Against the Odds

Introduction

Wilma Glodean Rudolph was born prematurely on June 23, 1940, in St. Bethlehem, Tennessee, the 20th of 22 children born to dad Ed across his two marriages.

Wilma Glodean Rudolph was stricken with double pneumonia, scarlet fever and polio as a child, she had problems with her left leg and had to wear a brace.

But AGAINST THE ODDS, in 1960, Wilma Rudolph became the first American woman to win three gold medals in track and field at a single Olympics.

Althea Neale Gibson was born on August 25, 1927, in Silver, South Carolina.

At a young age, Althea Neale Gibson moved with her family to Harlem, a neighborhood in the borough of New York City. Gibson's life at this time had its hardships. Her family struggled to make ends meet, living on public assistance for a time, and Gibson struggled in the classroom, often skipping school all together.

But AGAINST THE ODDS, of being Black and being a Woman, Althea Neale Gibson was the first African-American tennis player to compete at the U.S. National Championships in 1950, and the first black player to compete at Wimbledon in 1951. She also broke racial barriers in professional golf.

AGAINST THE ODDS, Althea Neale Gibson won the women's singles and doubles at Wimbledon in 1957, and won the U.S. Open in 1958.

The main objective of the sermon is motivate someone to know that you can make it against the odds!

The central idea of the text is tailored to teach us that HOW WE START OUT, is not necessarily indicative of HOW WE WILL FINISH UP!

I. His Story (9)

Everyone has a story!

She named Jabez out of her pain, at that time…But from all indication, this text is in the midst of a genealogical context, namely the son of Jacob, the fourth son of Leah and Jacob, whose name was Judah, whose name means PRAISE because in , “This time I will praise the Lord.”

Jabez = sorrow = pain

We cannot allow one negative circumstance or situation to define someone else...

honorable = better = to be respected

ONE’S NAME IS USUALLY ONE’S DESTINY

What people call you does not have to determine or dictate your destiny! What people call you does not have to determine where you headed in life; where you start out in life does not have to be where you end up!

II. His Prayer (10a)

Jabez prayed...

“His prayer was meant to counteract the threatening character of his name.”

to the God of Israel...

to the God of Israel...

bless - to bless (favor) v. — to invoke (or enact) divine favor, often implying a positive disposition or kind actions toward the recipient.

enlarge - to make great v. — to make great in size, scale, magnitude, or importance; increase/multiply...

territory - territory n. — the geographical area under the jurisdiction of a sovereign state.

“a particularly appropriate petition within a genealogy so focused on geography…”

hand - power ⇔ hand n. — power or possession of controlling influence conceived as in terms of the hand; can be used to highlight immanent activity.

hand - power ⇔ hand n. — power or possession of controlling influence conceived as in terms of the hand; can be used to highlight immanent activity.

“he requested the presence of God’s hand, which would be the opposite of having God’s hand against him. Think of the promise in b*: “And it shall be known that the hand of Yahweh is with his servants, and his indignation is against his enemies.” God’s hand with Jabez would be the opposite of his hand against him.

keep me - to keep (safety) v. — to maintain in safety from injury, harm, or danger.

(NRSV)

keep me - to keep (safety) v. — to maintain in safety from injury, harm, or danger.

keep me - to keep (safety) v. — to maintain in safety from injury, harm, or danger.

from - away from; apart; separate

evil - calamity (event) n. — an event resulting in great loss and misfortune.

“liberation from the dire consequences of his birth and name, so that he would not suffer pain, as his mother had at his birth and as his name threatened him every moment of his life. He desired that his name would not be his fate.”

Klein, Ralph W. 1 Chronicles: A Commentary. Ed. Thomas Krüger. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2006. Print. Hermeneia—a Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible.

III. His Request Accepted (10b)

to cause (to happen) ⇔ to bring v. — to cause something to happen, conceived of as bringing it into existence.

She named Jabez out of her pain, at that time…But from all indication, this text is in the midst of a genealogical context, namely the son of Jacob, the fourth son of Leah and Jacob, whose name was Judah, whose name means PRAISE because in , “This time I will praise the Lord.”

We cannot allow one negative circumstance or situation to define someone else...

honorable = better = to be respected

to cause (to happen) ⇔ to bring v. — to cause something to happen, conceived of as bringing it into existence.

In Hebrew context, the verb is viewed in what’s called a PERFECTIVE ASPECT, meaning, it views the action of the action of the verb from the perspective of seeing or thinking of the action of the verb as whole or complete, without respect to the time of the action.

ONE’S NAME IS USUALLY ONE’S DESTINY

What people call you does not have to determine or dictate your destiny! What people call you does not have to determine where you headed in life; where you start out in life does not have to be where you end up!

verse 10

“His prayer was meant to counteract the threatening character of his name.”

His prayer was meant to counteract the threatening character of his name.

Klein, Ralph W. 1 Chronicles: A Commentary. Ed. Thomas Krüger. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2006. Print. Hermeneia—a Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible.

to the God of Israel...

bless - to bless (favor) v. — to invoke (or enact) divine favor, often implying a positive disposition or kind actions toward the recipient.

enlarge - to make great v. — to make great in size, scale, magnitude, or importance; increase/multiply...

to bless (favor) v. — to invoke (or enact) divine favor, often implying a positive disposition or kind actions toward the recipient.

to make great v. — to make great in size, scale, magnitude, or importance.

territory - territory n. — the geographical area under the jurisdiction of a sovereign state.

“a particularly appropriate petition within a genealogy so focused on geography…”

a particularly appropriate petition within a genealogy so focused on geography

Klein, Ralph W. 1 Chronicles: A Commentary. Ed. Thomas Krüger. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2006. Print. Hermeneia—a Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible.

territory n. — the geographical area under the jurisdiction of a sovereign state.

hand - power ⇔ hand n. — power or possession of controlling influence conceived as in terms of the hand; can be used to highlight immanent activity.

power ⇔ hand n. — power or possession of controlling influence conceived as in terms of the hand; can be used to highlight immanent activity.

keep me - to keep (safety) v. — to maintain in safety from injury, harm, or danger.

from - away from; apart; separate

to keep (safety) v. — to maintain in safety from injury, harm, or danger.

evil - calamity (event) n. — an event resulting in great loss and misfortune.

Again, this perspective refers to a KIND OF ACTION, not the TIME OF THE ACTION! An action in the Hebrew may be viewed or conceived as entire or complete even if that action has not yet taken place.

“he requested the presence of God’s hand, which would be the opposite of having God’s hand against him. Think of the promise in *: “And it shall be known that the hand of Yahweh is with his servants, and his indignation is against his enemies.” God’s hand with Jabez would be the opposite of his hand against him.

calamity (event) n. — an event resulting in great loss and misfortune.

he requested the presence of God’s hand, which would be the opposite of having God’s hand against him. Think of the promise in *: “And it shall be known that the hand of Yahweh is with his servants, and his indignation is against his enemies.” God’s hand with Jabez would be the opposite of his hand against him.

* 14 You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice; your bodies shall flourish like the grass; and it shall be known that the hand of the Lord is with his servants, and his indignation is against his enemies.

(NRSV)

Klein, Ralph W. 1 Chronicles: A Commentary. Ed. Thomas Krüger. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2006. Print. Hermeneia—a Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible.

keep me - to keep (safety) v. — to maintain in safety from injury, harm, or danger.

from - away from; apart; separate

evil - calamity (event) n. — an event resulting in great loss and misfortune.

“liberation from the dire consequences of his birth and name, so that he would not suffer pain, as his mother had at his birth and as his name threatened him every moment of his life. He desired that his name would not be his fate.”

1 Chronicles: A Commentary Detailed Commentary

liberation from the dire consequences of his birth and name, so that he would not suffer pain, as his mother had at his birth and as his name threatened him every moment of his life. He desired that his name would not be his fate.

liberation from the dire consequences of his birth and name, so that he would not suffer pain, as his mother had at his birth and as his name threatened him every moment of his life. He desired that his name would not be his fate.

Klein, Ralph W. 1 Chronicles: A Commentary. Ed. Thomas Krüger. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2006. Print. Hermeneia—a Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible.

The Conclusion

"The Recap” -

It seems to be an independent pericope that is theological in character.

The name “Jabez” (Heb. yaʿbēṣ) was given to the child because his mother bore him “in pain” (Heb. bĕʿōṣeb). Jabez is described as “more honorable than his brothers.”

But following an ancient belief that the name represents the character, there was a fear that evil consequences might follow for the boy (cf. ).

Jabez called on the God of Israel to turn any possible disaster into blessing. God granted his request and responded to an earnest prayer.

The power of God can overcome the liabilities of the past and the present. The Chronicler believed in the efficacy of prayer...

In the present context vv. 9–10 are not connected with preceding verses nor with vv. 11–12. It seems to be an independent pericope that is theological in character. The name “Jabez” (Heb. yaʿbēṣ) was given to the child because his mother bore him “in pain” (Heb. bĕʿōṣeb). Jabez is described as “more honorable than his brothers.” But following an ancient belief that the name represents the character, there was a fear that evil consequences might follow for the boy (cf. ). Jabez called on the God of Israel to turn any possible disaster into blessing. God granted his request and responded to an earnest prayer. The power of God can overcome the liabilities of the past and the present. The Chronicler believed in the efficacy of prayer and spoke of this often in later chapters.

The power of God can overcome the liabilities of the past and the present. The Chronicler believed in the efficacy of prayer...

It seems to be an independent pericope that is theological in character...

She named Jabez out of her pain, at that time…But from all indication, this text is in the midst of a genealogical context, namely the son of Jacob, the fourth son of Leah and Jacob, whose name was Judah, whose name means PRAISE because in , “This time I will praise the Lord.”

The power of God can overcome the liabilities of the past and the present. The Chronicler believed in the efficacy of prayer...

Thompson, J. A. 1, 2 Chronicles. Vol. 9. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1994. Print. The New American Commentary.

Finally, there was another who succeeded AGAINST THE ODDS! The ODDS were DEATH & the GRAVE!

ADAM, NOAH, ABRAHAM, ISAAC, JACOB, MOSES, AARON, DAVID, SOLOMON, ETC

II. The Nature of His Prayer

III. The Matter of His Prayer

A. That God would Bless him Indeed

B. That God would Enlarge his Coast

C. That God’s Hand might Be with Him

D. That He would Keep him from Evil