Follow Along with the Message

Extended Family

Pastor Tony Myles

Creative space: Consider your a *

*They were who felt and thought (maybe prayed) their way through choices that created what you’re  with.

Where does the Christmas story ?

“This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham.” (Matthew 1:1)

“This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 1:18)

A  says that someone didn’t just appear out of thin air, but that they belong to a family, have a history and can find a God-given .

• Notice, when we do this, we’re tempted to “  over the .”
• Notice, your  has shaped you.

Every name has a story. (See Matthew 1:1-17)

• Abraham: The original Israelite whose name gives bragging rights but started out  and .
• Isaac, Jacob: The famous offspring who expanded the “family business,” but also repeated some of the same family .
• Judah, Perez, Zerah: Tamar, a twice-widowed daughter-in-law to Judah,  him by disguise to become pregnant.
• Hezron, Ram, Amminadab, Nahshon, Salmon, Rahab: Relocated, endured slavery, came back, endured war, and then faced famine.
• Boaz, Ruth, Obed: Mixed family, as Ruth was a  and  who married into bloodline through Jewish dad Boaz.
• Jesse: Became a farmer and sheep breeder in Bethlehem.
• David: Famous Jewish King whose heart was “” God.
• Bathsheba: The  of someone else...who was sought out, made pregnant, made a widow, then made a queen.
• Solomon: Given  of wisdom but wasn’t always wise.
• Rehoboam… Jacob: Corrupt (or good) kings, politicians, royal descendants, priests and a few “”.
• Joseph: A , distinguished heritage, and he’s engaged to Mary.

Why?

The superb and scandalous people in Jesus’ genealogy…

We’re invited to join God not just on the basis of what we’ve done…

“Good News” always has a . (See Matthew 1:18-21)

Notice, Joseph is to do the .

Notice, God can draw straight using .

There is no guarantee of . (See Luke 2:1-7)

Notice, no one in Joseph’s family .

Notice, Mary  Jesus.

Christmas matters because:

• We aren’t just from an  ...we are the . (See 2 Corinthians 5:16-18)
• Every decision an ancestor ever made shaped everyone after them...and that kind of impact is just as real .
• Jesus’ genealogy shows He is the Savior for the , the , the , the , the , the ...in every , Amen.

Don’t miss this…   The best way to  at Christmas is make sure you’re .

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