WEBVTT

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 This morning's lesson on Lament and Hope, the Bible, and Sexual Assault

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 was not recorded due to a technical error,

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 so I am re-recording the lesson, which is summarized in the handout

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 that's also available on the website.

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 We had a testimony as well, but the testimony will not be recorded on the website.

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 It was only for the actual class.

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 But we have come to the last of our difficult topics concerning gender and sexuality.

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 We've considered homosexuality, we've considered transgender identity,

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 we've considered pornography, and today we will consider the topic of sexual assault.

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 These are different topics and yet all relate in some way to God's design for our bodies

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 and gender and sexuality and the ways that we experience the fallenness and brokenness of this world

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 and there are issues that Scripture speaks to, that Scripture has something to say about,

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 and that the redemptive story that is centered in Christ can help us to unravel and understand

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 and seek healing and grace from God.

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 This lesson includes material that may be disturbing.

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 It should be disturbing.

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 This is a difficult topic about something that is grievous and harmful.

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 But let us pray as we jump in, Lord, we pray that this session would be useful for all who hear.

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 We pray that you would equip us for every good work.

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 We pray that you would bind up those who are brokenhearted,

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 and we pray that you would give us your wisdom and clarity.

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 In Jesus' name, amen.

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 Amen.

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 So I want to start briefly with some current definitions and statistics.

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 Definitions of terms.

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 There are three terms that are used in different ways.

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 The first term, sexual assault, is the most general term.

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 It refers to various kinds of unwanted or non-consensual sexual behavior or contact.

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 Sexual abuse is the second term.

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 That usually refers to the sexual assault of a child, of a minor, or a person under 18.

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 The third term is rape, which is a more specific term.

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 Now, there is some debate about how broadly or narrowly to define sexual assault, the most general term.

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 There are legal questions.

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 The term is defined differently in different U.S. states.

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 And there's a variety of legal concerns surrounding that.

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 Different researchers define the term in different ways,

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 which is why there are a variety of different statistics out there.

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 Some larger and some smaller numbers.

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 Some of that depends on definitions.

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 And also, most sexual assaults are not reported to authorities or, at the very least, are reported many years later.

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 Particularly in the case of childhood, sexual abuse is often not uncovered at the time.

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 So, there's a variety of statistics out there for that reason.

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 Now, regardless of how terms are officially defined,

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 I think we should remember that many people have been wronged and harmed,

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 even if their experience doesn't fit a particular researcher's definition

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 or doesn't meet a criminal standard within their legal jurisdiction.

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 Now, how prevalent is sexual assault?

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 A commonly cited statistic is that one in four women and one in six men have been or will be sexually assaulted within their lifetime.

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 And that statistic seems well-founded.

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 If anything, the number, particularly for women, may be too low rather than too high.

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 So, according to a survey in 2010 by the federal government, the Centers of Disease Control,

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 18% of women, that's about 22 million women in the United States, had been raped.

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 So, 12% of women reported that they had experienced completed rape.

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 Another 5% of women reported that they had experienced attempted rape.

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 And others reported rape while being under the influence of alcohol or drugs and unable to consent.

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 So, that's a high number of women who reported that they had been raped.

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 There were also, as for men, there were five different studies in the 1990s and early 2000s,

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 which all concluded that between 14% and 18% of boys had been sexually abused before they turned 18.

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 So, this is a widespread phenomenon and a problem.

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 Now, there have been some controversies regarding accusations,

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 the question of how common are false accusations of rape or sexual assault.

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 I've included a detailed footnote in the handout.

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 I'm not going to go through that in detail right now.

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 There's a relatively small number of reports of sexual assault that are demonstrated to be untrue,

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 that are just completely fabricated.

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 There is a more significant number of situations where something happened

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 and the victim clearly has suffered some harm,

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 but it may not be clear to the rest of us exactly what happened.

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 Who did what when?

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 And there may not be enough evidence to convict the defendant of a crime.

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 So, just...

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 There's more that could be said about that question,

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 but I don't want to get caught in that debate right now,

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 but just want to acknowledge that.

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 And you can read the more detailed footnote on the handout

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 if you want more information on that.

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 Now, there is some good news.

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 From 1994 to 2010,

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 the prevalence of sexual assault and rape in the U.S. decreased by more than half.

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 So, it can...

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 This can be addressed.

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 It is not something that must be exactly the way it is now.

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 The rate has remained fairly steady since 2010.

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 Now, many people think of victims being raped by strangers at gunpoint.

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 That's actually very rare.

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 80% of victims were sexually assaulted by someone they previously knew.

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 In many cases, a relative,

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 occasionally a spouse or a friend,

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 a dating partner,

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 a pastor, a religious leader,

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 a coach, teacher, boss, therapist, doctor.

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 Most victims were sexually assaulted by someone in one of those categories,

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 rather than by a stranger.

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 Among child sexual abuse victims,

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 over 90% knew the person who abused them.

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 Perpetrators are rarely armed.

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 Only 7% possessed a weapon during the assault.

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 The vast majority of perpetrators are male,

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 over 95%.

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 The vast majority of victims,

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 about 90% are female.

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 However, male victims of sexual assault should not be overlooked.

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 They are much less likely to disclose information regarding their experiences.

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 And on trauma symptom inventory tests,

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 they reported higher levels of distress.

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 Now, what are some of the effects of sexual assault?

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 Well, victims of sexual assault in general,

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 and rape in particular,

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 were found to suffer disproportionately from depression,

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 suicidal thoughts,

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 post-traumatic stress disorder,

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 and alcohol and drug abuse.

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 Common emotional responses to sexual assault include denial,

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 shame, guilt,

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 anger,

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 distorted self-image,

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 and despair.

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 So,

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 this is a widespread problem with deep wounds that result.

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 Sexual abuse of children,

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 once again,

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 public statistics vary.

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 According to one researcher,

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 one in five girls and one in 20 boys is a victim of child sexual abuse.

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 I, you know,

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 I've listed the best statistics I could come up with,

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 but I can't quite reconcile them all,

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 especially the male-female ratios don't quite line up.

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 But,

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 this,

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 it's a,

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 it's a significant problem.

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 In,

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 in society as a whole,

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 over the last two decades,

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 the problem of sexual abuse within religious communities has received increased attention.

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 This past week,

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 Rabbi Daniel Greer,

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 a prominent Orthodox Jewish rabbi in New Haven,

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 was sentenced to 20 years in jail

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 for repeatedly sexually abusing a teenage boy

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 who was enrolled in his Orthodox Jewish Yeshiva boarding school

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 for high school age students in the early 2000s.

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 Last January,

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 the Hartford Archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church

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 released a report listing a total of 48 priests

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 and official leaders who had been credibly accused

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 of sexually abusing minors in the diocese since its founding in 1953.

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 Um,

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 uh,

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 but this is also a problem in Protestant,

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 uh,

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 churches.

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 This past February,

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 the Houston Chronicle reported that since 1998,

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 roughly 380 Southern Baptist church leaders and volunteers

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 have faced allegations of sexual misconduct involving over 700 victims.

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 About 220 offenders have been convicted

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 or took plea deals and dozens of cases are pending.

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 So this past June,

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 uh,

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 the Southern Baptist Convention devoted much of its annual meeting

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 to the topic of preventing sexual abuse

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 and caring well for survivors of abuse in the church.

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 There's an extensive report.

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 There's a website,

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 uh,

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 that's,

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 uh,

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 caringwell.com

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 that also includes a curriculum for local churches,

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 um,

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 and various initiatives towards preventing further sexual abuse

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 and caring well for abuse survivors in the church.

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 Now,

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 as for our church,

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 uh,

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 we have had Trinity Baptist church has had a sexual abuse policy

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 and procedures in place for several years

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 within our children's and youth ministries in particular.

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 Uh,

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 but policies and procedures in themselves are not sufficient.

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 And some of the big picture gospel principles

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 that we believe are important

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 is,

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 uh,

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 that the gospel calls us to cultivate a church culture

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 that's more concerned with reality

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 than with appearances.

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 Sometimes when abuse has been covered up in the church,

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 it's because we are more concerned with appearances than with reality.

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 And we think that the gospel calls us to the reverse.

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 Uh,

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 uh,

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 Jesus is brutally honest about our sin

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 and the suffering it causes.

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 And at the same time,

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 Jesus is amazingly gracious

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 towards both sinners

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 and

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 sufferers.

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 And so we want to follow Christ's example

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 and walk with Christ.

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 We want to be honest

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 and deal seriously with sin,

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 not deny or minimize or excuse

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 or pretend it's not there,

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 but to confront sin

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 when we find it in ourselves

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 and in each other

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 and to acknowledge that none of us

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 are categorically immune

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 to the deceitfulness of sin.

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 We cannot simply say,

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 that's a horrible thing.

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 I would never do something like that

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 because sin is deceitful.

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 And if you ask someone

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 who has,

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 who has,

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 has perpetrated sexual abuse,

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 if you ask them

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 10 years ago

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 or 20 years ago

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 or when they were 10 years old,

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 would you ever do that?

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 Many of them would have said,

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 no,

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 that's horrible.

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 I would never do that.

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 So we want to face sin honestly,

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 uh,

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 and,

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 and recognize its deceitfulness.

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 But we also want to walk

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 with each other in suffering.

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 Um,

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 we want to,

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 we acknowledge that sin

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 continues to have effects,

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 uh,

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 various effects

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 throughout the world.

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 And so we don't hold out

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 the false hope

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 of an easy,

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 comfortable,

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 and superficially happy life

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 in Christ,

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 but we want to lament.

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 The Bible calls us

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 to lament

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 the persistent

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 and deep

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 and widespread effects

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 of sin

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 in us

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 and in our world.

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 But even more than all this,

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 even more than taking sin

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 and suffering

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 seriously,

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 we want to be a people

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 who take Jesus

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 even more seriously,

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 who look to Jesus

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 and find his grace

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 is greater than all

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 of our sin.

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 And his grace

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 is greater than all

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 the ways that we have

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 been sinned against.

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 The grace of Christ

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 gives us hope

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 even in the darkest valleys

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 for he has gone before us

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 and his spirit

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 walks with us.

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 The grace of Christ

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 empowers us

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 to genuinely change

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 because his death

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 has freed us

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 not only from the penalty,

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 but also from the power

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 of sin.

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 And we see those

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 as some of the big picture

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 gospel foundations

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 for a healthy church culture

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 that will help us

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 going forward.

00:13:09.980 --> 00:13:10.540
 Now,

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 let me step back

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 for a minute

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 and just ask the question,

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 why does our secularized culture

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 care so much

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 about sexual assault?

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 And why should Christians

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 care about sexual assault?

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 I think we agree

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 that this is a significant concern,

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 but as our secularized culture

00:13:30.180 --> 00:13:30.760
 approaches it

00:13:30.760 --> 00:13:31.600
 from a slightly different

00:13:31.600 --> 00:13:32.180
 perspective

00:13:32.180 --> 00:13:33.740
 than the biblical one.

00:13:34.360 --> 00:13:35.520
 So the dominant view

00:13:35.520 --> 00:13:37.520
 of our secular culture

00:13:37.520 --> 00:13:39.340
 is that sexual assault

00:13:39.340 --> 00:13:39.900
 is evil

00:13:39.900 --> 00:13:41.080
 because it's a violation

00:13:41.080 --> 00:13:42.900
 of an individual's autonomy.

