Read: Matthew 1:1-17
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. (v.1)
Among my most treasured possessions is an old family Bible. Written on the inside cover, in my mother’s small, neat handwriting, is a family tree. Mom traced her ancestry back four generations. It was important to her to understand where she’d come from, and who were, as she called them, “my people.”
There is a family tree in your Bible too. Matthew traced Jesus’ lineage all the way back to Abraham. Matthew wanted his readers to know that Jesus is rooted in Abraham, to whom God had promised that “in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed” (Gen. 22:18). There are some interesting people on Matthew’s list. There’s Jacob, the trickster who deceived his father and cheated his brother. There’s David, who stole another man’s wife and then had him killed to cover up the crime. There’s Ruth, a foreigner. There’s Rahab, a Canaanite prostitute. Isn’t it interesting that the Son of God was ushered into human history through a lineage stained with sin and scandal?
What is your family history? Who are “your people”? Perhaps members of your family have strayed from paths you’d have chosen for them. Perhaps you yourself have strayed. Remember that God is able to work through human frailty to accomplish his will. —Lou Lotz
Today’s Activity: Draw your family tree—either your birth family or your spiritual family (those who have encouraged or mentored you in your faith). Thank God for them!
About the Author
Rev. Lou Lotz is a recently retired Reformed Church pastor. Lou and his wife Mary Jean live in Hudsonville, Michigan.
