WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.080 Please take your Bibles and open them up this morning to Genesis chapter 34. 00:00:06.080 --> 00:00:10.080 ! Genesis chapter 34. 00:00:10.080 --> 00:00:20.660 As a disclaimer, if you read ahead this week, as I often encourage you to do, then you will know that this chapter is a difficult one. 00:00:20.660 --> 00:00:29.920 Some texts in the Bible are more difficult than others, and one of the blessings and curses at the same time of preaching the way that 00:00:29.920 --> 00:00:37.579 we do working ourselves through books of the Bible is that we can't just work around or skip the hard parts. 00:00:37.660 --> 00:00:39.760 We have to deal with it. 00:00:39.960 --> 00:00:45.960 And so here in our passage this morning, we come face to face with the ugliness of sin. 00:00:45.960 --> 00:00:52.500 So if you found Genesis chapter 34, let's stand in honor of the reading of the Word of God this morning. 00:00:52.500 --> 00:01:04.760 Now Dinah, the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the women of the land. 00:01:05.480 --> 00:01:13.039 And when Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he seized her and lay with her and humiliated her. 00:01:13.859 --> 00:01:16.400 And his soul was drawn to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob. 00:01:16.400 --> 00:01:19.440 He loved the young woman and spoke tenderly to her. 00:01:19.880 --> 00:01:23.900 So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, Get me this girl for my wife. 00:01:24.980 --> 00:01:30.400 Now Jacob heard that he had defiled his daughter Dinah, but his sons were with those livestock in the field. 00:01:30.500 --> 00:01:32.580 So Jacob held his peace until they came. 00:01:33.439 --> 00:01:36.740 And Hamor, the father of Shechem, went out to Jacob to speak with him. 00:01:37.260 --> 00:01:40.260 And the sons of Jacob had come in from the field as soon as they heard of it. 00:01:40.260 --> 00:01:49.540 And the men were indignant and very angry because he had done an outrageous thing in Israel by lying with Jacob's daughter, for such a thing must not be done. 00:01:50.680 --> 00:01:55.320 But Hamor spoke with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. 00:01:55.439 --> 00:01:58.000 Please give her to him to be his wife. 00:01:58.640 --> 00:01:59.840 Make marriages with us. 00:02:00.320 --> 00:02:02.880 Give your daughters to us and take our daughters for yourselves. 00:02:03.500 --> 00:02:06.160 You shall dwell with us and the land shall be open to you. 00:02:06.640 --> 00:02:08.780 Dwell and trade in it and get property in it. 00:02:08.780 --> 00:02:11.840 Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers, 00:02:12.460 --> 00:02:15.520 Let me find favor in your eyes and whatever you say to me I will give. 00:02:16.120 --> 00:02:21.340 Ask me for as great a bride price and gift as you will, and I will give whatever you say to me. 00:02:21.699 --> 00:02:23.560 Only give me the young woman to be my wife. 00:02:24.860 --> 00:02:30.580 The sons of Jacob answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully because he had defiled their sister Dinah. 00:02:30.879 --> 00:02:36.159 They said to them, We cannot do this thing to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, 00:02:36.340 --> 00:02:38.060 for that would be a disgrace to us. 00:02:38.060 --> 00:02:45.460 Only on this condition will we agree with you, that you will become as we are by every male among you being circumcised. 00:02:45.939 --> 00:02:49.780 Then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to ourselves, 00:02:50.020 --> 00:02:52.140 and we will dwell with you and become one people. 00:02:52.780 --> 00:02:57.620 But if you will not listen to us and be circumcised, then we will take our daughter and we will be gone. 00:02:58.620 --> 00:03:00.980 Their words pleased Hamor and Hamor's son Shechem. 00:03:00.979 --> 00:03:05.659 And the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he delighted in Jacob's daughter. 00:03:06.459 --> 00:03:08.879 Now he was the most honored of all his father's house. 00:03:09.500 --> 00:03:14.399 So Hamor and his son Shechem came to the gate of their city and spoke to the men of their city, saying, 00:03:15.120 --> 00:03:16.679 These men are at peace with us. 00:03:17.039 --> 00:03:18.819 Let them dwell in the land and trade in it. 00:03:18.859 --> 00:03:21.060 For behold, the land is large enough for them. 00:03:21.579 --> 00:03:25.000 Let us take their daughters as wives, and let us give them our daughters. 00:03:25.000 --> 00:03:29.719 Only on this condition will the men agree to dwell with us to become one people, 00:03:30.120 --> 00:03:33.800 when every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised. 00:03:34.340 --> 00:03:37.520 Will not their livestock, their property, and all their beasts be ours? 00:03:37.919 --> 00:03:40.659 Only let us agree with them, and they will dwell with us. 00:03:41.420 --> 00:03:45.599 And all who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and his son Shechem, 00:03:45.879 --> 00:03:50.039 and every male was circumcised, all who went out to the gate of his city. 00:03:50.039 --> 00:03:57.759 On the third day, when they were sore, two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, 00:03:58.359 --> 00:04:03.560 took their swords and came against the city while it felt secure and killed all the males. 00:04:04.280 --> 00:04:09.319 They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with a sword and took Dinah out of Shechem's house and went away. 00:04:10.340 --> 00:04:14.959 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain and plundered the city because they had defiled their sister. 00:04:14.960 --> 00:04:20.220 They took the flocks and their herds and their donkeys and whatever was in the city and in the field, 00:04:20.639 --> 00:04:25.220 all their wealth, all their little ones, all their wives, all that was in their houses, 00:04:25.360 --> 00:04:26.759 they captured and plundered. 00:04:27.439 --> 00:04:29.759 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, 00:04:30.480 --> 00:04:34.319 You have brought trouble on me by making me stink to the inhabitants of the land, 00:04:34.660 --> 00:04:36.100 the Canaanites and the Perizzites. 00:04:36.480 --> 00:04:39.680 My numbers are few, and if they gather themselves against me and attack me, 00:04:39.980 --> 00:04:42.379 I shall be destroyed, both I and my household. 00:04:42.379 --> 00:04:46.839 But they said, Should he treat our sister like a prostitute? 00:04:48.600 --> 00:04:53.600 The grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of the Lord endures forever. 00:04:54.639 --> 00:05:02.939 Father, we thank you even for hard passages like this that bring us face to face with the reality of sin, 00:05:04.219 --> 00:05:06.839 the ugliness of sin, the impacts of sin. 00:05:06.839 --> 00:05:15.119 And we pray now, would you give us great wisdom to deal with our own sin and also to respond with the sin all around us. 00:05:15.179 --> 00:05:16.199 We pray this in Jesus' name. 00:05:17.039 --> 00:05:17.259 Amen. 00:05:18.099 --> 00:05:19.079 You may be seated. 