Identity - September 26th, 2010

Date: September 26th, 2010

Speaker: Pastor Kevin Snyder

Title: Identity

Text: Joshua 2

INTRODUCTION

Last week we began Joshua 1. The key theme was “Be strong and courageous”. God’s word to a fledging young leader who trusted God’s presence, power, and promises.

In chapter 2 we read the story of Rahab. And the word I want us to think about today is Identity…who are you.

Exercise:

Take out sermon worksheet and look at the top where it says “I am….”

Think of describing yourself to someone what words would you use to describe yourself.

Take a minute or so to jot down 3 – 5 things.

Questions

How many described themselves by their vocation?

By their marital status?

By their faith?

Citizenship?

Many things that can feed into how we see ourselves, our identity.

A. Rahab’s Old/Worldly Identity

Question #1:How she would see herself?

Read Joshua 2

Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. "Go, look over the land," he said, "especially Jericho." So they went and entered the house of a prostitute [a] named Rahab and stayed there. 2 The king of Jericho was told, "Look! Some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land." 3 So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab: "Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land."

4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, "Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. 5 At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, the men left. I don't know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them." 6 (But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof.) 7 So the men set out in pursuit of the spies on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as the pursuers had gone out, the gate was shut. 8 Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof 9 and said to them, "I know that the LORD has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. 10 We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea [b] for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. [c] 11 When we heard of it, our hearts melted and everyone's courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below. 12 Now then, please swear to me by the LORD that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign 13 that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and that you will save us from death." 14 "Our lives for your lives!" the men assured her. "If you don't tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the LORD gives us the land." 15 So she let them down by a rope through the window, for the house she lived in was part of the city wall. 16 Now she had said to them, "Go to the hills so the pursuers will not find you. Hide yourselves there three days until they return, and then go on your way." 17 The men said to her, "This oath you made us swear will not be binding on us 18 unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother, your brothers and all your family into your house. 19 If anyone goes outside your house into the street, his blood will be on his own head; we will not be responsible. As for anyone who is in the house with you, his blood will be on our head if a hand is laid on him. 20 But if you tell what we are doing, we will be released from the oath you made us swear."

21 "Agreed," she replied. "Let it be as you say." So she sent them away and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window. 22 When they left, they went into the hills and stayed there three days, until the pursuers had searched all along the road and returned without finding them. 23 Then the two men started back. They went down out of the hills, forded the river and came to Joshua son of Nun and told him everything that had happened to them. 24 They said to Joshua, "The LORD has surely given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting in fear because of us."

As I do I want you to write down how you would identify Rahab.

How many had “prostitute” as one of the words you used to identify Rahab?

How many struggled to come up with too many more words than that from this text? Traitor

What does that say to us?

Many of us tend to base our identity on 1 or 2 things. Oh, we may have written down 5 things, but when we stand in front of the mirror often there are 1 or 2 things that shape our identity and how we see ourselves…one or 2 things that are in bold and bigger font…kind of like Rahab.

And one of the things that defined Rahab’s identity was her “sin” or perhaps her vocation (sex trade worker).

When we said ‘prostitute’ there could be 2 meanings:

1. She saw herself by her SIN

2. VOCATION – sex trade worker

Many people know that identity struggle. They have come to identify themselves by their

sin,
their mistakes,
their failures.
their addictions,
their problems,

i.e.

High school – Capt of both volleyball &basketball team, MVP on both, Top 5 in league for scoring, All round Student award

However, when I reflect back on my basketball career my “identity” to me was shaped by 3 pictures

Grade 10 – 2 points behind, 5 secs left, fouled a guy on a shot – 3 pt play & they won the game. Remember some adult saying to me “I heard you cost them the game.”
Grade 11 – tournament 1 pt game with some many lead changes, out of timeouts, 10 sec left & I danced around with the ball near center court with my whole team yelling at me “go” which I didn’t get…I discovered after the game we were 1 pt behind not ahead as I thought.
Grade 12 – championship series best of 3. 1st game….2 points behind again 6 secs left….pulled down rebound 2 feet away...nobody near me & for some reason instead of going straignt up for the shot I pumped and guy blocked the shot out of my hand & they awarded the ball to the other team.

