Jesus didn’t just happen into this world. God had a plan and that plan is one of the most miraculous stories ever told!
Today we will meet an ordinary person who did something extraordinary and became a part of the lineage of the Messiah, the Savior of the World!
The Book of Matthew traces the lineage from Abraham to Jesus, which is 41 generations. Luke, on the other hand, records it from Adam to Jesus, for a total of 76 generations.
Matthew’s account is divided into three groups of 14: The patriarchs, the kings, and then the regular citizens. Luke actually begins with Jesus and goes backward!
Does it really matter? What is so important about the ancestry of Jesus? What can we find in his roots that would have anything to do with preparing our hearts for the coming of the Christ child?
The Gospel of Matthew was written to prove that Jesus was the Messiah and he opens his book by showing proof that Jesus was who He said He was. Look at the first chapter.
“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David the king.” Matthew 1:1-6 NKJV.
Recognize any familiar names? Of course there is Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the founding fathers. We cannot forget their contribution to it all. But how about some of those that were maybe the undesirables, those that you wouldn’t necessarily think were Kingdom Makers. How did they get listed in the genealogy of the Messiah?!
Remember Rahab? The Bible calls her the harlot. She was the prostitute in the city of Jericho who hid the spies from the men who wanted to harm them. For saving their lives, they promised when the Israelites came to destroy her city that she and her family would be spared if she hung a scarlet cord out her window.
Rahab and her family are saved because of her obedience and her fear of the God of Abraham. She becomes part of the family of God and is listed among the ancestry of Jesus!
“By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.” Hebrews 11:31 NIV.
So what does it all have to do with Christmas? I think it has plenty to do with this blessed season. There are many people listed in the genealogy accounts of Matthew and Luke. Most of them were ordinary people like you and me. But they believed in an extraordinary God, they were expecting the Messiah to come, if they were not already a part of His family they wanted to become a part of His family.
Rahab was very explicit in the second chapter of Joshua when she told the spies why she was hiding them! “We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt…our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.”
She had not even met this God of the Israelites but she knew He was someone to be reckoned with. She was excited, she was expectant and eager, she couldn’t wait to become a part of this people, and it paid off for her. She was the great-great-great grandmother of King David, an ancestor of Jesus Christ!
Ordinary people doing extraordinary things. What will you dwell on today as we enjoy this blessed season?
Presents under the tree?
Your shopping list that keeps growing and your wallet that keeps shrinking?
Your never-ending-to-do-list and the headache that just won’t go away?
Or can we take time to dwell on The One who came as a baby, from the beginning, so He would know everything we have ever experienced…firsthand.
He loves us that much.
He doesn’t care what our family tree looks like, if some of our branches are bending a little too much, the bark is wearing away and the leaves have just about all fallen off.
He doesn’t mind because He came to redeem us.
What do you see in Rahab? Do you have that kind of expectation, that eagerness for the coming of Christmas?
What about for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ? Are you looking up in anticipation or do you hardly ever think about it?
Join in the discussion today and share your thoughts! I would love to hear from YOU! Let us give thanks today that we are a part of the Body of Christ. That Jesus didn’t stay in the manger but endured the cross that we might have life eternal.
