Two stories. Two Tamars. One gospel.

Most people don’t even realize there are two Tamars in the Bible. One in Genesis. One in 2 Samuel. Their stories are wildly different, yet both reveal something powerful about God’s justice and mercy.

Pastor Nicole believes scripture isn’t polished or sanitized. It’s raw, messy, and sometimes painful. And that, in part, is what makes I beautiful. We see the raw, painful, and messy parts in her sermon: Two Tamars. One Gospel.

Tamar #1: The Fighter

The first Tamar we meet in scripture is Judah’s daughter-in-law. She’s wrong. Lied to. Cast aside. Twice widowed. And left without protection or a future. So what does she do? She takes matters into her own hands. She fights for her dignity, for her place, and for justice.

Her courage forced Judah to admit the truth: “She is more righteous than i.”

She becomes the mother of twin boys, and is written into the lineage of Jesus. God used her resilience, her boldness, and her refusal to stay silent to cary the promise forward.

Tamar # 2: The Silenced

The second Tamar we encounter has a much darker story. She’s King David’s daughter. Betrayed by her family. Attacked by her brother. Ignored by her father. Her royal robes, the symbol of her work, torn to shred. Tamar The silenced had her voice stolen.

Her story has a painful end; NOT because she lacked courage. But because the people with power and privilege chose silence. She vanishes from the pages of scripture. But her pain never vanishes from God’s story.

Two Tamars. One Gospel.

One fought back and was vindicated.
One suffered and was forgotten.
Yet BOTH are part of the family of Jesus.

This is the scandalous grace of the gospel! Jesus carries both stories in His bloodline. He carries courage and trauma. Victory and grief. Action and silence.

But The gospel isn’t just for the strong or the victories.It’s also for the violated, overlooked, and the silenced. The good news of Jesus is for the ones still waiting on justice.

Why Does it Matter Now?

We tell these forces not as dusty history, but because they continue to echo today. Women are still told to be strong, but not independent. Faithful, but don’t stand up. Courageous, but not disruptive… all from the pulpit.

The Church often chooses silence when it should be speaking. Complicity with injustice instead of confronting it. But Tamar’s stories – both Tamars – call us to something different.

To speak.
To believe.
Create safe spaces.
And To break the silence.

Refuge is a church for misfits, truth-tellers, and those who have been told to sit down and be quiet. We believe the gospel is for ALL PEOPLE!