00:05:19.079 --> 00:05:25.539 How should Christians respond to sin? 00:05:26.879 --> 00:05:32.379 Some of you know what it's like to have bad neighbors or to live in a run-down house 00:05:32.379 --> 00:05:37.639 and you just can't wait to move out of the neighborhood, move into that dream house down the road. 00:05:37.740 --> 00:05:39.579 Your neighbors are rude. 00:05:40.019 --> 00:05:41.839 They are loud. 00:05:42.079 --> 00:05:46.079 The repair list at your house is longer than you can possibly keep up with. 00:05:46.079 --> 00:05:52.319 And so finally, you have this opportunity to move out and move into your dream home. 00:05:52.459 --> 00:05:53.379 Everything looks great. 00:05:53.479 --> 00:05:54.439 You sign the papers. 00:05:55.180 --> 00:05:56.979 You move everything in. 00:05:57.060 --> 00:05:58.360 Everything is perfect. 00:05:58.500 --> 00:06:01.219 But then it all starts to happen. 00:06:02.199 --> 00:06:05.500 You go and take a shower and the hot water heater has gone out. 00:06:06.500 --> 00:06:10.279 A little bit of rain comes and water starts to drip through the roof. 00:06:10.279 --> 00:06:20.479 If you lay down to sleep and the dogs next door start to bark, you start to realize pretty quickly that grass is not greener on the other side after all, is it? 00:06:21.619 --> 00:06:27.199 This paradise that you thought was going to be perfect is not, in fact, paradise. 00:06:27.199 --> 00:06:34.599 Well, Jacob, if you remember from last time where we left him, Jacob has just made his way into Shechem. 00:06:34.800 --> 00:06:37.879 And where we left him last week, all was well. 00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:43.000 He had finally moved away from all the issues that were there with his father-in-law Laban. 00:06:43.099 --> 00:06:45.620 Twenty years of misery there. 00:06:46.480 --> 00:06:49.240 Tensions with his brother Esau have been resolved. 00:06:49.240 --> 00:06:53.780 The Lord just continues to bless and to protect and to watch over Jacob. 00:06:54.259 --> 00:06:58.879 And now at last, where we left him last week, it seems like he's putting down roots. 00:06:59.000 --> 00:06:59.939 He's built a home. 00:07:00.060 --> 00:07:03.180 He's raised up an altar of worship for the Lord. 00:07:03.500 --> 00:07:08.240 He is at peace and all is well until... 00:07:09.040 --> 00:07:11.300 Our passage this morning here in chapter 34. 00:07:11.500 --> 00:07:13.920 It's like we're shocked back to reality, aren't we? 00:07:14.939 --> 00:07:18.660 And we see very clearly that the grass is not greener here in Canaan. 00:07:18.660 --> 00:07:21.820 And this land is not paradise. 00:07:22.100 --> 00:07:28.360 But that shouldn't surprise us because, of course, we know only about four chapters in all of the Bible 00:07:28.360 --> 00:07:30.980 picture perfect paradise for us, don't they? 00:07:31.960 --> 00:07:36.940 We have about two chapters in the beginning in the Garden of Eden, this perfect garden paradise. 00:07:36.940 --> 00:07:40.420 And then about two chapters at the end, at the end of the book of Revelation, 00:07:40.420 --> 00:07:46.080 of this future coming of Christ creating the new heavens and the new earth, this coming paradise. 00:07:46.079 --> 00:07:53.439 But everything in between is riddled with the curse of sin. 00:07:54.479 --> 00:07:56.120 And guess where we live? 00:07:57.579 --> 00:08:00.899 We live here in the in-between. 00:08:01.199 --> 00:08:04.620 I know that you see the impact of sin all around you, don't you? 00:08:05.979 --> 00:08:08.919 We see sin's impact on our community. 00:08:08.920 --> 00:08:12.100 We see sin's impact on our country. 00:08:12.100 --> 00:08:15.400 We see sin's impact on the world in which we live. 00:08:15.460 --> 00:08:19.400 We see sin's impact on our own families and our own friends and our own neighbors. 00:08:19.879 --> 00:08:27.400 And so as difficult as passages like this are, it's good for us, it's important for us to look at them 00:08:27.399 --> 00:08:32.799 and understand them because Christians need to see sin for what it is. 00:08:33.819 --> 00:08:38.379 And we need to respond to it with the hope of the gospel of Christ. 00:08:39.539 --> 00:08:45.199 So this morning what I want to do is ask the question, how should believers respond to sin? 00:08:45.259 --> 00:08:47.419 And we're going to see three answers here this morning. 00:08:47.500 --> 00:08:49.139 This will be our outline if you're taking notes. 00:08:49.139 --> 00:08:57.559 God's people must recognize, must resist, and must respond to sin. 00:08:58.879 --> 00:09:08.559 God's people here outside of the garden paradise, we must recognize sin, we must resist sin, and we must respond wisely to it. 00:09:08.559 --> 00:09:09.779 So first, let's look and see. 00:09:10.179 --> 00:09:12.980 Christians should recognize sin for what it is. 00:09:13.059 --> 00:09:14.200 Take a look there at verse 1. 00:09:15.080 --> 00:09:18.480 And Jacob, you remember, Jacob has 11 sons at this point. 00:09:18.480 --> 00:09:20.460 He has one daughter named Dinah. 00:09:20.580 --> 00:09:23.740 She hasn't really come up much at this point in the narrative until now. 00:09:24.440 --> 00:09:33.019 And verse 1 tells us that now that they're in this new land, they've relocated, Dinah goes out to see the women of the land. 00:09:33.180 --> 00:09:34.080 You know, she's curious. 00:09:34.800 --> 00:09:36.300 She's never been here before. 00:09:37.100 --> 00:09:41.259 She probably wonders what are they like and how do they dress, what do they do. 00:09:41.360 --> 00:09:42.740 She's curious about their ways. 00:09:42.740 --> 00:09:48.740 I think that this is, on Dinah's part, an act of innocent curiosity. 00:09:49.060 --> 00:10:00.500 But of course, you would think that maybe Jacob, as her father, who's lived a little bit longer, who has personally experienced some of the negative effects and impacts of sin in his own life, 00:10:00.500 --> 00:10:04.440 maybe he would be a little bit more protective of his daughter, but who knows? 00:10:04.519 --> 00:10:08.000 I mean, maybe Jacob just assumed the best of his new neighbors. 00:10:08.960 --> 00:10:11.659 Maybe Jacob thought that Dinah could take care of herself. 00:10:11.759 --> 00:10:13.360 She'd be fine wandering off on her own. 00:10:13.419 --> 00:10:14.200 We don't know. 00:10:14.200 --> 00:10:21.600 But regardless, we see pretty quickly that this turns out to be a tragic mistake, doesn't it? 00:10:23.120 --> 00:10:36.180 The Shechem, the son of Hamar the Hibite, the prince of the land, sees Dinah, seizes Dinah, lays with Dinah, and humiliates Dinah. 00:10:36.259 --> 00:10:38.840 This is absolutely horrible. 00:10:40.960 --> 00:10:43.320 There's no other way to describe this. 00:10:43.320 --> 00:10:45.920 This is a tragedy, isn't it? 00:10:46.680 --> 00:10:53.460 I think even most non-believers would look at this and agree that this is an awful thing that has happened here to Dinah. 00:10:53.560 --> 00:10:54.660 This is ugly. 00:10:54.980 --> 00:10:56.640 It is offensive. 00:10:57.920 --> 00:11:00.260 It is hard for us to listen to this. 00:11:00.320 --> 00:11:02.740 It's hard for me to stand up and read this out loud. 00:11:02.879 --> 00:11:06.040 It is reprehensible what's happened here to Dinah. 00:11:06.040 --> 00:11:12.140 But, you know, there's a biblical word that we need to use to describe it, and that word is sin. 00:11:13.320 --> 00:11:17.760 This whole account is riddled with sin. 00:11:17.860 --> 00:11:23.540 In fact, you notice in all of Genesis 34, the Lord is not mentioned one time, is he? 00:11:23.539 --> 00:11:31.139 Now, he's right there at the end of chapter 33, the last verse of 33, and he's right there at the first verse of 35. 