One of the things I love about the Bible is that it shares wisdom in even the seemingly mundane passages. For instance Matthew begins telling us the story of Jesus with a listing of Jesus’ ancestors. Sometimes referred to as “The Begats” because the King James translation uses the old English term “begat” to share the generational transmission of life (i.e. Abraham begat Isaac, Isaac begat Jacob, etc). Often times people reading Matthew’s gospel skip over this “list of names” thinking that it is merely a list. But for those of us who are given to more serious study of the Bible Matthew chapter 1 is so much more than a “list of names”. It is the lineage of a family. A family of people called by God and invited to live in a relationship with Him. A family of people marked by their faith and God’s faithfulness.

 

The best part of this family is that Jesus came to invite every person who has ever lived to be a part of that family of faith. When we fail. When we succeed. When we laugh.. When we cry. When we live the dream. When we suffer the nightmare. Regardless of life’s ups and downs. We are invited to be a part of God’s family. It is not a family of perfect people. It is a family of forgiven and redeemed people who experience the faithfulness of God when we turn toward Him in faith.

 

This Sunday we will launch a new series of sermons from Matthew Chapter 1 entitled “Fixer Upper—Family Edition”. Every Sunday from Mother’s Day until Father’s Day we will focus our worship on a different member of Jesus’ family. We will explore the faith and failure of the people who God used to shape the people who impacted Jesus and who impact our faith.

 

I hope you will join us in person or online each week. I believe there has never been a more important time for us to get connected to the Family of God.