Bible reading (ESV)
- Matthew 1:1–6
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king.
- Genesis 38:1–30
At that time Judah went down from his brothers and turned aside to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Shua. Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua’s daughter; and he married her and went in to her. She conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er. She conceived again and bore a son, and he called his name Onan. She bore yet a third son and called his name Shelah. He was at Chezib when she bore him. Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD put him to death. Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his. So whenever he went in to his brother’s wife he spilled the semen on the ground, lest he should give offspring to his brother. And what he did was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and he put him to death also. Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house, till my son Shelah grows up,” for he feared that he too would die like his brothers. So Tamar went and remained in her father’s house.
In the time after Judah’s wife died, Judah went up to his shearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. And Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.” So she took off her widow’s garments and put on a veil, covering herself, and wrapped herself and sat in the open place that is on the way to Timnah. For she saw that Shelah had grown up, and she was not given to him in marriage. When Judah saw her he thought her to be a prostitute, for she had covered her face. And he turned to her at the roadside and said, “Come, let me come in to you,” for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?” He said, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” She said, “Will you give me a pledge until you send it?” He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” She said, “Your signet and your cord and your staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him. Then she arose and went away and laid aside her veil and put on the garments of her widowhood.
When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand, he could not find her. Then he asked the men of the place, “Where is the prostitute who was sitting at the roadside?” And they said, “There was no prostitute here.” So he returned to Judah and said, “I could not find her; also the men of the place said, ‘There was no prostitute here.’” And Judah said, “Let her take it to her; keep it, lest we be shamed. Behold, I sent this young goat, and you have not found her.”
About three months later Judah was told, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the prostitute, and behold, she is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned.” As she was being brought out she sent to her father-in-law a message, “By the man to whom these belong I am with child.” And she said, “Please identify whose these are.” Then Judah acknowledged them and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not know her again. When the time of her giving birth came, behold, twins were in her womb. As she was giving birth one put out his hand, and the midwife took and bound a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” But as he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out, and she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” Therefore his name was called Perez. Afterwards his brother came out with the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah.
Observation questions (look closely at the text and the sermon)
- Which unexpected names and women appear already in Matthew’s opening genealogy (Matthew 1:1–6), and where does Tamar show up in that list?
- In Genesis 38 what specific events reveal Judah’s moral failure and hypocrisy (give three concrete moments from the chapter)?
- The preacher says the Bible is “his story” — a record of God working inside messy, dangerous human history. What language in the sermon supports that idea? [05:20]
- Why does the preacher insist Matthew “refuses to sanitize” the family line—what detail or phrase in the sermon points to that method? [13:55]
Interpretation questions (think about meaning; written objectively)
- Why would Matthew deliberately include scandalous, morally messy people (like Tamar) at the start of his gospel rather than omit them? What is he arguing about the nature of the Messiah and God’s purposes? [13:55]
- How does the story of Genesis 38 expose hypocrisy in Judah’s character, and what might that suggest about Matthew’s point that God “weaves redemption through what we most want to hide”? [24:42]
- What theological significance follows from Jesus calling a tax collector (Matthew) with “Follow me” instead of demanding moral perfection first? How does that choice affect assumptions about who is eligible to receive grace? [32:49]
- The preacher says the Bible is ancient history “with a God-given purpose.” How does reading these stories as purposeful history (not just moral tales) change the meaning of shame, scandal, and grace in the narrative? [05:20]
Application questions (make these concrete and personal)
- The sermon pressed the invitation: follow before you’re fixed. Identify one area of your life you have been waiting to “clean up” before you follow Jesus openly. What is one small, concrete step you can take this week to invite Jesus into that area? (Example: tell one trusted Christian friend; pray a short honest prayer aloud; attend a worship gathering.) [32:49]
- Who in your circle do you quietly exclude because they seem “naughty” or messy? Pick one person and plan one practical act of proximity this month (a text, coffee, a helpful favor) that puts you near them rather than judging at a distance. [33:31]
- The preacher said God entered our mess rather than explaining it away. What is one specific “mess” from your past that you hide from others? Name one safe person you could share some of it with this month and one way you’ll ask for prayer or help. [05:47]
- The genealogy forces readers to keep the ugly details. Is there a Bible story you’ve always “prettied up” for yourself or your kids? Choose one such story; this week read it honestly (with the passage in hand) and note what it reveals about God’s grace. Then share one insight with your group. [02:45]
- Matthew’s change happened after an invitation to follow, then a slow transformation. Who could you invite—non‑pushily—to watch an episode of a Jesus-centered talk, join a low-pressure meet-up, or simply ask “Can I tell you why following Jesus changed my life?” Make a specific plan and time to do it. [29:10]
- If you teach or lead kids this season: pick one “messy but redemptive” Bible story (for example, Judah & Tamar adapted for age) and write down one sentence that explains the gospel truth you want kids to hear. How will you present that sentence in a kid-friendly way this month? [02:18]
(End of study guide)