00:13:44.080 --> 00:13:44.880
 In other words,

00:13:44.940 --> 00:13:45.560
 it's a violation

00:13:45.560 --> 00:13:46.620
 of an individual's

00:13:46.620 --> 00:13:47.500
 personal freedom

00:13:47.500 --> 00:13:48.740
 to choose

00:13:48.740 --> 00:13:49.720
 whatever they want

00:13:49.720 --> 00:13:51.240
 to do with their own body

00:13:51.240 --> 00:13:53.160
 because your own body

00:13:53.160 --> 00:13:53.940
 belongs to you

00:13:53.940 --> 00:13:54.920
 and to nobody else.

00:13:58.300 --> 00:13:58.820
 Also,

00:13:59.000 --> 00:14:00.180
 our culture idolizes

00:14:00.180 --> 00:14:01.140
 sexual activity

00:14:01.140 --> 00:14:02.380
 and sexual expression

00:14:02.380 --> 00:14:04.400
 and sees it as

00:14:04.400 --> 00:14:05.200
 inherent

00:14:05.200 --> 00:14:06.760
 to human flourishing

00:14:06.760 --> 00:14:08.540
 and to

00:14:08.540 --> 00:14:10.300
 being a human being.

00:14:10.780 --> 00:14:10.920
 So,

00:14:11.080 --> 00:14:11.660
 I think our culture

00:14:11.660 --> 00:14:12.580
 is particularly sensitive

00:14:12.580 --> 00:14:13.400
 to sexual assault

00:14:13.400 --> 00:14:14.020
 because it seems

00:14:14.020 --> 00:14:14.580
 to threaten

00:14:14.580 --> 00:14:15.640
 an individual's freedom

00:14:15.640 --> 00:14:16.560
 to pursue

00:14:16.560 --> 00:14:18.000
 sexual activity

00:14:18.000 --> 00:14:19.040
 and sexual expression

00:14:19.040 --> 00:14:19.680
 unhindered.

00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:21.600
 Unfortunately,

00:14:21.760 --> 00:14:22.240
 I think there are

00:14:22.240 --> 00:14:22.920
 several weaknesses

00:14:22.919 --> 00:14:23.899
 of our culture's

00:14:23.899 --> 00:14:24.839
 dominant framework

00:14:24.839 --> 00:14:25.639
 for understanding

00:14:25.639 --> 00:14:26.259
 this issue.

00:14:28.079 --> 00:14:29.360
 So a few weaknesses

00:14:29.360 --> 00:14:30.819
 of our culture's

00:14:30.819 --> 00:14:31.439
 approach

00:14:31.439 --> 00:14:32.779
 to the issue

00:14:32.779 --> 00:14:33.599
 of sexual assault.

00:14:33.719 --> 00:14:34.360
 First of all,

00:14:35.939 --> 00:14:37.740
 in our culture's view,

00:14:38.279 --> 00:14:38.839
 everything

00:14:38.839 --> 00:14:40.259
 ultimately rests

00:14:40.259 --> 00:14:40.879
 upon

00:14:40.879 --> 00:14:42.639
 the consent

00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:43.740
 of individuals.

00:14:43.740 --> 00:14:45.620
 and so

00:14:45.620 --> 00:14:46.100
 this notion

00:14:46.100 --> 00:14:46.779
 of consent,

00:14:47.460 --> 00:14:48.560
 affirmative consent,

00:14:48.680 --> 00:14:49.159
 the notion

00:14:49.159 --> 00:14:49.539
 of consent

00:14:49.539 --> 00:14:50.000
 keeps getting

00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:50.399
 defined

00:14:50.399 --> 00:14:51.200
 and redefined,

00:14:51.680 --> 00:14:53.100
 but people

00:14:53.100 --> 00:14:53.639
 are grappling

00:14:53.639 --> 00:14:54.039
 with it

00:14:54.039 --> 00:14:54.440
 because it's

00:14:54.440 --> 00:14:54.659
 sort of

00:14:54.659 --> 00:14:55.220
 the only

00:14:55.220 --> 00:14:56.100
 absolute

00:14:56.100 --> 00:14:57.500
 we have left.

00:14:57.720 --> 00:14:58.379
 It's the only

00:14:58.379 --> 00:14:59.580
 sort of

00:14:59.580 --> 00:15:00.500
 strong moral

00:15:00.500 --> 00:15:01.000
 standard

00:15:01.000 --> 00:15:01.960
 that

00:15:01.960 --> 00:15:04.360
 everyone

00:15:04.360 --> 00:15:05.460
 is sort of

00:15:05.460 --> 00:15:06.060
 leaning on.

00:15:07.080 --> 00:15:07.680
 But here's

00:15:07.680 --> 00:15:08.080
 the problem

00:15:08.080 --> 00:15:08.720
 with individual

00:15:08.720 --> 00:15:09.120
 consent.

00:15:09.259 --> 00:15:09.960
 Do we always

00:15:09.960 --> 00:15:10.419
 know what

00:15:10.419 --> 00:15:11.180
 we really want?

00:15:11.179 --> 00:15:12.699
 Do we always

00:15:12.699 --> 00:15:13.159
 say what

00:15:13.159 --> 00:15:13.579
 we really

00:15:13.579 --> 00:15:13.959
 feel?

00:15:14.839 --> 00:15:15.399
 Even our

00:15:15.399 --> 00:15:15.879
 own hearts

00:15:15.879 --> 00:15:16.439
 can deceive

00:15:16.439 --> 00:15:17.000
 us and our

00:15:17.000 --> 00:15:17.639
 desires are

00:15:17.639 --> 00:15:18.519
 easily swayed

00:15:18.519 --> 00:15:18.879
 and often

00:15:18.879 --> 00:15:19.479
 change over

00:15:19.479 --> 00:15:19.879
 time.

00:15:21.839 --> 00:15:22.099
 And our

00:15:22.099 --> 00:15:23.419
 culture,

00:15:23.899 --> 00:15:26.120
 I think,

00:15:26.319 --> 00:15:27.039
 contributes to

00:15:27.039 --> 00:15:28.099
 this sort of

00:15:28.099 --> 00:15:28.639
 confusion.

00:15:29.339 --> 00:15:29.759
 Our culture

00:15:29.759 --> 00:15:30.439
 celebrates

00:15:30.439 --> 00:15:32.159
 unfettered

00:15:32.159 --> 00:15:33.379
 sexual expression,

00:15:34.219 --> 00:15:34.620
 unlimited

00:15:34.620 --> 00:15:35.500
 sexual expression.

00:15:35.659 --> 00:15:35.839
 It says,

00:15:35.840 --> 00:15:36.280
 sex can

00:15:36.280 --> 00:15:36.660
 mean whatever

00:15:36.660 --> 00:15:37.100
 we want

00:15:37.100 --> 00:15:37.320
 it to

00:15:37.320 --> 00:15:37.460
 mean.

00:15:37.519 --> 00:15:37.740
 It gives

00:15:37.740 --> 00:15:38.100
 us no

00:15:38.100 --> 00:15:38.399
 moral

00:15:38.399 --> 00:15:38.759
 boundaries

00:15:38.759 --> 00:15:39.560
 to guide

00:15:39.560 --> 00:15:39.879
 us and

00:15:39.879 --> 00:15:40.259
 then leaves

00:15:40.259 --> 00:15:40.500
 us to

00:15:40.500 --> 00:15:40.920
 ourselves

00:15:40.920 --> 00:15:41.460
 to decide

00:15:41.460 --> 00:15:41.740
 what we

00:15:41.740 --> 00:15:42.019
 want to

00:15:42.019 --> 00:15:42.300
 do and

00:15:42.300 --> 00:15:42.600
 says we

00:15:42.600 --> 00:15:43.040
 can change

00:15:43.040 --> 00:15:43.560
 our decision

00:15:43.560 --> 00:15:44.340
 at any

00:15:44.340 --> 00:15:45.620
 moment and

00:15:45.620 --> 00:15:45.960
 then we

00:15:45.960 --> 00:15:46.620
 struggle to

00:15:46.620 --> 00:15:47.500
 define what

00:15:47.500 --> 00:15:48.879
 consent is.

00:15:49.060 --> 00:15:49.460
 And many

00:15:49.460 --> 00:15:49.980
 people who

00:15:49.980 --> 00:15:51.019
 consented at

00:15:51.019 --> 00:15:51.460
 the time

00:15:51.460 --> 00:15:52.060
 later feel

00:15:52.060 --> 00:15:52.480
 awful.

00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:54.399
 So even

00:15:54.399 --> 00:15:54.899
 many people

00:15:54.899 --> 00:15:55.500
 outside the

00:15:55.500 --> 00:15:55.840
 church are

00:15:55.840 --> 00:15:56.360
 questioning

00:15:56.360 --> 00:15:57.600
 whether the

00:15:57.600 --> 00:15:58.180
 principle of

00:15:58.180 --> 00:15:59.019
 consent by

00:15:59.019 --> 00:15:59.820
 itself is

00:15:59.820 --> 00:16:01.000
 sufficient to

00:16:01.000 --> 00:16:01.960
 guide the

00:16:01.960 --> 00:16:02.740
 sexual relations

00:16:02.740 --> 00:16:03.160
 of human

00:16:03.160 --> 00:16:03.580
 beings.

00:16:03.580 --> 00:16:04.780
 another way

00:16:04.780 --> 00:16:06.860
 to put

00:16:06.860 --> 00:16:07.580
 this sort

00:16:07.580 --> 00:16:07.720
 of

00:16:07.720 --> 00:16:08.180
 contradiction

00:16:08.180 --> 00:16:08.660
 is that

00:16:08.660 --> 00:16:09.080
 our culture

00:16:09.080 --> 00:16:09.740
 simultaneously

00:16:09.740 --> 00:16:10.860
 expects and

00:16:10.860 --> 00:16:11.540
 pressures us

00:16:11.540 --> 00:16:11.820
 to be

00:16:11.820 --> 00:16:12.759
 sexually active.

00:16:15.160 --> 00:16:16.020
 One example

00:16:16.020 --> 00:16:16.620
 of this

00:16:16.620 --> 00:16:17.720
 sort of

00:16:17.720 --> 00:16:18.139
 cultural

00:16:18.139 --> 00:16:18.720
 pressure to

00:16:18.720 --> 00:16:19.160
 be sexually

00:16:19.160 --> 00:16:20.100
 active is

00:16:20.100 --> 00:16:21.360
 recently I

00:16:21.360 --> 00:16:21.680
 was talking

00:16:21.680 --> 00:16:21.960
 to a

00:16:21.960 --> 00:16:22.360
 20-something

00:16:22.360 --> 00:16:22.700
 year old

00:16:22.700 --> 00:16:23.360
 guy who

00:16:23.360 --> 00:16:23.840
 went to

00:16:23.840 --> 00:16:24.060
 see a

00:16:24.060 --> 00:16:25.000
 doctor and

00:16:25.000 --> 00:16:25.980
 in the

00:16:25.980 --> 00:16:26.340
 course of

00:16:26.340 --> 00:16:26.680
 the medical

00:16:26.680 --> 00:16:27.220
 checkup the

00:16:27.220 --> 00:16:27.840
 doctor asked

00:16:27.840 --> 00:16:28.160
 are you

00:16:28.160 --> 00:16:28.500
 sexually

00:16:28.500 --> 00:16:28.900
 active?

