2020/Joseph #2—Grace Conquers All (Sermon)_transcript.txt

[0.92 --> 8.30]  So this morning we continue a series on Joseph that I began two weeks ago and we looked at
[8.30 --> 18.50]  Genesis 37 and today we're going to look at part two of that series and as we read this
[18.50 --> 24.26]  you're going to ask yourself what on earth is that doing in the middle of the story of
[24.26 --> 33.22]  Joseph? Well I'm going to explain that to you. This is Genesis 38. It begins with these words at
[33.22 --> 45.18]  that time. We left Joseph on the way to Egypt. At that time Judah left his brothers and went down
[45.18 --> 53.66]  to stay with a man of Adullam named Hira. There Judah met the daughter of a Canaanite man named
[53.66 --> 61.02]  Shewet. He married her and made love to her. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son who was
[61.02 --> 68.86]  named Er. She conceived again and gave birth to a son and named him Onan. She gave birth to still
[68.86 --> 77.40]  another son and named him Shelah. It was at Kezeb that she gave birth to him. Judah got a wife for
[77.40 --> 84.26]  Er his firstborn and her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the Lord's sight
[84.26 --> 91.62]  and so the Lord put him to death. Then Judah said to Onan, sleep with your brother's wife and fulfill
[91.62 --> 98.44]  your duty to her as a brother-in-law to raise up offspring for your brother. But Onan knew that the
[98.44 --> 104.34]  child would not be his. So whenever he slept with his brother's wife, he spilled his semen on the ground
[104.34 --> 110.54]  to keep from providing offspring for his brother. What he did was wicked in the Lord's sight. So the
[110.54 --> 119.06]  Lord put him to death also. Judah then said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, live as a widow in your
[119.06 --> 126.22]  father's household until my son Shelah grows up. For he thought he may die too, just like his brothers.
[126.22 --> 134.28]  So Tamar went to live in her father's household. After a long time, Judah's wife, the daughter of
[134.28 --> 139.98]  Shewa, died. When Judah had recovered from his grief, he went up to Timnah to the men who were
[139.98 --> 146.72]  shearing his sheep and his friend Hira the Adullamite went with him. When Tamar was told,
[147.30 --> 153.12]  your father-in-law is on his way to Timnah to shear his sheep, she took off her widow's clothes,
[153.12 --> 158.84]  covered herself with a veil to disguise herself, and then sat down at the entrance to Enayim,
[159.30 --> 164.68]  which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that, though Shelah had now grown up,
[165.06 --> 171.96]  she had not been given to him as his wife. When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute,
[172.08 --> 177.64]  for she had covered her face. Not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, he went over to her by
[177.64 --> 184.62]  the roadside and said, Come now, let me sleep with you. And what will you give me to sleep with you?
[184.70 --> 190.84]  she asked. I'll send you a young goat from my flock, he said. Will you give me something as a
[190.84 --> 197.90]  pledge until you send it? she asked. He said, What pledge should I give you? Your seal and its cord,
[197.90 --> 205.34]  and the staff in your hand, she answered. So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she became
[205.34 --> 211.28]  pregnant by him. After she left, she took off her veil and put on her widow's clothes again.
[212.54 --> 218.22]  Meanwhile, Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite in order to get his pledge back from
[218.22 --> 224.96]  the woman, but he did not find her. He asked the men who lived there, Where is the shrine prostitute who
[224.96 --> 229.96]  was beside the road to Inaim? There hasn't been any shrine prostitute here, they said.
[230.98 --> 236.66]  So he went back to Judah and said, I didn't find her. Besides, the men who lived there said,
[236.98 --> 242.96]  There hasn't been any shrine prostitute here. Then Judah said, Let her keep what she has,
[243.06 --> 248.02]  or we will become a laughing stock. After all, I did send her this young goat, but you didn't find her.
[248.02 --> 255.96]  About three months later, Judah was told, Your daughter-in-law Tamar is guilty of prostitution,
[256.36 --> 263.10]  and as a result, she is now pregnant. Judah said, Bring her out and have her burned to death.
[264.08 --> 267.18]  As she was being brought out, she sent a message to her father-in-law.
[268.04 --> 275.72]  I am pregnant by the man who owns these, she said. And she added, See if you recognize whose seal
[275.72 --> 284.28]  and cord and staff these are. Judah recognized them and said, She is more righteous than I,
[284.86 --> 290.30]  since I wouldn't give her to my son Sheila. And he did not sleep with her again.
[291.96 --> 297.38]  When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. As she was giving birth,
[297.48 --> 301.98]  one of them put out his hand, so the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his wrist and said,
[301.98 --> 308.04]  This one came out first. But when he drew back his hand, his brother came out, and she said,
[308.40 --> 315.30]  So, this is how you have broken out. And he was named Perez. Then his brother, who had the scarlet
[315.30 --> 323.64]  thread on his wrist, came out, and he was named Zerah. And you thought your family was dysfunctional.
[323.64 --> 333.60]  Let's pray. Gracious God, that is quite a story. And we pray now that you will help us to make
[333.60 --> 343.34]  sense of it and to hear what you have to say to us today. Help us to listen. Help us to respond as
[343.34 --> 352.20]  you would have us respond. In Jesus' name, amen. Well, the Bible sure has some funny stuff in it,
[352.20 --> 360.30]  doesn't it? If you didn't know any better, you might wonder if this was actually a Bible story or a
[360.30 --> 367.10]  transcript of an old Jerry Springer show. In case you are not familiar with Mr. Springer,
[367.64 --> 375.66]  which would be a good thing, I think. His TV show got together all sorts of depraved and
[375.66 --> 383.16]  related people and then put them together on stage where before a live studio audience,
[384.00 --> 390.06]  a national TV audience, he egged them on to fight out their personal problems in front of everybody.
[392.24 --> 396.12]  It was a show that exploited family trauma.
[396.12 --> 406.68]  It was an ugly show, frankly. But if Judah and his family lived today, they would have been perfect
[406.68 --> 414.56]  candidates for this show. And I think I'm safe in saying that while you may find the Joseph story in
[414.56 --> 422.18]  any children's Bible, I can pretty much guarantee you that no children's Bible includes today's story.
[422.18 --> 430.46]  Besides, what on earth does this story have to do with Joseph anyway?
[432.74 --> 438.60]  Two weeks ago, we left Joseph on the way to Egypt, sold by his brothers into slavery.
[439.92 --> 445.64]  We want to know what's happening to him. How's Joseph doing? Will Joseph survive?
[445.64 --> 452.78]  But we're left in suspense, forced to first hear this story about brother Judah, whose idea it was,
[452.92 --> 456.30]  remember, to sell Joseph instead of killing him.
[458.52 --> 463.84]  You wonder why is the story told here? Frankly, why is it told at all?
[465.22 --> 469.02]  What does it have to do with you? What does it have to do with me?
[469.02 --> 477.02]  Understanding the story is further complicated by the fact that the sexual customs of these people
[477.02 --> 480.40]  differ just a little from what most of us were taught.
[482.48 --> 487.90]  For us, it is a rather unusual notion, I think, that a man's wife would get passed from brother to brother
[487.90 --> 491.38]  to brother in the event of a husband's death.
[491.38 --> 498.38]  Then there's not only the fact that Judah so casually goes to bed with someone he thought was a prostitute,
[499.26 --> 503.42]  but that if she had been a real prostitute and not his daughter-in-law,
[503.78 --> 505.76]  it wouldn't have been thought of as a big deal.
[508.28 --> 514.80]  The real kicker is the fact that Tamar, who lies and commits incest,
[515.32 --> 518.02]  is commended when all is said and done.
[518.02 --> 524.60]  And then there's the last and the absolute biggest shocker of all.
[526.32 --> 529.12]  But let's begin at the beginning.
