Day 2: Kingly descendents

Scripture: Matthew 1:1-17 (Message) The family tree of Jesus Christ, David’s son, Abraham’s son. … Jacob had Joseph, Mary’s husband, the Mary who gave birth to Jesus, the Jesus who was called Christ. There were fourteen generations from Abraham to David, another fourteen from David to the Babylonian exile, and yet another fourteen from the Babylonian exile to Christ.

The Jews were awaiting the Messiah. Prophecies foretold his coming. They knew that the Messiah would be a descendent from King David, so Matthew – written by a Jew for the Jews – begins by giving Jesus’ ancestry, from Abraham to Joseph. Mary, too, came from the lineage of the house of David, so both Jesus’ parents came from royalty. Matthew also includes four women (Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Bathsheeba) who came from disreputable backgrounds. At least two of them were not Israelites by birth, so he had at least a little Gentile blood, and the four had reputations that would have made them unmentionable in Jewish ancestries. Yet they were included to show that came for all people.

The people were awaiting their earthly king, to be a mighty warrior like David. Rome had become their mighty oppressor, and the Jews came to expect a king with a mighty sword to conquer Rome. Instead, God sent them a heavenly king to rule over their hearts. The kingdom of Jesus would be much greater than David’s kingdom over Israel, once the greatest power in the world, but a land that had fallen to corrupt kings, sin and idol worship.

From Christ’s birth, there was opposition to this heavenly king, starting with Herod the Great. Herod, as well as Satan, was afraid of what Jesus could do. While Herod was trying to stop the formation of Jesus earthly kingdom, others came to worship him. We, too, must recognize that Jesus is the king of all things and bow down before him. The New Testament is filled with Jesus’ teachings of living in peace with others. He taught forgiveness, not revenge.

Jesus’ beginnings on earth were miraculous, and his teachings and triumph over death some 33 years later showed his true identity. It took faith for Mary and Joseph to be the earthly parents to the Christ child. It took faith for the shepherds in the fields and the wise men to follow the star into Bethlehem. Today, it takes faith for us to follow Jesus Christ. God sent his only son to live among us so that he would know every temptation we face. He knows the struggles we face on a daily basis. Nothing is beyond his comprehension. God still loves you, despite your weaknesses, your inadequacies, and your feelings of shame and guilt. Nothing will ever change that, because his love is unconditional.

Did you know: The song says, "On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, Two Turtle Doves ..." which signifies the Old and New Testaments.