Outside Partners Building God’s Kingdom
Readings: 11:50
Sermon: 31:35
Exodus 18:1, 6-8, 10-27 (Jethro), Psalm 112:1-10, Joshua 2:1-14 (Rahab)
Sometimes in our faith, we can become a bit exclusionary. We can say well only we know God so only we can truly know what the world needs, or only we know what love is, or only we can build God’s Kingdom. Though this may be true to an extent, I think it misses the mark and ignores the truth of God’s goodness and reach. This perspective of Christian exclusivity is probably less common today, I think we still struggle with the idea of how knowing God relates to knowing what is right.
As I have mentioned before the church and Israel before it, were meant to be places where people could meet God’s love and be welcomed into his family. We are supposed to be a people that hold onto God’s love and build his kingdom in special ways. You can hear this in Scripture when Paul tells the people “don’t be like you used to be, don’t be like those who still live in sin” or you can hear it when God tells Israel as they enter the promised land “don’t take on the practices of the cultures around you, don’t take on their idols, sacrifices, etc.” We are supposed to have a special relationship with God. We are supposed to be set apart. We are supposed to be Holy.
Yet, that doesn’t mean we are alone in sharing God’s purpose or building his Kingdom. Today, we get two very interesting stories about non-Israelites. The first was the story of Jethro, a Midianite priest, Moses’ father-in-law. Moses had just led the people out of slavery in Egypt. They had just walked through the parted Red Sea. Now, Moses was leading them in the desert, acting as both a voice for God and a judge.
Jethro comes with Moses’ wife and children. They both check in on one another’s well-being and while they do Moses tells Jethro about all the amazing things God did for them. It is not surprising that Jethro is amazed and speaks about the glory and majesty of God.
That is all to be expected. What comes next is more interesting though. Moses starts to act as a judge and arbiter for the people. All day, he listens to people and judges their cases. Jethro sees this and chastises Moses, saying, “this isn’t right. You are going to kill yourself trying to be everything to all people. You need help. Teach the people the general law they need, but then get trustworthy people to judge the minor cases, but you be the conduit for God when important cases come up.” Moses listens to Jethro and the people including Moses become more blessed for it.
You might not realize it, but think about what this means. Here is a non-Israelite, an outsider, but what’s more a priest to another faith, who has come into the people of Israel and chastised one of the greatest leaders they would ever know teaching him how to better lead Israel and serve God. The result is that God uses this advice and blesses it - I would guess that God intended it all along.
Here we see that wisdom is not exclusive to Israel or to Christians. Here we see that God can use all people to build a better Kingdom and share in his will and love. And because this is once again a foundational story for how Israel will function in the future, we can see that it was always God’s purpose to create partners with those around us.
We see the same idea in the story of Rahab. Joshua took the place of leading Israel when Moses died. As they come to the promised land, he sends two spies into Jericho. Rahab is a prostitute that hides these two Israelite spies and helps them escape, but with the agreement that Israel will protect her and her family. The spies reply, “Our lives for your lives”.
That’s what happens. Rahab a non-Israelite prostitute becomes essential in Israel entering into the Promised Land and when Jericho’s walls come tumbling down, he protects Rahab and her family. Once again, we see someone outside of the family of God becoming an important part of God’s work and kingdom.
Rahab becomes even more prevalent when we read ahead to the first chapter of Matthew. In Matthew chapter 1, we get a genealogy of Jesus. Something most of us will skip over, but guess who you will find there? Rahab. That’s right. Rahab, a non-Israelite prostitute was a great, great, great . . . grandmother of Jesus Christ. You would find other interesting names there, men and women you would not expect and Jesus descended from them.
This is pretty amazing. A Midianite Priest and a Canaanite Prostitute are essential parts of God’s mission back then and now. This tells us that we would do well to welcome, listen for wisdom, seek help, and protect those that seem the most different from us, especially when they want to help too. No one is ever too far or too different to be useful and have a purpose in God’s Kingdom.
It is important to note a few things though to help us understand this a little better. Both Jethro and Rahab were beginning to know God. Jethro had just been told by Moses all that God had done for Israel in Egypt and as they escaped. Jethro probably knew about the burning bush too. This meant that Moses was already beginning to share his faith with Jethro and Jethro was beginning to get to know God. Jethro also praises God as the greatest God above other gods. Now Rahab isn’t told about God by any Israelite, instead, she hears the rumors of what God has done in Egypt, 40 years prior and still holds onto the fear, wonder, and awe. Jethro and Rahab are both on their journey toward our God.
Whether we share it, or God's glory goes out to the world in other ways, his name is being known. It is being shared. We don’t know someone’s relationship with God, whether they are in our church or not and so we don’t know what kind of wisdom, insight or help they could be to God’s kingdom. Everyone who still breathes life, carries with them an aspect of God, a bit of His Spirit, so everyone has the potential to be partners in God’s work.
We should notice, sadly, that Jethro is the only Midianite Priest that is an obvious help or that Rahab the prostitute, and her family are the only ones who protect and then are protected. We must acknowledge that a lot of people will not help God’s Kingdom, but in Jethro and Rahad we should recognize both the potential of others, but also God’s hope for them too. He gives them purpose and welcomes them into His family.
This doesn’t make our walk as Christians any easier, but it does make it better. It would seem easier to just isolate ourselves to known Christians and listen for their advice alone. It isn’t easy to try to discern God’s wisdom or loving help in those around us when there can be so much ignorance, godlessness, and evil, but just as Israel was the better for it, so can we. We should look for help out there too.
We are meant to be different, special, and set apart for God, but we are also meant to find God in the world, in culture, and in others. Then we need to hold onto him, point to him there and lift him up even more. We can do this with those outside these walls. In this God’s kingdom and mission will extend beyond these walls and beyond our fingertips. The fear of Lord seen by Rahab and the Glory of God seen by Jethro can take root in more and more hearts. But just as it does, we will also be built up in this place too as God’s kingdom grows and feeds itself. Finding God out there will lead to a greater ministry in here. It will lead to taking ground for Christ and bringing His salvation to others even as we experience His salvation through them. AMEN
How do you think people outside of the church partner in God’s work?
Why do you think people can share God’s goodness, even when they don’t seem to be in a committed relationship with him?
Exodus 18:1, 6-8, 10-27 (Jethro)
What did Jethro believe about our God and why?
Jethro was a Midianite Priest, what does it mean that he was a guide and help to God’s work through Moses?
Joshua 2:1-14 (Rahab)
What did Rahab believe about our God and why?
Rahab was a Jericho prostitute, what does it mean that she was a protector and guide to God’s work through these spies?
What do you think it means that God protected her and that she joins Israels’ family?
Look at Matthew 1 - What do you think it means that Rahab was a great, great . . . grandmother of Jesus?
What do you think this tells us about how we are to relate to the people outside of the church? What do you think God’s hope is for those around us?
