Talking Points with Pastor Lucas - A Treasure to Read

“Record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham…” Matt. 1:1

Genealogies are about as much fun to read as running into a brick wall. Most of us don’t care much for them unless we need some good bedtime reading to put us to sleep. At first glance, trudging through a long list of names can be rather cumbersome and boring. 

However, if we pause and look at the big picture, genealogies are quite fascinating and informative. With each name mentioned in a genealogy, there is an incredible story to tell. Sometimes that may mean digging a little bit to find out more, but if you have ever done a family tree, you can recall how that process allowed you to discover the history behind each family member. Each name of a genealogy has a story to go with it—people, places, events, tragedies and triumphs. What story will go with your name?

Therefore, I contend the genealogy of Jesus is a fascinating account to read. Simply start by carefully reading and noting each name in the list. It begins with a man named Abraham.  Does his name sound familiar? What’s the history on him? Perhaps you remember? It goes like this:  Abram leaves his homeland for an unknown country; he and his wife are nearly killed on several occasions; he gets his maid pregnant at his wife’s request, he is the first to be circumcised (ouch!) and then passes that on as the sign of God’s covenant; and at age 100 he has a son with his 90 year-old wife. Still bored?                                  

What about some of the women on that list? What’s the story about these ancestors of Jesus?  One woman mentioned is Tamar. Do you remember her story? She marries a great grandson of Abraham who dies. Her father-in-law, Judah, (the grandson of Abraham) pledges her his youngest son in marriage, but then takes back the pledge. She then pretends to be a prostitute, becomes pregnant by her father-in-law, and then reveals her father-in-law is the father of her child. Still bored? The soap operas of today can’t even match up to this stuff.  

Or what about Ruth? What was her story? She was a Moabite foreigner who marries an Israelite, and he dies. She stays with her mother-in-law (Naomi), goes back with her to Israel, looks for leftover grain in a harvest field, meets a guy named Boaz, uncovers his feet one night (a curious marriage proposal if I ever saw one), marries him and has a son named Obed, who turns out to be the grandfather of the great King David! Still bored?

The genealogy of Jesus is full of history and deep meaning. Though it may appear as just a long list of names, it tells an incredible story about the people whom God uses to bring forth and prepare the way for the coming of His Son, Jesus Christ. Within that list of names there is scandal, loss, pain, rescue, redemption, promise, and joy. There are people of wealth and people of poverty, people of virtue and people of vice. God uses them all to bring forth His only begotten Son to redeem the world. 

Jesus’ genealogy is a fascinating conglomeration of people. Likewise, the people of your church family are a fascinating assortment of people. You all have stories to tell and histories behind you, maybe some that are not so different from the ancestors of Jesus. And yet, together we are all equally redeemed and forgiven by Jesus Christ.

The gospel of Matthew intentionally begins with a genealogy. He shows us who Jesus came from with all their vices, virtues, faults, and failures. Matthew then unpacks the life of Jesus, showing us who He came for with all their vices, virtues, faults, and failures (ours included). Matthew ends his gospel with the record of Jesus sending His disciples to “all nations” (Matthew 28:19), with all their vices, virtues, faults, and failures.

The genealogy of Jesus continues to extend even today as we have been brought into His family and as we reach out with the Good News of Jesus Christ to bring others into His family. Every time you read a biblical genealogy, you can be reminded it’s really a history full of unique and flawed characters telling the story of how God redeems His people, you included.

In Christ,

Rev. Dr. Lucas V. Woodford
President, MN South District, LCMS