00:11:31.439 --> 00:11:39.099 But here in 34, it's like Moses is showing us this is what it looks like when God is absent from the picture. 00:11:39.500 --> 00:11:43.860 This is sinlessness and lawlessness to the nth degree. 00:11:43.860 --> 00:11:52.460 And when we see horrible things that happen in our world, we as Christians need to talk about it like the Bible talks about it. 00:11:52.480 --> 00:11:55.340 We need to understand that this is sin. 00:11:55.419 --> 00:12:00.899 We need to recognize it for what it is and describe it as the Bible describes it. 00:12:01.000 --> 00:12:07.240 You know, these three or four short verses here at the beginning here, they teach us several important lessons about sin. 00:12:07.240 --> 00:12:12.340 And there are many here, and I've whittled it down to about six, okay? 00:12:12.960 --> 00:12:16.879 Six lessons in particular that we see here in these first four verses. 00:12:17.080 --> 00:12:20.419 For one, we learn here again, sin is universal. 00:12:21.980 --> 00:12:26.580 Sin was a problem there in Haran, and now it's a problem here again in Canaan. 00:12:27.480 --> 00:12:32.060 Sin was a problem in Laban's heart, and now it's a problem in the hearts of Jacob's new neighbors. 00:12:32.059 --> 00:12:34.979 Sin is a universal problem. 00:12:35.099 --> 00:12:42.019 So long as we live outside of the garden, no matter where we are, sin will always be there. 00:12:42.119 --> 00:12:43.219 We cannot escape it. 00:12:44.199 --> 00:12:47.679 You know, the second lesson here, we see sin is confusing. 00:12:49.359 --> 00:12:51.159 Sin is complicated, isn't it? 00:12:51.159 --> 00:12:51.939 Look at verse 3. 00:12:52.739 --> 00:12:56.039 It says he does this horrible thing to her, and then verse 3 says, 00:12:56.339 --> 00:12:58.459 Now his soul was drawn to Dinah. 00:12:59.339 --> 00:13:00.519 It says he loved her. 00:13:00.519 --> 00:13:03.519 He spoke tenderly to her. 00:13:03.579 --> 00:13:04.720 I mean, what in the world is that? 00:13:05.960 --> 00:13:08.399 None of this is rooted in love, is it? 00:13:08.419 --> 00:13:11.860 But this is a lesson on sexual sin in particular, isn't it? 00:13:11.899 --> 00:13:18.559 You know, one reason why God reserves this type of intimacy for within the bounds of marriage 00:13:18.559 --> 00:13:25.659 is that in this act of intimacy, there's not only a uniting of bodies, but a uniting of souls. 00:13:26.319 --> 00:13:27.799 A uniting of people. 00:13:27.799 --> 00:13:30.559 Now this guy has feelings for her. 00:13:30.679 --> 00:13:34.279 He wants to get her as his wife, but should we forget what he just did to her? 00:13:35.779 --> 00:13:40.139 This is all so complicated and confusing, but that's what sin does. 00:13:40.279 --> 00:13:41.399 It complicates. 00:13:41.459 --> 00:13:42.079 It confuses. 00:13:42.259 --> 00:13:42.919 Not only this. 00:13:43.000 --> 00:13:43.579 Third lesson. 00:13:44.919 --> 00:13:47.279 Sin is corrupting. 00:13:48.659 --> 00:13:50.859 Sin is corrupting. 00:13:50.860 --> 00:13:53.220 Sin corrupts everything. 00:13:53.500 --> 00:13:54.039 It touches. 00:13:55.639 --> 00:14:03.440 Good things are turned into weapons that destroy people when sin gets in there and messes it all up. 00:14:03.519 --> 00:14:05.440 You realize God created sex. 00:14:06.580 --> 00:14:07.779 Sex isn't the problem. 00:14:07.779 --> 00:14:15.279 But when sin comes in and God's gifts are removed from the context in which they are a blessing, 00:14:15.679 --> 00:14:19.079 but now they no longer bless people, but they destroy people. 00:14:19.259 --> 00:14:21.240 Sin corrupts God's good gifts. 00:14:22.419 --> 00:14:23.360 We can keep going. 00:14:23.439 --> 00:14:24.220 Lesson number four. 00:14:25.500 --> 00:14:27.699 We see sin is cyclical. 00:14:28.699 --> 00:14:30.120 Sin is cyclical. 00:14:30.199 --> 00:14:31.240 Did you notice a pattern here? 00:14:31.279 --> 00:14:32.100 We've seen this before. 00:14:32.100 --> 00:14:36.759 It is a sinful pattern of see, good, take. 00:14:37.560 --> 00:14:39.519 See, good, take. 00:14:40.420 --> 00:14:42.279 We saw this in the Garden of Eden, right? 00:14:42.379 --> 00:14:45.379 Eve saw that the fruit was good, and so she took. 00:14:46.240 --> 00:14:51.700 The Nephilim in chapter 6 saw that the daughters of man looked good, and so they took. 00:14:52.340 --> 00:14:58.180 When Abraham went down to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai looked good, and so they took. 00:14:58.180 --> 00:14:59.259 You jump ahead to David. 00:14:59.259 --> 00:15:03.399 David sees that Bathsheba looks good, and so he took. 00:15:03.539 --> 00:15:05.740 There's a pattern here to be recognized, isn't there? 00:15:06.279 --> 00:15:08.240 See, good, take. 00:15:08.299 --> 00:15:09.019 There's a pattern. 00:15:10.399 --> 00:15:11.480 We should learn from this. 00:15:11.620 --> 00:15:17.439 We have to be diligent, church, to guard our eyes and guard our impulses. 00:15:17.559 --> 00:15:21.259 And if you struggle with sexual sin, you should know that's not unique to you. 00:15:21.340 --> 00:15:22.039 There's a pattern. 00:15:22.519 --> 00:15:24.460 There's a long pattern, a long history. 00:15:24.460 --> 00:15:30.080 But we ought to learn to see the pattern and commit ourselves in Christ to break it. 00:15:30.180 --> 00:15:31.300 Another lesson, number five. 00:15:33.180 --> 00:15:35.700 We should understand that sin is harmful. 00:15:37.280 --> 00:15:38.800 Sin is harmful. 00:15:38.960 --> 00:15:43.620 In all of this talk about sin, we should not forget about Dinah. 00:15:45.300 --> 00:15:47.519 Dinah is a victim. 00:15:47.519 --> 00:15:50.519 It says she's been humiliated. 00:15:50.620 --> 00:15:55.840 Her life is now forever impacted by this one sinful, selfish act. 00:15:55.960 --> 00:16:00.519 And we see soon enough the whole Shechemite community is going to pay the price for this sin. 00:16:00.620 --> 00:16:04.519 Church, we should realize that sin is always harmful. 00:16:05.860 --> 00:16:07.799 And we see it here in obvious ways. 00:16:07.799 --> 00:16:17.159 But we should know even in our most secret sins, even in our most private sins, even when we think that this is a victimless crime, it is not. 00:16:17.339 --> 00:16:18.939 Sin is always harmful. 00:16:20.059 --> 00:16:22.859 It is always offensive to God. 00:16:23.979 --> 00:16:31.479 But also, one final lesson here, we should recognize that some sin is more outrageous than others. 00:16:31.620 --> 00:16:33.219 Now, I wonder if that surprises you to hear that. 00:16:33.220 --> 00:16:38.800 Some sin is more outrageous than others. 00:16:38.899 --> 00:16:39.660 Look to verse 5. 00:16:41.440 --> 00:16:45.080 It says Jacob hears that this has happened, and we'll come back to him later. 00:16:45.200 --> 00:16:46.759 But Jacob stays quiet. 00:16:46.879 --> 00:16:47.680 He holds his peace. 00:16:47.740 --> 00:16:49.220 He doesn't really respond at all. 00:16:49.360 --> 00:16:51.240 His sons are out in the field. 00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:54.720 But it says when his sons hear about it, look at their response. 00:16:55.779 --> 00:16:59.180 It says in verse 7, these men were indignant. 00:17:00.560 --> 00:17:02.540 They were very angry. 00:17:03.220 --> 00:17:08.400 Because he had done an outrageous thing in Israel by lying with Jacob's daughter. 