00:16:30.379 --> 00:16:31.740
 And the

00:16:31.740 --> 00:16:32.040
 guy said

00:16:32.040 --> 00:16:33.060
 no and

00:16:33.059 --> 00:16:33.379
 the doctor

00:16:33.379 --> 00:16:33.819
 said well

00:16:33.819 --> 00:16:34.319
 okay you

00:16:34.319 --> 00:16:34.699
 mean not

00:16:34.699 --> 00:16:35.139
 now.

00:16:35.739 --> 00:16:36.000
 And the

00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:36.439
 guy said

00:16:36.439 --> 00:16:37.000
 no actually

00:16:37.000 --> 00:16:38.479
 I've never

00:16:38.479 --> 00:16:39.059
 been sexually

00:16:39.059 --> 00:16:39.519
 active.

00:16:40.019 --> 00:16:40.259
 And the

00:16:40.259 --> 00:16:41.379
 doctor was

00:16:41.379 --> 00:16:42.979
 incredulous and

00:16:42.979 --> 00:16:44.759
 just needed

00:16:44.759 --> 00:16:46.000
 to be

00:16:46.000 --> 00:16:49.039
 persuaded and

00:16:49.039 --> 00:16:49.779
 sort of

00:16:49.779 --> 00:16:50.339
 couldn't

00:16:50.339 --> 00:16:51.259
 really believe

00:16:51.259 --> 00:16:54.079
 what the

00:16:54.079 --> 00:16:54.379
 guy was

00:16:54.379 --> 00:16:54.699
 saying.

00:16:57.439 --> 00:16:57.679
 You know

00:16:57.679 --> 00:16:59.919
 a 20-something

00:16:59.919 --> 00:17:00.659
 year old who

00:17:00.659 --> 00:17:01.879
 hasn't had

00:17:01.879 --> 00:17:02.220
 sex.

00:17:03.939 --> 00:17:04.480
 Our

00:17:04.480 --> 00:17:04.759
 culture

00:17:04.759 --> 00:17:05.799
 expects and

00:17:05.799 --> 00:17:06.400
 pressures us

00:17:06.400 --> 00:17:06.660
 to be

00:17:06.660 --> 00:17:06.980
 sexually

00:17:06.980 --> 00:17:07.519
 active.

00:17:08.359 --> 00:17:09.039
 And at

00:17:09.039 --> 00:17:09.420
 the same

00:17:09.420 --> 00:17:09.940
 time our

00:17:09.940 --> 00:17:10.539
 culture tells

00:17:10.539 --> 00:17:11.720
 us we

00:17:11.720 --> 00:17:12.180
 should never

00:17:12.180 --> 00:17:12.799
 be expected

00:17:12.799 --> 00:17:13.500
 or pressured

00:17:13.500 --> 00:17:13.920
 no matter

00:17:13.920 --> 00:17:14.660
 how slightly

00:17:14.660 --> 00:17:15.259
 into any

00:17:15.259 --> 00:17:15.640
 form of

00:17:15.640 --> 00:17:16.259
 sexual intimacy

00:17:16.259 --> 00:17:16.799
 by any

00:17:16.799 --> 00:17:17.019
 other

00:17:17.019 --> 00:17:17.440
 individual.

00:17:18.140 --> 00:17:18.720
 But isn't

00:17:18.720 --> 00:17:19.000
 that a

00:17:19.000 --> 00:17:19.420
 contradiction?

00:17:21.000 --> 00:17:21.240
 Right?

00:17:21.319 --> 00:17:21.660
 There's this

00:17:21.660 --> 00:17:22.700
 general expectation

00:17:22.700 --> 00:17:23.240
 and pressure

00:17:23.240 --> 00:17:24.140
 to be sexually

00:17:24.140 --> 00:17:24.839
 active and

00:17:24.839 --> 00:17:25.380
 then there's

00:17:25.380 --> 00:17:26.299
 everyone saying

00:17:26.299 --> 00:17:26.859
 but no,

00:17:27.000 --> 00:17:27.200
 no,

00:17:27.359 --> 00:17:27.579
 no,

00:17:27.660 --> 00:17:28.140
 you shouldn't

00:17:28.140 --> 00:17:28.539
 let any

00:17:28.539 --> 00:17:29.200
 other individual

00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:29.819
 ever pressure

00:17:29.819 --> 00:17:30.140
 you.

00:17:31.360 --> 00:17:32.259
 So I think

00:17:32.259 --> 00:17:32.519
 there's a

00:17:32.519 --> 00:17:33.100
 problem here.

00:17:34.700 --> 00:17:35.519
 The other

00:17:35.519 --> 00:17:36.360
 main problem

00:17:36.360 --> 00:17:36.720
 with our

00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:37.160
 culture's

00:17:37.160 --> 00:17:37.880
 dominant view

00:17:37.880 --> 00:17:38.740
 is that

00:17:38.740 --> 00:17:40.140
 healing is

00:17:40.140 --> 00:17:40.640
 ultimately

00:17:40.640 --> 00:17:42.539
 self-generated.

00:17:43.080 --> 00:17:43.400
 So there's

00:17:43.400 --> 00:17:43.779
 a lot of

00:17:43.779 --> 00:17:44.480
 emphasis on

00:17:44.480 --> 00:17:46.160
 self-love,

00:17:46.380 --> 00:17:47.120
 self-protection,

00:17:47.279 --> 00:17:48.100
 self-affirmation,

00:17:48.259 --> 00:17:49.059
 self-reliance,

00:17:49.299 --> 00:17:50.759
 but that can

00:17:50.759 --> 00:17:51.380
 be a crushing

00:17:51.380 --> 00:17:51.980
 burden to

00:17:51.980 --> 00:17:52.240
 bear.

00:17:52.779 --> 00:17:53.600
 When someone

00:17:53.600 --> 00:17:54.279
 is emotionally

00:17:54.279 --> 00:17:54.920
 fragile,

00:17:55.539 --> 00:17:55.860
 anxious,

00:17:56.120 --> 00:17:56.559
 depressed,

00:17:56.559 --> 00:17:57.299
 self-hating,

00:17:57.480 --> 00:17:57.839
 filled with

00:17:57.839 --> 00:17:58.299
 shame,

00:17:58.960 --> 00:18:00.440
 common emotions

00:18:00.440 --> 00:18:00.940
 that people

00:18:00.940 --> 00:18:01.579
 are feeling

00:18:01.579 --> 00:18:02.980
 after sexual

00:18:02.980 --> 00:18:03.480
 assault.

00:18:07.019 --> 00:18:07.599
 So that's

00:18:07.599 --> 00:18:07.740
 it.

00:18:07.919 --> 00:18:08.440
 And the

00:18:08.440 --> 00:18:09.839
 believing that

00:18:09.839 --> 00:18:10.759
 healing ultimately

00:18:10.759 --> 00:18:11.299
 comes from

00:18:11.299 --> 00:18:13.099
 ourselves can

00:18:13.099 --> 00:18:14.059
 lead us to

00:18:14.059 --> 00:18:15.639
 other places,

00:18:15.879 --> 00:18:17.200
 other desires

00:18:17.200 --> 00:18:18.779
 to ways of

00:18:18.779 --> 00:18:19.480
 seeking to be

00:18:19.480 --> 00:18:20.480
 in control of

00:18:20.480 --> 00:18:21.339
 the unpredictable

00:18:21.339 --> 00:18:22.220
 world around

00:18:22.220 --> 00:18:22.559
 us.

00:18:24.079 --> 00:18:24.819
 Those I think

00:18:24.819 --> 00:18:25.119
 are some

00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:25.799
 weaknesses of

00:18:25.799 --> 00:18:26.359
 our cultures

00:18:26.359 --> 00:18:26.939
 approach to

00:18:26.939 --> 00:18:27.399
 this issue,

00:18:27.539 --> 00:18:28.299
 but the

00:18:28.299 --> 00:18:29.039
 biblical worldview

00:18:29.039 --> 00:18:29.679
 I think gives

00:18:29.679 --> 00:18:30.819
 us a deeper

00:18:30.819 --> 00:18:32.279
 foundation and

00:18:32.279 --> 00:18:32.819
 offers more

00:18:32.819 --> 00:18:33.599
 enduring hope.

00:18:33.679 --> 00:18:33.959
 The biblical

00:18:33.959 --> 00:18:35.179
 worldview fully

00:18:35.179 --> 00:18:35.959
 agrees that

00:18:35.959 --> 00:18:36.619
 sexual abuse

00:18:36.619 --> 00:18:37.259
 and assault are

00:18:37.259 --> 00:18:37.979
 violations of

00:18:37.979 --> 00:18:38.619
 human dignity,

00:18:39.119 --> 00:18:39.619
 but in the

00:18:39.619 --> 00:18:40.319
 biblical view,

00:18:41.419 --> 00:18:42.599
 the reason for

00:18:42.599 --> 00:18:43.319
 that is that

00:18:43.319 --> 00:18:44.699
 God has

00:18:44.699 --> 00:18:46.199
 created us

00:18:46.199 --> 00:18:46.699
 in his

00:18:46.699 --> 00:18:47.159
 image.

00:18:47.919 --> 00:18:48.639
 Sexual assault

00:18:48.639 --> 00:18:49.279
 and abuse are

00:18:49.279 --> 00:18:50.139
 violations of a

00:18:50.139 --> 00:18:50.879
 body that God

00:18:50.879 --> 00:18:51.639
 has made.

00:18:53.559 --> 00:18:54.639
 Our body is a

00:18:54.639 --> 00:18:55.139
 temple, a

00:18:55.139 --> 00:18:56.019
 sacred space,

00:18:56.019 --> 00:18:56.879
 a precious gift

00:18:56.879 --> 00:18:57.480
 because God

00:18:57.480 --> 00:18:58.059
 has fashioned

00:18:58.059 --> 00:18:58.980
 it for himself.

00:19:00.099 --> 00:19:00.619
 And so sexual

00:19:00.619 --> 00:19:01.059
 abuse and

00:19:01.059 --> 00:19:01.759
 assault is not

00:19:01.759 --> 00:19:02.240
 just a sin

00:19:02.240 --> 00:19:02.839
 against another

00:19:02.839 --> 00:19:04.160
 individual and

00:19:04.160 --> 00:19:05.660
 their will, but

00:19:05.660 --> 00:19:06.200
 it is ultimately

00:19:06.200 --> 00:19:07.420
 a sin against

00:19:07.420 --> 00:19:07.859
 God the

00:19:07.859 --> 00:19:08.279
 creator.

00:19:10.279 --> 00:19:11.579
 Further, sexual

00:19:11.579 --> 00:19:12.119
 assault and

00:19:12.119 --> 00:19:12.519
 abuse are

00:19:12.519 --> 00:19:13.160
 violations of

00:19:13.160 --> 00:19:13.660
 God's good

00:19:13.660 --> 00:19:14.240
 design for

00:19:14.240 --> 00:19:14.779
 humanity.

00:19:14.960 --> 00:19:15.579
 God designed

00:19:15.579 --> 00:19:16.379
 human beings to

00:19:16.379 --> 00:19:17.200
 fulfill our

00:19:17.200 --> 00:19:18.879
 calling by

00:19:18.879 --> 00:19:19.759
 exercising

00:19:19.759 --> 00:19:20.940
 self-giving

00:19:20.940 --> 00:19:23.640
 love in a

00:19:23.640 --> 00:19:24.119
 variety of

00:19:24.119 --> 00:19:24.579
 ways, in

00:19:24.579 --> 00:19:25.920
 friendship, in

00:19:25.920 --> 00:19:26.680
 neighborhoods, in

00:19:26.680 --> 00:19:28.039
 the world, in

00:19:28.039 --> 00:19:28.640
 nations.