[530.08 --> 535.68]  The story itself, and that story occurs over a period of 20 years
[535.68 --> 539.14]  that passed between the time the brothers sell Joseph
[539.14 --> 543.08]  and their later meeting him again in Egypt.
[543.08 --> 549.06]  Soon after getting rid of Joseph, at that time, says the story,
[550.06 --> 556.58]  Judah leaves the family farm, marries a Canaanite girl, and has three sons by her.
[557.80 --> 562.90]  When the oldest heir grew up, Judah arranges for him to marry a girl named Tamar,
[563.36 --> 568.04]  meaning date palm, meaning she was lovely to look at.
[568.04 --> 573.26]  But Arab barely survived the honeymoon.
[574.04 --> 575.82]  He was wicked in the Lord's sight.
[576.18 --> 578.52]  We read, though we don't know the nature of his wickedness,
[578.86 --> 582.04]  so the Lord put him to death, though we don't know how.
[584.30 --> 586.92]  To ensure the succession of the family line,
[587.20 --> 591.56]  and according to custom, Judah gives Tamar to his second son, Onan.
[591.56 --> 597.14]  And while Onan had no objection to sleeping with his lovely former sister-in-law,
[597.34 --> 599.08]  he was not about to get her pregnant.
[600.00 --> 605.18]  Not only would her children endanger his own part of Father Judah's estate,
[606.04 --> 609.56]  they'd also keep him from getting his dead brother's share.
[610.06 --> 613.70]  And so Onan uses the oldest form of birth control there is,
[613.70 --> 618.44]  But what he did was wicked in the Lord's sight,
[619.00 --> 622.06]  so the Lord put him to death also.
[622.92 --> 625.62]  Though, again, we don't know how.
[627.12 --> 631.46]  By now, of course, Judah thinks of Tamar as nothing short of bad luck.
[631.96 --> 635.56]  And so he sends her back to her parents' home with the promise that eventually
[635.56 --> 638.08]  she would get his youngest son in marriage.
[638.52 --> 641.36]  But secretly he intends no such thing.
[641.36 --> 644.46]  This girl is a husband killer.
[645.50 --> 651.76]  And understandably, he didn't want to lose his third child, his last child, as well.
[653.84 --> 654.54]  Understandably.
[655.56 --> 658.76]  Yet, what Judah did was wrong.
[659.66 --> 663.00]  Not just because he was breaking accepted custom,
[663.68 --> 667.24]  one that would later be enshrined in the law of Moses as well.
[667.24 --> 671.68]  No, you've got to read this story in its larger context,
[671.80 --> 677.34]  especially in light of God's covenant promise to great-grandfather Abraham,
[677.82 --> 678.24]  namely,
[679.02 --> 682.16]  I will make you into a great nation,
[682.40 --> 683.82]  and I will bless you,
[683.98 --> 687.10]  and all peoples on earth will be blessed because,
[687.54 --> 689.02]  or rather, through you.
[689.02 --> 692.24]  Because of that covenant promise,
[692.40 --> 695.30]  the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
[695.30 --> 699.94]  had a solemn obligation to be fruitful and multiply.
[700.44 --> 703.80]  And anyone who, like Judah, refused to do this
[703.80 --> 706.00]  was standing in God's way.
[707.92 --> 710.34]  Now, Tamar wouldn't have had a clue about that.
[710.34 --> 717.80]  Now, realizing over time that Judah had no intention of keeping his promise to her,
[718.74 --> 720.74]  she was just looking for a solution
[720.74 --> 727.16]  to the disastrous social status of being a childless widow.
[728.66 --> 732.06]  Widows without a husband in that near-eastern culture,
[732.06 --> 733.22]  even today,
[734.38 --> 735.02]  as then,
[735.72 --> 739.84]  are left to fend for themselves on the street.
[740.58 --> 742.18]  They have no status,
[742.92 --> 744.22]  no one to protect them,
[744.62 --> 747.00]  no one to defend their rights.
[747.90 --> 751.72]  Which is why the Bible consistently reminds God's people
[751.72 --> 754.86]  to look after the widow and the orphan.
[755.82 --> 758.68]  In fact, writes James in the New Testament,
[758.68 --> 761.40]  religion, he writes,
[761.82 --> 765.56]  that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless,
[766.32 --> 766.96]  is this,
[767.76 --> 772.64]  to look after orphans and widows in their distress,
[773.30 --> 777.68]  and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
[779.42 --> 782.10]  But Judah is not that religious.
[783.38 --> 786.38]  And so Tamar decides to grab the bull by the horns.
[786.38 --> 789.94]  And finally, the opportunity arrives.
[791.10 --> 793.30]  Judah's own wife dies.
[794.12 --> 795.74]  And after a short period of mourning,
[795.86 --> 799.30]  he decides to join the men shearing his sheep in Timnah.
[800.28 --> 804.76]  And in a plan of action that does not say a whole lot about her father-in-law,
[805.60 --> 809.28]  she disguises herself behind a sort of ancient burqa
[809.28 --> 811.26]  and poses as a prostitute,
[812.12 --> 814.76]  confident she could get the better of Judah that way.
[814.76 --> 817.72]  And so she does.
[819.48 --> 822.88]  No sooner does Judah see what he thinks is a prostitute,
[822.98 --> 824.20]  and he propositions her,
[825.32 --> 827.36]  come now, let me sleep with you.
[828.26 --> 830.24]  And she says, and what will you give me
[830.24 --> 832.12]  if I agree to do so?
[833.16 --> 836.26]  He says, I'll send you a young goat from my flock.
[836.26 --> 841.42]  But the old goat is not carrying a young goat in his back pocket,
[842.24 --> 846.00]  and so he leaves her the ancient equivalent, you might say,
[846.32 --> 849.28]  of his driver's license to guarantee payment.
[850.72 --> 853.92]  Thus the deal is struck, the deed is done.
[853.92 --> 860.60]  And the ultimate result is that both their fondest wishes come true.
[862.50 --> 864.30]  Tamar conceives a child.
[865.72 --> 868.84]  And when a servant notices her belly beginning to bulge a few months later
[868.84 --> 869.82]  and informs Judah,
[870.44 --> 875.12]  Judah gets his opportunity to get rid of this bad luck woman,
[876.40 --> 879.10]  free his youngest son to marry someone else,
[879.10 --> 883.34]  and be done with the whole thing without getting into trouble for doing so.
[883.44 --> 886.54]  After all, Tamar is clearly guilty of adultery,
[886.90 --> 888.72]  punishable by death.
[890.16 --> 890.40]  Whew.
[891.84 --> 893.36]  Talk about a double standard,
[894.06 --> 896.30]  which is as old as time.
[897.74 --> 902.18]  But here is where Tamar plays her trump card.
[902.18 --> 903.14]  Pardon the pun.
[903.14 --> 906.46]  For as she's brought into the village,
[907.50 --> 911.38]  where her wood has already been piled up for her execution,
[912.10 --> 916.60]  she hands Judah his driver's license, so to speak,
[916.92 --> 922.02]  and says, I am pregnant by the man whose picture is on this card.
[923.16 --> 924.64]  Do you recognize him?
[926.08 --> 927.46]  And give Judah credit.
[928.36 --> 930.32]  At least he owns up to his own sin.
[930.32 --> 933.44]  Swallowing hard, perhaps, he admits,
[933.64 --> 935.22]  you are a better person than I am.
[935.52 --> 936.92]  You are more righteous than I.
[937.24 --> 939.24]  You did this because of my failure
[939.24 --> 941.54]  to let you marry my youngest son.
[942.84 --> 943.80]  And that was that.
[944.96 --> 946.76]  And in due time, Tamar gives birth
[946.76 --> 950.26]  to twin boys who were named Perez and Zerah.
[952.78 --> 953.66]  That's the story.
