What can we learn from our family history?
Luke 3:23-38
Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph,
the son of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat,
the son of Levi, the son of Melki,
the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,
25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos,
the son of Nahum, the son of Esli,
the son of Naggai, 26 the son of Maath,
the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein,
the son of Josek, the son of Joda,
27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa,
the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel,
the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melki,
the son of Addi, the son of Cosam,
the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,
29 the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer,
the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat,
the son of Levi, 30 the son of Simeon,
the son of Judah, the son of Joseph,
the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,
31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna,
the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan,
the son of David, 32 the son of Jesse,
the son of Obed, the son of Boaz,
the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,
33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram,
the son of Hezron, the son of Perez,
the son of Judah, 34 the son of Jacob,
the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham,
the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,
35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu,
the son of Peleg, the son of Eber,
the son of Shelah, 36 the son of Cainan,
the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem,
the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,
37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch,
the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel,
the son of Kenan, 38 the son of Enosh,
the son of Seth, the son of Adam,
the son of God.
How often do you receive a gift or some food and immediately wonder, where’s it from? Where something comes from, matters. It affects the way we treat things. If you’re given a pair of black sneakers and find out it has come from Kmart, you are going to have no issues taking them on a camp and dragging them through the mud because where they have come from isn’t very important. However, if you find out the sneakers are the latest top of the range sneakers from Nike you might think twice about where and when you will use them. You might only use them in good weather on pathways or concrete areas, or only in an indoor gym to make sure they don’t get ruined too quickly.
The genealogy of Jesus that we read in this passage may, on the surface, seem boring and pointless. However it is important to know that during the Biblical times, in particular to the Jews, genealogies were very important and meticulously recorded. Genealogies were proof of where you came from. Genealogies proved which tribe you were from so that you could inherit land within that particular tribal area. Genealogies were used to determine status and eligibility for key roles such as Priesthood. Even to this day we take pride in who our ancestors were and the notable things they did in their time.
This family tree that we read about in this passage helps us to confirm many things. Firstly, Jesus was a real man descended from God, Adam and many others, fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies. Secondly, God uses imperfect people to fulfil his perfect purpose. In the list of people recorded we don’t see one perfect person, yet each one was specially chosen to be a part of God’s plan. Thirdly, God cares about families. When we see where Jesus has come from we can see that God has a perfect plan for each of us and while we might not always see or understand it, by reading genealogies like this we can be sure that amongst all the craziness, God sent his perfect Son to die for us so that we can be a part of his family too.
Head: How does knowing the genealogy help you to know Jesus better?
Heart: How does seeing the way God has used so many imperfect people help you understand your part in God’s plan?
Hands: How are you showing others that you are a part of God’s family?
Prayer: Heavenly Father,
Thank you that you have sent your perfect Son to take away our sins so we can be a part of your family. Thank you that even though we are imperfect you still use us to bring you glory. Please help us to seek to be part of your family, even when things seem tough or hopeless. Help us to live in a way that shows others that we are part of your family so that more people may come to know you and all that you have done for us.
Amen.
A song to listen to: In Christ Alone
Natalie Yong
