Two stories from the book of Joshua illustrate a dramatic reversal of fortunes. Rahab, the ultimate outsider, shows more faith in God than many of the Israelites themselves. Because of her faith, she is invited to become an honored part of the community. Achan, the ultimate insider, is filled with pride and sins against God and the people of Israel. Because of his sin, he is cast out and sentenced to death. These stories contain a message of hope for the outsiders and a warning for the insiders, and they show us that it's not our past condition or present struggles, but our ongoing faithfulness, that determines our standing before God.
Rahab and Achan
Role Reversals in the Book of Joshua
June 16, 2021
More from
The Faith of the Outsider
The Bullseye
August 11, 2021 • John 10:14–18, 1 Timothy 2:1–7, Galatians 3:26–29, Colossians 3:11, 1 Corinthians 15:1–8
This message wraps up our class on the book "The Faith of the Outsider." We'll discuss how to put everything we've studied into practice, by making sure to take the Gospel to all people and stop drawing lines where God hasn't drawn them.
The Woman at the Well
August 4, 2021 • John 4:1–42
Jesus didn't play by the rules. Jews and Samaritans weren't supposed to associate with one another becuase of drama and fighting between them that went back hundreds of years. But in John 4, Jesus broke through those barriers to have a life-changing conversation with a woman who didn't exactly have the perfect past. Her story, and the dramatic transformation she experienced, is a reminder that God loves to use unlikely people in extraordinary ways.
Ruth
July 21, 2021
Ruth had a lot going against her. As a foreign widow from Moabite, she faced an uphill battle when she moved to Israel. With little to her name, she relied on the generosity of people like Boaz to find her way. Despite being from the people that was prohibited to come into the assembly of Israel, Ruth was nevertheless welcomed and included through the grace Boaz showed her. Her story teaches us that God lavishes his grace on us when we least deserve it.