00:17:08.519 --> 00:17:12.120 For such a thing must not be done. 00:17:12.339 --> 00:17:16.319 This sin is outrageous, they say. 00:17:17.100 --> 00:17:18.779 It is highly offensive. 00:17:20.220 --> 00:17:21.759 And of course, yes, we know, yes. 00:17:22.079 --> 00:17:28.079 All sin, even the tiniest little sliver of sin in our hearts makes us all guilty before a holy God. 00:17:28.360 --> 00:17:31.180 We all belong in that category of sinner. 00:17:31.180 --> 00:17:33.380 The best and the worst person you know. 00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:35.400 We are all guilty of sin. 00:17:35.660 --> 00:17:36.000 Yes. 00:17:36.440 --> 00:17:41.660 But also, not all sins are equally offensive. 00:17:43.100 --> 00:17:45.840 Question 88 of the Baptist Catechism asks, 00:17:46.019 --> 00:17:49.080 Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous? 00:17:49.480 --> 00:17:51.320 It's an old school word, right? 00:17:51.380 --> 00:17:52.360 That just means offensive. 00:17:52.519 --> 00:17:53.420 Are they equally offensive? 00:17:53.420 --> 00:17:54.920 Answer? 00:17:54.920 --> 00:17:55.039 Answer? 00:17:55.840 --> 00:18:04.900 Some sins in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others. 00:18:05.019 --> 00:18:11.880 Jacob's sons are right to recognize here that this act is outrageous and deeply evil. 00:18:11.880 --> 00:18:15.920 This thing that they've done is deeply wicked. 00:18:16.060 --> 00:18:21.180 This is deeply offensive to God, and such a thing must not be done in Israel. 00:18:21.340 --> 00:18:21.600 Why? 00:18:21.880 --> 00:18:27.860 Because God's people are called to be distinctly pure and holy as God is holy. 00:18:27.859 --> 00:18:38.899 Which is why, second, here outside the garden, God's people must resist the allurements of sin. 00:18:39.879 --> 00:18:45.019 God's people must resist the allurements of sin. 00:18:45.079 --> 00:18:46.319 Look there, starting in verse 8. 00:18:47.559 --> 00:18:50.459 Hamar speaks up, and he comes with this proposal. 00:18:50.659 --> 00:18:50.959 He says, 00:18:50.960 --> 00:18:54.660 The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. 00:18:54.900 --> 00:18:56.640 Please give her to him to be his wife. 00:18:56.720 --> 00:18:57.799 Make marriage with us. 00:18:57.940 --> 00:19:01.000 Give us your daughters, and you can have our daughters. 00:19:01.140 --> 00:19:02.160 You dwell with us. 00:19:02.259 --> 00:19:03.600 The land will be open to you. 00:19:03.900 --> 00:19:04.960 Dwell and trade in it. 00:19:04.980 --> 00:19:05.900 Get property in it. 00:19:06.039 --> 00:19:10.220 This is a proposal to become one people with the Shechemites. 00:19:11.579 --> 00:19:13.299 Now, Shechem himself speaks up. 00:19:13.400 --> 00:19:14.460 It's like he has no shame. 00:19:14.600 --> 00:19:16.700 He says to her father and to her brothers, 00:19:16.799 --> 00:19:18.500 Let me find favor in your eyes. 00:19:18.500 --> 00:19:19.240 Are you kidding me? 00:19:19.240 --> 00:19:21.980 Whatever you say to me, I will give. 00:19:22.859 --> 00:19:25.859 Ask me for as great a bride price and gift as you will. 00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:28.279 I'll give it to you whatever you want. 00:19:28.480 --> 00:19:30.839 Only just give me this young woman to be my wife. 00:19:30.920 --> 00:19:32.740 There's another lesson in sin, isn't there? 00:19:33.160 --> 00:19:34.660 Sin is blinding. 00:19:35.700 --> 00:19:37.519 He says, I'll give you anything you want. 00:19:37.559 --> 00:19:38.279 I believe him. 00:19:39.140 --> 00:19:42.039 He has to have this woman as his wife. 00:19:42.120 --> 00:19:45.920 But the bigger issue here is this incredibly generous offer. 00:19:45.920 --> 00:19:50.519 Let's all mix together and let's all be one people. 00:19:51.660 --> 00:19:54.500 You can imagine how that might entice Jacob, right? 00:19:54.560 --> 00:19:56.640 He'll finally be settled there in the land. 00:19:56.840 --> 00:19:58.460 They'll be one people. 00:19:58.580 --> 00:19:59.519 They'll be locals. 00:20:00.340 --> 00:20:03.039 They won't have to fear for their life or fear for their safety. 00:20:03.180 --> 00:20:05.060 There's pilgrims in somebody else's land. 00:20:05.180 --> 00:20:07.880 He'll finally be able to put down roots. 00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:09.640 I mean, think of the possibilities. 00:20:09.640 --> 00:20:13.660 Of course, there's just one problem with that, isn't there? 00:20:13.720 --> 00:20:14.120 What is it? 00:20:15.980 --> 00:20:23.160 God's people are called to be distinct from the world around them. 00:20:24.800 --> 00:20:31.080 God's people are meant to be distinct and distinctly holy. 00:20:31.240 --> 00:20:36.500 God's people are not meant to be one with the world around them. 00:20:36.500 --> 00:20:41.339 We are meant to be one holy, distinct people. 00:20:41.500 --> 00:20:44.619 And behind this generous offer of, come on, use the land. 00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:46.400 Come on, take our daughters. 00:20:47.000 --> 00:20:48.440 Come on, be one people with us. 00:20:48.660 --> 00:20:52.619 Behind that generous offer is a scheme of the enemy 00:20:52.619 --> 00:20:55.799 to dilute the distinctiveness of the people of God. 00:20:57.519 --> 00:20:59.720 He makes it so attractive, doesn't he? 00:21:00.900 --> 00:21:02.380 Every now and then I'll go fishing. 00:21:03.059 --> 00:21:03.819 I'm not very good. 00:21:04.500 --> 00:21:05.119 I like it. 00:21:05.119 --> 00:21:07.319 I know that when you go fishing, 00:21:07.479 --> 00:21:09.299 you don't just drop a hook in the water. 00:21:09.439 --> 00:21:11.339 You'd have to be a really dumb fish, right, 00:21:11.399 --> 00:21:13.819 to go and bite just an unbaited hook. 00:21:15.119 --> 00:21:15.739 I'm simple. 00:21:15.859 --> 00:21:17.919 I'll just use worms or cricket, something easy. 00:21:18.079 --> 00:21:20.959 But people spend a lot of time thinking about the bait. 00:21:21.059 --> 00:21:22.879 I'm not that smart or that committed. 00:21:23.259 --> 00:21:24.039 Some people are. 00:21:24.119 --> 00:21:26.419 They could tell you what type of bait to use 00:21:26.419 --> 00:21:28.500 for this type of water at this type of day 00:21:28.500 --> 00:21:31.059 in this certain place for this type of fish. 00:21:31.059 --> 00:21:35.379 They strategize for how to get that fish to bite that hook, right? 00:21:35.379 --> 00:21:36.240 And they're good at it. 00:21:38.179 --> 00:21:42.519 We should understand that the enemy works in exactly the same way. 00:21:42.519 --> 00:21:46.240 But the enemy baits the hook, 00:21:46.339 --> 00:21:48.139 and he has years of experience. 00:21:48.359 --> 00:21:52.279 He knows what type of bait works for what types of people 00:21:52.279 --> 00:21:53.940 and what types of circumstances. 00:21:54.220 --> 00:21:55.940 He can't make you bite the hook, 00:21:56.059 --> 00:21:58.839 but man, he is good at drawing you close 00:21:58.839 --> 00:22:00.759 and making it look so appealing. 00:22:00.920 --> 00:22:03.359 He makes these big, grand offers, right? 00:22:03.619 --> 00:22:05.279 Eve, take this fruit. 00:22:05.559 --> 00:22:07.599 You will be like God, he says. 00:22:07.599 --> 00:22:10.599 Jesus, you bow down and worship me. 00:22:10.959 --> 00:22:13.480 All the kingdoms of the world will be yours 00:22:13.480 --> 00:22:15.019 if you only bow down and worship me. 00:22:15.759 --> 00:22:18.919 Jacob, you marry with these people, intermarry. 