Introduction

Watch the video from “One By One Part 4: only the gospel saves (an example)

Getting going

1. What’s the ugliest thing you’ve seen in a church?

2. Where did you see God at work this week?

3. When Pastor Rosenau began his vicar year at the mission church, what were some of the things that would have seemed to limit the success the church could have reaching the people of the city?

4. Although he didn’t have any real knowledge of how to do evangelism, what did Pastor Rosenau tell his people he had plenty of?

5. What did Pastor Rosenau promise his people he would do whenever they put him into contact with someone?

4. Although he said he had plenty of courage, what did Pastor Rosenau discover as he sat in his car before going out to knock on doors?

5. What two things did Pastor Rosenau tell people they could expect when he invited them to church?

Getting into God’s Word

The Old Testament has a number of events where God shared his Word with one person at a time, and against really long odds, brought that person into his kingdom. He often did this instead of going after large groups of people. We might think of examples like: Lot in Sodom and Gomorrah, Moses to Jethro, Rahab in Jericho, Elisha to Naaman of Syria.

Paying attention to these events helps us recognize how unique the times were when God chose to rescue large groups of people: Jonah to Ninevah or Nehemiah to the Jews who had been left behind.

Today we want to focus on one of those times when God rescued one person by his Word and the many challenges he had to overcome. Let’s read the story of Rahab in Joshua 2:1-24.

6. Tell us about Rahab.

7. In verses 8 - 11, especially verse 11, what did Rahab and the people of the city of Jericho feel about the coming Israelites? Compare what they felt with what people might feel about Christians today.

8. In verse 14, how did the spies promise to treat Rahab?

I can’t help but think there is a wonderful reminder here. If we talk to people in their houses or the coffee shop or they choose to spend time with us at church, we might owe them something. Yes, we are the ones giving away God’s grace. Yes, we should treat them well whether they receive us or not. But we might event have a small debt or obligation to repay.

9. In verse 24, what did the men take away from their time with Rahab? Do you ever feel like there might be a time or a season for work in a city or place? What do you do if it isn’t the time or season?

Taking it home

10. I can make the same promise to you that Pastor Rosenau made. If you put me in contact with someone,

  • I will connect with them to say hello

  • I will pray for them and offer to pray specifically for them

  • I will offer to share the gospel with them

11. Almost everyone has something or things that they don’t like about their church. This can keep us from inviting others. Instead of focusing on those things, what can we focus on that will encourage us to invite others? (try to be specific to give us real help)