[955.58 --> 957.80]  Now the question is, why?
[957.80 --> 962.24]  What's the point of this sordid story,
[962.38 --> 962.98]  which, if anything,
[963.18 --> 965.74]  sounds even more depraved
[965.74 --> 967.80]  than what you see on trash TV?
[968.88 --> 970.80]  Why not, at least in the Bible,
[971.10 --> 971.70]  in the church,
[971.82 --> 974.62]  stick to nice, wholesome stories?
[976.90 --> 978.70]  Well, then I want to look at this
[978.70 --> 981.28]  the way that police photographers
[981.28 --> 983.88]  look at a serious traffic accident.
[983.88 --> 987.84]  They usually take at least three different shots.
[988.06 --> 990.44]  First, there's this wide-angle shot
[990.44 --> 992.60]  into which they cram as much
[992.60 --> 994.82]  of the surrounding area as possible
[994.82 --> 996.26]  for a total perspective
[996.26 --> 998.48]  in which the accident took place.
[999.84 --> 1002.52]  Second, there is a mid-range shot,
[1002.60 --> 1004.64]  which gives them more immediate context.
[1005.50 --> 1006.28]  And then third,
[1007.32 --> 1010.22]  they zoom right in for a close-up shot
[1010.22 --> 1011.42]  to record in detail
[1011.42 --> 1014.32]  the damage sustained by each vehicle.
[1015.34 --> 1016.08]  Taken together,
[1016.26 --> 1019.06]  the three photos show what actually happened.
[1020.56 --> 1022.10]  So taking that approach,
[1022.22 --> 1023.30]  but working backwards,
[1023.62 --> 1025.94]  we start with a close-up shot,
[1026.66 --> 1029.96]  the context of the Joseph story.
[1029.96 --> 1033.22]  The main thing to note here
[1033.22 --> 1035.54]  is the change that takes place
[1035.54 --> 1037.76]  in Judah by the end.
[1039.66 --> 1041.02]  It was Judah's idea
[1041.02 --> 1042.82]  to sell Joseph into slavery.
[1044.62 --> 1046.70]  And Genesis 38 only emphasizes
[1046.70 --> 1047.96]  his cold-hearted,
[1048.28 --> 1049.74]  his callous character
[1049.74 --> 1052.44]  until he gets a taste
[1052.44 --> 1053.58]  of his own medicine.
[1054.78 --> 1057.84]  There is a deliberate parallel here
[1057.84 --> 1060.04]  between Judah handing
[1060.04 --> 1062.26]  Joseph's blood-soaked dream coat
[1062.26 --> 1063.36]  to Father Jacob
[1063.36 --> 1064.40]  and asking,
[1064.96 --> 1066.22]  Do you recognize this?
[1067.32 --> 1071.08]  And Tamar handing father-in-law Judah
[1071.08 --> 1072.78]  his personal identification
[1072.78 --> 1073.88]  and asking,
[1074.38 --> 1076.28]  Do you recognize this?
[1077.98 --> 1079.94]  Talk about poetic justice.
[1081.38 --> 1082.20]  But clearly,
[1082.52 --> 1083.42]  and to his credit,
[1084.36 --> 1086.72]  Judah is genuinely humbled.
[1087.84 --> 1089.64]  Seeing close up,
[1090.06 --> 1092.70]  this story pictures
[1092.70 --> 1094.42]  a severe mercy
[1094.42 --> 1096.28]  which breaks through
[1096.28 --> 1098.88]  Judah's hard head and heart.
[1101.12 --> 1103.94]  Neither Judah nor Tamar
[1103.94 --> 1105.56]  could be considered
[1105.56 --> 1107.48]  biblical role models, okay?
[1108.06 --> 1109.06]  You wouldn't likely
[1109.06 --> 1110.88]  celebrate with the words
[1110.88 --> 1112.26]  WWTD.
[1112.54 --> 1113.56]  What would Tamar do?
[1113.56 --> 1116.38]  or compose a song
[1116.38 --> 1116.84]  entitled
[1116.84 --> 1118.00]  Dare to be a Judah.
[1119.80 --> 1121.24]  But here is the thing.
[1122.52 --> 1124.60]  Precisely in their weakness,
[1124.90 --> 1126.76]  in their mistakes each makes,
[1126.84 --> 1128.86]  in the sin into which they fall,
[1129.62 --> 1130.94]  somehow in and through
[1130.94 --> 1131.98]  all of that,
[1132.36 --> 1133.70]  each of us,
[1133.84 --> 1135.26]  even if you haven't
[1135.26 --> 1137.26]  sunk that low in your life,
[1137.32 --> 1138.30]  or if you have,
[1139.78 --> 1140.84]  in some way
[1140.84 --> 1141.58]  can identify
[1141.58 --> 1142.96]  with these two.
[1144.40 --> 1145.76]  And then the simple
[1145.76 --> 1147.20]  good news of this story
[1147.20 --> 1148.58]  in a narrow sense
[1148.58 --> 1149.56]  is that grace
[1149.56 --> 1151.96]  conquers anything
[1151.96 --> 1153.42]  and everything.
[1154.46 --> 1155.78]  That God can change
[1155.78 --> 1156.96]  even the coldest,
[1157.12 --> 1157.66]  hardest,
[1157.88 --> 1158.94]  most self-righteous,
[1159.06 --> 1160.28]  and depraved hearts.
[1161.04 --> 1162.42]  And if God could do it
[1162.42 --> 1162.94]  with Judah
[1162.94 --> 1163.86]  and with Tamar,
[1163.86 --> 1164.88]  he can do it
[1164.88 --> 1166.18]  with any of us.
[1166.18 --> 1169.24]  The fact is,
[1169.34 --> 1170.96]  in the rest of the Joseph story,
[1171.30 --> 1172.16]  as we will see,
[1173.38 --> 1174.04]  we will see
[1174.04 --> 1175.08]  to what extent
[1175.08 --> 1176.22]  God's grace
[1176.22 --> 1177.44]  transformed
[1177.44 --> 1178.88]  Judah's life.
[1180.32 --> 1181.60]  Once the ringleader
[1181.60 --> 1183.12]  in selling his brother Joseph
[1183.12 --> 1184.28]  into slavery
[1184.28 --> 1185.82]  near the end of Genesis,
[1186.00 --> 1186.54]  when another
[1186.54 --> 1187.52]  of his brothers
[1187.52 --> 1188.28]  is at risk
[1188.28 --> 1189.38]  and before he knew
[1189.38 --> 1190.58]  what had really happened
[1190.58 --> 1191.18]  to Joseph,
[1192.96 --> 1194.18]  Judah will offer himself
[1194.18 --> 1195.36]  as a hostage
[1195.36 --> 1197.72]  and a slave
[1197.72 --> 1199.68]  in brother Benjamin's place.
[1201.18 --> 1202.24]  And many years later,
[1202.32 --> 1203.46]  when old father Jacob
[1203.46 --> 1204.64]  lies on his deathbed
[1204.64 --> 1205.50]  and all of his sons
[1205.50 --> 1206.48]  are gathered around
[1206.48 --> 1207.10]  once more,
[1207.50 --> 1208.92]  God inspires Jacob
[1208.92 --> 1210.84]  to give this great prophecy
[1210.84 --> 1211.62]  about Judah.
[1212.68 --> 1214.42]  Father Jacob calls Judah
[1214.42 --> 1215.34]  once no better
[1215.34 --> 1216.30]  than an alley cat,
[1216.42 --> 1216.98]  a lion,
[1217.76 --> 1218.18]  and declares
[1218.70 --> 1219.92]  that the line of Judah
[1219.92 --> 1221.62]  and Tamar
[1221.62 --> 1223.42]  will be a royal line
[1223.42 --> 1224.64]  that will eventually
[1224.64 --> 1226.04]  produce the ruler
[1226.04 --> 1227.68]  of all nations.
