There's no Day like Today: Joshua 24: 14-15

The Scarlet Thread: Joshua 2:18-21

THE SCARLET LETTER: a classic of American Literature written by Nathaniel Hawthorne,

the story of Heather Prynne, A Puritan shunned by the society of Boston, due to immorality, she was forced to wear clothing embroidered with the Letter. The Letter was branded on more than her clothing:, but also on her soul. It is also a story of how she overcame that prior lifestyle and came back home, she was then accepted because of her good deeds. Through her resilience: the scarlet letter did not define her; she had been mentally freed from a stained past.

Today’s biblical story is about another lady with a stained past that was overcome, not by a forgiving town, but by a forgiving God. It is not the lady of the scarlet letter, but a lady with a scarlet rope, a lady with a stained past that God set free: her name was Rahab.

We need to hear this, for Rahab’s story is our story (I am not a prostitute), but we are a people with a scarlet stained past.

Isaiah 1:18: we have all sinned and stood in need of God’s forgiveness

and freedom.....

Let’s look at the story of Rahab, the bulk of which is found in Joshua 2

Rahab’s Reality – she had a stained past, it was her identity, even way she was introduced: not Rehab the Harlot, but the Harlot, Rehab. She was a prisoner of her past: we do not know why or how she came to this state, she could have been poor, abandoned. She lives on the wall of the city, not best place, but the most vulnerable. It was, however, good for her “business”.... It has an entrance not seen by the town (only a window facing outward) where the men who came to her came and went through that window:, they pulled up and let down by a scarlet rope (at that time, the symbol of her “profession”).

Rahab’s Recognition – At that time, the King suspects spies: everyone was afraid. Soilders begin searching. The spies come to Rahab’s house. She hides them under stalks of flax on the roof, and then comes to them and makes quite a statement 

“And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof; And she said unto the men, I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red sea for you when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did uno the two kings of the Amorites that were o the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the Lord your God, he is God in Heaven above and in earth beneath”

She said I have heard about the men who were believed to be spies....so had the town: but it was not the same with her: I have heard otherwise and I believe, and in doing so, she was going against her polytheism: if you have to polish your god, they are not a god and I believe the God I need is your God.

Rahab’s Rope  - The scarlet rope was a tool of sin: It was common for the immoral ladies of the time. The tool of sin became a symbol of salvation: the word for the rope in Hebrew means HOPE: and in faith, it was hung outside the window, awaiting for God’s deliverance, just like the blood was placed on doors when the Angel of Death passed over the homes in Egypt.

There is a thread of scarlet throughout Bible (WA Criswell wrote a sermon/book about it). It  began in Eden, when God clothed Adam and Eve with animal skins. There a

re many stories of sacrificial lambs in the Bible.  YES: THERE IS A SCARLET THREAD THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE

And there is more to learn from Rahab: just as the scarlet thread was not finished here, neither

was Rahab: she is mentioned 2 OTHER TIMES IN THE Old Testament & 3 TIMES in the New Testament.

Rahab’s Redemption -

*1 Chronicles 2:10: She marries a prince: yes, prostitute marries a prince (a believer).

*Ruth 4:20: The mother of Boaz, who himself marries an outsider without much hope.   she is the great great grandmother of David.

*James 2:25:She was righteous: This is anew description: she took action because of her faith.

*Hebrews 11:31: 1 of 2 women in this HALL OF FAITH (Sarah): she is FAITHFUL when her entire city was not: which led to the saving of her family.

*Matthew 1:5: Rahab is the great great grandmother of David: and here she is not the harlot, she is RAHAB: she is not defined by her past, but by her future.

In India in 2011: 285 hindi girls (Hindu), where boys are blessed but not girls, all were named UNWANTED: and in one ceremony, they changed their name to things like power, beautiful, power, hope. And you and I have had a name change: once you were DEAD....NOW you are ALIVE: Ephesians 2:1, “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.”

