Jesus for the Rest of Us
For me, starting to read the New Testament is always so exciting… and frustrating. You’re ready to hear about the wonderful ministry of the God-man who changed the world: Miracles, healings, conflicts with Pharisees, forgiveness for the hurting. But then Matthew starts the whole thing with this long list of “Who’s your Daddy?” And that’s the part I have to write a blog about!
But maybe that’s what I need to see right now. Look over those names. The list starts with two of the biggies: David and Abraham. These men of faith are the ones we’ve studied for centuries. One leaves his family and country to follow God in faith. The other is the man after God’s own heart who wrote the 23 Psalm. Add to that names like Issac, Jacob, Solomon and the boy-King Josiah. Matthew wants us to know that Jesus sure had some awesome pedigree!
Yet I keep looking down the list and I see some names that I wouldn’t have included in the first chapter of my life story. There are folks that embarrass me: Rahab, the harlot, Tamar of Judah’s shame and even Bathsheba – though Matthew doesn’t call her by name. There’s king Rehoboam, who’s willfulness rips apart Israel as a country and king Manassah who’s one of the most wicked of Judah’s rulers. What are these people doing in the list.
Then I look farther and see names nobody ever talks about…because we don’t know their story. Anybody want to tell me the story of Eliakim, Akim or Eliud? These are unknowns, nobodies. Faces from the crowd. And maybe therein is the power of this long list.
Jesus was for the whole world. He came from great men and bad men. He came from famous people and un-knowns. His relatives were the rich and the poor, the scoundrels and the saints, the blessed and the cursed. He is the savior for the best of us and the savior for the rest of us.
When I watch his parents nearly divorce, his baptizer try to refuse and Satan try to take him out on his first day on the job… I get it. He’s walking this road for me and for you – no matter who you are. He is our Lord. Not just from realms on high but from right down the street.
No wonder he was so popular.
No wonder children loved him.
No wonder the sinners and the saints sought him out.
And no wonder that by the time I get to the end of my section, Jesus has everyone following him:
“Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.” (Matthew 4:25)
Jeff Walling
February 15
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Thanks for the post Jeff and the reminder as I often gloss over the who's who list and move on to the rest of the book. It's a great reminder of what it took, who it took to get Jesus there and rekindles interest in the characters you mentioned which I think is the whole point.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I find myself looking through the geneology for names I recognize. But then, I start appreciating the ones I don't know.
ReplyDeleteThey are like me - unknown these many years later and yet, indispensible in their own way; each filling their own small role in the eternal story.
Without them, what would the line leading to Christ look like? Would there be a missing link?
If I'm not filling my small role, what will the line into the future look like? Will I be the missing link?
Greg McCubbin
I love that - Jesus for the rest of us!
ReplyDeleteWhat really struck me in these four chapters is the amount of prophecy that is fulfilled. Chapter one fulfills the virgin birth. Chapter two fulfills the prophesies surrounding Egypt, Bethlehem, and the mourning in Israel. Chapter three fulfills the coming of John the Baptist. And chapter four fulfills the prophecy regarding Jesus bringing light into the darkness.
It just reinforces that God is a planner and a master of all detail. Jesus' birth was not an afterthought. From the days of the fall, God had a plan to redeem us and bring us back into relationship with him. And what a wonderful assurance that we can rely on his word as we see all of these prophesies unfold.
Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!
My favorite part of this chapter is verse 17.
ReplyDeleteI know that may seem odd but a couple of months ago I was reading Matthew chapter 1 and kind of thinking to myself..."why does it really matter so much who was the father of who over and over, can't I just get the highlights" and then came verse 17
17Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.
It was like God said "Hello Vicki, I need you to see that I don't do random. I took the time to plan out exactly 14 generations between certin people in my history and I pay the same attention to details in your life and in the lives of those around you."
Who knew in and around all those begats God would speak something so signifcant into my life.
Vicki Castellucci