[1230.14 --> 1231.82]  Now the mid-range shot.
[1233.24 --> 1234.32]  The larger context
[1234.32 --> 1235.00]  of Genesis
[1235.00 --> 1237.06]  as a whole.
[1239.22 --> 1240.74]  Here we've already seen
[1240.74 --> 1242.18]  how this story ties in
[1242.18 --> 1243.26]  with God's covenant
[1243.26 --> 1243.96]  with Abraham
[1243.96 --> 1245.10]  and the need
[1245.10 --> 1245.78]  for Abraham
[1245.78 --> 1246.72]  and his descendants
[1246.72 --> 1247.64]  to be fruitful
[1247.64 --> 1248.68]  and multiply.
[1249.60 --> 1250.96]  But here is also
[1250.96 --> 1252.16]  another example
[1252.16 --> 1254.94]  of younger siblings
[1254.94 --> 1256.12]  being blessed
[1256.12 --> 1257.66]  in reversal
[1257.66 --> 1259.38]  of accepted human tradition
[1259.38 --> 1261.72]  instead of older ones.
[1262.84 --> 1264.30]  Due to the death
[1264.30 --> 1265.78]  of his two older sons,
[1266.00 --> 1267.24]  Judah's youngest son
[1267.24 --> 1269.06]  becomes the sole heir.
[1270.28 --> 1271.42]  Then at the very end
[1271.42 --> 1272.44]  of Genesis 38,
[1272.56 --> 1273.38]  we have a repeat
[1273.38 --> 1274.58]  of the Jacob and Esau
[1274.58 --> 1275.38]  birth story
[1275.38 --> 1276.70]  when the twin babies
[1276.70 --> 1277.76]  of Tamar,
[1278.14 --> 1279.28]  or when the twin baby
[1279.28 --> 1279.82]  of Tamar,
[1279.88 --> 1280.50]  who looked like
[1280.50 --> 1281.72]  he was coming out first,
[1282.78 --> 1283.58]  instead,
[1284.58 --> 1286.86]  ends up being born second.
[1288.24 --> 1290.40]  Both these reversals,
[1291.18 --> 1292.64]  along with all the others
[1292.64 --> 1294.22]  you find in Genesis,
[1294.42 --> 1295.26]  are God's way
[1295.26 --> 1296.64]  of reminding us again
[1296.64 --> 1298.02]  of the sovereignty
[1298.02 --> 1299.38]  of his choosing,
[1299.60 --> 1300.54]  of his grace.
[1301.28 --> 1302.96]  Every time God saves,
[1303.20 --> 1303.86]  raises up,
[1304.00 --> 1305.30]  or works through someone
[1305.30 --> 1306.16]  on the bottom
[1306.16 --> 1307.32]  of the social heap,
[1307.32 --> 1309.00]  it is a reminder
[1309.00 --> 1310.24]  that God's salvation
[1310.24 --> 1311.44]  is not based
[1311.44 --> 1313.68]  on merit,
[1314.16 --> 1315.78]  not on social standing,
[1316.10 --> 1318.14]  not on any human tradition
[1318.14 --> 1319.36]  or measure
[1319.36 --> 1320.14]  of determining
[1320.14 --> 1321.24]  one's value,
[1321.24 --> 1322.36]  but solely
[1322.36 --> 1323.70]  and always
[1323.70 --> 1325.52]  by grace alone.
[1327.60 --> 1328.58]  Throughout the book
[1328.58 --> 1329.16]  of Genesis,
[1329.82 --> 1330.98]  God works the miracle
[1330.98 --> 1331.82]  of his grace
[1331.82 --> 1332.80]  in the lives
[1332.80 --> 1334.46]  of a lot of misguided,
[1334.46 --> 1335.24]  weak,
[1335.66 --> 1336.06]  frail,
[1336.64 --> 1337.68]  faulty people.
[1338.22 --> 1339.66]  God sticks with Abraham
[1339.66 --> 1341.54]  despite several
[1341.54 --> 1342.54]  early failures
[1342.54 --> 1343.28]  of trust,
[1343.68 --> 1344.40]  despite his
[1344.40 --> 1344.98]  and Sarah's
[1344.98 --> 1345.46]  laughter
[1345.46 --> 1346.94]  in God's face.
[1347.28 --> 1348.52]  God sticks with Jacob
[1348.52 --> 1349.42]  despite his being
[1349.42 --> 1350.04]  a liar,
[1350.62 --> 1351.24]  a cheat,
[1351.68 --> 1352.20]  a crook.
[1353.20 --> 1354.74]  God sticks with Judah,
[1355.66 --> 1356.84]  bringing into his life
[1356.84 --> 1358.68]  a most amazing
[1358.68 --> 1359.98]  gift of children,
[1360.14 --> 1361.12]  not just for Judah,
[1361.24 --> 1362.00]  but ultimately
[1362.00 --> 1363.34]  for all Israel
[1363.34 --> 1364.88]  and for the whole world
[1364.88 --> 1366.40]  through the most
[1366.40 --> 1367.40]  unlikely means
[1367.40 --> 1368.98]  you could possibly imagine,
[1369.80 --> 1370.98]  Tamar's playing
[1370.98 --> 1371.88]  the prostitute
[1371.88 --> 1373.38]  and committing incest
[1373.38 --> 1374.90]  with her father-in-law.
[1377.86 --> 1379.08]  Had it been left up
[1379.08 --> 1379.64]  to Judah,
[1380.56 --> 1381.94]  Tamar would never
[1381.94 --> 1382.80]  have had a child,
[1384.08 --> 1385.62]  and both Judah's role
[1385.62 --> 1386.62]  in Joseph's life
[1386.62 --> 1387.46]  and Judah's place
[1387.46 --> 1388.72]  in God's covenant family
[1388.72 --> 1389.60]  would have ended
[1389.60 --> 1390.20]  right here
[1390.20 --> 1391.36]  in Genesis 38.
[1392.00 --> 1393.86]  But somehow,
[1394.82 --> 1395.70]  and now we come
[1395.70 --> 1397.32]  to the wide-angled shot
[1397.32 --> 1398.14]  of the story
[1398.14 --> 1399.98]  and the biggest shocker
[1399.98 --> 1400.50]  of all,
[1401.64 --> 1402.78]  God manages
[1402.78 --> 1404.14]  to accomplish
[1404.14 --> 1405.38]  something amazing
[1405.38 --> 1406.18]  through even
[1406.18 --> 1407.98]  the morally
[1407.98 --> 1409.32]  dubious actions
[1409.32 --> 1410.68]  of this woman.
[1411.86 --> 1412.68]  For Tamar
[1412.68 --> 1415.88]  became the great-grandmother
[1415.88 --> 1418.30]  seven generations removed
[1418.30 --> 1420.26]  of no less a person
[1420.26 --> 1421.38]  than King David,
[1422.00 --> 1423.82]  and so finally
[1423.82 --> 1425.54]  the ancestral mother
[1425.54 --> 1426.72]  of the line
[1426.72 --> 1427.52]  that produced
[1427.52 --> 1429.54]  Jesus of Nazareth.
[1430.54 --> 1432.04]  Because of the strange
[1432.04 --> 1432.84]  little plan
[1432.84 --> 1434.08]  of sexual deception
[1434.08 --> 1435.48]  executed by this
[1435.48 --> 1437.26]  Canaanite woman,
[1437.42 --> 1437.92]  no less,
[1438.92 --> 1440.46]  Israel one day
[1440.46 --> 1441.82]  got its David
[1441.82 --> 1443.66]  and the world
[1443.66 --> 1445.06]  and we
[1445.06 --> 1447.06]  got its Messiah.
