I invite you to turn with me to 2 Corinthians chapter 6, as we read beginning at verse 14 through chapter 7, verse 1, and we read this in connection with our text, Genesis chapter 38. As you can see from the outline, if you've looked at it on the back side of the order of worship, this sermon has two points, and today we consider just point one, part one. And the Lord willing, next week we consider point number two. 2 Corinthians chapter 6, beginning at verse 14, and then back to Genesis 38. Hear now the word of God. Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does the believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said, I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore, come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. I will be a father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. Genesis chapter 38. We had just considered the fact that Joseph's brothers had sold him. And then they deceived their father, Jacob, with his richly ornamented robe soaked in the blood of a goat. In the beginning of verse 1 of chapter 38, At that time Judah left his brothers and went down to stay with a man of Adullam named Hira. There Judah met the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua. He married her and lay with her. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son who was named Ur. She conceived again and gave birth to a son and named him Onan. She gave birth to still another son and named him Shelah. It was at Kezib that she gave birth to him. Judah got a wife for Ur, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. But Ur, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the Lord's sight, so the Lord put him to death. Then Judah said to Onan, Lie with your brother's wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to produce offspring for your brother. But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his, so whenever he lay with his brother's wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from producing offspring for his brother. What he did was wicked in the Lord's sight, so he put him to death also. Judah then said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, live as a widow in your father's house until my son Shelah grows up, for he thought he may die too, just like his brothers. So Tamar went to live in her father's house. After a long time, Judah's wife, the daughter of Shua, died. When Judah had recovered from his grief, he went up to Timnah to the men who were shearing his sheep, and his friend Hira the Adulamite went with him. When Tamar was told, your father-in-law is on his way to Timnah to shear his sheep, she took off her widow's clothes, covered herself with a veil to disguise herself, and then sat down at the entrance to Anim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that though Shelah had now grown up, she had not been given to him as his wife. When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. Not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, he went over to her by the roadside and said, Come now, let me sleep with you. And what will you give me to sleep with you, she asked. I'll send you a young goat for my flock, he said. Will you give me something as a pledge until you send it, she asked. He said, What pledge should I give you? Your seal and its cord and the staff in your hand, she answered. So he gave them to her and slept with her and she became pregnant by him. After she left, she took off her veil and put on her widow's clothes again. Meanwhile, Judah sent the young goat by his friend, the Adulamite, in order to get his pledge back from the woman, But he did not find her. He asked the men who lived there, where is the shrine prostitute who is beside the road at Enayim? There hasn't been any shrine prostitute here, they said. So he went back to Judah and said, I didn't find her. Besides, the men who lived there said, there hasn't been any shrine prostitute here. Then Judah said, let her keep what she has or we will become a laughingstock. After all, I did send her this young goat, but you didn't find her. About three months later, Judah was told, your daughter-in-law Tamar is guilty of prostitution, and as a result, she is now pregnant. Judah said, bring her out and have her burned to death. As she was being brought out, she sent a message to her father-in-law, I am pregnant by the man who owns these, she said. And she added, see if you recognize whose seal and cord and staff these are. Judah recognized them and said, she is more righteous than I. since I wouldn't give her to my son, Sheila. And he did not sleep with her again. When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. As she was giving birth, one of them put out his hand, so the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his wrist and said, This one came out first. But when he drew back his hand, his brother came out, and she said, So this is how you have broken out. And he was named Perez. Then his brother, who had the scarlet thread on his wrist, came out, and he was given the name Zerah. Beloved of the Lord Jesus Christ, well, there are certain portions of Scripture about which we wonder why in the world is that in the Bible. What is God's reason for having it there? For example, the genealogies, huh? With all of those hard to pronounce names and all those different clans and large numbers of people we find in the book of Numbers. Why is it there? And Genesis chapter 38 may be another one of these portions that we wonder about, but for a different reason. You see, it's kind of like a modern day soap opera, which really is no compliment to it. It doesn't seem to be a very edifying portion of Scripture. And as we read it, as parents, we hope that especially our young children won't pick up on parts of it and ask, well, what does that mean about Onan? What could we as God's people possibly learn from the wickedness of Judah? And when I say Judah, I mean to include Judah's family in that name because he was the head of his family. Well, believe it or not, and beloved, I hope you will believe it, even in this