12-15-2021

 

 Good Morning All!

            Matthew 1:1; “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham."

    Trinity has a genealogy book that was put together many years ago by the husband of a former member. It is fascinating to see how inter-related most of the members are to each other. Of course, that is to those who are in the book; I would suspect that if you are not in the book, it is a little boring and of little consequence to you. I think that is true for most people.  I think that is why most of us skip the genealogies when we get to them in the Bible.

    It is ok; most of us skip the genealogy part. All the “begats” get a little old. So, we start reading Matthew at verse 18 of the first chapter and go from there. Yet, we should, at least, acknowledge they exist. There are many genealogies in the Bible. Noah has one, David has one. Most of the kings and prophets list at least a few ancestors. Yet have you ever thought about why this is? Why does this matter anyway? What are we to learn from this?

    One of the reasons for a genealogy is to show a logic to the legitimacy of the authority that the person is exercising. In the opening of the Old Testament prophet Zephaniah, he shows that he is a descendant of King Hezekiah and so he is someone who should be listened to. One of the reasons that Matthew lists Jesus as descending from Abraham through David was to address a concern that the Jews would have had, that the Messiah was a descendant of King David. But I think there is another reason why there are so many “begats” in the Bible and that is to show a relationship exists. God is a God who desires to have a relationship with us, and this relationship is not one of master to servant or even owner to slave but rather one of a father to his children.

    God is a God who created man to have a loving relationship with him. When God created man, it was to walk together in the cool of the morning. It was to be one where man looked to God for his needs to be met and for us to respond with thanksgiving and praise. It was to be a relationship where man could rest in the comfort of God’s loving arms to keep us safe in this world.

    Sin broke this down and caused us to walk from God instead of toward Him. Yet God, this loving father who desires to love us and to keep us, is patiently drawing us back into this loving relationship with Him. He calls to us daily in His Word and His sacraments to return home, “Return to the Lord your God” is a call back to the family. Come home through Jesus and you will be restored. God’s love for you knows no end and has no boundaries. There is nothing that God has not done to bring you home, even sending His only Son to receive the punishment that you deserved. That is love, love that only a father would give. A gift from a father that desires a relationship with you.

Father in heaven, your mercies are new every morning. Guide us by your great love to trust in your promises and to know only You as our God. Bring home the lost and the erring and give peace to the disheartened and hope to the suffering. In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret