The Geneology of Christ: A Testimony of God’s Grace and Sovereignty
The Geneology of Christ: A Testimony of God’s Grace and Sovereignty
Matthew 1:1-17
“The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of David, the son of Abraham”
The sovereignty of God is more than just God controlling what will happen and his grace is more than just a byword. They are the outworking of God’s divine purpose, culminating in our salvation and the world's redemption. We often gloss over the genealogies as a mundane list of names we find impossible to pronounce. Yet, if we stop and reflect upon them, we do not just see a list of names in an endless march of generations. We see the hand of God orchestrating and directing human affairs for his redemptive purposes. Time marches onward, but time marches to the tune of God’s purpose and control.
In the genealogy of Jesus, we see four women (five if we include Mary) mentioned whose lives reveal the sovereign hand of God working to bring about the birth of Jesus and bring salvation to them individually. The first mentioned is Tamar, whose life reveals God’s sovereignty and grace at work despite our sins and misguided actions. The story of Tamar and the sordid events of her life is recorded in Genesis 38. The story highlights the moral and spiritual bankruptcy of Judah and the sons of Jacob. In the story, we see the failure of disobedience, the lure of sexual immorality, the snare of self-righteousness, and the perversion of idolatry. It is a story that would seem to justify Judah’s exclusion from the promise. Yet, in the story, we see God sovereignly working to confront their sin and demonstrate His grace by using this event to establish the line through which the Messiah would come.
The following two women mentioned (Rahab and Ruth) are both surprising because they were both foreigners who were descendants of tribes that were excluded from the promise. Rahab was a Canaanite. As a society, they had become so debased that God commanded Israel to annihilate them as part of His divine judgment (Deut. 7:1-2; 20:16-18). It was not ethnic cleansing or genocide but spiritual judgment. As a society, they had reached a point of no return, so God decreed judgment. So also, Ruth was a Moabite. Moab was also judged by God and was excluded from the Jewish community (Deut. 23:3-6). However, despite God’s judgment upon these two societies, it did not preclude individual redemption if the person repented and embraced the God of Israel. The fact that these two individuals were included in the Messianic line is a testimonial to God’s grace and His offer of salvation to individuals, even when those individuals were part of a larger society already condemned.
The fourth woman is Bathsheba. Her story is familiar as we read of David’s adulterous affair with a married woman and then his act of murder to conceal his sin. Spiritual compromises inevitably lead to a further descent into sin as it grips our lives. But God’s grace is available to forgive our sins, and His sovereign is sufficient to restore us to a right standing and weave our failures into the tapestry of His redemptive purpose. Our sins and failures are never a threat to the sovereign plan of God, for His grace completely forgives our sins, and His sovereignty is not threatened or thwarted by our failures. If we were writing the story of God’s redemptive plan, all four of these women would not have been included, for their story is a blight upon the family history and name. Yet these are the people God forgives and uses to accomplish His purpose. God’s mercy overcomes the guilt of sin and His sovereignty overcomes the effects of sin so that His redemptive plan is still achieved. In God’s grace and sovereignty, it does not matter what our past has been; it only matters what the future will be if we surrender our lives (including our past) to Him and give Him complete control. Instead of living in the past and being defined by the events of the past, bring your past to the alter of His grace and recognize that His sovereignty will overcome sin’s effects so that He will still complete His purpose for your life.
Matthew 1:1-17
“The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of David, the son of Abraham”
The sovereignty of God is more than just God controlling what will happen and his grace is more than just a byword. They are the outworking of God’s divine purpose, culminating in our salvation and the world's redemption. We often gloss over the genealogies as a mundane list of names we find impossible to pronounce. Yet, if we stop and reflect upon them, we do not just see a list of names in an endless march of generations. We see the hand of God orchestrating and directing human affairs for his redemptive purposes. Time marches onward, but time marches to the tune of God’s purpose and control.
In the genealogy of Jesus, we see four women (five if we include Mary) mentioned whose lives reveal the sovereign hand of God working to bring about the birth of Jesus and bring salvation to them individually. The first mentioned is Tamar, whose life reveals God’s sovereignty and grace at work despite our sins and misguided actions. The story of Tamar and the sordid events of her life is recorded in Genesis 38. The story highlights the moral and spiritual bankruptcy of Judah and the sons of Jacob. In the story, we see the failure of disobedience, the lure of sexual immorality, the snare of self-righteousness, and the perversion of idolatry. It is a story that would seem to justify Judah’s exclusion from the promise. Yet, in the story, we see God sovereignly working to confront their sin and demonstrate His grace by using this event to establish the line through which the Messiah would come.