portion of Holy Scripture, we are given a real life picture of the mercy and grace of God. Now, of course, there are many, many moral applications for us to find in this chapter, and indeed, we must consider them. There's deceit, there's being unequally yoked, there's friendship with the world, there's hedonism, incest, a lack of integrity, as well as unjust judging, just to mention a few things. But all of these moral applications must be seen in the light of what God is doing here. And as we inspect this particular snapshot, that's what it is, this snapshot of redemptive history, God reveals the unlikely line of the Messiah. Now, almost any commentator you read will say that this story of Judah and his family seems like an unnecessary interruption in the Joseph story. You see, with Joseph, the anticipation has been building. We understand both the envy and the hatred of the brothers toward Joseph and we sympathize with the hurt poured out against Joseph as well as the fear of the unknown as he is taken far away from the protection of the Father he loves and who loves him more than words can express. And what a contrast between the comfort of home under the Father's care and the coldness of Egypt where he knows no one. And no one knows him. well what will happen to him how will Joseph handle it but first there's Genesis chapter 38 it doesn't fit or does it it's kind of like your favorite TV show at the end of a season which ends with a cliffhanger and you have to wait a few months to find out who done it to find out what it's all about Again, this chapter has an important place right here where God has placed it. Remember, Genesis 37, verse 2 began, this is the account of Jacob, not Joseph. This isn't a story just about Joseph, but about the history of Jacob's family and how God will prepare them and make them into a great nation as He had promised to Abraham. You see, beloved, the central problem in this portion of Scripture, Genesis 38 and this portion of history, the central problem is childlessness. Which, of course, creates a problem in connection with God's promise to Abraham. No children means no seed. No seed means no line. No line means no hope. But God had promised the seed of the woman. And this story here before us at every turn shows the attempt through sin and wickedness to redirect God's plan and to stop God's promise to Abraham of being a great nation. And ultimately, it's an attempt to stop the line leading to Christ. Yet God won't let that happen. As while the greatest disgrace of the family is exposed, at the very same time by God's providence and grace, It leads to the family's greatest honor, the line of the Messiah. How do we know? Because Matthew 1, verse 3, there we find the genealogy of the Lord Jesus Christ. And in verse 3 of chapter 1, who do we find but Tamar and her sons by Judah. This unlikely line of the Messiah, first of all, and this is our only point this morning, demonstrates the need for God's redemption. Now again, because we have the rest of the story, because we know what comes next, we cannot miss the contrast here with what comes after. We cannot miss the contrast between the righteousness of Joseph in Egypt in the face of temptation, and the wickedness of Judah in the land of promise, also in the face of temptation. Joseph, we might say, is like David who is described as a man after God's own heart. But Judah is a man after man's own heart. Joseph's principle of life is reflected in his words to Potiphar's wife when he says, How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God? That was Joseph's principle of life. Beloved, including you boys and girls and young people, is that your principle of life? What I mean is, is that the attitude you have toward all the decisions that you make every single day? How could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God? You see, only that attitude and that desire honors God. Judah's principle of life and as well his son's principle of life seem to be, if it feels good, do it. If I think it's right for me, then it must be right for me. What pleases me the most, that's what's most important. See, Joseph, with Potiphar's wife, had everything to gain, humanly speaking, if he compromised his faith, and he had much to lose if he didn't. Judah had nothing to gain for giving into temptation, except a few moments of pleasure which would be nothing more than a painful memory. Judah and his family, beloved, demonstrate the need for God's redemption. Redemption that included the necessity of being relocated outside of the land of promise to the foreign land of Egypt. As well, the need to suffer bondage in Egypt. That's what they needed. Canaan and the wicked citizens of Canaan threatened to swallow up Israel. We see here just how dangerously close the line of the Messiah was to spiritual extinction. And it was God's mercy toward Jacob's family that sent Joseph ahead of them to Egypt to spare them from that extinction. And beloved, that's why it was necessary for our Lord Jesus Christ to come. To spare us from being swallowed up by spiritual extinction and from the eternal torment of God's wrath and punishment. And when we understand that, when we truly, truly, truly understand that, that we cannot help but to sing amazing grace. How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. Children, you must grow to understand the great difference between what you deserve because you are a sinner. There's no doubt about that. And what Jesus Christ gives to you and me when we believe and trust only in Him. It's a difference between eternal death and eternal life. Now, the family of Jacob had to leave Canaan. This family needed to be redeemed from the wicked culture that surrounded them and the particular sins of Judah and his family are clear proof of this. It's interesting that chapter 38 begins with the words, At that time. Now, most commentators agree that we are to understand this to mean that this was the time, talking about the time when Joseph was sold by his brothers. You see, it was about a 22-year spread between the time the