HIS STORY MAKES HISTORY
Matthew 1:1,3,5,6,16
History is incomprehensible without Christ. Knowing Christ and His story brings sense to all history. In fact, His story makes history. Jesus’ story is rooted in His Jewish family tree traced by Matthew (Matthew 1:1-17 cf. Luke 3:23-37). He told them that Jesus is the Son of David. As such, Jesus is the king of Israel. He is also the Son of Abraham. As Abraham’s seed, Jesus fulfills the promise that all the families of the earth will be blessed (Genesis 12-3). The past all point toward Jesus, and the future all point back to Him.
Jesus’ genealogy is not at all royal or regal. The list names five women. To the Jewish mind, that’s unthinkable! Women are not cited in family trees. What’s even more unexpected is that these women had bad reputations. Tamar played a harlot (Matthew 1:3, cf. Genesis 38).
Rahab worked as a prostitute (1:5a; cf. Joshua 2). Ruth was a foreigner from Moab (1:5b; cf. Ruth 1:4). The wife of Uriah (or Bathsheeba) was adulteress (1:6, cf. 2 Samuel 11). Mary was with child, though she was a virgin (1:16, 18). They were unlikely candidates for Jesus’ family line, but God graciously chose them to be part of it.
God invades history with His story. Allow him to invade our own stories. Why? First, He is in control of everything every time. Second, God is fulfilling His plan for us. Third, God fulfills His plan even in unexpected ways. If we feel undeserving of God or too dirty inside, God will accept us and clean us up. He makes something good come out of us, just as He did with the women in Jesus’ lineage.
Meditation:
Think of one unexpected turn or trial in your life. Claim God’s control over it. How can I trust God to fulfill His plan for me in this trial?
Prayer:
Father, thank you for invading history and my own story with Jesus’ story. Thank You for the assurance that just as you fulfilled your plan in Jesus. You will fulfill your plan for me.
