Day Four Matthew 1:1-3, 16-17
This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham:
2 Abraham was the father of Isaac.
Isaac was the father of Jacob.
Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers.
3 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (whose mother was Tamar).
Perez was the father of Hezron.
Hezron was the father of Ram. . .
16 Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah.
17 All those listed above include fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the Babylonian exile, and fourteen from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah. Matthew – 1:1-3, 16-17 (NLT)
Discover
1. Why does Matthew start his account of the life of Jesus with a long genealogy?
2. How many total generations does he list according to verse 17?
3. What do you know about each of the people listed in the ancestry of Jesus?
Respond
The genealogy of Jesus includes the names of five women. Of the five, one was a prostitute, two were Gentiles, and two were adulterers. The men on the list don’t fare much better – amongst them are liars, cheaters, and adulterers themselves (you can read the story of Judah and Tamar here). Through the train wreck of His family tree, we learn that Jesus came from sinners, for sinners. Take a few minutes to examine any sin that you’ve been trying to hide or pretend isn’t there that may be causing you shame. Come as you are to a loving and graceful God and confess it to Him. He’s not surprised by it and He is faithful and just to forgive! Thank Him for that promise.
For Families with Kids at Home:
As we read the genealogy of Jesus, we see that God is able to use all types of people, especially people that society would often look down on. Ask your kids if they ever feel that society looks down on them. Encourage them that anyone can be used by God if they’re willing to listen and obey Him!