[1447.06 --> 1450.04]  as the New Testament
[1450.04 --> 1450.58]  opens,
[1450.72 --> 1451.40]  Matthew's gospel
[1451.40 --> 1452.12]  begins with the
[1452.12 --> 1453.26]  family tree of Jesus
[1453.26 --> 1454.28]  and contrary
[1454.28 --> 1455.76]  to all accepted
[1455.76 --> 1456.74]  custom and tradition,
[1457.86 --> 1458.58]  Matthew goes out
[1458.58 --> 1459.24]  of his way
[1459.24 --> 1460.12]  to include
[1460.12 --> 1461.14]  in that genealogy
[1461.14 --> 1461.66]  of Jesus
[1461.66 --> 1462.48]  no less than
[1462.48 --> 1463.42]  four women,
[1464.36 --> 1465.24]  each of them
[1465.24 --> 1466.34]  non-Jewish,
[1467.08 --> 1467.74]  three of them
[1467.74 --> 1469.06]  with checkered pasts
[1469.66 --> 1470.12]  beginning
[1470.12 --> 1471.70]  with you-know-who.
[1471.70 --> 1473.32]  Listen.
[1474.52 --> 1475.56]  A record of the
[1475.56 --> 1476.82]  genealogy of Jesus
[1476.82 --> 1477.24]  Christ,
[1477.34 --> 1478.08]  the son of David,
[1478.34 --> 1479.16]  the son of Abraham.
[1480.08 --> 1481.14]  Abraham was the
[1481.14 --> 1481.98]  father of Isaac,
[1482.54 --> 1483.44]  Isaac the father
[1483.44 --> 1484.00]  of Jacob,
[1484.92 --> 1485.80]  Jacob the father
[1485.80 --> 1486.26]  of Judah
[1486.26 --> 1487.00]  and his brothers,
[1487.80 --> 1488.52]  Judah the father
[1488.52 --> 1489.20]  of Perez
[1489.20 --> 1490.62]  and Zerah
[1490.62 --> 1491.72]  whose mother
[1491.72 --> 1493.28]  was Tamar.
[1493.28 --> 1495.98]  that is,
[1496.16 --> 1496.98]  the New Testament
[1496.98 --> 1498.66]  opens with this
[1498.66 --> 1500.00]  powerful testimony
[1500.00 --> 1502.08]  of God's love
[1502.08 --> 1503.60]  for all peoples
[1503.60 --> 1504.58]  on earth,
[1505.18 --> 1506.14]  not just Israel,
[1506.88 --> 1508.24]  with a moving
[1508.24 --> 1508.76]  portrait
[1508.76 --> 1510.98]  of God's providence,
[1511.14 --> 1512.36]  a divine will
[1512.36 --> 1512.98]  and plan
[1512.98 --> 1513.56]  that can
[1513.56 --> 1514.76]  and often does
[1514.76 --> 1515.58]  move forward
[1515.58 --> 1516.30]  through even
[1516.30 --> 1517.14]  the messiest
[1517.14 --> 1518.18]  of circumstances
[1518.18 --> 1520.48]  and with an
[1520.48 --> 1521.88]  amazing proclamation
[1521.88 --> 1523.06]  of a grace
[1523.06 --> 1524.00]  that is bigger
[1524.00 --> 1525.30]  than any
[1525.30 --> 1527.04]  and every
[1527.04 --> 1528.50]  human sin.
[1530.06 --> 1531.50]  And that testimony,
[1531.74 --> 1532.32]  that portrait,
[1532.46 --> 1533.30]  that proclamation
[1533.30 --> 1534.96]  centers on the one
[1534.96 --> 1536.22]  to whom God's
[1536.22 --> 1537.22]  covenant promise
[1537.22 --> 1538.48]  always pointed
[1538.48 --> 1539.60]  from the beginning,
[1540.62 --> 1541.70]  Jesus Christ.
[1543.08 --> 1543.92]  For when Jesus
[1543.92 --> 1544.82]  came and lived
[1544.82 --> 1545.34]  on earth,
[1545.68 --> 1546.66]  let's be honest now,
[1546.92 --> 1547.76]  He so often
[1547.76 --> 1548.76]  associated with,
[1548.80 --> 1549.52]  He deliberately
[1549.52 --> 1550.38]  sought out
[1550.38 --> 1551.54]  the very kind
[1551.54 --> 1552.02]  of people
[1552.02 --> 1552.84]  we often
[1552.84 --> 1553.92]  prefer to avoid
[1553.92 --> 1554.58]  or pass
[1554.58 --> 1555.60]  self-ruggest
[1555.60 --> 1556.60]  judgment on,
[1556.82 --> 1557.86]  the kind of people
[1557.86 --> 1558.90]  who, like Judah
[1558.90 --> 1559.82]  and Tamar,
[1560.06 --> 1560.58]  would have made
[1560.58 --> 1561.80]  excellent candidates
[1561.80 --> 1563.28]  for the trash TV
[1563.28 --> 1564.38]  programs of Jerry
[1564.38 --> 1564.80]  Springer
[1564.80 --> 1565.78]  and his ilk.
[1567.72 --> 1568.62]  Jesus showed
[1568.62 --> 1569.22]  compassion
[1569.22 --> 1570.68]  for prostitutes
[1570.68 --> 1572.02]  and many
[1572.02 --> 1573.02]  became His disciples.
[1574.06 --> 1574.70]  He went out
[1574.70 --> 1575.36]  of His way
[1575.36 --> 1576.52]  to share God's love
[1576.52 --> 1577.92]  with a Samaritan woman
[1577.92 --> 1578.48]  who had already
[1578.48 --> 1579.52]  had five husbands
[1579.52 --> 1580.84]  and was currently
[1580.84 --> 1581.80]  living common law
[1581.80 --> 1582.92]  with a sixth man.
[1584.14 --> 1585.12]  He dealt graciously
[1585.12 --> 1585.70]  with the woman
[1585.70 --> 1587.00]  caught in adultery
[1587.00 --> 1588.00]  by inviting
[1588.00 --> 1589.08]  any of the witnesses
[1589.08 --> 1590.10]  who had dragged her
[1590.10 --> 1591.02]  to Him for judgment
[1591.02 --> 1593.72]  and who were without sin
[1593.72 --> 1595.70]  to throw the first stone.
[1596.82 --> 1597.92]  And when they all
[1597.92 --> 1598.48]  disappeared
[1598.48 --> 1599.66]  and no one was left
[1599.66 --> 1600.20]  to condemn,
[1600.92 --> 1601.70]  He said to her,
[1602.54 --> 1603.48]  then neither do I
[1603.48 --> 1604.08]  condemn you.
[1604.80 --> 1605.42]  Go now
[1605.42 --> 1606.00]  and leave
[1606.00 --> 1606.72]  your life
[1606.72 --> 1607.34]  of sin.
[1609.30 --> 1610.84]  This is God's
[1610.84 --> 1611.92]  good news
[1611.92 --> 1613.04]  for sinners.
[1614.38 --> 1615.12]  The gospel
[1615.12 --> 1615.84]  is not just
[1615.84 --> 1616.36]  the message
[1616.36 --> 1617.10]  that nobody
[1617.10 --> 1617.78]  is perfect
[1617.78 --> 1618.92]  and we should
[1618.92 --> 1619.70]  be more tolerant.
[1620.82 --> 1621.86]  It is not just
[1621.86 --> 1623.28]  a list of good morals
[1623.28 --> 1624.22]  that we can follow
[1624.22 --> 1625.18]  if only we try
[1625.18 --> 1626.34]  a little harder.
[1627.46 --> 1628.68]  And it isn't just
[1628.68 --> 1630.18]  nice stories
[1630.18 --> 1631.88]  about squeaky clean
[1631.88 --> 1632.54]  heroes
[1632.54 --> 1634.08]  and perfect families
[1634.08 --> 1634.74]  that we should all
[1634.74 --> 1635.44]  try to imitate.