00:19:29.259 --> 00:19:29.720
 But one

00:19:29.720 --> 00:19:30.339
 expression of

00:19:30.339 --> 00:19:30.960
 this self-giving

00:19:30.960 --> 00:19:31.619
 love is the

00:19:31.619 --> 00:19:33.220
 union of

00:19:33.220 --> 00:19:34.079
 male and

00:19:34.079 --> 00:19:35.700
 female bodies,

00:19:36.019 --> 00:19:36.680
 lives, and

00:19:36.680 --> 00:19:37.779
 resources within

00:19:37.779 --> 00:19:39.500
 the promise of

00:19:39.500 --> 00:19:39.940
 marriage.

00:19:40.940 --> 00:19:42.079
 In marriage, the

00:19:42.079 --> 00:19:42.619
 bodies of

00:19:42.619 --> 00:19:43.160
 husband and

00:19:43.160 --> 00:19:44.140
 wife belong to

00:19:44.140 --> 00:19:44.779
 one another.

00:19:44.900 --> 00:19:45.500
 Paul says that

00:19:45.500 --> 00:19:46.079
 in 1 Corinthians

00:19:46.079 --> 00:19:46.519
 7.

00:19:47.439 --> 00:19:48.639
 And so, in

00:19:48.639 --> 00:19:48.960
 the biblical

00:19:48.960 --> 00:19:50.000
 worldview, marriage

00:19:50.000 --> 00:19:50.720
 provides the

00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:51.859
 safe context for

00:19:51.859 --> 00:19:52.740
 sexual intimacy,

00:19:52.960 --> 00:19:53.960
 that free,

00:19:54.419 --> 00:19:55.480
 self-giving

00:19:55.480 --> 00:19:58.259
 love, expressed

00:19:58.259 --> 00:19:59.059
 within the

00:19:59.059 --> 00:20:00.799
 context of a

00:20:00.799 --> 00:20:01.939
 total life

00:20:01.939 --> 00:20:02.619
 union.

00:20:03.519 --> 00:20:04.220
 And I think

00:20:04.220 --> 00:20:04.980
 that positive

00:20:04.980 --> 00:20:05.659
 understanding of

00:20:05.659 --> 00:20:06.339
 God's purpose

00:20:06.339 --> 00:20:07.619
 for us makes

00:20:07.619 --> 00:20:08.399
 sense of why

00:20:08.399 --> 00:20:10.099
 sexual assault is

00:20:10.099 --> 00:20:10.960
 such a violation

00:20:10.960 --> 00:20:12.059
 of human

00:20:12.059 --> 00:20:12.519
 dignity.

00:20:13.359 --> 00:20:14.419
 Because it

00:20:14.419 --> 00:20:15.939
 is the

00:20:15.940 --> 00:20:16.820
 opposite of

00:20:16.820 --> 00:20:17.440
 self-giving

00:20:17.440 --> 00:20:17.920
 love.

00:20:25.600 --> 00:20:26.320
 Now, the

00:20:26.320 --> 00:20:26.860
 Bible also

00:20:26.860 --> 00:20:27.640
 offers a

00:20:27.640 --> 00:20:28.600
 better hope for

00:20:28.600 --> 00:20:29.539
 significant healing

00:20:29.539 --> 00:20:30.180
 from a source

00:20:30.180 --> 00:20:31.200
 beyond ourselves.

00:20:32.580 --> 00:20:33.420
 I think that's

00:20:33.420 --> 00:20:34.039
 another thing the

00:20:34.039 --> 00:20:34.840
 Bible offers that

00:20:34.840 --> 00:20:36.059
 our culture doesn't

00:20:36.059 --> 00:20:36.380
 really.

00:20:37.980 --> 00:20:38.600
 Now, the

00:20:38.600 --> 00:20:39.059
 Bible doesn't

00:20:39.059 --> 00:20:39.680
 take away our

00:20:39.680 --> 00:20:40.500
 human responsibility,

00:20:40.840 --> 00:20:41.360
 it doesn't make

00:20:41.360 --> 00:20:42.120
 us resign to

00:20:42.120 --> 00:20:42.980
 fatalism, but it

00:20:42.980 --> 00:20:44.400
 tells us that

00:20:44.400 --> 00:20:45.480
 through Christ we

00:20:45.480 --> 00:20:46.000
 are beloved

00:20:46.000 --> 00:20:47.140
 children of

00:20:47.140 --> 00:20:47.480
 God.

00:20:48.900 --> 00:20:50.299
 And that we

00:20:50.299 --> 00:20:51.720
 can lean on

00:20:51.720 --> 00:20:53.019
 God in our

00:20:53.019 --> 00:20:54.200
 weakest and

00:20:54.200 --> 00:20:55.200
 darkest hours,

00:20:55.680 --> 00:20:56.440
 and that He

00:20:56.440 --> 00:20:58.299
 is compassionate

00:20:58.299 --> 00:20:59.019
 and gracious.

00:21:00.720 --> 00:21:01.860
 And that alone

00:21:01.860 --> 00:21:02.519
 can be a deeply

00:21:02.519 --> 00:21:03.259
 restorative

00:21:03.259 --> 00:21:04.140
 truth.

00:21:04.140 --> 00:21:08.120
 Now, let's

00:21:08.120 --> 00:21:08.420
 go on to

00:21:08.420 --> 00:21:08.940
 consider what

00:21:08.940 --> 00:21:09.200
 does the

00:21:09.200 --> 00:21:09.840
 Bible actually

00:21:09.840 --> 00:21:10.380
 say about

00:21:10.380 --> 00:21:11.259
 sexual assault?

00:21:12.500 --> 00:21:13.040
 Well, the

00:21:13.040 --> 00:21:13.500
 first thing we

00:21:13.500 --> 00:21:14.120
 notice is that

00:21:14.120 --> 00:21:14.620
 the Bible is

00:21:14.620 --> 00:21:15.360
 not silent

00:21:15.360 --> 00:21:16.560
 about sexual

00:21:16.560 --> 00:21:16.920
 assault.

00:21:17.020 --> 00:21:17.340
 It doesn't

00:21:17.340 --> 00:21:18.600
 pretend that

00:21:18.600 --> 00:21:19.140
 such things

00:21:19.140 --> 00:21:19.800
 don't happen

00:21:19.800 --> 00:21:20.280
 or don't

00:21:20.280 --> 00:21:20.780
 matter to

00:21:20.780 --> 00:21:21.360
 God's people.

00:21:21.460 --> 00:21:21.720
 The Old

00:21:21.720 --> 00:21:22.220
 Testament is

00:21:22.220 --> 00:21:22.560
 full of

00:21:22.560 --> 00:21:23.580
 stories, and

00:21:23.580 --> 00:21:23.940
 some of

00:21:23.940 --> 00:21:24.420
 these stories

00:21:24.420 --> 00:21:25.300
 include episodes

00:21:25.300 --> 00:21:25.700
 that would

00:21:25.700 --> 00:21:26.320
 fall into the

00:21:26.320 --> 00:21:27.000
 category of

00:21:27.000 --> 00:21:27.759
 sexual assault

00:21:27.759 --> 00:21:28.740
 broadly defined.

00:21:28.740 --> 00:21:30.779
 So here are

00:21:30.779 --> 00:21:31.500
 a few examples

00:21:31.500 --> 00:21:33.019
 with some

00:21:33.019 --> 00:21:33.920
 brief comments.

00:21:34.900 --> 00:21:35.640
 So first

00:21:35.640 --> 00:21:36.980
 example we

00:21:36.980 --> 00:21:37.420
 see of this

00:21:37.420 --> 00:21:38.220
 is Lamech

00:21:38.220 --> 00:21:39.440
 threatens his

00:21:39.440 --> 00:21:39.859
 wives.

00:21:39.980 --> 00:21:40.460
 He boasts

00:21:40.460 --> 00:21:40.900
 to them,

00:21:41.019 --> 00:21:41.500
 I've killed

00:21:41.500 --> 00:21:42.019
 a man for

00:21:42.019 --> 00:21:42.519
 wounding me,

00:21:42.599 --> 00:21:43.099
 a young man

00:21:43.099 --> 00:21:43.640
 for striking

00:21:43.640 --> 00:21:43.859
 me.

00:21:43.940 --> 00:21:44.380
 Now, he's

00:21:44.380 --> 00:21:45.920
 not explicitly

00:21:45.920 --> 00:21:47.220
 threatening to

00:21:47.220 --> 00:21:48.039
 sexually assault

00:21:48.039 --> 00:21:49.700
 them, but

00:21:49.700 --> 00:21:50.660
 what might his

00:21:50.660 --> 00:21:51.400
 threat, his

00:21:51.400 --> 00:21:53.299
 boast of his

00:21:53.299 --> 00:21:56.740
 vengeful deeds,

00:21:56.740 --> 00:21:58.299
 what might

00:21:58.299 --> 00:21:58.900
 that indicate

00:21:58.900 --> 00:21:59.559
 about Lamech's

00:21:59.559 --> 00:21:59.880
 ongoing

00:21:59.880 --> 00:22:00.400
 relationship

00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:00.859
 with his

00:22:00.859 --> 00:22:01.240
 wives?

00:22:02.420 --> 00:22:02.980
 Would they

00:22:02.980 --> 00:22:03.599
 ever want to

00:22:03.599 --> 00:22:04.200
 express any

00:22:04.200 --> 00:22:05.059
 disagreement with

00:22:05.059 --> 00:22:05.720
 him if he's

00:22:05.720 --> 00:22:06.559
 boasting about

00:22:06.559 --> 00:22:07.880
 killing a

00:22:07.880 --> 00:22:08.839
 young man for

00:22:08.839 --> 00:22:09.740
 striking him?

00:22:12.339 --> 00:22:13.660
 Well, another

00:22:13.660 --> 00:22:15.599
 example, voyeurism.

00:22:17.720 --> 00:22:18.620
 Voyeurism means

00:22:18.620 --> 00:22:19.319
 sort of looking

00:22:19.319 --> 00:22:21.319
 upon someone's

00:22:21.319 --> 00:22:22.259
 sexual intimacy

00:22:22.259 --> 00:22:23.740
 or nakedness

00:22:23.740 --> 00:22:25.019
 without their

00:22:25.019 --> 00:22:26.200
 consent or

00:22:26.200 --> 00:22:26.740
 without their

00:22:26.740 --> 00:22:28.640
 knowledge or

00:22:28.640 --> 00:22:30.600
 insisting that

00:22:30.600 --> 00:22:31.220
 they expose

00:22:31.220 --> 00:22:31.920
 themselves in

00:22:31.920 --> 00:22:32.799
 some inappropriate

00:22:32.799 --> 00:22:33.880
 way to others.

00:22:34.460 --> 00:22:35.539
 So, there's the

00:22:35.539 --> 00:22:35.980
 incident with

00:22:35.980 --> 00:22:37.380
 Ham who saw

00:22:37.380 --> 00:22:38.019
 the nakedness of

00:22:38.019 --> 00:22:38.460
 his father,

00:22:38.559 --> 00:22:38.980
 told his two

00:22:38.980 --> 00:22:39.519
 brothers, it's

00:22:39.519 --> 00:22:40.080
 not entirely

00:22:40.080 --> 00:22:40.600
 clear what was

00:22:40.600 --> 00:22:41.299
 going on there.

