All in the Family- Their Story, His Story, Our Story

“This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers…”  Matthew 1:1-2

Where did my family come from?  Children ask this question all the time.  It’s an interesting and challenging question.  If you have researched your genealogy or DNA ethnicity, you have asked this question before as well.  I really enjoy the stories of my people who came before.  I like learning about what life was like in the place where they lived.  It gives me insight into the obstacles and opportunities they faced.  It also tells the powerful story of survival through tragic circumstances.

Matthew’s Gospel begins with the Genealogy of Jesus.  In Matthew’s attempt to give this account of the Messiah legitimacy in the eyes of his fellow Jews, he needed to start at the beginning of the story.  Matthew wanted people to understand who Jesus was, and the best way he knew to tell them was to start with Jesus’ family.  The names in this list don’t mean a whole lot to us, because they probably aren’t direct relatives.  But to some of the readers of Matthew’s Gospel, they were similar to their own stories, so it gave weight and magnitude to that connection.

This fall, as we explore the people in the family tree of Jesus,  it is my hope that we learn something about God, how God’s purposes and plans can be fulfilled through flawed and sinful people, and see ourselves as part of the story of God’s people.  Please join us at 9:30am September 12, for Kick-Off Sunday as we launch our series, “All in the Family – Their Story, His Story, Our Story”.

God of our ancestors in the faith, we are a people who have known the hurt of broken promises, and have spoken words we could not keep.  We are quick to condemn those who make wrong choices, but want only gentle criticism directed our way.  We let our lives be guided so much by our past, rather than opening our eyes, our hearts, our hopes to your amazing future.
Forgive our distrust of the vows you have made to us, God of Sarah.  Forgive our disbelief that you can bring hope to those places where we see only despair, God of Abraham.  Forgive our hesitancy in denying all that keeps us from committing ourselves completely to you, God of Peter and the psalmists. Forgive us, so we may take up the life you offer to us in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.  Amen.