The following two women mentioned (Rahab and Ruth) are both surprising because they were both foreigners who were descendants of tribes that were excluded from the promise. Rahab was a Canaanite. As a society, they had become so debased that God commanded Israel to annihilate them as part of His divine judgment (Deut. 7:1-2; 20:16-18). It was not ethnic cleansing or genocide but spiritual judgment. As a society, they had reached a point of no return, so God decreed judgment. So also, Ruth was a Moabite. Moab was also judged by God and was excluded from the Jewish community (Deut. 23:3-6). However, despite God’s judgment upon these two societies, it did not preclude individual redemption if the person repented and embraced the God of Israel. The fact that these two individuals were included in the Messianic line is a testimonial to God’s grace and His offer of salvation to individuals, even when those individuals were part of a larger society already condemned.
The fourth woman is Bathsheba. Her story is familiar as we read of David’s adulterous affair with a married woman and then his act of murder to conceal his sin. Spiritual compromises inevitably lead to a further descent into sin as it grips our lives. But God’s grace is available to forgive our sins, and His sovereign is sufficient to restore us to a right standing and weave our failures into the tapestry of His redemptive purpose. Our sins and failures are never a threat to the sovereign plan of God, for His grace completely forgives our sins, and His sovereignty is not threatened or thwarted by our failures. If we were writing the story of God’s redemptive plan, all four of these women would not have been included, for their story is a blight upon the family history and name. Yet these are the people God forgives and uses to accomplish His purpose. God’s mercy overcomes the guilt of sin and His sovereignty overcomes the effects of sin so that His redemptive plan is still achieved. In God’s grace and sovereignty, it does not matter what our past has been; it only matters what the future will be if we surrender our lives (including our past) to Him and give Him complete control. Instead of living in the past and being defined by the events of the past, bring your past to the alter of His grace and recognize that His sovereignty will overcome sin’s effects so that He will still complete His purpose for your life.
Recent
Archive
2024
January
The Coming JudgmentThat is My KingThe Certainty of Christ's WordsThe Uncertain CertaintyThe Importance of Spiritual PreparednessThe Danger of Spiritual ComplacencyChrist's Measure of SuccessThe Unpopular TopicRejection, Confusion, Betrayal, and WorshipBetrayal and RedemptionThe Inexplicable Act of LoveBetrayal, Bravado, and FearBetrayal, Bravado, and FearThe Unlikely Witnesses of Jesus' DietyRemorse, Repentance and ForgivenessThe Power of the Crowd and the Power of FaithThe Irony of the CrucifixionThe Cost of SinThe Cure for SinThe Reality of the ResurrectionLiving a Life of SignificanceThe Attitude of a SlaveThe Basis for Confident LivingThe Basis for Confident Living
February
The Prayer God AnswersWhen Adversity Becomes a TriumphFinding Joy in the Ministry of OthersPursuing the InsignificantPerspective in SufferingThe Sacrifice of SelfIf God can do it, then why can't we.The "Kenosis" of Christ"THE NAME"Divine Initiative and Human ResponsibilityThe Age of ComplaintReorienting our Focus Pt 1
March
Reorienting Our Focus Pt 2The Basis of SalvationDetermining ValueSetting the Right Goal in LifeFollowing the Right PeopleRecognizing our CitizenshipResponding to ConflictThe Keys to PeaceLearning to Think RightlyThe Secret of ContentmentThe Blessing of GivingA Life without SignificanceThe Futility of LifeThe Endless PursuitThe Futility of PleasureThe Limits of WisdomEvaluating Our WorkFinding Joy in LifeThe Doctrine of Right Time
April
May
Finding BalanceThe Folly of AllObeying Those in LeadershipWhen Injustice ReignsKeeping Perspective in an Upredictable WorldFinding Success in the World of VanityThe Value of Wisdom in the Struggles of LifeThe Danger of Foolish ThinkingTrusting in God's Unseen HandEnjoy the MomentAct before it is too late.The Geneology of Christ: A Testimony of God’s Grace and SovereigntyChrist the KingThe Authority of Christ
June
The Compassion of ChristThe God who cares for us.The Power of JesusThe ServantChrist the JudgeThe Compassion of ChristScandalous GraceThe Power of Christ Over DeathWho Is Jesus?The Majestic KingThe TIming of GodThe Value of NothingThe Basis for Security in LifeThe Joy of The FatherThe Grace of JesusThe Divine WordThe Greatest Prayer
Categories
no categories
No Comments