00:22:41.620 --> 00:22:42.620
 More clear would

00:22:42.620 --> 00:22:43.420
 be David looking

00:22:43.420 --> 00:22:44.279
 upon Bathsheba

00:22:44.279 --> 00:22:44.799
 from the roof

00:22:44.799 --> 00:22:45.500
 of his palace.

00:22:46.460 --> 00:22:47.340
 Another example

00:22:47.340 --> 00:22:48.080
 is in the book

00:22:48.080 --> 00:22:49.120
 of Esther, the

00:22:49.120 --> 00:22:49.819
 king of Persia

00:22:49.819 --> 00:22:50.600
 commands his

00:22:50.600 --> 00:22:52.160
 officials to,

00:22:53.100 --> 00:22:53.720
 the king of

00:22:53.720 --> 00:22:55.039
 Persia throws

00:22:55.039 --> 00:22:55.779
 this drunken

00:22:55.779 --> 00:22:57.279
 party and the

00:22:57.279 --> 00:22:58.259
 rule is it's

00:22:58.259 --> 00:22:58.920
 an open bar

00:22:58.920 --> 00:23:00.599
 and you don't

00:23:00.599 --> 00:23:01.799
 say no and

00:23:01.799 --> 00:23:02.859
 the king had a

00:23:02.859 --> 00:23:03.319
 party for all

00:23:03.319 --> 00:23:04.420
 the men in the

00:23:04.420 --> 00:23:04.799
 palace.

00:23:06.019 --> 00:23:07.159
 And so they're

00:23:07.159 --> 00:23:07.819
 all drunk, the

00:23:07.819 --> 00:23:08.940
 king's drunk, and

00:23:08.940 --> 00:23:09.720
 he commands his

00:23:09.720 --> 00:23:10.480
 officials, bring

00:23:10.480 --> 00:23:12.879
 the queen so that

00:23:12.879 --> 00:23:13.700
 she can show the

00:23:13.700 --> 00:23:14.359
 peoples and the

00:23:14.359 --> 00:23:14.899
 princes her

00:23:14.899 --> 00:23:16.000
 beauty for she

00:23:16.000 --> 00:23:16.720
 was lovely to

00:23:16.720 --> 00:23:17.180
 look at.

00:23:17.819 --> 00:23:18.599
 Now, it's not

00:23:18.599 --> 00:23:19.480
 clear exactly what

00:23:19.480 --> 00:23:19.940
 the king was

00:23:19.940 --> 00:23:21.059
 requesting Queen

00:23:21.059 --> 00:23:21.859
 Vashti to do,

00:23:21.859 --> 00:23:23.219
 but Queen Vashti

00:23:23.219 --> 00:23:24.839
 refused, surprisingly

00:23:24.839 --> 00:23:26.199
 in that context,

00:23:26.259 --> 00:23:27.259
 she refused to

00:23:27.259 --> 00:23:28.000
 show her beauty

00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:28.740
 to an audience

00:23:28.740 --> 00:23:29.779
 of drunken males

00:23:29.779 --> 00:23:30.859
 and the king

00:23:30.859 --> 00:23:32.039
 was furious.

00:23:33.179 --> 00:23:33.679
 Now, the

00:23:33.679 --> 00:23:35.979
 narrator implicitly

00:23:35.979 --> 00:23:36.819
 presents Vashti

00:23:36.819 --> 00:23:37.419
 as a woman of

00:23:37.419 --> 00:23:37.879
 courage.

00:23:39.639 --> 00:23:40.579
 Queen Esther,

00:23:40.719 --> 00:23:41.419
 later on, will

00:23:41.419 --> 00:23:42.159
 need to muster

00:23:42.159 --> 00:23:43.079
 the same kind of

00:23:43.079 --> 00:23:44.059
 courage to come

00:23:44.059 --> 00:23:44.839
 before the king

00:23:44.839 --> 00:23:46.079
 and the narrator

00:23:46.079 --> 00:23:46.699
 presents the

00:23:46.699 --> 00:23:47.299
 Persian king's

00:23:47.299 --> 00:23:47.959
 behavior as

00:23:47.959 --> 00:23:48.959
 dishonorable and

00:23:48.959 --> 00:23:49.379
 foolish.

00:23:50.799 --> 00:23:51.179
 Now, the

00:23:51.179 --> 00:23:51.759
 narrator doesn't

00:23:51.759 --> 00:23:52.799
 come out and

00:23:52.799 --> 00:23:53.539
 say that, but

00:23:53.539 --> 00:23:54.720
 if you look at

00:23:54.720 --> 00:23:56.059
 how the narrator

00:23:56.059 --> 00:23:57.099
 frames the story,

00:23:57.559 --> 00:23:58.220
 you can sort of

00:23:58.220 --> 00:23:58.879
 see it's painted

00:23:58.879 --> 00:23:59.420
 in a negative

00:23:59.420 --> 00:23:59.799
 light.

00:24:01.819 --> 00:24:02.700
 Another example

00:24:02.700 --> 00:24:04.420
 of sexual

00:24:04.420 --> 00:24:05.039
 assault, a

00:24:05.039 --> 00:24:06.000
 different kind,

00:24:06.619 --> 00:24:08.980
 would be

00:24:08.980 --> 00:24:11.680
 incapacitation,

00:24:11.819 --> 00:24:12.059
 that is,

00:24:12.119 --> 00:24:12.859
 deliberately getting

00:24:12.859 --> 00:24:13.640
 someone drunk

00:24:13.640 --> 00:24:14.640
 so that they're

00:24:14.640 --> 00:24:15.299
 not aware of

00:24:15.299 --> 00:24:15.579
 what they're

00:24:15.579 --> 00:24:15.859
 doing.

00:24:16.079 --> 00:24:17.140
 So, Lot's

00:24:17.140 --> 00:24:18.539
 daughters are

00:24:18.539 --> 00:24:19.279
 desperate, they're

00:24:19.279 --> 00:24:19.779
 living in the

00:24:19.779 --> 00:24:20.339
 middle of nowhere,

00:24:20.559 --> 00:24:21.180
 and they scheme

00:24:21.180 --> 00:24:21.620
 to get their

00:24:21.620 --> 00:24:22.220
 father drunk,

00:24:22.279 --> 00:24:22.680
 and then they

00:24:22.680 --> 00:24:23.220
 sleep with him

00:24:23.220 --> 00:24:23.660
 while he is

00:24:23.660 --> 00:24:24.320
 unaware in

00:24:24.320 --> 00:24:24.700
 order to

00:24:24.700 --> 00:24:25.240
 continue their

00:24:25.240 --> 00:24:25.880
 family line.

00:24:27.900 --> 00:24:28.360
 Another

00:24:28.360 --> 00:24:31.500
 example, Potiphar's

00:24:31.500 --> 00:24:32.680
 wife attempts to

00:24:32.680 --> 00:24:33.799
 compel her servant

00:24:33.799 --> 00:24:34.620
 Joseph to sleep

00:24:34.620 --> 00:24:35.080
 with her in

00:24:35.080 --> 00:24:35.860
 Genesis 39.

00:24:36.840 --> 00:24:37.759
 Joseph runs away,

00:24:37.960 --> 00:24:38.560
 and he is then

00:24:38.560 --> 00:24:39.560
 falsely accused.

00:24:40.500 --> 00:24:41.320
 Now, statistically

00:24:41.320 --> 00:24:42.240
 speaking, this is

00:24:42.240 --> 00:24:42.820
 not the most

00:24:42.820 --> 00:24:43.660
 common scenario,

00:24:44.360 --> 00:24:45.160
 but the Bible

00:24:45.160 --> 00:24:46.160
 knows that women

00:24:46.160 --> 00:24:47.220
 can also be

00:24:47.220 --> 00:24:49.180
 sexual aggressors,

00:24:49.180 --> 00:24:50.060
 and men are

00:24:50.060 --> 00:24:51.160
 sometimes falsely

00:24:51.160 --> 00:24:51.720
 accused.

00:24:53.600 --> 00:24:54.120
 And that's

00:24:54.120 --> 00:24:56.180
 an important

00:24:56.180 --> 00:24:56.880
 thing to remember.

00:24:57.720 --> 00:24:58.080
 Now, in

00:24:58.080 --> 00:24:58.880
 Joseph's case, he

00:24:58.880 --> 00:24:59.539
 was fired from

00:24:59.539 --> 00:25:00.180
 his job and

00:25:00.180 --> 00:25:00.720
 put in prison.

00:25:00.860 --> 00:25:01.299
 He was later

00:25:01.299 --> 00:25:02.620
 released, but

00:25:02.620 --> 00:25:03.279
 Potiphar's wife

00:25:03.279 --> 00:25:03.820
 was never

00:25:03.820 --> 00:25:04.580
 punished.

00:25:05.460 --> 00:25:06.019
 I think the

00:25:06.019 --> 00:25:06.700
 story of Joseph

00:25:06.700 --> 00:25:07.400
 may provide

00:25:07.400 --> 00:25:08.240
 comfort to those

00:25:08.240 --> 00:25:08.880
 who are falsely

00:25:08.880 --> 00:25:10.299
 accused or whose

00:25:10.299 --> 00:25:11.060
 abusers are never

00:25:11.060 --> 00:25:11.799
 brought to justice

00:25:11.799 --> 00:25:12.720
 in earthly courts.

00:25:12.720 --> 00:25:17.240
 last example, a

00:25:17.240 --> 00:25:18.079
 fear of sexual

00:25:18.079 --> 00:25:18.440
 assault.

00:25:18.559 --> 00:25:19.039
 We see this in

00:25:19.039 --> 00:25:19.400
 the book of

00:25:19.400 --> 00:25:19.680
 Ruth.

00:25:20.400 --> 00:25:21.100
 So, Naomi says

00:25:21.100 --> 00:25:21.720
 to Ruth, it's

00:25:21.720 --> 00:25:22.200
 good for you to

00:25:22.200 --> 00:25:23.039
 work in Boaz's

00:25:23.039 --> 00:25:23.720
 field, lest in

00:25:23.720 --> 00:25:24.440
 another field you

00:25:24.440 --> 00:25:25.000
 be assaulted.

00:25:26.259 --> 00:25:27.779
 And likely, Naomi's

00:25:27.779 --> 00:25:28.839
 concern is not only

00:25:28.839 --> 00:25:29.539
 that Ruth would be

00:25:29.539 --> 00:25:30.539
 beaten up, but that

00:25:30.539 --> 00:25:31.079
 she might be

00:25:31.079 --> 00:25:31.860
 sexually assaulted

00:25:31.860 --> 00:25:34.620
 because Boaz says

00:25:34.620 --> 00:25:35.900
 he has charged the

00:25:35.900 --> 00:25:37.079
 young men, that is

00:25:37.079 --> 00:25:38.000
 his field workers,

00:25:38.140 --> 00:25:38.779
 not to touch

00:25:38.779 --> 00:25:39.259
 Ruth.

00:25:39.259 --> 00:25:40.980
 He has seen

00:25:40.980 --> 00:25:42.480
 her and he has

00:25:42.480 --> 00:25:43.839
 specifically taken

00:25:43.839 --> 00:25:45.200
 measures to protect

00:25:45.200 --> 00:25:45.400
 her.

00:25:45.519 --> 00:25:46.640
 The word touch is

00:25:46.640 --> 00:25:47.940
 sort of a word that

00:25:47.940 --> 00:25:48.700
 indicates sexual

00:25:48.700 --> 00:25:49.359
 relations in the

00:25:49.359 --> 00:25:49.859
 book of Ruth.