brothers sold Joseph and when Jacob relocated, moved his family to Egypt. And although it's a tight fit, 22 years, it is possible that all of the events of chapter 38 happens. Judah marries, has three sons, no doubt close in age, gives Ur and Onan consecutively to Tamar, has children himself with Tamar, and all of this in 22 years. We say, no way. But based on the culture of that time with even young men marrying at 15 or 16 years of age, it's not only possible, but obviously, in this case, actual that all of this took place in 22 years. But Judah's first sin, we might say, was leaving his brothers and going out into the world, as it were, of Canaan. And who knows, maybe he left because he couldn't handle the grief of Jacob over the loss of Joseph. We don't know. But notice, beloved. And especially young people. Notice the danger in leaving the security of the church. Of the communion of the saints. Inside the community of the true church, one is to find encouragement, help, admonition, and the security of those who have the like mind of Jesus Christ. God's people care for each other and desire for each other the blessing of walking with the Lord and bearing each other's burdens and watching over each other's spiritual lives. But that's gone in the world. The world of wickedness has one goal and that is to take away from you and me all of the comforts and the blessings of Christ and His church. And instead, to have one conform to the lusts and the pride of this world. But Paul says, don't do that. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is, His good and pleasing and perfect will. But the world wants us to follow its will, not God's will. Now, we're not saying here that Judah never had thoughts of worldliness before he left his brothers. He obviously did, and he followed those thoughts and desires, somewhat reflected in his treatment of Joseph. His leading of his brothers to do what they did. But Paul calls us to fight in the strength of the Holy Spirit against the world's thoughts and desires, and to purposefully and consciously seek to do God's will. Junior high young people, that's what Mr. Cooper was trying to teach you Friday night. That we are called to purposefully and consciously fight temptation and seek to do God's will. James warns believers of the danger of becoming friends with the world when he says in chapter 4, you adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. It can't be both and, James says. It's either or. One commentator says in connection with Judah's actions, to stop attending the place where you will hear God's Word and meet God's people is a step on the downward path. While we are to be civil and friendly to all, we must be careful about making close friendships with people who will draw us away from the Lord. Why is this? Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15, verse 33, Do not be misled. Bad company corrupts good character. And that's why God protects His people with the warning we read from 2 Corinthians 6. Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. Righteousness and wickedness, light and dark, Christ and Satan. What are they? They're extreme opposites. They have nothing in common. with Judah and his family, we have proof that sin breeds more sin. He not only became yoked with unbelievers by moving in with them into their community, but he became yoked in marriage to an unbeliever. It's not clear in our NIV translation, but in the original, the emphasis is more on the fact that Judah saw with his eyes and took Shua's daughter in the sense of purely physical attraction and lust. Remember, Abraham was careful to make sure Isaac did not take a wife from among the people of the land. Isaac also, with Rebekah's help, sent Jacob to take a wife from relatives and not from among the people of the land. And it displeased them when Esau took wives from the people of Canaan. But here Judah dug right in. And He made His home among those outside of the covenant community. Beloved, God forbids marriage between a believer and an unbeliever. Plain and simple. He forbids it. He says no. It only brings trouble, as many will tell you. Once in a while, God will be merciful and bring the unbelieving spouse to faith in Christ and what a blessing that is. Maybe some of you here have been in that situation. I don't know. But you see, he doesn't do that because the believer unfaithfully married the unbeliever, but in spite of the fact that the believer unfaithfully married the unbeliever. But Judah's sin is also demonstrated in his lack of integrity. He didn't stick to His Word. He couldn't be trusted. And to understand this, we need to look at his three sons and Tamar. Judah found Tamar for Ur, his oldest son. Now, we're not told at all what was so wicked about Ur that the Lord put him to death. It might simply have been everything about him. And we're not told how God put him to death. It doesn't matter. God used some means to cut Ur's life short. And this reminds us of the account of the flood and of Sodom and Gomorrah. In both cases, the Bible talks about the greatness of the sin of the people, the extreme wickedness of the people against which he has every right to judge. Ur, along with Onan, reminds us that wickedness will not be rewarded. It will be punished. If not now in this life, in the end. You cannot get by with sin. God doesn't turn His face away from sin and ignore it. It must be dealt with. Of course, we know that in our day, God doesn't seem to punish sin as He often did during the time of the Israelites, whether it be sending fire down from heaven to consume some in an instant or the ground opening up and swallowing some. And that's an act of mercy in and of itself, that God doesn't do that. Giving man time to repent. But many unbelievers instead become arrogant and by their continued sin and increasing wickedness, they in effect shake their fists at God and taunt Him, figuring He won't really punish me or I dare you, come and get me. But oh, how terrible it will be for them one day when they cry out for the mountains to cover them. Now, Onan's