Matthew 1:1

I have great intentions about studying verse by verse through the New Testament.  The genealogy that starts Matthew is very daunting, however.  Here goes:

A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham.  Matt. 1:1

God has called his people to be on a mission with Him.  He wants to work through them to proclaim Jesus Christ and to redeem a lost world.  How does this statement relate to Matt. 1:1?  When God calls us, too often we react like Moses, giving God all kinds of reasons why we can't do what He asks.  Well, Matthew 1:1 says, in a nutshell, that our lives are not the beginning or the ending of God's work in us.  Many, many years before the birth of Jesus, God was preparing Israel for His birth.  Also, I believe that God started dealing with you and I and preparing us for His work in the generations that came before us.

A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham.  Matt. 1:1

The Experiencing God Bible encourages us to remember God-encounters in our families.  Have you ever asked your family whether they remember special times when the presence of God seemed very close to them?  No matter what church they go to (or even if it's no church at all), I believe that most (or perhaps all) people have experienced a time when God seemed very close.  Often this memory is hidden in a very tender place inside them.  Most of the time, they don't talk about it for fear that something will corrupt the incredible sweetness of that memory.  Once when I was talking about revival, my mom shared about a time when something seemed to happen at her college.  She said that there was a time when, for whatever reason, everybody seemed to be studying the Bible and talking about what it said.  The way she describes it makes me think that the Holy Spirit came onto that college campus and gave the people a hunger for the things of God.  I don't know.  It's her memory, but hearing her talk about it almost gave me shivers.

A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham.  Matt. 1:1

God put Joseph (Mary's husband) in a long heritage to prepare for his work in Joseph's time.  What has God done in your heritage?  Too often we view our heritage as a hurdle to get over, so that we can live our lives without being influenced by negative examples, or unfortunate things that were done or said in our past.  If you read the history of the kings of Israel and Judah, God is not ignorant of the influence that family can have on us.  He seems, though, to encourage us to find the pearls in our past.  For instance, I spent many years in therapy complaining about my stepfather.  I didn't think that he was a blessing, at all.  I realize now, however, that I was wrong.  My dad (I call my stepfather "dad" because he adopted my sister and I) was very committed to order.  My mom had a more artistic temperament.  I am now very thankful that my stepdad came into our lives.  He is so good about getting the bills paid.  He wants an orderly house and an orderly life.  I have borderline personality disorder.  All the books and experts and say that people like me crave the kind of order that my dad spent so many years trying to enforce.  Well, my existence isn't very ordered even today.  But, I know that a clean house and orderly living is the direction that I want to go in.  So many people with my personality disorder wind up on drugs, creating disasters wherever they go.  Even though I fought my dad tooth and nail for many years, I value him and the things He tried to teach me now.  My mother was a whole other blessing, but this is getting long so I'll save that for another day.

A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham.  Matt. 1:1