 

 

Going Deeper (Optional – 20mins)

 

1)      As part of God’s plan for defeating Jericho, the Israelites marched around Jericho for 7 days (Joshua 6:1-5). What might have been the emotions of Rahab and her family members during these 7 days of waiting?

 

2)      Rahab did not know about these “marching” orders. She had to wait patiently for God’s salvation (even as the walls started crumbling down!). In what way can you relate to this as a Christian?