4:5 “One Lord, one faith, one baptism.”

We are all a TAPESTRY.....MADE UP OF MUCH: be sure you have a scarlet thread woven in the life that is your tapestry: make sure Jesus is in your life!

BLESSED IS: CELESTIAL: Revelation 14:13

IT’S A QUESTION WE’VE ALL ASKED, we’ve all thought about: When a friend, a family member, a fellow church member: your spouse, your child, your parent(s); they’ve left this earth: gone to glory, they’ve died: BUT THEY KNEW JESUS: what is life like for them? What are they doing/feeling now?

There are a lot of teachings, sentiments and wishes that have no basis in Scripture about life after death:

i)annihilationism: 7thday Adventists – there’s nothing, the soul is lost

ii) soul sleep: Jehovah witness believes that the soul ceases to exist until it is recreated at   the Resurrection. The soul is inert, residing in God’s memory until the final awakening.

iii) purgatory: A place where the soul is purified for sins committed that were not truly repented from (believers offer prayers for the dead): my entrance to Heaven is not dependent on another human

iv) At a recent funeral, a fellow paster made the comment “I could tell he was a Christian by just looking at him” Really?

Today, we seek to give some biblical answers to those questions by looking at a single verse: Revelation 14:13

ONE of 7 Beatitudes in Revelation (all of them starting with BLESSED)

Revelation 1:3, 14:13, 16:15, 19:9, 20:6, 22:7, 22:14

Revelation 1:3: blessed is the one who reads, hear, keeps these words

14:13 blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth

16:15: blessed is one who stays awake & keeps their clothes

19:9: blessed are those invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb

20:6: Blessed is one who shares in first resurrection

22:7: blessed is one who heeds words of this prophecy

22:14: blessed are those who wash their robes

Revelation 14:13 is A VERSE THAT MEANS a lot to me personally: My grandfather passed in 1975 – this is the verse that I chose for his headstone.

So, back to our question: What is life like for those who have died IN THE LORD? What are they doing/feeling?  Well, according to Revelation 14:13, THEY HAVE A LIFE FILLED WITH:

REJOICING, RESTING, REWARDING

Let’s unpack the verse........

1. REJOICING

Blessed is the same word we’ve been studying:  The ancient Greek word Makarios means  congratulations, deep intense happiness, bliss: to be envied. The  same word that Jesus used of Peter when He CONFESSED: the same word that Jesus used of believers on their journey when they CLEANSED, is now used by the Father and echoed by the Holy Spirit AS THEY COMPLETE THEIR CHAPTER ON EARTH AND BEGIN THEIR CHAPTER IN THE CELESTIAL GLORY OF HEAVEN

CHRISTIANS ARE BLESSED: PAST-PRESENT-FUTURE

Past: BLESSED WHEN WE BEGIN (freed from Penalty of sin),

Present: BLESSED AS WE CONTINUE (freed from the POWER of Satan)

Future: BLESSED AS WE LEAVE EARTH & ENTER HEAVEN (freed from very PRESENCE)

When a Christian death occurs, Jesus both comforts the survivors & blesses the deceased: 

Psalm 23:4,6 – Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

2. RESTING

Our loved ones are not sitting on a puffy cloud in a linen robe, plucking a harp

They are active: worship: serving the Lord: 

a. at death: the soul separates from body: we are no longer animated but the soul is active

b. the soul remains active with/without Jesus: either with Jesus awaiting resurrection  

or with Satan awaiting judgment: with torment/weeping/gnashing of teeth.

Resting: rest from labors: from burdens, from the wearisome toil, from pain. You will ENJOY the work (service) of Heaven. God created Eden where Adam and Eve, prior to their fall were to work and tend the garden: but after fall, the labored by the sweat of their brow. You can work hard, grow weary and still proclaim “LET’S GO AGAIN TOMORROW!” This is the eternal fulfillment of Matthew 11:28 (Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest) and Hebrews 4:9 (There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God).