00:22:19.119 --> 00:22:20.619 You'll have peace in this land. 00:22:20.719 --> 00:22:22.819 You'll have flocks beyond your wildest dreams. 00:22:22.919 --> 00:22:25.779 You'll be safe, secure, prosperous, successful. 00:22:28.599 --> 00:22:33.740 God's people must resist the allurements of sin 00:22:33.740 --> 00:22:37.980 because behind the generous offer is a hook 00:22:37.980 --> 00:22:41.759 that's designed to catch you and drag you to your death. 00:22:44.440 --> 00:22:47.559 I wonder if he's tempting you like this in any way, Christian. 00:22:49.640 --> 00:22:52.160 You can think about it personally, right? 00:22:52.259 --> 00:22:53.519 Personally with your friends. 00:22:53.660 --> 00:22:54.480 Where do you go? 00:22:54.700 --> 00:22:56.620 Where are you found? 00:22:56.740 --> 00:22:57.480 What do you do? 00:22:57.599 --> 00:22:59.000 What do you joke about? 00:22:59.099 --> 00:23:00.000 What do you watch? 00:23:00.079 --> 00:23:00.920 What do you wear? 00:23:01.019 --> 00:23:01.960 How do you talk? 00:23:01.960 --> 00:23:03.740 Is there any difference at all 00:23:03.740 --> 00:23:05.660 between you and your non-believing friends 00:23:05.660 --> 00:23:09.059 and your marriage? 00:23:10.319 --> 00:23:12.400 This is exactly why we're called 00:23:12.400 --> 00:23:14.860 to not be unequally yoked with a non-believer. 00:23:15.039 --> 00:23:16.120 And if that's the case, 00:23:16.259 --> 00:23:19.440 then Christian, you have no business dating a non-believer. 00:23:21.259 --> 00:23:22.400 And your family. 00:23:23.440 --> 00:23:26.340 How might the enemy try and entice your family 00:23:26.340 --> 00:23:28.660 just to look like the rest of the world? 00:23:28.660 --> 00:23:32.740 Does your family look any different than others around you? 00:23:32.820 --> 00:23:35.820 Are you tempted to keep up with the Joneses 00:23:35.820 --> 00:23:37.500 and keep up appearances? 00:23:37.820 --> 00:23:41.259 Are sports or other activities clogging up your schedule so much 00:23:41.259 --> 00:23:43.779 that you find it hard to spend time with God's people? 00:23:44.540 --> 00:23:47.540 Do you make time to worship together as a family? 00:23:49.620 --> 00:23:53.580 You know, the enemy might even try this trick even in the church. 00:23:53.579 --> 00:23:56.259 You know, one of the enemy's tactics from the beginning 00:23:56.259 --> 00:24:02.439 is to mix in non-believers into the community of the church, 00:24:02.480 --> 00:24:04.659 which is why we as good Baptists, 00:24:04.799 --> 00:24:06.779 we believe in and we practice what's called 00:24:06.779 --> 00:24:08.619 regenerate church membership. 00:24:09.980 --> 00:24:12.579 Of course, anybody can come and worship here at church. 00:24:12.699 --> 00:24:15.559 The door is open to anybody to come into this place. 00:24:15.639 --> 00:24:17.279 Of course, we hope and we pray 00:24:17.279 --> 00:24:19.759 that you'll be bringing your non-believing friends 00:24:19.759 --> 00:24:21.639 to come and to join us for worship. 00:24:21.640 --> 00:24:24.500 But we draw a line, 00:24:25.259 --> 00:24:29.259 that line being marked off by baptism and church membership 00:24:29.259 --> 00:24:33.340 around those who have been plucked out of the world 00:24:33.340 --> 00:24:34.600 by the grace of God. 00:24:36.960 --> 00:24:40.320 How is the enemy trying to blur the lines in your life 00:24:40.320 --> 00:24:45.700 and entice you to become one with the world around you? 00:24:45.780 --> 00:24:48.240 Church, the believer here outside the garden 00:24:48.240 --> 00:24:52.440 must be diligent to resist the allurement of sin. 00:24:54.539 --> 00:24:56.559 If we haven't seen the ugliness of sin 00:24:56.559 --> 00:24:59.400 and being reminded to resist it at all costs, 00:24:59.500 --> 00:25:01.859 then how should God's people respond? 00:25:02.700 --> 00:25:05.400 Third, here outside the garden, 00:25:06.440 --> 00:25:11.160 God's people must wisely respond to sin. 00:25:11.160 --> 00:25:15.100 Did you notice how all these different parties responded 00:25:15.100 --> 00:25:16.640 to this act? 00:25:18.040 --> 00:25:20.400 How did the non-believers there respond? 00:25:21.840 --> 00:25:25.620 The non-believers are blind to how serious this is. 00:25:25.660 --> 00:25:26.620 They aren't even aware. 00:25:26.800 --> 00:25:30.180 If they are, it's like they don't even really seem to care. 00:25:30.340 --> 00:25:33.100 They view this as a business opportunity. 00:25:33.860 --> 00:25:35.800 Sure, this happened, but who cares? 00:25:35.860 --> 00:25:37.220 How can we capitalize on it? 00:25:37.220 --> 00:25:40.559 We'll just take this girl and then we'll take her as a wife 00:25:40.559 --> 00:25:42.299 and then we'll mix together 00:25:42.299 --> 00:25:43.759 and we'll all be one big happy family. 00:25:43.839 --> 00:25:45.100 What's the big deal, right? 00:25:46.579 --> 00:25:48.980 We shouldn't be surprised when non-believers 00:25:48.980 --> 00:25:51.360 don't see sin for what it is 00:25:51.360 --> 00:25:53.480 because they don't have the capacity 00:25:53.480 --> 00:25:56.519 to grasp the seriousness of sin. 00:25:57.759 --> 00:26:00.039 And we should understand that the non-believer 00:26:00.039 --> 00:26:01.680 can't be expected to think 00:26:01.680 --> 00:26:05.079 through the same spiritual lens as the believer. 00:26:05.079 --> 00:26:08.139 They don't understand it as an offense to a holy God. 00:26:09.679 --> 00:26:10.960 But for the believer, 00:26:12.259 --> 00:26:14.500 we ought to see sin differently 00:26:14.500 --> 00:26:16.359 than the non-believing world. 00:26:16.439 --> 00:26:18.960 By God's grace, we are aware 00:26:18.960 --> 00:26:21.819 that sin is an offense to a holy God. 00:26:22.000 --> 00:26:24.679 So when we come face to face with the ugliness of sin, 00:26:24.759 --> 00:26:28.099 we have to think carefully and wisely 00:26:28.099 --> 00:26:30.899 about how we might respond. 00:26:31.159 --> 00:26:32.720 Look at how Jacob responds. 00:26:32.720 --> 00:26:36.860 Jacob shows us one response here in verse 5. 00:26:38.299 --> 00:26:40.579 Jacob hears about this horrible sin 00:26:40.579 --> 00:26:41.740 and what does he do? 00:26:41.799 --> 00:26:44.240 It says he just stays silent. 00:26:45.299 --> 00:26:46.880 He keeps his peace. 00:26:48.420 --> 00:26:50.440 Maybe he's just showing restraint, 00:26:50.640 --> 00:26:54.860 but you notice at no point in this whole story 00:26:54.860 --> 00:26:57.220 is Jacob ever stepping up 00:26:57.220 --> 00:26:58.720 to act in defense of his daughter. 00:26:58.720 --> 00:27:03.259 He just stays quiet in the face of injustice, doesn't he? 00:27:03.299 --> 00:27:05.880 This is a passive response to sin. 00:27:07.259 --> 00:27:08.339 But on the other hand, 00:27:08.420 --> 00:27:10.640 look at how his sons respond. 00:27:11.860 --> 00:27:13.620 He says his sons are out in the field 00:27:13.620 --> 00:27:17.299 and as Hamar comes to speak with Jacob about all of this, 00:27:17.360 --> 00:27:18.480 they hear about it. 00:27:18.539 --> 00:27:19.860 Apparently word spreads quickly, 00:27:19.960 --> 00:27:21.100 even in the ancient world. 00:27:21.099 --> 00:27:24.139 And it says that they are indignant. 00:27:25.139 --> 00:27:27.359 They are angry. 00:27:28.619 --> 00:27:30.039 Now I want you to ask yourself, 00:27:30.179 --> 00:27:33.079 is it ever right for a Christian to respond in anger? 00:27:34.839 --> 00:27:39.319 Is it right ever for a Christian to be indignant? 