00:25:50.900 --> 00:25:51.559
 A couple of

00:25:51.559 --> 00:25:52.180
 reflections on

00:25:52.180 --> 00:25:56.359
 Ruth, Boaz, or the

00:25:56.359 --> 00:25:57.619
 book of Ruth, Boaz is

00:25:57.619 --> 00:25:58.440
 a godly man.

00:25:59.200 --> 00:25:59.839
 He's someone who

00:25:59.839 --> 00:26:00.859
 watches out for the

00:26:00.859 --> 00:26:01.759
 well-being of women

00:26:01.759 --> 00:26:03.099
 in the midst of a

00:26:03.099 --> 00:26:03.740
 world where women

00:26:03.740 --> 00:26:04.879
 are often unprotected

00:26:04.879 --> 00:26:05.879
 and dishonored.

00:26:06.700 --> 00:26:07.500
 So, Boaz in many

00:26:07.500 --> 00:26:09.240
 ways is a godly

00:26:09.240 --> 00:26:10.759
 example of manhood

00:26:10.759 --> 00:26:13.740
 who's a good model

00:26:13.740 --> 00:26:14.480
 to follow after.

00:26:15.599 --> 00:26:16.559
 Ruth is also a

00:26:16.559 --> 00:26:17.240
 godly example of

00:26:17.240 --> 00:26:17.599
 womanhood.

00:26:17.740 --> 00:26:18.120
 She lives

00:26:18.120 --> 00:26:18.779
 courageously.

00:26:18.940 --> 00:26:19.819
 She goes out, she

00:26:19.819 --> 00:26:21.000
 works hard from early

00:26:21.000 --> 00:26:22.099
 morning, works from

00:26:22.099 --> 00:26:22.980
 early morning to late

00:26:22.980 --> 00:26:23.660
 at night in an

00:26:23.660 --> 00:26:24.500
 unfamiliar place

00:26:24.500 --> 00:26:25.440
 despite the dangers

00:26:25.440 --> 00:26:26.299
 in order to support

00:26:26.299 --> 00:26:26.900
 herself and her

00:26:26.900 --> 00:26:27.460
 mother-in-law.

00:26:27.880 --> 00:26:28.940
 She also lives

00:26:28.940 --> 00:26:29.480
 wisely.

00:26:30.299 --> 00:26:31.140
 She pursues marriage

00:26:31.140 --> 00:26:32.259
 to Boaz, a man who

00:26:32.259 --> 00:26:32.960
 will protect and

00:26:32.960 --> 00:26:33.620
 honor her, a man

00:26:33.620 --> 00:26:34.940
 whose character, moral

00:26:34.940 --> 00:26:35.980
 character and godliness

00:26:35.980 --> 00:26:37.220
 is evident and she

00:26:37.220 --> 00:26:38.839
 avoids getting involved

00:26:38.839 --> 00:26:40.039
 or entangled with men

00:26:40.039 --> 00:26:40.959
 of less honorable

00:26:40.959 --> 00:26:41.519
 character.

00:26:42.399 --> 00:26:43.179
 So, Boaz and Ruth

00:26:43.179 --> 00:26:44.299
 are both godly

00:26:44.299 --> 00:26:45.319
 examples of manhood

00:26:45.319 --> 00:26:46.199
 and womanhood to

00:26:46.199 --> 00:26:46.939
 emulate.

00:26:48.419 --> 00:26:49.519
 Now, those are some

00:26:49.519 --> 00:26:50.599
 examples of sort of

00:26:50.599 --> 00:26:51.959
 sexual assault or

00:26:51.959 --> 00:26:54.000
 even some could be

00:26:54.000 --> 00:26:54.839
 classified as sexual

00:26:54.839 --> 00:26:56.039
 harassment more broadly

00:26:56.039 --> 00:26:58.699
 categorized, but the

00:26:58.699 --> 00:26:59.399
 Old Testament also

00:26:59.399 --> 00:27:00.639
 includes four extended

00:27:00.639 --> 00:27:01.500
 narratives of

00:27:01.500 --> 00:27:03.019
 forcible rape, the

00:27:03.019 --> 00:27:04.359
 most flagrant and

00:27:04.359 --> 00:27:05.220
 violent form of

00:27:05.220 --> 00:27:05.980
 sexual assault.

00:27:08.420 --> 00:27:09.860
 Now, note again,

00:27:10.000 --> 00:27:10.839
 biblical narrators

00:27:10.839 --> 00:27:12.120
 rarely make explicit

00:27:12.120 --> 00:27:13.079
 statements about the

00:27:13.079 --> 00:27:14.079
 character's intentions

00:27:14.079 --> 00:27:15.360
 or about the

00:27:15.360 --> 00:27:16.160
 righteousness or

00:27:16.160 --> 00:27:16.940
 wickedness of their

00:27:16.940 --> 00:27:17.380
 actions.

00:27:17.519 --> 00:27:18.440
 In most cases, they

00:27:18.440 --> 00:27:19.579
 show us rather than

00:27:19.579 --> 00:27:20.519
 tell us what we need

00:27:20.519 --> 00:27:20.860
 to know.

00:27:21.420 --> 00:27:22.259
 So, I want to look at

00:27:22.259 --> 00:27:23.019
 each of these four

00:27:23.019 --> 00:27:25.039
 extended narratives and

00:27:25.039 --> 00:27:26.140
 make some reflections on

00:27:26.140 --> 00:27:26.380
 each.

00:27:26.480 --> 00:27:28.299
 First, Genesis chapter

00:27:28.299 --> 00:27:28.779
 19.

00:27:29.600 --> 00:27:30.640
 This is the story of

00:27:30.640 --> 00:27:31.460
 Sodom and Gomorrah.

00:27:31.460 --> 00:27:33.579
 Basically, the leaders

00:27:33.579 --> 00:27:35.259
 of Sodom threaten to

00:27:35.259 --> 00:27:36.600
 gang rape God's

00:27:36.600 --> 00:27:37.059
 messengers.

00:27:37.920 --> 00:27:39.500
 They surround Lot's

00:27:39.500 --> 00:27:41.680
 house, all the men of

00:27:41.680 --> 00:27:42.680
 Sodom, both young and

00:27:42.680 --> 00:27:44.000
 old, to the last man.

00:27:45.259 --> 00:27:46.680
 They surround Lot's

00:27:46.680 --> 00:27:46.900
 house.

00:27:47.019 --> 00:27:48.579
 They demand that he

00:27:48.579 --> 00:27:49.779
 send out the two

00:27:49.779 --> 00:27:50.920
 visitors who are God's

00:27:50.920 --> 00:27:51.799
 messengers that he had

00:27:51.799 --> 00:27:52.319
 received.

00:27:53.079 --> 00:27:54.079
 Now, they're prevented

00:27:54.079 --> 00:27:55.559
 from carrying out their

00:27:55.559 --> 00:27:56.120
 intentions.

00:27:56.640 --> 00:27:57.539
 They're struck blind.

00:27:58.680 --> 00:28:00.059
 But this is a sign of

00:28:00.059 --> 00:28:01.059
 Sodom's utter moral

00:28:01.059 --> 00:28:02.299
 corruption and injustice

00:28:02.299 --> 00:28:03.980
 which cries out for

00:28:03.980 --> 00:28:05.159
 God's active judgment

00:28:05.159 --> 00:28:05.700
 twice.

00:28:06.200 --> 00:28:07.059
 The text talks about

00:28:07.059 --> 00:28:08.799
 the outcry against

00:28:08.799 --> 00:28:10.220
 Sodom and Gomorrah is

00:28:10.220 --> 00:28:12.099
 great and their sin is

00:28:12.099 --> 00:28:13.220
 very grave.

00:28:14.500 --> 00:28:15.740
 What conclusions might

00:28:15.740 --> 00:28:16.339
 we draw?

00:28:16.500 --> 00:28:17.480
 Well, a nation that is

00:28:17.480 --> 00:28:18.659
 characterized like

00:28:18.659 --> 00:28:20.279
 Sodom by unrestrained

00:28:20.279 --> 00:28:21.339
 sexual violence

00:28:21.339 --> 00:28:22.399
 perpetrated by its

00:28:22.399 --> 00:28:23.879
 leaders is wicked and

00:28:23.879 --> 00:28:25.159
 dishonorable and crying

00:28:25.159 --> 00:28:26.179
 out for God's judgment

00:28:26.179 --> 00:28:27.119
 to call upon it.

00:28:28.619 --> 00:28:29.639
 It's not just one or

00:28:29.639 --> 00:28:30.960
 two of the leaders who

00:28:30.960 --> 00:28:31.579
 are then held to

00:28:31.579 --> 00:28:32.620
 account by others

00:28:32.620 --> 00:28:35.279
 and rightly held

00:28:35.279 --> 00:28:36.180
 accountable and

00:28:36.180 --> 00:28:36.720
 punished.

00:28:37.579 --> 00:28:41.700
 It is one that where

00:28:41.700 --> 00:28:42.900
 sexual violence has

00:28:42.900 --> 00:28:44.620
 become characteristic

00:28:44.620 --> 00:28:45.740
 and unrestrained.

00:28:48.100 --> 00:28:49.600
 Now, Lot is foolish to

00:28:49.600 --> 00:28:50.340
 bargain with such

00:28:50.340 --> 00:28:50.920
 wicked people.

00:28:51.059 --> 00:28:51.840
 Lot bargains with

00:28:51.840 --> 00:28:52.019
 them.

00:28:52.100 --> 00:28:53.059
 He offers to send out

00:28:53.059 --> 00:28:54.880
 his two virgin

00:28:54.880 --> 00:28:56.019
 daughters instead of

00:28:56.019 --> 00:28:56.460
 the men.

00:28:56.460 --> 00:28:59.500
 But this is foolish.

00:29:00.279 --> 00:29:01.220
 Lot is a believer but

00:29:01.220 --> 00:29:02.400
 he does not exert a

00:29:02.400 --> 00:29:03.299
 godly influence in

00:29:03.299 --> 00:29:04.279
 Sodom and instead he

00:29:04.279 --> 00:29:05.559
 is gradually drawn into

00:29:05.559 --> 00:29:06.600
 Sodom's corruption and

00:29:06.600 --> 00:29:07.600
 himself needs to be

00:29:07.600 --> 00:29:07.960
 rescued.

00:29:08.120 --> 00:29:08.860
 He needs to be literally

00:29:08.860 --> 00:29:10.579
 dragged out of the town

00:29:10.579 --> 00:29:11.600
 before it burns.

00:29:12.440 --> 00:29:13.579
 Lot would be wise to

00:29:13.579 --> 00:29:13.900
 flee.

00:29:15.039 --> 00:29:16.480
 And sometimes believers

00:29:16.480 --> 00:29:17.600
 need to ask themselves,

00:29:18.039 --> 00:29:19.680
 am I exerting a godly

00:29:19.680 --> 00:29:21.299
 influence or do I need to

00:29:21.299 --> 00:29:25.779
 walk away from

00:29:25.779 --> 00:29:26.319
 wickedness?

00:29:28.559 --> 00:29:29.359
 Third reflection.

00:29:29.519 --> 00:29:30.139
 In this episode,

00:29:30.299 --> 00:29:31.339
 rape is portrayed as an

00:29:31.339 --> 00:29:32.619
 expression of power and

00:29:32.619 --> 00:29:33.879
 dominance, not the

00:29:33.879 --> 00:29:34.940
 product of an excessive

00:29:34.940 --> 00:29:36.180
 or uncontrolled sexual

00:29:36.180 --> 00:29:36.700
 desire.

