Family Baggage and Blessing

I didn’t have much to do with church when I was growing up but I did see on TV how the worship services were satirized as being really, really boring. Often a scene would be shown of a person reading from the Bible saying, “And Abraham begat Isaac, and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob begat Judah, etc, begat etc, etc”. This is from Matthew 1- our passage for today. Is it truly the most boring passage in the Bible or are we missing something?!

Here is what most of us miss.

The main point of listing Jesus’ family tree is to point out what he inherits from them. In other words families leave you an inheritance that they have accrued in their life time and they hand on to their descendants.
Jesus inheritance: listed amongst his relatives is Abraham who was given a promise his descendants would be a blessing to all the peoples of the world. Jesus inherited this promise. It empowered his life because the blessing came from God. Abraham also entered a covenant with God that God would be his God and Abraham would put his faith in him. Jesus inherited this covenant.

Also listed is King David. God promised him that one of his descendants would be a King forever with an eternal kingdom. Jesus inherited this promise, too.

But the best is yet to come. Whoever puts their trust in Jesus not only receives God into their life and Jesus as Lord of their life but they are adopted into God’s family and become co-inheritors with Jesus.

14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” Romans 8

Not many people pick up this extraordinary statement by Paul but the implications are mind boggling!
We are adopted into God’s family and everything Jesus inherited we inherit too.

What do you think Jesus will receive from his heavenly Father? That is yours too.

Think about it …

Graeme