3. REWARDING

EVERY ACT DONE FOR JESUS: even providing cup of cold water: is rewarded. Lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven; receive the crown of life. Now: understand: I am not in Heaven because of works; works are in Heaven because I am.

Envision a THIMBLE.... and then a WASH TUB: both are filled to over flowing: increasing my capacity for enjoyment of Heaven: what is not there/what is there: WHAT IS NOT THERE: tears, grief, pain, sorrow, sickness, hunger, thirst, death, decay, sin, evil doers, temple, priests goodbyes. There is the perfect presence-protection-provision of God.

I HAVE LEFT ONE PART OF THE VERSE UNPREACHED, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT.

People die in vastly different ways.

Amelia Lynch was walking down a street in New York City during a storm: lightning struck a potted plant on a balcony 8 stories up: it fell to the ground, killing her instantly

Harold Duncan was mowing his yard with an old rotary mower; his family was watching: the mower picked up a half inch stiff wire: it thrust straight into his heart: his family saw him fall: dead.

But in the Bible: There are only 2 ways: lost/saved; with Jesus/not with Jesus.

there is only one qualifier, one requirement: one decision.

One decision determines eternal destiny.

AND THE BELIEVER: it is always to be envied; always a reason for happiness; BLESSED

MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE:

Loved ones will weep o’er my silent face

Dear ones will clasp me in sad embrace

Shadows and darkness will fill this place

5 minutes after I die

Faces that sorrow, I will not see

Voices that murmur will not reach me

But where, O where will my Spirit be

5 minutes after I die

There I have feasted, worked and ranged

There I have flourished and grown estranged

But here.... all has been changed

5 minutes after I die

Naught to repair the good I lack

Fixed to the goal of my chosen track

No room to repent, no turning back

5 minutes after I die

Mated for ever with my chosen throng

Long is eternity-endlessly long

Woe to the one whose soul got it wrong

5 minutes after you die

BUT FOR THE BELIEVER: REJOICING, RESTING, REWARDING

What will you choose?

BLESSED IS: CONTINUING TO WASH YOUR ROBES: Revelation 22:14

We have not always taken regular baths - indeed, on the frontier, people didn’t take baths daily or even weekly, but a few times each year (except for washing hands/face). Even with the advent of indoor plumbing a century ago and indoor showers in homes 75 years ago, many only took a bath once a week, on SATURDAY: to get clean, to go to church and come into the presence of the Lord. This followed the Germanic European tradition where their word for Saturday literally meant “bath-day.

Washing the body before going into God’s presence was deeply ingrained in Jewish tradition: there were basins of water for the priests, congregants, and the sacrifices; in the Temple, there was a huge bronze basin for the priests to wash that estimated to have held 10k gallons of water. The Scriptures also speak of a spiritual washing from God, often through confession

-1 John 1:9: take a “confession bath”

-Psalm 51:2, 7: wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and wash me from

my sin; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow

-Ephesians 5:26: cleansed by the washing of water with the Word 

Last week, we are blessed when we confess who Jesus is: when we believe/when we are saved: 

Now, we are blessed when we continue to confess our known sins: growing, sanctification: becoming more like Him; adopting His attitudes/actions

3 concepts, each using a word that starts with “p”; show we are to be “robe washers”.....

PEOPLE: WHO WASHES THEIR ROBES

PURPOSE: WHY ARE THEY WASHING THEIR ROBES

PERPETUAL: HOW OFTEN DO THEY WASH THEIR ROBES

PEOPLE: Who are the people who wash their robes? They are blessed: people who have encountered God’s grace/mercy; people who have said no to ungodliness and yes to godly living: the saved, the redeemed.