00:29:36.839 --> 00:29:37.519
 The men of Sodom

00:29:37.519 --> 00:29:38.599
 threaten to rape the male

00:29:38.599 --> 00:29:39.960
 visitors to dishonor and

00:29:39.960 --> 00:29:41.319
 humiliate them, not because

00:29:41.319 --> 00:29:42.500
 they are sexually attracted

00:29:42.500 --> 00:29:42.940
 to them.

00:29:44.299 --> 00:29:45.619
 Sexual assault of a male

00:29:45.619 --> 00:29:47.059
 victim damages this man's

00:29:47.059 --> 00:29:48.500
 sense of his masculinity in

00:29:48.500 --> 00:29:49.420
 particular ways.

00:29:50.859 --> 00:29:52.619
 The second story is similar

00:29:52.619 --> 00:29:53.220
 to Sodom.

00:29:53.319 --> 00:29:54.940
 It happens in Judges 19,

00:29:55.599 --> 00:29:56.900
 but in this case it happens

00:29:56.900 --> 00:29:58.259
 within the nation of

00:29:58.259 --> 00:29:58.599
 Israel.

00:29:59.920 --> 00:30:02.099
 And in some ways that's the

00:30:02.099 --> 00:30:09.759
 sort of part of the story

00:30:09.759 --> 00:30:11.119
 that's most hideous is that

00:30:11.119 --> 00:30:12.880
 God's own people have become

00:30:12.880 --> 00:30:15.339
 just as morally corrupt as

00:30:15.339 --> 00:30:16.440
 the people of Sodom.

00:30:16.440 --> 00:30:19.220
 So once again, an old man

00:30:19.220 --> 00:30:20.320
 takes in two visitors for

00:30:20.320 --> 00:30:21.400
 the night in the city of

00:30:21.400 --> 00:30:21.799
 Gibeah.

00:30:23.299 --> 00:30:24.539
 It's a Levite and his

00:30:24.539 --> 00:30:26.340
 servant, the men of the

00:30:26.340 --> 00:30:28.500
 city, surround the house,

00:30:29.120 --> 00:30:34.779
 demand to have the Levite

00:30:34.779 --> 00:30:35.680
 come out.

00:30:36.720 --> 00:30:39.500
 The host begs them not to

00:30:39.500 --> 00:30:40.440
 act so wickedly.

00:30:40.920 --> 00:30:42.120
 He offers them two women

00:30:42.120 --> 00:30:44.840
 instead and says violate

00:30:44.839 --> 00:30:46.559
 them, do with them what

00:30:46.559 --> 00:30:47.419
 seems good to you.

00:30:48.779 --> 00:30:50.139
 The Levite sends out his

00:30:50.139 --> 00:30:52.799
 concubine and the men knew

00:30:52.799 --> 00:30:54.559
 her and abused her all night

00:30:54.559 --> 00:30:55.839
 until the morning and in the

00:30:55.839 --> 00:30:56.859
 morning the woman is found

00:30:56.859 --> 00:30:58.339
 dead on the front doorstep of

00:30:58.339 --> 00:30:58.779
 the house.

00:31:00.379 --> 00:31:01.879
 It's a gruesome story.

00:31:03.179 --> 00:31:04.399
 It's probably the lowest,

00:31:04.879 --> 00:31:06.539
 one of the lowest points that

00:31:06.539 --> 00:31:07.919
 the people of Israel sink to in

00:31:07.919 --> 00:31:08.919
 the entire Old Testament.

00:31:09.799 --> 00:31:12.299
 The Levite cuts his concubine's

00:31:12.299 --> 00:31:13.680
 dead body into twelve pieces

00:31:13.680 --> 00:31:15.279
 and sends them throughout the

00:31:15.279 --> 00:31:15.940
 land of Israel.

00:31:16.079 --> 00:31:17.180
 The rest of the Israelites are

00:31:17.180 --> 00:31:17.819
 outraged.

00:31:18.579 --> 00:31:19.919
 They say such a thing has never

00:31:19.919 --> 00:31:20.299
 happened.

00:31:21.480 --> 00:31:22.740
 They all gather together.

00:31:23.200 --> 00:31:24.220
 They agree that the worthless

00:31:24.220 --> 00:31:25.419
 fellows of Gibeah must be

00:31:25.419 --> 00:31:25.799
 punished.

00:31:26.440 --> 00:31:27.799
 The tribe of Benjamin, to which

00:31:27.799 --> 00:31:29.319
 Gibeah belonged, refuses to hand

00:31:29.319 --> 00:31:30.960
 them over, so they attack the

00:31:30.960 --> 00:31:31.619
 tribe of Benjamin.

00:31:32.659 --> 00:31:33.779
 And a civil war results.

00:31:35.319 --> 00:31:36.819
 Reflections on this passage.

00:31:37.960 --> 00:31:39.460
 When members, or I think this

00:31:39.460 --> 00:31:40.860
 passage particularly speaks to

00:31:40.860 --> 00:31:43.500
 God's church because it's God's

00:31:43.500 --> 00:31:44.600
 people, Israel in the Old

00:31:44.600 --> 00:31:46.360
 Testament, who are called to be

00:31:46.360 --> 00:31:48.500
 distinct in the world and to bear

00:31:48.500 --> 00:31:49.799
 witness to God's character.

00:31:50.860 --> 00:31:52.220
 And instead it's become the

00:31:52.220 --> 00:31:52.640
 reverse.

00:31:54.319 --> 00:31:56.240
 So when members or leaders of

00:31:56.240 --> 00:31:57.799
 God's church sexually abuse or

00:31:57.799 --> 00:31:59.279
 violate others, the entire

00:31:59.279 --> 00:32:00.840
 community of God's people will be

00:32:00.840 --> 00:32:01.319
 judged.

00:32:02.200 --> 00:32:04.319
 Unless it courageously holds those

00:32:04.319 --> 00:32:07.180
 people to account, removes them

00:32:07.180 --> 00:32:08.519
 from their positions of leadership,

00:32:08.519 --> 00:32:10.180
 and excommunicates them from the

00:32:10.180 --> 00:32:12.359
 church if they remain unrepentant.

00:32:15.240 --> 00:32:17.519
 Next passage is Genesis 34.

00:32:19.180 --> 00:32:21.940
 In this passage, we're talking

00:32:21.940 --> 00:32:23.180
 about Jacob's daughter Dinah.

00:32:24.000 --> 00:32:25.680
 She goes out to visit the women of

00:32:25.680 --> 00:32:29.059
 the land and she, during her travels,

00:32:29.160 --> 00:32:30.879
 is raped by Shechem, the son of a

00:32:30.879 --> 00:32:31.460
 local prince.

00:32:32.539 --> 00:32:34.460
 Dinah's brothers are furious and they

00:32:34.460 --> 00:32:35.700
 respond by plotting.

00:32:35.700 --> 00:32:38.140
 And their plot is successful.

00:32:38.299 --> 00:32:40.700
 They kill every male in Shechem's

00:32:40.700 --> 00:32:40.920
 city.

00:32:44.680 --> 00:32:46.240
 Well, what do we see here?

00:32:49.620 --> 00:32:51.500
 In the face of sexual assault and

00:32:51.500 --> 00:32:53.960
 abuse, anger is justified.

00:32:55.340 --> 00:32:56.680
 The men, Dinah's brothers, were

00:32:56.680 --> 00:32:58.580
 indignant and very angry because

00:32:58.580 --> 00:33:00.700
 Shechem had done an outrageous thing

00:33:00.700 --> 00:33:02.500
 by lying with Jacob's daughter, for

00:33:02.500 --> 00:33:04.059
 such a thing must not be done.

00:33:04.200 --> 00:33:05.539
 Genesis 34.7.

00:33:06.180 --> 00:33:08.200
 Again, the author of Genesis makes a

00:33:08.200 --> 00:33:09.619
 very strong statement, being very

00:33:09.619 --> 00:33:11.059
 explicit that we wouldn't miss the

00:33:11.059 --> 00:33:14.640
 point that this was way off the map.

00:33:14.759 --> 00:33:17.440
 This was an outrageous and terrible

00:33:17.440 --> 00:33:22.460
 thing that he, as the text says,

00:33:22.539 --> 00:33:24.299
 seized her and lay with her and

00:33:24.299 --> 00:33:25.160
 humiliated her.

00:33:27.160 --> 00:33:28.720
 Dinah has brothers who stand up for her,

00:33:29.039 --> 00:33:30.700
 who are angry on her behalf and who

00:33:30.700 --> 00:33:32.299
 insist on seeing justice done.

00:33:32.400 --> 00:33:34.600
 She is not left alone to wear, to

00:33:34.600 --> 00:33:36.259
 bear the weight of being violated.

00:33:36.420 --> 00:33:37.720
 And the brother's solidarity with

00:33:37.720 --> 00:33:39.860
 Dinah is a good thing, though it is

00:33:39.860 --> 00:33:40.680
 sadly too rare.

00:33:40.840 --> 00:33:42.720
 Many female victims of sexual assault

00:33:42.720 --> 00:33:44.420
 only find support from other women.

00:33:46.019 --> 00:33:47.600
 But we also see in this story that

00:33:47.600 --> 00:33:49.559
 righteous anger can boil over into

00:33:49.559 --> 00:33:50.799
 ungodly rage.

00:33:50.799 --> 00:33:56.740
 Now, Jacob is initially unhappy that his

00:33:56.740 --> 00:33:58.879
 sons massacre all the males of the city

00:33:58.879 --> 00:34:00.539
 and his protest seems a little bit

00:34:00.539 --> 00:34:01.180
 cowardly.

00:34:01.759 --> 00:34:03.460
 You've brought trouble on me by making

00:34:03.460 --> 00:34:05.399
 me stink to the inhabitants of the land.

00:34:06.740 --> 00:34:08.599
 But he does have a point that they've

00:34:08.599 --> 00:34:09.239
 gone overboard.

00:34:10.259 --> 00:34:12.079
 Later, Jacob says of Simeon and Levi,

00:34:12.320 --> 00:34:14.300
 cursed be their anger, for it is fierce,

00:34:14.500 --> 00:34:16.159
 and their wrath, for it is cruel.

00:34:16.159 --> 00:34:19.399
 The other thing we see in this story is

00:34:19.399 --> 00:34:20.920
 we see a twisted combination of

00:34:20.920 --> 00:34:23.460
 humiliating sexual violence followed by

00:34:23.460 --> 00:34:25.940
 intense romantic attraction and tender

00:34:25.940 --> 00:34:26.500
 expression.

00:34:26.679 --> 00:34:29.859
 So after Shechem raped Dinah, it says,

00:34:30.559 --> 00:34:32.460
 then his soul was drawn to Dinah.

00:34:32.779 --> 00:34:35.539
 He loved her and spoke tenderly to her

00:34:35.539 --> 00:34:37.259
 and proposed to marry her.

