“This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham….” Matthew 1:1-17.
We all have skeletons in our closets, black sheep in the family, names we’d rather sweep under the carpet than bring up at the dinner table. Jesus’ family tree was no different. Yet, rather than rushing past some of his shady ancestors, the Bible highlights a handful of less reputable predecessors: there’s Jacob, the swindler; Rahab, the prostitute; Ruth, the refugee; Solomon, son of Bathsheba.
Why mention them? Because Jesus’ genealogy is all about grace. He came to save, not the the whole but the broken. He came to heal, not the healthy but the sick. He came to rescue, not the ones who believe they have it all together but those burdened with faults and failures.
The common thread running through his family line is one of redemption. Finding worth in the worthless. Pouring grace upon the unworthy. Loving the less-than.
Jesus’ advent is an unfolding love story between God and man that began in the Garden of Eden and continues until His return.
Jesus, God’s gift of grace.