That’s how I often view myself in that arena even though we only lost 1 league game in 3 years in high school, and lost to the eventual provincial champion my last 2 years of high school. I don’t remember the successes or great plays so much but those 3 events.

Now, we can expand that to life more generally.

Maybe you identify yourself through your failure in a

Relationship or marriage….
In a business or job
Moral failure
A mistake you made
A crime you committed
An addictive problem you’ve had

Like Rahab you have come to base your identity primarily on one or two negative, shame-filled, or guilt-ridden things.

2. Another way we can take that term “prostitute” is by VOCATION

Many of us, especially men, identify ourselves by our vocation, what we do.

Reason why often men struggle when retire is because “Who am I now?” Whole identity has been caught up their job.

i.e.

In about 16th year of ministry I asked and was granted a Sabbatical.

Primary purpose of Sab. Was to answer one question:

“Who am I apart from this role?”

Been in ministry role for so long that I wasn’t sure who I was anymore apart from that.

Am I Bible reader apart from sermonizing?
Am I person of prayer or was it just part of role?
Did I really care or was it as people would tease “You are paid to care?”
Was I a leader or was it just role?

I took 3 months to rebuild my spirituality as a person apart from my role.

So I know how it is to just identify oneself by vocation.

Summary:

The point is we can come to base our identity on some negative things or on “what we do” , not who we are.

But I want you to note something very interesting and exciting.

B. Rahab’s New/Scriptural Identity

Question #2: What is Rahab’s Scriptural identity? How does Scripture see her? God see her?

Interesting question because Rahab shows up 3 other times in the Bible in 2 very interesting places.

1. Matthew 1: Genealogy of Jesus

2. Hebrews 11: Heroes of Faith.

The 3rd location is in James 2:25 where she is considered “righteous” for the faith she expressed in hiding the spies.

1. Matthew 1: Genealogy of Jesus

Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,

On the surface, it appears that Matthew couldn’t have picked

A more boring way to start the New Testament…start it with a family tree and a bunch of “begets”.

However, Matthew’s point was to show clearly and dramatically that this Jesus born to an obscure Mary & Joseph was truly the son of Abraham, the son of David…the Messiah who would come and sit on David’s throne.

And as you look at this family tree there are a few things that strike you.

1. Women are mentioned…highly unusual in Jewish tradition where lineage was tracked through men.

One of those women was Rahab.

2.Rahab was not Jewish.

She was a Caananite – from Jericho. She was from outside Israel

3.She was by trade a prostitute…not the kind of woman you would expect to be in Jesus’ family tree.

Why is she included?

Message:

This is not a mistake.

There is a purpose.

Indicates that Kingdom of God is neither “male nor female” Raises value of women in God’s scope.
Indicates that Jesus lineage is one of grace & faith not just physical heritage to being a child of Abraham

She is a member of this line, not because of her pedigree, but because she was a recipient of God’s grace. She is an example of the New Testament concept that says you become a true descendent of Abraham, a true Israelite not being physically born in it but by faith.

Romans 9:7, 8

Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham's children. On the contrary, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." 8In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring.

Rahab’s Scriptural identity was she was a recipient of God’s grace thru faith. She is there in the same way we are. If we continued this line we would find our names as “children of God”, “heirs of Jesus Christ.”

1 John 3:1 - How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

Titus 3: 3 – 7

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

Rahab, and us, are brought into the being children of God and heirs with Christ through faith. Through faith we have become the recipients of his grace.

That is our new identity.

Rahab’s identity is new, it’s changed. She is not a prostitute she is a recipient of God’s grace. She is a child of God through faith in God’s grace. Her identity was changed.

And she is not alone…

That was how the Apostle Paul saw himself

1 Cor 15:10 – “But by the grace of God I am what I am.”

His identity wasn’t in his Jewish heritage, his educational accomplishments as a prodigy of Gamiliel & a Pharisee….his identity rested in that he was a recipient of God’s grace

1Tim 1: 12 – 17

12I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. 13Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. 17Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Paul’s new identity?

He introduces Timothy this way:

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God and of Christ Jesus our hope.”

He is not who he was.

And he expressed that view for others

Listen to the labels and the changed view.

1 Cor 6:9 – 11

Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

That “But” is like a verbal eraser… that is no longer your identity.

4. John

When he 1st came to Christ he was known as one of the “sons of thunder.”