00:34:39.019 --> 00:34:42.000
 And that combination of humiliation and

00:34:42.000 --> 00:34:45.279
 violence combined with intense romanticism

00:34:45.280 --> 00:34:47.880
 and tenderness can be deeply confusing

00:34:47.880 --> 00:34:49.940
 for victims of sexual assault when a

00:34:49.940 --> 00:34:51.860
 perpetrator expresses no repentance

00:34:51.860 --> 00:34:54.500
 or only superficial repentance for

00:34:54.500 --> 00:34:56.980
 violence or deception or manipulation,

00:34:57.220 --> 00:34:59.440
 but nevertheless continues to lavish

00:34:59.440 --> 00:35:01.640
 words of kindness and expressions of

00:35:01.640 --> 00:35:04.160
 care on the victim in an effort to

00:35:04.160 --> 00:35:06.060
 regain the victim's approval and trust.

00:35:08.240 --> 00:35:10.900
 The last episode is 2 Samuel 13.

00:35:12.100 --> 00:35:14.120
 King David's daughter Tamar is raped

00:35:14.119 --> 00:35:16.299
 and then cast away by her half-brother,

00:35:16.779 --> 00:35:17.019
 Amnon.

00:35:18.519 --> 00:35:20.480
 King David had several children by several

00:35:20.480 --> 00:35:21.219
 different wives.

00:35:23.079 --> 00:35:24.519
 David's oldest son was Amnon.

00:35:25.319 --> 00:35:27.299
 Amnon became infatuated with his beautiful

00:35:27.299 --> 00:35:28.339
 half-sister Tamar.

00:35:29.299 --> 00:35:33.099
 And we can see the twisted nature of Amnon's

00:35:33.099 --> 00:35:34.199
 attraction from the beginning.

00:35:36.099 --> 00:35:38.259
 Amnon's friend hatches the plot with him.

00:35:38.400 --> 00:35:39.500
 Amnon pretends to be ill.

00:35:39.599 --> 00:35:40.359
 He stays in bed.

00:35:40.360 --> 00:35:41.820
 He asks his father, King David,

00:35:41.960 --> 00:35:44.240
 send Tamar to my house so she can make

00:35:44.240 --> 00:35:44.880
 dinner for me.

00:35:45.780 --> 00:35:46.620
 Tamar does so.

00:35:47.720 --> 00:35:49.180
 Amnon sends everybody else away,

00:35:49.519 --> 00:35:50.900
 calls Tamar into his bedroom.

00:35:51.220 --> 00:35:52.400
 He makes his intentions clear.

00:35:52.500 --> 00:35:53.300
 Tamar protests.

00:35:53.720 --> 00:35:54.039
 No!

00:35:54.700 --> 00:35:55.660
 Don't do this!

00:35:56.160 --> 00:35:57.300
 But Amnon wouldn't listen.

00:35:58.180 --> 00:35:59.579
 And being stronger than she,

00:35:59.680 --> 00:36:01.440
 he violated her and lay with her.

00:36:02.740 --> 00:36:05.039
 Amnon then hates her and sends her away.

00:36:06.039 --> 00:36:07.639
 Once again, despite her protests.

00:36:09.739 --> 00:36:12.559
 Tamar then put ashes on her head and tore the

00:36:12.559 --> 00:36:13.739
 long robe that she wore.

00:36:14.559 --> 00:36:16.579
 And she laid her hand on her head and went away,

00:36:16.719 --> 00:36:18.259
 crying aloud as she went.

00:36:19.159 --> 00:36:21.539
 The last we hear of Tamar is that she lived as a

00:36:21.539 --> 00:36:24.239
 desolate woman in her brother Absalom's house.

00:36:25.420 --> 00:36:27.800
 Tamar did not receive the kind of immediate support from

00:36:27.800 --> 00:36:29.460
 her male relatives that Dinah did.

00:36:29.460 --> 00:36:31.900
 Her father, King David, was very angry, but said and

00:36:31.900 --> 00:36:32.360
 did nothing.

00:36:32.360 --> 00:36:35.559
 David always appears to be relatively passive and

00:36:35.559 --> 00:36:37.660
 disengaged and indulgent toward his sons.

00:36:41.240 --> 00:36:44.180
 Tamar's brother Absalom's initial reaction was to say to

00:36:44.180 --> 00:36:45.740
 Tamar, hold your peace, my sister.

00:36:46.420 --> 00:36:47.099
 He is your brother.

00:36:47.380 --> 00:36:48.400
 Don't take this to heart.

00:36:49.500 --> 00:36:52.340
 Absalom also says nothing to Amnon initially, but two years

00:36:52.340 --> 00:36:54.720
 later, Absalom had Amnon murdered.

00:36:55.519 --> 00:36:58.460
 And that sets off another cycle of revenge within David's

00:36:58.460 --> 00:36:58.800
 family.

00:37:00.099 --> 00:37:01.220
 Reflections on this story.

00:37:02.360 --> 00:37:05.559
 First, sexual assault has lasting emotional and relational

00:37:05.559 --> 00:37:06.280
 consequences.

00:37:06.420 --> 00:37:07.620
 These are powerfully depicted.

00:37:08.160 --> 00:37:10.960
 Tamar adopts the posture of a grieving woman with ashes on her

00:37:10.960 --> 00:37:11.180
 head.

00:37:11.280 --> 00:37:13.940
 She weeps uncontrollably as she walks down the road.

00:37:15.019 --> 00:37:18.880
 Amnon has used and discarded her like an object.

00:37:19.559 --> 00:37:23.460
 So she tears her long robe, representing her dignity torn apart.

00:37:23.460 --> 00:37:28.500
 She's now seen as damaged goods unfit for marriage to another man in her society.

00:37:29.139 --> 00:37:33.340
 And even more, in the aftermath of her assault, she receives no sympathy from her brother or

00:37:33.340 --> 00:37:35.480
 her father, only platitudes and silence.

00:37:36.480 --> 00:37:38.860
 She lives the rest of her life as a desolate woman.

00:37:39.860 --> 00:37:43.059
 Her cry is echoed by many victims of sexual assault and abuse.

00:37:43.059 --> 00:37:45.759
 Where could I go to get rid of my disgrace?

00:37:48.599 --> 00:37:52.480
 Second, reflection, sexual assault is not the victim's fault.

00:37:54.940 --> 00:37:59.460
 Now, of course, there are some situations where a victim has acted unwisely or sinfully,

00:37:59.460 --> 00:38:02.400
 and it is appropriate and important to acknowledge this.

00:38:02.500 --> 00:38:06.740
 But the point remains that the victim is not to be blamed for the perpetrator's sin.

00:38:09.179 --> 00:38:13.659
 Tamar is the only character in this story who displays consistent integrity and godliness.

00:38:14.780 --> 00:38:19.240
 All the other characters in the story manifest serious character flaws.

00:38:19.480 --> 00:38:26.679
 Amnon, Absalom, David, Amnon's friend Jonadab, they're all deeply flawed.

00:38:26.679 --> 00:38:32.219
 By contrast, Tamar is hospitable toward Amnon cooking a meal for him when he's apparently

00:38:32.219 --> 00:38:33.480
 sick and confined to bed.

00:38:33.579 --> 00:38:34.239
 She's courageous.

00:38:34.399 --> 00:38:36.179
 She declares God's truth to Amnon.

00:38:36.779 --> 00:38:41.799
 She resists him rather than merely yielding to his ungodly desires, even though he's physically

00:38:41.799 --> 00:38:44.059
 stronger and more intimidating than she.

00:38:44.719 --> 00:38:49.000
 And at the end, her lament at the end of the story is a righteous response to evil and

00:38:49.000 --> 00:38:49.460
 injustice.

00:38:50.759 --> 00:38:54.199
 In the Psalms and in the book of Revelation, the righteous sufferers cry out,

00:38:54.199 --> 00:38:55.460
 O Lord, how long?

00:38:55.460 --> 00:38:57.940
 Tamar is among their company.

00:39:00.000 --> 00:39:05.059
 Now, the unresolved story of Tamar, the righteous sufferer whose life ended in seeming destillation,

00:39:05.179 --> 00:39:10.240
 points us to a fifth biblical example of humiliation, abuse, and violence.

00:39:12.179 --> 00:39:18.039
 This last biblical example is not one that we normally associate with the offense of sexual

00:39:18.039 --> 00:39:18.480
 assault.

00:39:18.480 --> 00:39:24.199
 But the New Testament Gospels culminate in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the righteous

00:39:24.199 --> 00:39:29.320
 one, which was undeniably an act of humiliation, abuse, and violence.

00:39:30.159 --> 00:39:32.800
 Consider some of what happened to Jesus on the way to the cross.

00:39:33.519 --> 00:39:37.099
 He was portrayed by a close friend with whom he had broke bread the night before.

00:39:37.960 --> 00:39:40.960
 He was abandoned by those who had promised to remain with him always.

00:39:40.960 --> 00:39:44.679
 He was stripped of his robe and violently beaten.

00:39:45.679 --> 00:39:47.099
 He was mocked and spit upon.

00:39:47.220 --> 00:39:49.500
 He was publicly humiliated and disgraced.

00:39:50.300 --> 00:39:57.139
 He was put on display before a hostile crowd, naked and exposed, except perhaps for a loincloth.

00:39:57.139 --> 00:40:02.279
 He was crucified outside the camp in the place of defilement.

00:40:03.099 --> 00:40:05.719
 His life ended in seeming desolation and disgrace.

00:40:07.519 --> 00:40:12.819
 And yet our great hope is that the story of Jesus, who is also the only entirely righteous

00:40:12.819 --> 00:40:16.699
 and godly character in all of scripture, does not end with crucifixion and disgrace.

00:40:17.739 --> 00:40:22.159
 Three days later, this same Jesus rose from the dead, conquering death and sin forever.

00:40:22.159 --> 00:40:25.899
 Jesus endured the cross, despising the shame for the joy set before him,

00:40:25.940 --> 00:40:29.980
 the joy of bringing us, many sons and daughters, with him,

00:40:30.079 --> 00:40:33.719
 bringing us from shame and despair to everlasting joy and glory.

00:40:35.099 --> 00:40:40.279
 So truly this Jesus is, for all victims of sexual assault who will turn to him,

00:40:40.980 --> 00:40:42.719
 a merciful and faithful high priest,

00:40:43.440 --> 00:40:45.899
 who is not unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,

00:40:46.119 --> 00:40:49.519
 but who in every respect has been tempted as we are and yet without sin.

00:40:49.519 --> 00:40:54.259
 There is even hope for perpetrators of sexual assault who will turn to Jesus,

00:40:54.420 --> 00:40:59.579
 for Jesus prayed from the cross even for those who were mocking him and who had crucified him.

00:41:01.099 --> 00:41:03.519
 Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.

00:41:04.860 --> 00:41:07.659
 From the cross he assured a criminal who was repentant,

00:41:07.980 --> 00:41:10.039
 who had been condemned to die for his crimes.

00:41:10.159 --> 00:41:12.840
 Today you will be with me in paradise.

00:41:13.759 --> 00:41:16.579
 Jesus Christ offers hope to sinners and to sufferers,

00:41:16.579 --> 00:41:19.420
 and in the end, we all belong to both groups.

00:41:20.099 --> 00:41:21.159
 In one way or another.

00:41:22.360 --> 00:41:24.679
 In light of what Christ has done, Hebrews invites us,

00:41:24.759 --> 00:41:27.259
 let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace,

00:41:27.679 --> 00:41:31.699
 that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in our time of need.

00:41:32.480 --> 00:41:34.679
 Sexual assault and abuse are deeply damaging,

00:41:34.880 --> 00:41:38.480
 but through Christ, significant redemption is possible.

00:41:40.239 --> 00:41:40.679
 Amen.

00:41:40.679 --> 00:41:40.800
 Amen.