Look at the difference in 22:14 and 22:15: 14 are people who are in and 15 are people who are out (not saying if you ever committed one of those sins, you are forever out) but saying that you have chosen to believe falsehoods and you are acting differently: this is how your belief shows up. Listen to Titus 2:11-14: one of characteristics of those growing is that they are being cleansed (14): who is it? THE SAVED

PURPOSE: Why are they washing their robes? Because something special is going to happen: entry into the best place ever; the city (21), the garden (22); described in 2 ways: the right to tree of life & the right to enter by the city gate.

The tree of life: The Garden of Eden; The Garden of Heaven: but never forget the Garden in

between: Gethsemanae: it makes it forever.

The gate: the gate is Jesus: ****KEY***** I am the door; John 10:9. Because of what is coming: I have the motivation to wash. CHRISTIANS ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THEIR SIN; They want to be clean and ready to be used and to be in His presence. You prepare before a trip: to the doctor, to church, on vacation: those who wash are ready for travel.

PERPETUAL: HOW OFTEN DO THEY WASH? (and when)?

-Revelation 7:14: they have washed (aorist): believed, were saved

-Revelation 22:14: they wash (present): they need to wash (to confess) over and over

not to be SAVED, but to effectively SERVE: 1 John 1:7-9

Philippians 2:12-13: God is working in us to WORK OUT our salvation: it takes a lot of confessing.... it takes a lot of mercy.

REVIEW OF PEOPLE, PURPOSE, PERPETUAL

1. So, who am I? I am saved.....I am growing..... I am not perfect..... I am amercy receiver......

a robe washer

Are you walking daily by thew Savior’s side?

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Do you rest each moment in the Crucified?

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

ARE YOU WASHED IN THE BLOOD

IN THE SOUL CLEANSING BLOOD OF THE LAMB?

ARE YOU GARMENTS SPOTLESS? ARE THEY WHITE AS SNOW?

ARE YOU WASHED IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB?

1/11/26 -BLESSED WHEN WE CONFESS: Matthew 16:13-17

BLESSED 

It is a wish we give to others: God Bless You, God bless our military, God bless America

It is an answer we give to others: How are you? I am blessed.

It is songs that we sing: O for a thousand tongues to sing: Blessed be the name;   Let there be showers of Blessings

It is in the Scripture that we read:

The Be-Attitudes: Mt. 5: poor in spirit, those that mourn, pure in heart; 

BLESSED is man that endures temptation (James 1); 

BLESSED are all who hear the Word and put it into practice (Mt. 11)

BLESSED

The word first appears in Genesis 1:23, 28

The word last appears in Revelation 22:14: Blessed do His commandments

It appears over 100 times in the New Testament: Over these next 3 sermons we will take 3 of

these occurrence and form a sort of DOCTRINE OF BLESSING

WE ARE BLESSED WHEN WE CONFESS: Matthew 16

WE ARE BLESSED WHEN WE ARE CLEANSED: Revelation 22

WE ARE BLESSED AS WE CONTINUE: Revelation 14

READ MATTHEW 16:13-17

PLENTY

Walking down the road, Jesus is teaching as they walked. He asks a question: not for information, but it is a preliminary set up question for one He will ask next: HE wants the disciples to hear a string of wrong answers in order to contrast them with the 1 right answer: so He asks:  “Who do they say that I am?” Who do they believe is the Son of Man? Taken from Daniel 7, the Son of an is a Messianic term, not well known and not as politically charged. It emphasized more humanity than divinity, Highlighting His identity with us. AND WHEN HE ASKS: HE GETS PLENTY OF ANSWERS: as well He might....

Some say John The Baptist, come back from the dead. Some say the prophet Elijah. This was a consummate example of prophetic office: Elijah was also believed to be a forerunner, preparing the way for the true Messiah: Malachi 4:5. Some say Jeremiah: Legend said that Jerimiah took  the Ark of the Covenant in order to keep it from the Gentiles and hid it, and before the Messiah comes: Jeremiah will come back; get it; reestablish it in the temple. Some say one of prophets: maybe Amos, Zephaniah, Hosea… EVERY ONE OF THESE WAS AN EXPLANATION OF HOW HE COULD DO WHAT HE DID: There had to be a supernatural connection: must be someone come back from dead, from God.