00:27:39.319 --> 00:27:44.919 The apostle Paul says yes. 00:27:46.339 --> 00:27:49.099 And the apostle Paul commands us in the book of Ephesians. 00:27:49.179 --> 00:27:50.919 Ephesians 4 verse 26, 00:27:51.159 --> 00:27:51.439 he says, 00:27:51.839 --> 00:27:54.079 Be angry and do not sin. 00:27:54.139 --> 00:27:55.539 You know, those are two commands. 00:27:55.899 --> 00:27:56.480 Be angry. 00:27:56.619 --> 00:27:58.279 That is an imperative, church. 00:27:59.039 --> 00:28:00.159 That is a command. 00:28:00.339 --> 00:28:00.559 It says, 00:28:01.119 --> 00:28:02.099 Be angry. 00:28:03.359 --> 00:28:05.819 There is a place for righteous anger 00:28:05.819 --> 00:28:07.579 as a response to sin, 00:28:07.579 --> 00:28:10.919 but it comes hand in hand with a second command 00:28:10.919 --> 00:28:12.500 and this one is much harder. 00:28:13.559 --> 00:28:14.019 He says, 00:28:14.319 --> 00:28:15.019 In your anger, 00:28:15.519 --> 00:28:17.319 do not sin. 00:28:18.339 --> 00:28:21.339 In your anger towards sin in your own life, 00:28:21.500 --> 00:28:23.419 sin in your family's life, 00:28:23.539 --> 00:28:24.379 sin in your community, 00:28:24.599 --> 00:28:25.720 sin in your country, 00:28:25.919 --> 00:28:26.659 sin in your world, 00:28:26.939 --> 00:28:28.579 be angry when you see it 00:28:28.579 --> 00:28:31.299 and do not sin. 00:28:33.039 --> 00:28:34.339 Look at what these brothers do. 00:28:34.419 --> 00:28:35.019 Verse 13. 00:28:35.019 --> 00:28:36.019 It says, 00:28:36.019 --> 00:28:36.619 It says, 00:28:36.720 --> 00:28:39.700 The sons of Jacob answer Shechem deceitfully. 00:28:39.859 --> 00:28:42.299 The apple apparently doesn't fall too far from the tree, 00:28:42.359 --> 00:28:42.700 does it? 00:28:43.759 --> 00:28:44.680 And they say to Shechem, 00:28:44.819 --> 00:28:45.740 Sure, we'll agree to this, 00:28:45.799 --> 00:28:47.059 but on one condition, 00:28:47.480 --> 00:28:50.759 every male among you must be circumcised. 00:28:50.920 --> 00:28:52.920 And if you will be circumcised, 00:28:52.980 --> 00:28:53.359 they say, 00:28:53.440 --> 00:28:54.119 then yes, 00:28:54.200 --> 00:28:54.759 we'll agree, 00:28:54.879 --> 00:28:56.000 we'll be one people, 00:28:56.099 --> 00:28:57.720 everything that we have will be yours, 00:28:57.839 --> 00:28:58.859 all will be well. 00:28:59.160 --> 00:29:00.180 So what does Shechem do? 00:29:00.400 --> 00:29:01.920 He goes and he does it right away. 00:29:02.019 --> 00:29:03.900 He wants Dinah so badly. 00:29:03.900 --> 00:29:07.240 And then they go and they convince all the men of the gate of the city 00:29:07.240 --> 00:29:08.360 to go and do the same. 00:29:08.860 --> 00:29:09.940 And verse 24 says, 00:29:10.259 --> 00:29:12.519 Every male among them was circumcised. 00:29:12.759 --> 00:29:14.580 All who went out to the gate of the city. 00:29:15.420 --> 00:29:16.280 Now in their mind, 00:29:16.360 --> 00:29:16.740 they think, 00:29:17.000 --> 00:29:19.280 We have just become one people 00:29:19.280 --> 00:29:21.040 with Jacob and his clan. 00:29:22.600 --> 00:29:23.700 But verse 25. 00:29:24.960 --> 00:29:25.759 On the third day, 00:29:25.840 --> 00:29:28.120 when everyone was sore from the procedure, 00:29:28.119 --> 00:29:30.699 two of Jacob's sons, 00:29:30.859 --> 00:29:31.959 Simeon and Levi, 00:29:32.259 --> 00:29:32.959 Dinah's brothers, 00:29:33.839 --> 00:29:34.759 took their swords 00:29:34.759 --> 00:29:36.079 and came against the city 00:29:36.079 --> 00:29:37.099 while it felt secure 00:29:37.099 --> 00:29:39.659 and they killed all the males. 00:29:40.319 --> 00:29:41.679 They killed Hamor. 00:29:42.039 --> 00:29:43.199 They killed Shechem. 00:29:43.599 --> 00:29:45.739 They rescued their sister Dinah. 00:29:45.899 --> 00:29:46.919 They didn't stop there. 00:29:47.000 --> 00:29:47.479 They went on 00:29:47.479 --> 00:29:49.279 and they plundered the whole city. 00:29:49.459 --> 00:29:50.019 And it makes us, 00:29:50.299 --> 00:29:52.539 it repeats over and over and over again 00:29:52.539 --> 00:29:54.519 because they had defiled their sister. 00:29:54.959 --> 00:29:57.000 Because they had defiled their sister. 00:29:57.000 --> 00:29:58.660 They took their flocks. 00:29:58.779 --> 00:30:00.160 They took their herds. 00:30:00.220 --> 00:30:01.160 They took their donkeys. 00:30:01.299 --> 00:30:03.359 They take whatever was left in the city. 00:30:03.500 --> 00:30:05.200 They take whatever's left in the field. 00:30:05.480 --> 00:30:06.759 They took all their wealth. 00:30:07.019 --> 00:30:07.579 On top of that, 00:30:07.619 --> 00:30:08.900 they took all their wives. 00:30:09.140 --> 00:30:10.420 They took all their children. 00:30:10.859 --> 00:30:12.579 They took everything in their houses. 00:30:12.880 --> 00:30:13.759 They captured it 00:30:13.759 --> 00:30:15.200 and plundered the whole city. 00:30:15.299 --> 00:30:17.619 They cleaned this place out. 00:30:19.500 --> 00:30:22.420 This is a response of vengeance. 00:30:24.420 --> 00:30:25.799 They want to make sure 00:30:25.799 --> 00:30:27.339 that these wicked men 00:30:27.339 --> 00:30:29.200 will never touch their sister 00:30:29.200 --> 00:30:31.799 or anyone else ever again. 00:30:31.940 --> 00:30:32.700 Now ask yourself, 00:30:32.819 --> 00:30:34.440 is this the right response? 00:30:36.579 --> 00:30:38.240 How would you respond? 00:30:40.559 --> 00:30:42.339 Would you respond like Jacob 00:30:42.339 --> 00:30:44.460 and keep your peace 00:30:44.460 --> 00:30:46.180 and stay silent 00:30:46.180 --> 00:30:47.839 and play it safe? 00:30:47.899 --> 00:30:50.079 Or would you respond like Jacob's sons, 00:30:50.159 --> 00:30:50.720 like the brothers, 00:30:50.899 --> 00:30:52.220 and be angry enough 00:30:52.220 --> 00:30:53.640 to go and kill 00:30:53.640 --> 00:30:54.920 and wipe out a whole city? 00:30:55.079 --> 00:30:56.819 How would you respond? 00:30:59.380 --> 00:31:00.819 I think that this passage 00:31:00.819 --> 00:31:03.440 is meant to leave us 00:31:03.440 --> 00:31:04.380 with that question. 00:31:06.579 --> 00:31:07.799 The passage doesn't really answer 00:31:07.799 --> 00:31:09.059 that question for us, 00:31:09.100 --> 00:31:09.380 does it? 00:31:09.380 --> 00:31:09.700 In fact, 00:31:09.759 --> 00:31:11.180 it leaves us 00:31:11.180 --> 00:31:12.460 with a question. 00:31:13.860 --> 00:31:15.000 Passive Jacob here, 00:31:15.100 --> 00:31:15.759 he's more worried 00:31:15.759 --> 00:31:16.600 about what the impact 00:31:16.600 --> 00:31:17.660 will be for him 00:31:17.660 --> 00:31:18.259 of all of this. 00:31:18.319 --> 00:31:18.579 He says, 00:31:18.620 --> 00:31:19.519 it's going to make life 00:31:19.519 --> 00:31:20.700 dangerous for us here. 00:31:20.779 --> 00:31:21.779 Why would you do that? 00:31:22.160 --> 00:31:23.639 But then the final words 00:31:23.639 --> 00:31:24.319 of the story, 00:31:24.440 --> 00:31:25.980 they raise this question 00:31:25.980 --> 00:31:27.859 that we have to wrestle with. 00:31:28.500 --> 00:31:29.500 And the sons respond 00:31:29.500 --> 00:31:29.859 and say, 00:31:29.940 --> 00:31:31.299 but should they treat our sister 00:31:31.299 --> 00:31:32.200 like a prostitute? 00:31:36.480 --> 00:31:37.579 I think that Moses, 00:31:37.980 --> 00:31:39.920 in writing this story 00:31:39.920 --> 00:31:40.619 this way, 00:31:40.720 --> 00:31:42.740 he wants to leave Israel 00:31:42.740 --> 00:31:44.620 and leave us 00:31:44.620 --> 00:31:45.519 with this question. 