The Genealogy of Jesus
God came to a man, Abraham, a long long time ago and made him a promise. Abraham, I know you’re old, I know your wife is old, and I know that both of you think you’re too old to have kids. But Abraham, I’m going to give you so many descendants that it’s going to be like trying to count the stars. You’re not going to be able to do it. And I want you and your people to be a nation that exists for more than just yourself. I want you to be a people that exists to bless the world. Abraham are you in?
Generations pass. And along comes David. He wasn’t even on the chopping block to be considered King. But God singles him out, knowing even then the mistakes that David would make, and he makes him King of all Israel and makes a promise to him too. David, I told your ancestor Abraham to become a people who would exist to bless the world. Now David, your kingdom will last eternally. I will put an heir on your throne that makes sure the promise I made to Abraham and that has carried on through you, continues to carry on. Don’t just bless the world. Eternally bless the world.
And many generations pass again. And then the exile. The people are scattered. A nation and kingdom ripped apart. Families are separated from one another. People are forced into hard labor. The people are forced to give up on everything they’ve known and care for. How could the promise God made to Abraham ever be carried on at this point?
All seems lost.
600 years pass.
And then… Jesus.
You may feel like Abraham and feel like what’s next for you is impossible. Or you may feel like David, that you’ve messed up and you really just want to be someone after God’s own heart, or you may feel like the exiles, like everything has been taken and stripped from you, that life as you know it over. Jesus is the answer to a family tree packed full of stories like these. He is our new beginning.
A retelling based on Matthew 1:1-17
Reflections Matthew 1:1-17
What’s the good news in this story? Jesus isn’t interested in your pedigree. God cares about our heart, and even when we’re faithless, God is still faithful.
How does this story help me love God more? God’s love for me isn’t based on anything I do or who I am. God loves me because of who God is. That’s hard to accept.
How does this story help me love people more? I’m not better than God and if God chooses to use people that we would traditionally shun then we’re the ones in the wrong. There’s no one God can’t use and I need to be sure to honor the image of God in everyone, even in those we would despise.