sin, well, that's a little more clearly spelled out. There seemed to be an ancient custom among the nations at that time which is called liberate marriage. And that's when, the word means brother-in-law, and it's when the second son would marry the dead brother's widow, and the first child to be born to that union then would be considered the child of the older brother who died. And that child then would receive the rights and the inheritance of the firstborn. Moses hung on to this tradition. You see, the family line was important, and when the family line was cut off, that was a sign of judgment. But Onan wanted no part of this tradition. He took Tamar as his wife, but simply to fulfill his own hedonistic desires for lust and self-pleasure, he obeyed the law of the day, the custom as it were, to a point, but for his own selfish reasons. Boys and girls, how often do you honor your mother and father, but it's only because you want something from them. Now here the NIV makes it clear that whenever Onan had intercourse with Tamar, he made sure she did not become pregnant. It wasn't just a one-time deal, you see, whenever they were together. And in this way, beloved, he showed disrespect for his brother and for the custom of the day. He showed disrespect and disregard for God's covenant promise to Abraham to make of him a great nation. He showed hatred for the Lord and His command to be fruitful and multiply. But what's interesting too is at the very same time, it seems Onan didn't realize that he was cutting off his own line. But also he was himself trying to stop the line leading to the Messiah. So the Lord also put him to death in some way. But then Judah's word is broken when he fails to give his youngest son to Tamar. He promised Shelah to Tamar when he was ready for marriage, but Judah had no intention of fulfilling that promise. After all, there must be something wrong with Tamar, and I will not risk losing my last, my youngest son because of her. But this then leads to Judah's immorality, his adultery with his daughter-in-law Tamar. And we'll consider this more in our second point, part two of this sermon next week, the Lord willing. But from the time Judah left his brothers, we see the downward spiral. We see the progression of his sin jumping in with both of his feet into the wickedness of the world all the way to unjustly judging Tamar and finding her guilty for the very same sin that he failed to see in himself. Indeed, Tamar had committed adultery. She was engaged, as it were, to Shelah now, even though Judah had no intention of giving his son to her. And she shamed the family of Judah by becoming pregnant by someone outside of marriage and outside of the family as it was supposed. And Judah exercised his right as the head of the family by sentencing Tamar to the most severe sentence possible, death by fire. Well, beloved, what will happen to Judah's family line? Now, that's an odd question for us, isn't it? Because we know, we know that his is the unlikely line of the Messiah. And next time, the Lord willing, we will recognize the mercy and grace of God even in the midst of what we might call a soap opera type of situation. And we are to be reminded of God's mercy and grace poured out upon us. You see, beloved, the ugly sin of Judah and his family not only demonstrates the need for God's redemption for them, but also for us. If we look close, and we don't have to look too close unfortunately sometimes, But if we look close, we see these same sins in our lives, don't we? Deceitfulness. Being unequally yoked in our friendships with the world. A lack of integrity because our word often means nothing. And a selfish desire for our own pleasure. These sins take on different shapes and sizes and situations in our lives. but they remind us each and every day of how we absolutely do not deserve to live. We deserve to be struck down. We absolutely do not deserve that God should be merciful and gracious to us and bring us to be at peace with Him, but He has. How beloved He has. Through His Son, our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. In this season of the year, we are reminded in a particular way of the cross of Jesus, that emblem of His suffering and shame. But also, at the same time, that emblem of our redemption. That our God has not looked away from our sin and let it go unpunished, but punished it in His only begotten Son. And beloved, as Paul warns, we are not to go on sinning so that grace may increase. We are not to purposefully live in sin just because, well, then God's grace can be all the more illumined. It doesn't work that way. Yet when God brings to mind our sin and we are brought to confess it and ask for His forgiving grace, then we are to be reminded again and again of the amazing grace and mercy of our God. And may that truth then motivate us to strive for greater faithfulness to God, recognizing that there is no other love so great as the love of God for His people earned for us by Christ Jesus. And beloved, may we praise Him. Think about this. May we praise Him that our sin will not separate us from His love as it ought to because Jesus has already eternally separated us from the curse of our sin. Beloved, each one of us in and of ourselves is an unlikely heir of God. Yet He has adopted us. And by His grace, through faith, He has brought us into His family. He has made us His very own. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Amen. Shall we pray? Father, we praise Your holy name for Your kept promises. That indeed Your Word does not fail. That it accomplishes that for which You sent it. Your promises are sure. That indeed we look back and we see the fulfillment of that unlikely line. We see the fulfillment in Jesus Christ, our Lord. Indeed, Father, even as our heads spin, when we read portions of Your Word and wonder, how can this be? Yet we praise You, Father, for even using the sin of mankind, the sin of Your people, to accomplish Your most holy will for our benefit. We thank You, Lord, for the forgiveness of all of our sins in Christ Jesus. In His name alone we pray. Amen.