00:31:45.880 --> 00:31:47.599 How should God's people 00:31:47.599 --> 00:31:48.420 respond 00:31:48.420 --> 00:31:50.180 to this sort of wickedness? 00:31:50.299 --> 00:31:51.380 Should we stay silent? 00:31:53.079 --> 00:31:54.259 Should we be indifferent? 00:31:56.220 --> 00:31:57.240 Should we be angry? 00:31:59.000 --> 00:32:00.000 Should we take vengeance 00:32:00.000 --> 00:32:01.059 into our own hands? 00:32:03.019 --> 00:32:04.220 And the only clear answer 00:32:04.220 --> 00:32:04.900 I can give you 00:32:04.900 --> 00:32:05.740 this morning, church, 00:32:05.799 --> 00:32:06.599 is that there is not 00:32:06.599 --> 00:32:07.779 always a clear answer. 00:32:10.140 --> 00:32:10.539 Here, 00:32:10.539 --> 00:32:12.200 outside the garden, 00:32:12.379 --> 00:32:12.700 Christian, 00:32:13.799 --> 00:32:15.220 the honest truth is 00:32:15.220 --> 00:32:17.859 we will face injustice. 00:32:19.539 --> 00:32:22.000 We will be victimized. 00:32:23.059 --> 00:32:25.180 We will be wronged. 00:32:25.220 --> 00:32:27.119 We will be defrauded. 00:32:27.359 --> 00:32:29.420 We will be sinned against. 00:32:30.980 --> 00:32:32.460 And we have to think wisely 00:32:32.460 --> 00:32:34.559 about how we ought to respond 00:32:34.559 --> 00:32:36.180 in a way that honors the Lord 00:32:36.180 --> 00:32:39.500 in each and every individual offense. 00:32:39.500 --> 00:32:40.720 We know that indifference 00:32:40.720 --> 00:32:41.420 isn't right. 00:32:42.200 --> 00:32:43.440 We should see sin 00:32:43.440 --> 00:32:44.220 for what it is 00:32:44.220 --> 00:32:45.839 and know that it's an offense 00:32:45.839 --> 00:32:46.680 against the Lord. 00:32:46.819 --> 00:32:48.980 But we have to wisely decide 00:32:48.980 --> 00:32:50.680 when is silence okay 00:32:50.680 --> 00:32:53.099 and when is it proper to speak. 00:32:54.319 --> 00:32:55.259 There are times 00:32:55.259 --> 00:32:57.140 when it is right to speak up 00:32:57.140 --> 00:32:58.079 and there are also times 00:32:58.079 --> 00:32:58.960 when like Christ 00:32:58.960 --> 00:33:00.640 we must keep our mouths shut 00:33:00.640 --> 00:33:02.240 even in the face of injustice. 00:33:03.200 --> 00:33:04.339 There are times 00:33:04.339 --> 00:33:05.140 when it's proper 00:33:05.140 --> 00:33:06.079 to be angry 00:33:06.079 --> 00:33:07.200 and indignant 00:33:07.200 --> 00:33:07.980 towards the sin 00:33:07.980 --> 00:33:08.740 all around us 00:33:08.740 --> 00:33:09.960 and at the same time 00:33:09.960 --> 00:33:11.019 we have to recognize 00:33:11.019 --> 00:33:12.240 the danger of the sin 00:33:12.240 --> 00:33:13.160 of our own hearts 00:33:13.160 --> 00:33:14.319 in an angry response. 00:33:15.559 --> 00:33:17.019 Yes, we want to see 00:33:17.019 --> 00:33:18.059 justice come 00:33:18.059 --> 00:33:19.279 but few of us 00:33:19.279 --> 00:33:19.819 are in position 00:33:19.819 --> 00:33:21.420 to make justice happen 00:33:21.420 --> 00:33:22.360 with our own efforts 00:33:22.360 --> 00:33:23.460 and Paul tells us 00:33:23.460 --> 00:33:23.940 in Romans 00:33:23.940 --> 00:33:25.400 vengeance is the Lord's. 00:33:25.460 --> 00:33:27.140 He will repay. 00:33:29.140 --> 00:33:30.120 All this to say 00:33:30.120 --> 00:33:30.519 Christian, 00:33:30.680 --> 00:33:30.920 walking 00:33:30.920 --> 00:33:32.920 in a world of sin 00:33:32.920 --> 00:33:34.560 here in between 00:33:34.560 --> 00:33:36.220 the garden paradise 00:33:36.220 --> 00:33:39.019 takes great wisdom 00:33:39.019 --> 00:33:40.360 and is not black and white. 00:33:41.460 --> 00:33:42.720 We need the wisdom 00:33:42.720 --> 00:33:43.240 of the Lord 00:33:43.240 --> 00:33:44.560 to guide us 00:33:44.560 --> 00:33:45.300 in our response 00:33:45.300 --> 00:33:45.779 to evil. 00:33:45.940 --> 00:33:46.539 We need Him 00:33:46.539 --> 00:33:47.800 to teach us 00:33:47.800 --> 00:33:48.800 when to speak 00:33:48.800 --> 00:33:50.720 and when to remain silent 00:33:50.720 --> 00:33:51.880 when to stand up 00:33:51.880 --> 00:33:52.560 and act 00:33:52.560 --> 00:33:53.680 and when to endure 00:33:53.680 --> 00:33:54.440 suffering 00:33:54.440 --> 00:33:56.039 with patience. 00:33:56.180 --> 00:33:56.840 But there is 00:33:56.839 --> 00:33:58.859 one guiding truth 00:33:58.859 --> 00:34:01.319 that ought to assure us 00:34:01.319 --> 00:34:03.159 in our response 00:34:03.159 --> 00:34:03.619 to sin. 00:34:05.500 --> 00:34:06.439 We know that 00:34:06.439 --> 00:34:07.299 our God 00:34:07.299 --> 00:34:08.179 sees, 00:34:09.299 --> 00:34:10.139 our God 00:34:10.139 --> 00:34:11.000 cares, 00:34:12.000 --> 00:34:12.840 and our God 00:34:12.840 --> 00:34:14.099 will address 00:34:14.099 --> 00:34:15.539 every single 00:34:15.539 --> 00:34:16.159 sin. 00:34:17.719 --> 00:34:18.639 And what a comfort 00:34:18.639 --> 00:34:19.299 it is to know 00:34:19.299 --> 00:34:19.940 when we are 00:34:19.940 --> 00:34:22.059 wronged 00:34:22.059 --> 00:34:22.699 and when we seem 00:34:22.699 --> 00:34:23.159 powerless 00:34:23.159 --> 00:34:24.179 to make things right, 00:34:24.299 --> 00:34:24.659 when we're 00:34:24.659 --> 00:34:26.019 tempted 00:34:26.019 --> 00:34:26.940 to take matters 00:34:26.940 --> 00:34:27.940 into our own hands, 00:34:28.019 --> 00:34:28.500 what a comfort 00:34:28.500 --> 00:34:29.219 it is to know 00:34:29.219 --> 00:34:30.899 that our God 00:34:30.899 --> 00:34:32.559 will make it 00:34:32.559 --> 00:34:33.319 right. 00:34:34.920 --> 00:34:35.799 Our God 00:34:35.799 --> 00:34:36.659 will not 00:34:36.659 --> 00:34:37.500 let sin 00:34:37.500 --> 00:34:38.059 slide. 00:34:38.159 --> 00:34:38.779 How do we know? 00:34:39.079 --> 00:34:39.920 He has sent 00:34:39.920 --> 00:34:40.779 Christ 00:34:40.779 --> 00:34:41.759 to deal 00:34:41.759 --> 00:34:42.719 with the problem 00:34:42.719 --> 00:34:43.559 of sin. 00:34:45.940 --> 00:34:46.460 Church, 00:34:46.980 --> 00:34:47.539 this morning 00:34:47.539 --> 00:34:48.739 is Palm Sunday 00:34:48.739 --> 00:34:50.399 and here 00:34:50.399 --> 00:34:51.239 on Palm Sunday 00:34:51.239 --> 00:34:51.920 we think about 00:34:51.920 --> 00:34:52.699 Jesus coming 00:34:52.699 --> 00:34:53.519 into the city 00:34:53.519 --> 00:34:54.559 of Jerusalem 00:34:54.559 --> 00:34:55.340 marching 00:34:55.340 --> 00:34:55.960 his way 00:34:55.960 --> 00:34:56.739 to the cross. 00:34:57.059 --> 00:34:57.639 Why did 00:34:57.639 --> 00:34:58.539 Jesus come? 00:35:00.299 --> 00:35:00.840 Why did 00:35:00.840 --> 00:35:01.239 Jesus 00:35:01.239 --> 00:35:02.380 willingly go 00:35:02.380 --> 00:35:03.039 into Jerusalem 00:35:03.039 --> 00:35:03.559 to die? 00:35:03.920 --> 00:35:04.940 Jesus came 00:35:04.940 --> 00:35:06.119 to deal 00:35:06.119 --> 00:35:06.679 with and 00:35:06.679 --> 00:35:07.239 address 00:35:07.239 --> 00:35:08.099 this whole 00:35:08.099 --> 00:35:08.699 problem 00:35:08.699 --> 00:35:09.500 of sin. 00:35:11.119 --> 00:35:12.079 Jesus came 00:35:12.079 --> 00:35:13.099 to suffer 00:35:13.099 --> 00:35:13.699 and to die 00:35:13.699 --> 00:35:14.199 for sinners 00:35:14.199 --> 00:35:14.840 like us. 00:35:14.940 --> 00:35:15.579 He came 00:35:15.579 --> 00:35:16.139 to bear 00:35:16.139 --> 00:35:16.940 our sin 00:35:16.940 --> 00:35:17.820 and to bear 00:35:17.820 --> 00:35:18.659 our shame. 