Early in time with Jesus wanted to call down fire from heaven to destroy village that rejected Jesus.

Seemingly, he had a fiery temper.

But we get to his gospel and how does he reference himself?

How does he identify himself?

“the One whom Jesus loved”

Often we think he is being boastful like kid on playground, “I’m the one Jesus loved.”

But I don’t think that is how it is meant. I think John was so touched by the love and grace of Jesus Christ that when he looked in the mirror, rather than identifying himself by his temper anymore, he identified himself as a recipient of God’s grace and love.

2. Hebrews 11: Hero of Faith

The other place we find Rahab is in the “Faith Hall of Fame’

Heb 11:31 – 31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.?e?

James 2: 25 elaborates:

25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

Rahab is identified not by her sin in the New Testament but by her faith. She has a new identity.

She was one who believed God was true God
God was with Israel
God had grace for her
God had a plan.
She didn’t believe but acted on that faith when she hid the spies and sided with Israel.

Today we hear a lot about self esteem. We go through a lot of mental gymnastics trying to feel better about ourselves. Telling ourselves good things.

But what if it not about convincing ourselves to feel better, but what if it is putting faith in some basic truths about us?

Romans 12:3

3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.

Rahab came to believe

God cared about her
God had a plan for her
God could use her.

What would it change if we put more effort into believing those things instead of just trying to make ourselves feel good?

Application/ Point

When you look in the mirror? When you get down to that one core identifier – what is it?

Do you still identify yourself by your sin?

do you identify yourself as the recipient of God’s grace?
A person defined by faith?
Is there a break between old identity and new identity?
Do you see yourselves through old /worldly eyes or new/Scriptural eyes? As one whom Jesus loves?

2 Cor 5:17 –“If any one be in Christ he is a new creation, the old is gone, the new has come.”

You have a new identity

Contrary to popular belief regeneration is more than just having something taken away (sins forgiven).
It is also more than just having something added ( a new nature or the help of the H.S.)
No, regeneration is becoming something you never were before.

It’s Rahab….once prostitute…now a child of God. An heir with Christ.

Reflection Question:

How would it change your life if you saw yourself through Scriptural eyes instead of through your sin?

I think it would make a huge difference

Because we act out of our identity.

What happens when we capture that ?

i.e.

Ugly Duckling – swan born to a mother duck. He was different and bigger so they made fun of him and teased him. He came to believe what they said about him. And acted like a duck.

But one day discovered he was a swan. He saw his true identity. And Hans Christian Anderson finishes the story tale with the words “I never dreamt so much happiness was possible when I was the Ugly Duckling.”

Like the Ugly Duckling there are many Cns who have come to believe a lie. And like the Ugly Duckling they act like ducks, rather than swans because that’s who they believe they are.

Ephesians 4:1 says “I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

It changes how we live

i.e.

kids – don’t say that about self – “loser”. Act out of that idea.

We live out of our identity. I think and act differently if I see myself as “saint” than as a “sinner.”

If you realized were a king’s kid would you act differently?

It changes how we come together – our fellowship doesn’t rest on our economic status, our reputation, our accomplishments…in here we are all in need of the communion cup. We are all recipients of God’s amazing grace…just people whom Jesus loves. Rahab’s are found in the same list as Abraham’s and King David’s.

It changes how you feel and what you become

How would it change your world if you began to think like Rahab with the eyes of faith?

If you choose to believe…

God made you – no accident.
God loves you
God has a plan for your life.
God can use you

What would change if you stepped out in faith and believed that?

I think we would be freed up…I think we would quit looking at ourselves and just what we have, and offer ourselves more to a God who has it all and can use donkeys & Rahab’s for his glory.

Challenge you:

Every morning to begin to reform your mind.

When look in mirror to say to yourself:

“I am one whom Jesus loves.”
“I am a new creature – I am a recipient of God’s grace
I’ve been washed and sanctified.
I am no longer going get my identity from my sin & failures but from my new identity :
I am a child of God, an heir of Jesus Christ.
I believe God loves me
I believe God has a plan for me
I believe God can use me..

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The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Mt 1:5

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. 1 Jn 3:1

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Tit 3:3-7

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. 1 Co 6:9-11

e Or unbelieving

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Heb 11:31

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Jas 2:25-26

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Eph 4:1