And today, people have PLENTY of answers of who Jesus is ...throughout history: Pilate said he was a man without fault; Diderot said he was unsurpassed. Strauss said he was the highest model of religion; John Stuart Mill called him the guide of humanity. They were all  CLOSE, but close not count: except in horse shoes and in hand grenades. There are plenty of opinions today about Jesus: To Islams, he is a highly respected prophet; In the Hindu religion, he is a holy man; In Buddhism: a wise teacher -CLOSE.....NICE.... but not sufficient

PERSONAL

Who do YOU say that I am? It’s final examination time: for 2.5 years, they have heard him teach, they have SEEN the miracles, AND NOW, A 1 QUESTION TEST FINAL, the answer of which would determine Pass or Fail: our eternal destinies depend on the answer. It’s not what others think or say: it’s not looking at polls: The answer is within you, WHO AM I? And Peter, the spokesman, the leader, the talker: got it right: YOU ARE THE MESSIAH Christ the King, not the son of man, but SON OF GOD. CS Lewis: A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said

would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic, on a level with a man who says he is a poached egg, or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice: either this man was, and is the Son of God, or else a madman, or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool; you can spit at him and kill him as a demon; or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. HE has not left that open to us.

PROMISE

Because of what Peter confessed, he felt a deep inner happiness; a spiritual well being and

He FLOURISHED in a relationship with God. Adrian Rogers said to be Blessed is to be absolutely satisfied; not at some time in the future but NOW. If you declare with your mouth the Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, not with logic or intellect.  YOU FOLLOWED A TRAIL THAT CAME FROM GOD. We could never have come to this conclusion on our own.

God helps us, he has helped us: he sent Jesus.... he gave us te Bible, established churches and 

sent the Holy Spirit to draw us, BUT WITH ALL OF THAT: 

even if we read the Bible, 

even if we go to church, even if we joined the church, 

even if we are raised in a Christian home,

even if we believe Jesus was great and good and wise

EVEN IF we had this person or that person to talk to us about God

We must follow the trail to its conclusion: WE MUST GIVE/RECEIVE, WORSHIP/PRAISE: 

then we are BLESSED! HAPPY! FLOURISHING! SATISFIED!

Think back: to when you came to that point.... when you confessed, and were blessed....

When?

Where?

Who: who told you, who got you to thinking?

THANK THEM: 

THANK HIM: FOR THE BLESSING OF RECEIVING....

1/4/26 - 3 Promises of God for the New Year: Isaiah 41:10

Heavyweight fighter Mike Tyson said: “everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face”

You enter into the ring with a strategy, then a fight happens, and your “plan” is tossed & becomes an exercise of survival. We enter into 2026 with a plan, then life happens: a fight, often a spiritual fight (Ephesians 6:12) and your plan gets tossed and becomes a survival among the ups and downs, the blessings and the battles that the year will most surely bring.

EPHESIANS 6:12: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

What if there was a plan which didn’t get tossed or go away with the first sign of battle/hurt?

What if there was a plan that stayed with you, all the way, before, during, and after the positives and negatives we call life in 2026? THERE IS..... GOD HAS SUCH A PLAN FOR US IN THIS NEW YEAR, AND IT HAS BEEN SUMMARIZED IN ONE MAJESTIC VERSE.........

We go to that verse, which, according to the app family of YOU VERSION, has been the most searched verse in Scripture for 4 of the last 6 years, including 2025, the year just finished:

Isaiah 41:10: God’s Plan for Us in the NEW YEAR, which includes 2 COMMANDS and 3 PROMISES.....