00:35:18.759 --> 00:35:19.480 From the moment 00:35:19.480 --> 00:35:20.159 that Jesus 00:35:20.159 --> 00:35:20.980 was conceived 00:35:20.980 --> 00:35:21.599 in the womb 00:35:21.599 --> 00:35:22.139 to the moment 00:35:22.139 --> 00:35:22.739 he breathes 00:35:22.739 --> 00:35:23.599 his last breath 00:35:23.599 --> 00:35:24.199 at the cross. 00:35:24.519 --> 00:35:25.400 All of this 00:35:25.400 --> 00:35:26.039 is what we call 00:35:26.039 --> 00:35:27.059 the humiliation 00:35:27.059 --> 00:35:28.019 of Christ. 00:35:28.019 --> 00:35:29.019 If you have 00:35:29.019 --> 00:35:29.779 ever been 00:35:29.779 --> 00:35:31.019 wronged, 00:35:31.019 --> 00:35:32.099 if you have 00:35:32.099 --> 00:35:32.579 ever been 00:35:32.579 --> 00:35:33.159 sinned 00:35:33.159 --> 00:35:33.839 against, 00:35:34.639 --> 00:35:35.319 if you have 00:35:35.319 --> 00:35:35.639 ever been 00:35:35.639 --> 00:35:36.500 harmed by 00:35:36.500 --> 00:35:37.279 somebody else's 00:35:37.279 --> 00:35:38.139 sinful decision, 00:35:38.239 --> 00:35:38.659 if you have 00:35:38.659 --> 00:35:39.299 ever been 00:35:39.299 --> 00:35:40.539 humiliated, 00:35:40.699 --> 00:35:41.380 what a comfort 00:35:41.380 --> 00:35:42.079 it is to look 00:35:42.079 --> 00:35:42.639 at the cross 00:35:42.639 --> 00:35:43.059 and know 00:35:43.059 --> 00:35:44.159 Christ has 00:35:44.159 --> 00:35:44.739 been there 00:35:44.739 --> 00:35:45.440 for us. 00:35:46.779 --> 00:35:47.199 Jesus 00:35:47.199 --> 00:35:48.579 was humiliated 00:35:48.579 --> 00:35:49.440 for us. 00:35:50.739 --> 00:35:51.079 Jesus 00:35:51.079 --> 00:35:51.659 came to 00:35:51.659 --> 00:35:52.319 pay the 00:35:52.319 --> 00:35:52.559 debt 00:35:52.559 --> 00:35:53.059 that we 00:35:53.059 --> 00:35:53.400 owe 00:35:53.400 --> 00:35:53.860 for our 00:35:53.860 --> 00:35:54.159 sin. 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.579 He paid 00:35:54.579 --> 00:35:54.940 this debt 00:35:54.940 --> 00:35:55.219 with his 00:35:55.219 --> 00:35:55.420 own 00:35:55.420 --> 00:35:55.860 perfect 00:35:55.860 --> 00:35:56.360 life. 00:35:57.319 --> 00:35:57.599 And Jesus 00:35:57.599 --> 00:35:58.059 came to 00:35:58.059 --> 00:35:58.759 crush the 00:35:58.759 --> 00:35:59.360 powers of 00:35:59.360 --> 00:35:59.759 sin and 00:35:59.759 --> 00:36:00.139 darkness. 00:36:00.299 --> 00:36:01.099 He suffered 00:36:01.099 --> 00:36:01.719 and died 00:36:01.719 --> 00:36:02.000 and was 00:36:02.000 --> 00:36:02.639 humiliated 00:36:02.639 --> 00:36:03.159 for sinners 00:36:03.159 --> 00:36:04.559 like us. 00:36:04.699 --> 00:36:04.940 But we 00:36:04.940 --> 00:36:05.699 also know 00:36:05.699 --> 00:36:07.360 the good 00:36:07.360 --> 00:36:08.099 news is that 00:36:08.099 --> 00:36:08.880 his story 00:36:08.880 --> 00:36:09.719 does not 00:36:09.719 --> 00:36:10.219 end 00:36:10.219 --> 00:36:10.980 with 00:36:10.980 --> 00:36:11.719 humiliation. 00:36:12.039 --> 00:36:12.940 Our Lord 00:36:12.940 --> 00:36:13.759 has risen 00:36:13.759 --> 00:36:14.759 from the 00:36:14.759 --> 00:36:15.639 grave and 00:36:15.639 --> 00:36:16.299 he will 00:36:16.299 --> 00:36:17.199 come again 00:36:17.199 --> 00:36:17.939 to judge 00:36:17.939 --> 00:36:18.579 the living 00:36:18.579 --> 00:36:19.439 and the 00:36:19.439 --> 00:36:19.739 dead. 00:36:19.839 --> 00:36:19.980 You know, 00:36:20.039 --> 00:36:20.460 one reason 00:36:20.460 --> 00:36:20.719 why we 00:36:20.719 --> 00:36:21.059 don't take 00:36:21.059 --> 00:36:21.619 matters into 00:36:21.619 --> 00:36:22.000 our own 00:36:22.000 --> 00:36:23.599 hands is 00:36:23.599 --> 00:36:23.980 that we 00:36:23.980 --> 00:36:25.159 know King 00:36:25.159 --> 00:36:26.659 Jesus will 00:36:26.659 --> 00:36:27.379 come to 00:36:27.379 --> 00:36:27.879 judge the 00:36:27.879 --> 00:36:28.259 world. 00:36:30.379 --> 00:36:31.379 So Christian, 00:36:31.480 --> 00:36:32.199 how should we 00:36:32.199 --> 00:36:32.960 respond to 00:36:32.960 --> 00:36:33.259 sin? 00:36:33.379 --> 00:36:34.119 One clear 00:36:34.119 --> 00:36:34.759 answer I can 00:36:34.759 --> 00:36:35.279 give you. 00:36:36.319 --> 00:36:37.119 We must 00:36:37.119 --> 00:36:38.599 look to 00:36:38.599 --> 00:36:38.939 Jesus. 00:36:40.519 --> 00:36:41.579 We must 00:36:41.579 --> 00:36:42.779 set our 00:36:42.779 --> 00:36:44.279 hope on 00:36:44.279 --> 00:36:44.619 Jesus. 00:36:45.779 --> 00:36:46.859 We bring 00:36:46.860 --> 00:36:47.360 our own 00:36:47.360 --> 00:36:48.519 sin to 00:36:48.519 --> 00:36:48.900 Jesus. 00:36:49.240 --> 00:36:50.280 We come 00:36:50.280 --> 00:36:50.780 to him 00:36:50.780 --> 00:36:51.280 when others 00:36:51.280 --> 00:36:52.400 sin against 00:36:52.400 --> 00:36:52.780 us. 00:36:52.880 --> 00:36:53.559 We call 00:36:53.559 --> 00:36:54.260 others to 00:36:54.260 --> 00:36:54.660 come to 00:36:54.660 --> 00:36:55.079 him that 00:36:55.079 --> 00:36:55.640 they too 00:36:55.640 --> 00:36:56.039 may be 00:36:56.039 --> 00:36:56.599 forgiven of 00:36:56.599 --> 00:36:57.200 their sin. 00:36:57.320 --> 00:36:58.019 We come 00:36:58.019 --> 00:36:58.680 to him 00:36:58.680 --> 00:36:59.099 who was 00:36:59.099 --> 00:36:59.820 made sin 00:36:59.820 --> 00:37:00.420 for us 00:37:00.420 --> 00:37:01.280 so that 00:37:01.280 --> 00:37:01.800 in him 00:37:01.800 --> 00:37:02.340 we might 00:37:02.340 --> 00:37:03.059 become the 00:37:03.059 --> 00:37:03.519 righteousness 00:37:03.519 --> 00:37:04.320 of God. 00:37:04.720 --> 00:37:05.180 We come 00:37:05.180 --> 00:37:05.720 to him 00:37:05.720 --> 00:37:07.059 again and 00:37:07.059 --> 00:37:08.220 again and 00:37:08.220 --> 00:37:09.340 again and 00:37:09.340 --> 00:37:10.380 again until 00:37:10.380 --> 00:37:11.019 the day when 00:37:11.019 --> 00:37:12.039 he comes to 00:37:12.039 --> 00:37:13.880 us and 00:37:13.880 --> 00:37:14.519 sin will be 00:37:14.519 --> 00:37:15.039 no more. 00:37:16.860 --> 00:37:17.360 Father we 00:37:17.360 --> 00:37:19.920 praise you 00:37:19.920 --> 00:37:20.660 for even 00:37:20.660 --> 00:37:21.280 difficult 00:37:21.280 --> 00:37:22.519 texts like 00:37:22.519 --> 00:37:23.160 this that 00:37:23.160 --> 00:37:23.680 show us 00:37:23.680 --> 00:37:24.380 the ugliness 00:37:24.380 --> 00:37:25.120 of sin and 00:37:25.120 --> 00:37:25.660 we praise 00:37:25.660 --> 00:37:26.160 you that 00:37:26.160 --> 00:37:27.460 Christ Jesus 00:37:27.460 --> 00:37:28.160 has come 00:37:28.160 --> 00:37:29.720 to rid 00:37:29.720 --> 00:37:30.599 us and 00:37:30.599 --> 00:37:31.039 rid this 00:37:31.039 --> 00:37:31.700 world of 00:37:31.700 --> 00:37:32.599 this sort 00:37:32.599 --> 00:37:32.940 of evil. 00:37:33.740 --> 00:37:34.440 We thank 00:37:34.440 --> 00:37:34.660 you that 00:37:34.660 --> 00:37:35.120 Christ has 00:37:35.120 --> 00:37:36.480 conquered over 00:37:36.480 --> 00:37:37.120 sin and 00:37:37.120 --> 00:37:37.500 death and 00:37:37.500 --> 00:37:38.440 the devil at 00:37:38.440 --> 00:37:39.079 the cross and 00:37:39.079 --> 00:37:39.480 the empty 00:37:39.480 --> 00:37:39.860 tomb. 00:37:40.860 --> 00:37:41.200 And we 00:37:41.200 --> 00:37:42.200 pray Lord 00:37:42.200 --> 00:37:43.400 come quickly 00:37:43.400 --> 00:37:44.320 Lord Jesus 00:37:44.320 --> 00:37:44.900 and put an 00:37:44.900 --> 00:37:45.660 end to this 00:37:45.659 --> 00:37:45.960 sword of 00:37:45.960 --> 00:37:46.519 wickedness. 00:37:47.420 --> 00:37:47.679 We pray 00:37:47.679 --> 00:37:47.940 this in 00:37:47.940 --> 00:37:48.440 Jesus name. 00:37:49.259 --> 00:37:49.480 Amen. 00:37:49.480 --> 00:37:49.599 Amen.