A wasted opportunity
Dr. Roberto Miranda
(Audio: Spanish)
SUMMARY: In Genesis 34, Jacob's daughter Dinah is taken and dishonored by a man named Shechem. Shechem falls in love with Dinah and asks for her hand in marriage, but Jacob's sons are angry and seek revenge. They come up with a plan to have all the men in Shechem's city circumcised and then kill them while they are in pain. This event shows the contrast between the world's values of strength and honor, which involve revenge and violence, and the Kingdom of God's values of forgiveness, mercy, and love. The author also shares a personal experience of witnessing violence on the streets and reflects on the world's values of competition and aggression.
The story of Dinah in Genesis 34 reveals the importance of forgiveness, mercy, and peace in the Kingdom of God. While it is clear that Dinah was dishonored and offended by Shechem's behavior, the story also shows how Shechem fell in love with Dinah and wanted to make things right. However, Dinah's brothers reacted with violence and killed Shechem and his people, missing an opportunity for forgiveness and mercy. The Gospel calls us to replace the values of the world with grace, compassion, and kindness in our relationships and conflicts. The story of Lot and Abram also shows the importance of peace and good witness in our interactions with others. As agents of peace in our workplaces, families, and congregations, we can make a positive impact and reflect the values of the Kingdom of God.
The sermon encourages people to embrace the values of the Kingdom of God and to live to a greater height in the way they treat others. The speaker shared the story of Abram and Lot from the Bible to illustrate the importance of being generous and referring one's cause to the Lord. The Lord Jesus Christ's teachings on forgiveness, generosity, and love towards enemies were also discussed. The sermon ended with a prayer for marriages, homes, families, ministries, and individuals to be filled with the Spirit of God and to be peacemakers.
The story of Dinah in Genesis 34 reveals the importance of forgiveness, mercy, and peace in the Kingdom of God. While it is clear that Dinah was dishonored and offended by Shechem's behavior, the story also shows how Shechem fell in love with Dinah and wanted to make things right. However, Dinah's brothers reacted with violence and killed Shechem and his people, missing an opportunity for forgiveness and mercy. The Gospel calls us to replace the values of the world with grace, compassion, and kindness in our relationships and conflicts. The story of Lot and Abram also shows the importance of peace and good witness in our interactions with others. As agents of peace in our workplaces, families, and congregations, we can make a positive impact and reflect the values of the Kingdom of God.
The sermon encourages people to embrace the values of the Kingdom of God and to live to a greater height in the way they treat others. The speaker shared the story of Abram and Lot from the Bible to illustrate the importance of being generous and referring one's cause to the Lord. The Lord Jesus Christ's teachings on forgiveness, generosity, and love towards enemies were also discussed. The sermon ended with a prayer for marriages, homes, families, ministries, and individuals to be filled with the Spirit of God and to be peacemakers.
Let's go to Genesis chapter 34. I want to share with you about an incident in Scripture in the life of Jacob and his sons, a sad, tragic, but also very instructive incident that has great lessons for us. And let me start the reading of the Word and then I'm going to leave it in the middle and then I'm going to narrate the rest.
Chapter 34 says: "Dinah, the daughter of Leah" Jacob's common-law wife "whom she had given birth to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the country" which means there that this young daughter of Jacob left to take a walk around the neighborhood, so to speak, to see her friends, to visit them. "And Shechem, son of Hamor Hebeo" Hamor with H not with A only "saw her, prince of that land and took her, and lay with her and dishonored her, but his soul clung to Dinah, the daughter of Leah and fell in love with the young woman, and spoke to her heart."
Chapter 34 says: "Dinah, the daughter of Leah" Jacob's common-law wife "whom she had given birth to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the country" which means there that this young daughter of Jacob left to take a walk around the neighborhood, so to speak, to see her friends, to visit them. "And Shechem, son of Hamor Hebeo" Hamor with H not with A only "saw her, prince of that land and took her, and lay with her and dishonored her, but his soul clung to Dinah, the daughter of Leah and fell in love with the young woman, and spoke to her heart."