“Fear thou not: For I am with thee; be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

2 COMMANDS (PRELUDE TO THE PLAN)

A. DO NOT FEAR. There are two kinds of fear: a healthy fear: To fear God is to respect/honor/reverence. An unhealthy fear is a fear that entered because of the fall in  Genesis 1, the result of sin: I was afraid... We still are: there are over 500 categorized phobias; there are lots of reasons to fear in 2026: geopolitical reasons: Russia/China; economic; health; future decisions. This unhealthy fear can paralyze us, steal from us our joy, and create all kinds of relational, emotional, and physical failures/distresses. To this unhealthy fear, God has a COMMAND: The phrase FEAR NOT appears 366 times in the Bible. The Bible not only tells us not to fear, it tells us how to manage & overcome this unhealthy fear: Psalm 56:3: fear is managed by Trust. IF GOD IS HERE, HAVE NO FEAR

B. DO NOT BE DISMAYED: This means to be in a state of alarm, panic/danger: 1 Samuel 30:6: because of an Amalekite raid on their city Ziklag which burned and captured their families, they didn’t know what to do: they decided to seek God: & God directed them to  pursue, overtake, get families & possessions back.

C. Why can He give these commands? How is it possible? If God is here, have no fear. THE  PRESENCE OF GOD: I am WITH you. I am YOUR God: IT’S PERSONAL even in worst of times: “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 

Corrie Ten Boom said “In times of fear, I do not WRESTLE, I NESTLE: in the arms of the God of creation, the all knowing, all powerful, ever present God”.

After the PRELUDE, we have the PLAN ITSELF, INTERTWINED AMONG THE 3 PROMISES.....: which helps us not only in the battle, but BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER the battles.....

3 PROMISES - Here are 3 of the over 3000 promises in Scripture. The Bible is a Promise Book. That averages out to 3 promises for every chapter. Charles Spurgeon said about promises: Prayer is bringing God’s promises to Him and saying: DO WHAT YOU PROMISED.

A. I WILL STRENGTHEN YOU.  I will make you firm, I will FORTIFY you. Yes, we are weak, but be glad that God is in the STRENGTHENING business. Earlier in Isaiah: 40:28-31 Paul summarizes well: Philippians 4:13: linked with Him, stronger than without Him. Before the battle: we are in training: He is strengthening us: through Scripture: Psalm 1:2-3, 2 Timothy 2:15 & through prayer: James 5:16 PSALM 1:2-3: His delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in His law doth he

meditate day and night: and he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of waters, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

JAMES 5:16: THE EFFECTUAL FERVENT PRAYER OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN AVAILETH MUCH.

B. I WILL HELP YOU. There is active participation of God during the trials: He not only loves, He can and does help: If a heavy tree limb falls on your 5 year old’s leg. It’s not a question of love if you can help, it’s also a question of ability. Even when we do something dumb & get ourselves in a mess: GOD WILL NEVER UNFRIEND US (sever direct connection with); John 15: He calls us

FRIENDS, during the battle: we are never alone: 1 Cor. 10:13.

C. I WILL UPHOLD YOU. He lifts and supports us. He is our FOUNDATION: He holds us up: Psalm 

PSALM 145:14: The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up those that be bowed down.

He is with us after the battle: when we are scarred, hurt: He heals us: holds us when we would fall. He is with us when we are hurt by sin: THERE IS ALWAYS MORE MERCY IN CHRIST THAN SIN IN US.

THAT IS A PLAN THAT GETS US THROUGH THE HIGHS AND LOWS, THE BLESSINGS AND THE BATTLES OF 2026.

BEFORE THE BATTLES, I WILL STRENGTHEN

DURING THE BATTLE, I WILL HELP

AFTER THE BATTLE, I WILL UPHOLD

SO, FEAR NOT, I AM WITH YOU, DO NOT BE DISMAYED, I AM YOUR GOD

HAVE NO FEAR....GOD IS HERE........