DECEMBER 6 WHAT’S YOUR LINE? By Karen Smith Dean of Women New York, Word of Life Bible Institute
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham. (Matthew 1:1)
The Gospel of Matthew begins the story of Jesus’ life with His genealogy. Genealogies are scattered throughout the Bible, and we tend to overlook them as just a list of names that are really hard to say. But why are these lists there, and why are they significant? There are many reasons, but here are a few. First, the Matthew genealogy connects the Old Testament with the New Testament. You might have heard many of the names before because their stories are in the Old Testament. The Gospel of Matthew was written to the Jews, so they would have been very familiar with these stories from their history. Matthew draws the connection between who was before and Who has come—Jesus. Second, this is Jesus’ genealogy. (That in itself should make us take notice!) Matthew sets the stage for Jesus the Christ, the Messiah. It traces His full, legal right to succeed David on the throne through Joseph, His earthly father. It points clearly to Jesus as the promised Messiah. Third, these are real people. (How amazing to be listed in the Bible, but especially in Jesus’ lineage!) This is a list of men and women who struggled, sinned, failed, and were sometimes faithful. Yet God chose to place them in the human lineage of His perfect, holy Son. If we were crafting a genealogy for the perfect Son of God, we would list many noble, mighty, wise, blameless, and faithful followers of God. But not God. This is a genealogy of the outcast, the overlooked, the disobedient, the sinner. He delights in using the forgotten, the failures, and the fallen for His glory. So, no matter what your lineage, genealogy, or heritage, your family line can’t keep you from being part of God’s family through Jesus Christ, our Savior. In spite of where you came from or what you have done, God can use your story to point to Jesus the Messiah. That is redemption. That is what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is all about. Praise be to the One who came to redeem us all!
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