[1637.46 --> 1638.42]  The gospel
[1638.42 --> 1639.38]  is the message
[1639.38 --> 1640.66]  about a holy God
[1640.66 --> 1642.48]  who has every right
[1642.48 --> 1643.50]  to judge us
[1643.50 --> 1646.04]  but has instead
[1646.04 --> 1647.66]  set aside
[1647.66 --> 1649.12]  our pasts
[1649.12 --> 1649.88]  and give us
[1649.88 --> 1650.74]  a fresh start
[1650.74 --> 1652.40]  through Jesus Christ.
[1652.88 --> 1653.50]  The gospel
[1653.50 --> 1655.10]  is the voice
[1655.10 --> 1655.64]  of Jesus
[1655.64 --> 1657.38]  saying to every sinner,
[1658.48 --> 1659.38]  neither do I
[1659.38 --> 1660.10]  condemn you.
[1660.84 --> 1661.38]  Go now
[1661.38 --> 1662.60]  and leave
[1662.60 --> 1663.10]  your life
[1663.10 --> 1663.72]  of sin.
[1664.74 --> 1667.46]  none of us
[1667.46 --> 1669.26]  I think
[1669.26 --> 1670.78]  would want to
[1670.78 --> 1671.82]  imitate Tamar
[1671.82 --> 1672.36]  or Judah
[1672.36 --> 1674.90]  but we do
[1674.90 --> 1675.38]  recognize
[1675.38 --> 1676.66]  that sometimes
[1676.66 --> 1678.44]  we are like them
[1678.44 --> 1679.04]  anyway,
[1679.26 --> 1679.76]  don't we?
[1679.96 --> 1681.36]  We make mistakes.
[1682.04 --> 1683.12]  We find ourselves
[1683.12 --> 1684.00]  doing and saying
[1684.00 --> 1684.80]  things that get
[1684.80 --> 1685.98]  into God's way
[1685.98 --> 1687.66]  and amazingly
[1687.66 --> 1688.40]  sometimes
[1688.40 --> 1689.42]  we too discover
[1689.42 --> 1691.42]  that God accomplishes
[1691.42 --> 1692.30]  something good
[1692.30 --> 1693.24]  in our lives
[1693.24 --> 1695.12]  despite how undeserving
[1695.12 --> 1695.56]  we are,
[1695.64 --> 1696.66]  despite how badly
[1696.66 --> 1699.38]  we mess things up.
[1701.30 --> 1702.60]  In any event,
[1702.76 --> 1703.36]  life teaches
[1703.36 --> 1704.14]  all of us
[1704.14 --> 1705.68]  how much
[1705.68 --> 1706.88]  we need grace
[1706.88 --> 1708.56]  and if
[1708.56 --> 1709.12]  at the end
[1709.12 --> 1709.72]  of the day
[1709.72 --> 1710.62]  we find that
[1710.62 --> 1711.56]  we have received
[1711.56 --> 1712.32]  such grace,
[1713.56 --> 1714.84]  if we like Tamar
[1714.84 --> 1715.78]  are amazed
[1715.78 --> 1716.88]  to find our names
[1716.88 --> 1717.76]  appearing in the
[1717.76 --> 1718.66]  family tree
[1718.66 --> 1719.38]  of Jesus
[1719.38 --> 1720.50]  having been
[1720.50 --> 1721.06]  adopted
[1721.06 --> 1723.18]  into the
[1723.18 --> 1724.24]  divine family
[1724.24 --> 1726.02]  despite all
[1726.02 --> 1726.68]  that we have
[1726.68 --> 1727.08]  done to
[1727.08 --> 1727.92]  disqualify
[1727.92 --> 1728.54]  ourselves,
[1729.74 --> 1730.10]  well,
[1730.46 --> 1731.38]  then it's just
[1731.38 --> 1732.08]  another reason
[1732.08 --> 1733.38]  to give glory
[1733.38 --> 1734.04]  to the God
[1734.04 --> 1735.16]  whose grace
[1735.16 --> 1735.86]  is sufficient,
[1736.38 --> 1737.36]  whose love
[1737.36 --> 1738.16]  is never ending,
[1738.66 --> 1739.22]  and whose
[1739.22 --> 1740.44]  providential care
[1740.44 --> 1741.48]  is often as
[1741.48 --> 1742.10]  surprising
[1742.10 --> 1743.84]  as it is
[1743.84 --> 1744.38]  constant.
[1746.88 --> 1747.64]  And you know,
[1747.74 --> 1748.66]  especially if you
[1748.66 --> 1749.20]  are part of
[1749.20 --> 1749.74]  the family
[1749.74 --> 1751.40]  that even
[1751.40 --> 1752.34]  our dysfunctional
[1752.34 --> 1752.72]  culture
[1752.72 --> 1753.96]  would label
[1753.96 --> 1755.38]  as dysfunctional,
[1756.66 --> 1757.12]  especially
[1757.12 --> 1759.28]  even if you
[1759.28 --> 1759.96]  and your family
[1759.96 --> 1760.32]  are just
[1760.32 --> 1760.90]  the kind of
[1760.90 --> 1761.20]  people
[1761.20 --> 1762.40]  someone like
[1762.40 --> 1762.96]  Jerry Springer
[1762.96 --> 1763.96]  looked for,
[1764.96 --> 1765.58]  then listen,
[1766.82 --> 1768.26]  God is looking
[1768.26 --> 1768.96]  for you too,
[1770.04 --> 1771.62]  not to humiliate
[1771.62 --> 1771.90]  you,
[1772.98 --> 1773.54]  but Jesus
[1773.54 --> 1774.50]  came to seek
[1774.50 --> 1775.96]  and to save
[1775.96 --> 1776.88]  sinners.
[1778.36 --> 1779.44]  Genesis 38
[1779.44 --> 1780.10]  and the whole
[1780.10 --> 1780.80]  Bible says
[1780.80 --> 1781.42]  that if God
[1781.42 --> 1782.00]  could change
[1782.00 --> 1782.62]  a man like
[1782.62 --> 1783.20]  Judah for the
[1783.20 --> 1783.44]  better,
[1784.38 --> 1785.18]  he can change
[1785.18 --> 1785.44]  you.
[1786.12 --> 1786.94]  If God
[1786.94 --> 1787.48]  could carry
[1787.48 --> 1787.94]  out such
[1787.94 --> 1788.32]  a great
[1788.32 --> 1788.94]  purpose in
[1788.94 --> 1789.38]  Judah's
[1789.38 --> 1790.34]  and Tamar's
[1790.34 --> 1790.96]  family as
[1790.96 --> 1791.46]  having his
[1791.46 --> 1792.08]  own son,
[1792.40 --> 1793.04]  the Messiah,
[1793.38 --> 1793.78]  come from
[1793.78 --> 1794.42]  their family
[1794.42 --> 1794.86]  tree,
[1795.86 --> 1798.26]  he can
[1798.26 --> 1799.06]  certainly yet
[1799.06 --> 1799.74]  carry out
[1799.74 --> 1800.54]  a good
[1800.54 --> 1801.54]  purpose in
[1801.54 --> 1802.22]  your family
[1802.22 --> 1802.92]  no matter
[1802.92 --> 1803.84]  how messed
[1803.84 --> 1805.94]  up it
[1805.94 --> 1806.52]  has become.
[1807.84 --> 1808.84]  It all
[1808.84 --> 1809.56]  depends on
[1809.56 --> 1810.28]  God's blessing
[1810.28 --> 1811.48]  and your
[1811.48 --> 1812.18]  trusting him,
[1812.98 --> 1814.38]  not on your
[1814.38 --> 1815.72]  qualifications or
[1815.72 --> 1816.76]  lack thereof.
