Opening
What is the best story from your family history?
Context
The Bible gives us a number of lineages: lists of family lines. Two of those happen in the early chapters of Luke and Matthew to give both sides of Jesus’ family tree
Luke = Mary’s line
Matthew = Joseph’s line
As we look at the two we can see they are very different in how they are structured and interesting that they intersect each other more than once. They also reveal a fair amount of scandal in the lives of the ancestors of Jesus.
Scripture
- (Luke 3:23 ESV) Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli,
- Supposed? Jesus was the supposed son of Joseph
- Because Mary became pregnant before they were married.
- Scandal was ripe in the gossip around this young couple leading up to the birth of Jesus.
- Supposed? Jesus was the supposed son of Joseph
- (Luk 3:37 ESV) the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan,
- Methuselah is the oldest listed man in the Bible
- Presumably the oldest human ever
- Enoch in contrast is relatively short lives
- But it is said that Enoch walked with God
- And was no more
- Because God took him.
- But it is said that Enoch walked with God
- Methuselah is the oldest listed man in the Bible
- (Mat 1:3 ESV) and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram,
- Judah is not a first born son
- Not a great guy at all
- Fathered twins with a prostitute who was also his daugher in law.
- Not a great guy at all
- Judah is not a first born son
- (Luk 3:32 ESV) the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon,
- The redeeming character of Boaz and his treatment of the Moabitess, Ruth, shows us a warm and loving story.
- (Mat 1:6 ESV) and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah,
- David is called the “man after God’s own heart” but we also know how his fallen, dark side. Possibly his darkest hour is the adultery with Bathsheba and murder of her husband.
- (Mat 1:12 ESV) And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
- (Luk 3:27 ESV) the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,
- And then the lines cross with Shealtiel.
- This could be adoption or or could be a child reared we are unsure entirely.
- And then the lines cross with Shealtiel.
Discussion
- What do we learn from the good, bad, and ugly history of Jesus’s family?
- How can we reflect on our own family history and see the grace of God moving throughout our ranks?
- Why is it important to know the darker sides of scripture and not just the sugar-coated versions that look so happy?
- How can your life bring glory to God no matter what comes your way?
- How can we pray for you this week?