Introduction:
Dear brothers and sisters, as we step into December we are in the month of Jesus’ birthday – Christmas! What do you notice around yourself in this special season? Sales and shopping? Vacation and trips? Is your schedule packed with parties and celebrations? Quality time with family?
All these are great, but unfortunately they have nothing to do with the true meaning of CHRIST-mas. Jesus is the reason for the season!
Traditionally, churches observe the period that starts 4 Sundays before the Christmas day as “Advent season” with various religious ceremonies. Ceremonies aside, the true meaning of Advent is we prepare our hearts, quiet ourselves before God in this special season, and focus on 1. the darkness of the world, 2. the true light of Jesus, and 3. The glory of Jesus when He returns again.
This year, at PGC we will put the regular 260 Devotion on hold, and take the rest of December to approach, meditate and walk through some scriptures together leading to Christmas day!
Did you know that Jesus was there in the very beginning of this world? Did you know that Jesus has made his marks throughout the Old Testament? Did you know that God has given us many pictures of Jesus way before he was born? Do you want to meet Jesus again in His words for the first time this Christmas in 12 different devotions?
Are you ready? Let’s start today!

 

Background:

God has led Joshua and the Israelites to seize the land of Canaan. But the Canaanites had bigger and stronger army than the Israelites. They also had fortress to protect them, the strongest of which was the Jericho city. Jericho city was well known for its strong city walls which would give the Israelites no chance to penetrate. Before crossing the Jordan river, Joshua sent 2 spies to scout the city of Jericho. Unfortunately the Jericho king heard about this and asked Rahab to bring the spies to him…

 

Verses: Joshua 2:1-14

¹ Joshua son of Nun secretly sent out two spies from Acacia and said to them, “Go and look at the land, particularly at the city of Jericho.”

So the men went to Jericho and stayed at the house of a prostitute named Rahab.

² Someone told the king of Jericho, “Some men from Israel 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. They have come to spy out our whole land.”

⁴ But the woman had hidden the two men. She said, “They did come here, but I didn’t know where they came from. ⁵ In the evening, when it was time to close the city gate, they left. I don’t know where they went, but if you go quickly, maybe you can catch them.” ⁶ (The woman had taken the men up to the roof^[a] and had hidden them there under stalks of flax that she had spread out.) ⁷ So the king’s men went out looking for the spies on the road that leads to the crossings of the Jordan River. The city gate was closed just after the king’s men left the city.

⁸ Before the spies went to sleep for the night, Rahab went up to the roof. ⁹ She said to them, “I know the Lord has given this land to your people. You frighten us very much. Everyone living in this land is terribly afraid of you ¹⁰ because we have heard how the Lord dried up the Red Sea when you came out of Egypt. We have heard how you destroyed Sihon and Og, two Amorite kings who lived east of the Jordan. ¹¹ When we heard this, we were very frightened. Now our men are afraid to fight you because the Lord your God rules the heavens above and the earth below! ¹² So now, promise me before the Lord that you will show kindness to my family just as I showed kindness to you. Give me some proof that you will do this. ¹³ Allow my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and all of their families to live. Save us from death.”

¹⁴ The men agreed and said, “It will be our lives for your lives if you don’t tell anyone what we are doing. When the Lord gives us the land, we will be kind and true to you.”

 

• The Israelites were a bunch of hungry, weak slaves who have spent the last 40 years wandering in the desert. The Canaanites were big and strong and well protected behind the fortress walls of Jericho. Yet, when the Jericho king asked Rahab to expose the spies, she took her chance, and decided to side with the Israelites and help the spies escape – all because she had heard what the God has done for the Israelites. Have you heard of the great wonders God has done? Through testimony of people around you, or testimony of people you don’t know? Have these testimonies helped build your faith?

 

• Rahab had a shady past, as a young girl looking for love in all the wrong places, she obviously had made many wrong decisions in her life to end up as a prostitute living on the city wall – the outskirt of the city. Her future looked bleak. Yet, God didn’t look at Rahab’s past and deemed her unworthy to be part of His big plan. Instead, God looked upon her faith in Him. Have we made mistakes in the past that we’re not proud of?

 

• This is the reason for the Christmas season– because a savior has been given to us, who forgives all our past sins and accepts us into God’s kingdom! Tonight pray and share with God. He is kind and he is willing to listen.

 

•  In Matthew 1 it is written: “This is the family history of Jesus Christ … Abraham was the father of Issac. Issac was the father of Jacob … Salmon was the father of Boza (Boaz’s mother was Rahab) … Jacob was the father of Joseph. Joseph was the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus. Jesus is called the Christ.” The Bible reveals Rahab later on married Salmon, who was 1 of the 2 spies and was a prince from the house of Judah. When God gave Rahab a second chance, she took it and God greatly blessed her. Not only she had a husband and a family, her name is even written down in the line of family of Jesus! What kind of second chance has God given you after you’ve got to know him? Are you willing to make good use of the chance given and be blessed with it?