[1818.66 --> 1819.50]  Ultimately,
[1819.82 --> 1820.96]  that is why
[1820.96 --> 1822.36]  God included
[1822.36 --> 1823.16]  even this
[1823.16 --> 1824.14]  ugly story
[1824.14 --> 1825.10]  in his
[1825.10 --> 1826.16]  larger story
[1826.16 --> 1827.70]  because it
[1827.70 --> 1828.26]  takes a
[1828.26 --> 1828.82]  lifetime.
[1829.62 --> 1830.30]  It takes
[1830.30 --> 1831.06]  a lifetime
[1831.06 --> 1832.34]  to really
[1832.34 --> 1833.10]  get the
[1833.10 --> 1833.94]  hardest yet
[1833.94 --> 1834.82]  most beautiful
[1834.82 --> 1835.58]  lesson of the
[1835.58 --> 1836.80]  gospel spelled
[1836.80 --> 1837.50]  out in this
[1837.50 --> 1838.46]  story in big,
[1838.78 --> 1839.56]  easy to read
[1839.56 --> 1840.02]  letters.
[1840.54 --> 1841.88]  God saves
[1841.88 --> 1843.04]  by grace,
[1843.78 --> 1845.24]  not by merit,
[1846.54 --> 1847.16]  a grace that
[1847.16 --> 1847.74]  is wider,
[1848.34 --> 1848.74]  higher,
[1849.32 --> 1849.64]  deeper,
[1850.20 --> 1850.92]  bigger than
[1850.92 --> 1852.52]  any and
[1852.52 --> 1853.86]  all our
[1853.86 --> 1854.14]  sin.
[1854.14 --> 1856.40]  Here God
[1856.40 --> 1857.10]  reminds us
[1857.10 --> 1857.76]  that even
[1857.76 --> 1858.70]  in sinful,
[1858.92 --> 1859.24]  messed up
[1859.24 --> 1859.68]  lives,
[1860.54 --> 1861.06]  he is in
[1861.06 --> 1861.40]  charge.
[1861.70 --> 1862.12]  Nothing can
[1862.12 --> 1862.64]  stop his
[1862.64 --> 1863.36]  promises from
[1863.36 --> 1864.12]  being fulfilled
[1864.12 --> 1864.90]  and there is
[1864.90 --> 1865.68]  nothing and
[1865.68 --> 1866.20]  there is no
[1866.20 --> 1866.78]  one he
[1866.78 --> 1867.50]  cannot use
[1867.50 --> 1867.94]  for his
[1867.94 --> 1868.58]  good purpose
[1868.58 --> 1869.96]  to bless
[1869.96 --> 1870.64]  all people
[1870.64 --> 1871.18]  on earth
[1871.18 --> 1872.10]  including
[1872.10 --> 1873.74]  you.
[1874.92 --> 1875.84]  God is at
[1875.84 --> 1876.96]  work directing
[1876.96 --> 1877.76]  things towards
[1877.76 --> 1878.40]  his gracious
[1878.40 --> 1879.16]  ends in
[1879.16 --> 1880.70]  every circumstance.
[1881.62 --> 1882.48]  So if you've
[1882.48 --> 1883.10]  got a family
[1883.10 --> 1883.64]  that's nice
[1883.64 --> 1884.18]  and proper
[1884.18 --> 1885.36]  and wholesome
[1885.36 --> 1886.00]  and everything,
[1886.84 --> 1887.42]  thank God
[1887.42 --> 1888.06]  for it.
[1888.86 --> 1889.40]  Humbly.
[1890.48 --> 1891.24]  And if you're
[1891.24 --> 1891.76]  in a family
[1891.76 --> 1892.20]  that seems
[1892.20 --> 1893.20]  hopelessly sinful
[1893.20 --> 1894.26]  and messed up
[1894.26 --> 1895.22]  and dysfunctional,
[1895.48 --> 1896.02]  this story
[1896.02 --> 1896.68]  declares the
[1896.68 --> 1897.18]  message of
[1897.18 --> 1897.80]  good news,
[1898.40 --> 1898.96]  there's hope.
[1899.82 --> 1900.38]  Really,
[1900.60 --> 1901.18]  there's hope
[1901.18 --> 1902.26]  also for you.
[1904.52 --> 1905.50]  And one last
[1905.50 --> 1905.72]  thing.
[1907.08 --> 1907.92]  This story
[1907.92 --> 1908.54]  declares a
[1908.54 --> 1909.80]  message that
[1909.80 --> 1910.50]  needs to shape
[1910.50 --> 1911.24]  our attitude
[1911.24 --> 1912.20]  as we minister
[1912.20 --> 1913.08]  in our
[1913.08 --> 1913.88]  God-forsaking
[1913.88 --> 1914.84]  culture today
[1914.84 --> 1916.62]  in all kinds
[1916.62 --> 1917.12]  of family
[1917.12 --> 1918.02]  situations
[1918.02 --> 1919.34]  that tempt
[1919.34 --> 1919.84]  us either
[1919.84 --> 1920.80]  to avoidance
[1920.80 --> 1923.14]  or self-righteousness.
[1924.60 --> 1924.90]  Jesus
[1924.90 --> 1926.34]  does not
[1926.34 --> 1927.06]  avoid sinners.
[1928.54 --> 1928.78]  Jesus
[1928.78 --> 1929.50]  saves them.
[1930.38 --> 1930.88]  Jesus was
[1930.88 --> 1931.40]  willing to
[1931.40 --> 1931.94]  join a
[1931.94 --> 1932.66]  family tree
[1932.66 --> 1933.30]  that included
[1933.30 --> 1933.96]  incest,
[1934.38 --> 1935.06]  prostitution,
[1935.42 --> 1935.86]  adultery,
[1935.86 --> 1936.68]  and murder.
[1938.08 --> 1938.34]  Jesus
[1938.34 --> 1938.88]  was willing
[1938.88 --> 1939.28]  to eat
[1939.28 --> 1940.04]  with embezzlers
[1940.04 --> 1941.00]  and prostitutes.
[1942.42 --> 1942.68]  Jesus
[1942.68 --> 1943.34]  died on a
[1943.34 --> 1944.20]  cross between
[1944.20 --> 1945.08]  two criminals.
[1946.74 --> 1946.98]  Jesus
[1946.98 --> 1947.48]  did not
[1947.48 --> 1947.84]  leave the
[1947.84 --> 1948.34]  glory of
[1948.34 --> 1948.82]  heaven and
[1948.82 --> 1949.16]  give his
[1949.16 --> 1949.66]  life on a
[1949.66 --> 1950.12]  cross just
[1950.12 --> 1950.72]  so that nice
[1950.72 --> 1951.20]  people could
[1951.20 --> 1951.90]  become a
[1951.90 --> 1952.22]  little bit
[1952.22 --> 1952.52]  nicer.
[1954.04 --> 1954.84]  He came
[1954.84 --> 1955.48]  to bring us
[1955.48 --> 1956.02]  no matter
[1956.02 --> 1957.04]  who we are
[1957.04 --> 1958.20]  forgiveness
[1958.20 --> 1958.92]  from sin
[1958.92 --> 1960.48]  because none
[1960.48 --> 1961.04]  of us are
[1961.04 --> 1962.16]  righteous apart
[1962.16 --> 1963.00]  from him.
[1963.98 --> 1964.56]  He came
[1964.56 --> 1965.08]  to bring us
[1965.08 --> 1965.46]  no matter
[1965.46 --> 1966.18]  who we are
[1966.18 --> 1967.44]  or how
[1967.44 --> 1967.98]  messy our
[1967.98 --> 1969.02]  family situation,
[1969.46 --> 1969.98]  how messed
[1969.98 --> 1970.28]  up your
[1970.28 --> 1970.70]  life,
[1971.72 --> 1972.34]  the power
[1972.34 --> 1972.86]  to start
[1972.86 --> 1973.28]  anew
[1973.28 --> 1974.64]  and make
[1974.64 --> 1975.38]  something good
[1975.38 --> 1976.36]  out of
[1976.36 --> 1977.00]  something bad.
