As I sit here preparing my Sunday School lesson for this week, I am reading through the first chapter of Matthew which begins with one of those exciting genealogies we all love so much when reading through the Bible. (read slight sarcasm here)
But as I read through this one this year, it occurs to me that 2 Timothy 3:16 tells me that ALL scripture is inspired by God and ALL scripture is useful. So if the genealogy is here - it must be worth my time.
The first, and most obvious, reason is to prove the lineage of Christ and His right to the throne of Israel. It traces His Messianic lineage back to David and further to Abraham both of whom the Jews recognized would be ancestors to the Messiah.
As we read on, though, there are some interesting characters indeed. Jacob was a liar. Tamar (the fact that a woman is included is unheard of) who seduced her former father in law, Judah, in order to continue her deceased husband's line (Genesis 38). Rahab (another woman AND a Gentile) who was a prostitute, but saved the spies in Jericho (Joshua 2; Hebrews 11). Bathsheba (yet another woman) who committed adultery with King David. Rehoboam and Manasseh, two of the most evil kings in Judah's history. And then there is Jeconiah. We don't usually talk about him much, but he was so evil that God cursed him so that none of his offspring would ever sit on the throne again. Bad dudes.
There are plenty of good folks, too, and some that started good and ended up bad and vice versa. Kind of sounds like a normal family, huh?
The point is this.. Jesus family line was made up of people who were prostitutes, adulterers, liars, foreigners, and just plain evil. But God - I always love those two words together - but God was able to use them anyway to bring about the birth of Christ. And in spite of His family history, God was able to use Jesus.
Family history is not an excuse not to be used of God. It's an opportunity to show His grace. no matter what is in your family's past, His grace is enough. Your personal past is not an excuse not to be used of God. It's an opportunity to show His grace. Whatever you have done before today - His grace is enough. Let Him cover your past with His grace and move you forward in His mercy.
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8wN-fspKg1Q
But as I read through this one this year, it occurs to me that 2 Timothy 3:16 tells me that ALL scripture is inspired by God and ALL scripture is useful. So if the genealogy is here - it must be worth my time.
As we read on, though, there are some interesting characters indeed. Jacob was a liar. Tamar (the fact that a woman is included is unheard of) who seduced her former father in law, Judah, in order to continue her deceased husband's line (Genesis 38). Rahab (another woman AND a Gentile) who was a prostitute, but saved the spies in Jericho (Joshua 2; Hebrews 11). Bathsheba (yet another woman) who committed adultery with King David. Rehoboam and Manasseh, two of the most evil kings in Judah's history. And then there is Jeconiah. We don't usually talk about him much, but he was so evil that God cursed him so that none of his offspring would ever sit on the throne again. Bad dudes.
There are plenty of good folks, too, and some that started good and ended up bad and vice versa. Kind of sounds like a normal family, huh?
The point is this.. Jesus family line was made up of people who were prostitutes, adulterers, liars, foreigners, and just plain evil. But God - I always love those two words together - but God was able to use them anyway to bring about the birth of Christ. And in spite of His family history, God was able to use Jesus.
Family history is not an excuse not to be used of God. It's an opportunity to show His grace. no matter what is in your family's past, His grace is enough. Your personal past is not an excuse not to be used of God. It's an opportunity to show His grace. Whatever you have done before today - His grace is enough. Let Him cover your past with His grace and move you forward in His mercy.
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8wN-fspKg1Q
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