Genesis 38
God Saves Even People Like That
V.1 “Judah left his brothers”-
· The Fuller Youth Institute's research says that about 40-50% of students in youth groups struggle in their faith after graduation."
· "Spirituality in Higher Education": The Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA found that 52% of college students reported frequent church attendance the year before they entered college but only 29% continued frequent church attendance by their junior year.
V.3-5 My three sons.
What a blessing. What a responsibility!
V.6-7 God killed him
NT Examples
1. Acts 5- Ananias and Sapphira
2. Acts 21- King Herod
3. 1 Cor. 11:27- Unrepentant Believers
This should scare sinners
V.8 “Lie with your brother’s wife”-
Levirate Marriage-
Deut 25:5 If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband's brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her. 6 The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel. 7 However, if a man does not want to marry his brother's wife, she shall go to the elders at the town gate and say, "My husband's brother refuses to carry on his brother's name in Israel. He will not fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to me." 8 Then the elders of his town shall summon him and talk to him. If he persists in saying, "I do not want to marry her," 9 his brother's widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face and say, "This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother's family line." 10 That man's line shall be known in Israel as The Family of the Unsandaled.
V.9 “offspring would not be his”
Sex without responsibility
God’s design;
1. Get married
2. Have sex
3. Have children
V.10 “What he did was wicked in the LORD’s site”- Take responsibility
V.11 “Black Widow”
V.12 A trip to Sin City
V.13-14 Taking things into her own hands
Ex: Sarah, Rachel and Leah
When men fail to lead their families well the gap is filled
V.15 Sinning in Anonymity
V.16-19
Matthew Henry, “Is any price worth your purity of soul, peace of conscience and right standing with God?”
What’s your price?
V.20-21 “Shrine prostitute”- Common in the Canaanite culture
V.22-23 “Yeah but at least…”
V.24 Hypocrisy
Rom 2:1 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.
Judging is OK
John 7:24 Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.
V.25- Caught
V. 26 The conversion
1. Confesses- We’re good at that
2. Repents
V.27-30 Why is this here?
· Mt. 1:3
A story of God’s grace!!
Rev 5:5 Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed.
"That guy is a patriarch/person of faith/pastor?!"
1 Tim 1:12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-of whom I am the worst.