[1978.58 --> 1979.36]  There is
[1979.36 --> 1979.98]  nothing to
[1979.98 --> 1980.70]  keep any
[1980.70 --> 1981.20]  of us
[1981.20 --> 1982.14]  from a
[1982.14 --> 1982.58]  new life.
[1982.88 --> 1983.12]  Nothing
[1983.12 --> 1983.86]  to keep
[1983.86 --> 1984.50]  any of
[1984.50 --> 1984.78]  us
[1984.78 --> 1985.82]  from Jesus.
[1986.68 --> 1987.00]  Nothing
[1987.00 --> 1987.46]  to keep
[1987.46 --> 1988.12]  any of
[1988.12 --> 1988.44]  us from
[1988.44 --> 1989.14]  being used
[1989.14 --> 1989.76]  by God
[1989.76 --> 1990.26]  and being
[1990.26 --> 1990.66]  a part
[1990.66 --> 1991.18]  of his
[1991.18 --> 1991.54]  bigger
[1991.54 --> 1991.96]  purpose
[1991.96 --> 1992.34]  for the
[1992.34 --> 1992.62]  world.
[1995.08 --> 1996.46]  accept
[1996.46 --> 1996.94]  your own
[1996.94 --> 1997.54]  unbelief
[1997.54 --> 1998.26]  and
[1998.26 --> 1998.88]  stubbornness.
[2001.04 --> 2002.08]  So listen,
[2003.14 --> 2003.72]  hear the
[2003.72 --> 2004.16]  voice of
[2004.16 --> 2004.52]  Jesus
[2004.52 --> 2005.80]  speaking love
[2005.80 --> 2006.20]  and hope
[2006.20 --> 2006.76]  into your
[2006.76 --> 2007.14]  life
[2007.14 --> 2008.10]  today,
[2008.80 --> 2009.68]  whoever you
[2009.68 --> 2009.96]  are.
[2010.66 --> 2011.22]  Even in
[2011.22 --> 2012.06]  this strange
[2012.06 --> 2013.26]  and shocking
[2013.26 --> 2013.78]  story,
[2014.56 --> 2015.04]  come to
[2015.04 --> 2015.36]  him,
[2015.92 --> 2016.54]  the lion
[2016.54 --> 2017.04]  of Judah,
[2017.28 --> 2018.02]  says Revelation
[2018.02 --> 2018.50]  5,
[2018.80 --> 2019.42]  the lion
[2019.42 --> 2019.86]  of Judah
[2019.86 --> 2020.38]  who became
[2020.38 --> 2020.82]  the lamb
[2020.82 --> 2021.36]  of God
[2021.36 --> 2022.36]  that takes
[2022.36 --> 2022.84]  away the
[2022.84 --> 2023.16]  sin of
[2023.16 --> 2023.58]  the world
[2023.58 --> 2024.68]  and who
[2024.68 --> 2025.52]  once promised
[2025.52 --> 2026.80]  and still
[2026.80 --> 2028.16]  does right
[2028.16 --> 2028.58]  here at
[2028.58 --> 2029.08]  his table,
[2030.20 --> 2030.44]  whoever
[2030.44 --> 2031.60]  comes to
[2031.60 --> 2031.88]  me,
[2032.88 --> 2033.94]  I will
[2033.94 --> 2034.68]  never
[2034.68 --> 2036.38]  drive away.
[2036.68 --> 2037.20]  Whoever
[2037.20 --> 2039.12]  comes to
[2039.12 --> 2039.34]  me,
[2040.34 --> 2041.26]  I will
[2041.26 --> 2041.96]  never drive
[2041.96 --> 2043.34]  away in
[2043.34 --> 2043.60]  the name
[2043.60 --> 2043.88]  of the
[2043.88 --> 2044.32]  Father and
[2044.32 --> 2044.70]  the Son
[2044.70 --> 2045.82]  and the
[2045.82 --> 2046.38]  Holy Spirit.
[2047.10 --> 2047.60]  Let's
[2047.60 --> 2047.84]  pray.
[2049.60 --> 2050.42]  Father in
[2050.42 --> 2050.68]  heaven,
[2051.90 --> 2052.64]  your grace
[2052.64 --> 2053.20]  is too
[2053.20 --> 2055.72]  big for
[2055.72 --> 2056.16]  us to
[2056.16 --> 2056.44]  fully
[2056.44 --> 2057.12]  comprehend.
[2059.52 --> 2060.30]  But help
[2060.30 --> 2060.68]  us to
[2060.68 --> 2060.92]  know,
[2061.16 --> 2061.20]  Lord,
[2061.32 --> 2061.90]  deep down
[2061.90 --> 2063.46]  that your
[2063.46 --> 2064.50]  grace is
[2064.50 --> 2065.16]  big enough
[2065.16 --> 2065.70]  to cover
[2065.70 --> 2067.12]  any and
[2067.12 --> 2067.54]  all of
[2067.54 --> 2068.00]  our sin.
[2069.72 --> 2070.50]  That your
[2070.50 --> 2071.12]  grace has
[2071.12 --> 2071.58]  been given
[2071.58 --> 2072.50]  to us as
[2072.50 --> 2073.80]  a gift
[2073.80 --> 2074.86]  through
[2074.86 --> 2075.20]  Jesus,
[2075.36 --> 2075.74]  your Son.
[2077.04 --> 2077.70]  As we
[2077.70 --> 2078.26]  now come
[2078.26 --> 2079.24]  in just a
[2079.24 --> 2079.76]  few moments
[2079.76 --> 2080.22]  to his
[2080.22 --> 2080.84]  table again
[2080.84 --> 2081.42]  this morning,
[2082.56 --> 2083.26]  assure us,
[2083.48 --> 2083.90]  Lord, in
[2083.90 --> 2084.42]  the depth
[2084.42 --> 2084.78]  of our
[2084.78 --> 2086.96]  hearts that
[2086.96 --> 2087.46]  we belong
[2087.46 --> 2087.96]  to you
[2087.96 --> 2089.84]  in spite of
[2089.84 --> 2090.22]  everything,
[2091.58 --> 2092.62]  not because
[2092.62 --> 2093.02]  of anything
[2093.02 --> 2093.48]  we have
[2093.48 --> 2094.22]  done, but
[2094.22 --> 2094.86]  because of
[2094.86 --> 2096.48]  everything that
[2096.48 --> 2097.04]  Jesus has
[2097.04 --> 2097.34]  done.
[2098.10 --> 2098.78]  In his
[2098.78 --> 2100.14]  name we
[2100.14 --> 2100.42]  pray.
[2101.20 --> 2101.52]  Amen.
[2101.52 --> 2101.62]  Amen.
[2101.62 --> 2101.66]  Amen.
[2101.66 --> 2101.68]  Amen.
[2101.68 --> 2101.70]  Amen.
[2101.70 --> 2101.72]  Amen.
[2101.72 --> 2101.74]  Amen.
[2101.74 --> 2101.76]  Amen.
[2101.76 --> 2101.78]  Amen.
[2101.78 --> 2101.82]  Amen.
[2101.82 --> 2103.70]  Amen.
[2103.70 --> 2103.72]  Amen.
[2103.72 --> 2105.72]  Amen.
[2105.72 --> 2105.78]  Amen.
[2105.78 --> 2105.80]  Amen.
[2105.80 --> 2105.82]  Amen.
[2105.82 --> 2105.86]  Amen.
[2105.86 --> 2105.88]  Amen.
[2105.88 --> 2109.74]  Amen.