Title: The Secret To Maximum Living
Bible Book: Joshua 2 : 1-18
Author: Larry Wynn
Subject: Christian Living; Victory; Salvation; Witnessing
Objective:
Introduction
Joshua 2:1-18
Who are your heroes? What if I told you that a prostitute became one of God's heroes? Her name is Rahab. Rahab learns what maximum living is all about. Joshua 2 records her story. Rahab was a pagan living in spiritual darkness who desperately needed God to do something for her. Can God change a life? Look at Rahab. She marries a Prince from Israel. She is the great-great grandmother of King David. She became an ancestor in the flesh to the Lord Jesus. In Hebrews 11 she is listed with the great heroes of the faith. She moves from the house of shame to the hall of fame. Rahab teaches us much about the secrets to maximum living.
I. Maximum Living Is Available Living
Maximum Living is available to anyone who will grasp it. I mean more than that by this statement today.
Maximum living comes from being available to God. Look at this story. Joshua sends a reconnaissance team to look over the city of Jericho.
It is not coincidental they came to Rahab's house. She was a harlot, a prostitute. If you looked at her lifestyle you would have never known she had a hunger for God, but she did. She was a woman wanting to live life to the max and was just waiting for someone to tell her how.
This is a perfect illustration of God's work in the life of a lost person. He works in the life of an unsaved person to soften him and to give to him a hungry heart. At the same time He works in the life of the witness preparing him/her to provide that witness. God masterminds the entire thing.
Look at other examples in the bible of this.
Phillip-Eunuch.
Cornelius.
Woman at the well.
The same Lord is working in our community today.
II. Maximum Living Is Being Available To God
Maximum living is being available to God whatever your spiritual condition or need. Do you see how that leads to maximum living?
You live your life available to God for His purposes whatever they are, and the pressure is off.
You don't have to be what anyone wants you to be but God.
III. Maximum Living Is Unexplained Living Vs. 11
How did Rahab know the things she talked about in vs. 11? They had been doing reconnaissance as well. What God was doing in the lives of these people that was inexplicable became her witness.
What is there about your life that cannot be explained? When people see there is something different about our lives they will want the God we have.
Story of Mike Durso in "fresh power" by Jim Cymbala, page 33.
When people see there is something about our lives that is different they will want the God we have. Acts 2 is the perfect example of this. The people asked two questions of the disciples. Acts 2:12 "What does this mean?" Acts 2:37 "What shall we do?" The problem we have is we are trying to get people to ask the 2nd question before the first.
When people see a quality of life that is different it isn't long before we are being asked, "What is different?"
IV. Maximum Living Is Living By Faith Vs. 17-18
Rahab knew that the city was about to be overthrown. She asked for mercy. The men told her to let a scarlet rope dangle from her window. When the attackers saw the scarlet rope they would pass by her house, and she and her family would be spared.
Hebrews 11:31 explains her life. "By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace." We know the scarlet rope represents the blood of Christ. This is an Old Testament picture of Jesus. It is an Old Testament picture of redemption. "Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin."
The blood of Christ delivers us as the scarlet rope delivered Rahab. Rahab was delivered by the blood but also transformed by the blood.
It is through faith that the Christian life commences. It is by faith that it continues. The question today is, do you live by faith?
Conclusion
Do you trust God for daily life as you do for eternal life? I am afraid many Christians trust God enough to get them to heaven but not enough to get them through the day. We depend on him for eternity but yet try to run our own lives on a day-by-day basis. Maximum living is faith living. It is trusting God in every aspect of our lives. It is a daily trust where we stay connected 24/7.
