Grace and Inclusion: The Power of Jesus' Genealogy

 

Summary

The genealogy at the beginning of the book of Matthew is often overlooked, yet it holds profound significance. It serves as a reminder that the gospel is not merely good advice but good news rooted in history. Unlike fairy tales that begin with "once upon a time," the genealogy grounds the story of Jesus in reality, affirming that the events of His life truly happened. This historical foundation is crucial because it underscores that Jesus came not just to be a moral example but to save us. If Jesus did not live, then salvation by grace would be impossible, leaving us to rely on our own efforts, which is a burdensome and ultimately futile endeavor.

Furthermore, the genealogy reveals how the gospel turns the world's values upside down. In ancient times, genealogies were akin to resumes, highlighting one's prestigious lineage. However, Jesus' genealogy includes individuals who were often marginalized or considered disreputable, such as Tamar, Ruth, and Bathsheba. This inclusion speaks volumes about grace, showing that Jesus is not ashamed of these individuals and that anyone, regardless of their past or social standing, can be part of His family. The gospel does not prioritize pedigree, respectability, or moral superiority; instead, it offers grace to all, emphasizing that everyone is a sinner in need of redemption.

The genealogy also challenges societal norms by including women and individuals of different races, illustrating that the gospel transcends cultural and gender barriers. It proclaims that all people, regardless of their background, can receive grace. This radical inclusivity is a testament to the transformative power of the gospel, which invites everyone to become part of Jesus' family through repentance and faith.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Gospel as Historical Good News: The genealogy in Matthew emphasizes that the gospel is rooted in history, not myth. This historical grounding is essential because it affirms that Jesus' life, death, and resurrection are real events that offer salvation by grace, not by our own efforts. [01:42]

2. Grace Over Pedigree: Jesus' genealogy includes individuals with questionable pasts, highlighting that grace, not pedigree or moral standing, is the basis for inclusion in God's family. This challenges us to embrace grace and extend it to others, regardless of their background. [05:08]

3. The Upside-Down Kingdom: The inclusion of marginalized individuals in Jesus' genealogy demonstrates how the gospel overturns societal values, emphasizing that all people, regardless of gender, race, or morality, are equal recipients of grace. [05:57]

4. Salvation by Grace, Not Works: The genealogy underscores that salvation is not achieved through living a good life but through Jesus' sacrificial life and death. This liberates us from the burden of self-justification and invites us to rest in God's grace. [03:38]

5. Radical Inclusivity of the Gospel: By including women and non-Jews, the genealogy illustrates the gospel's radical inclusivity, inviting everyone to become part of Jesus' family through repentance and faith, regardless of their past or social status. [06:08]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:26] - Introduction to Matthew's Genealogy
- [01:04] - Importance of Genealogy
- [01:16] - Gospel: Good News, Not Advice
- [01:42] - Historical Foundation of the Gospel
- [02:27] - Justification by Works vs. Grace
- [03:00] - Jesus' Purpose: Salvation, Not Example
- [03:38] - Gospel as Good News
- [03:51] - Upside-Down Values of the Gospel
- [04:15] - Genealogy as a Resume
- [04:42] - Inclusion of Marginalized Individuals
- [05:08] - Grace Over Pedigree
- [05:57] - Equality in the Gospel
- [06:21] - Radical Inclusivity
- [06:43] - Conclusion and Hope in Grace

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
- Matthew 1:1-17

#### Observation Questions
1. What is the significance of the genealogy in Matthew's Gospel, and how does it differ from a typical fairy tale beginning? [01:29]
2. Who are some of the marginalized individuals included in Jesus' genealogy, and why is their inclusion significant? [04:28]
3. How does the genealogy in Matthew demonstrate the concept of grace over pedigree? [05:08]
4. What does the inclusion of women and individuals of different races in the genealogy suggest about the nature of the gospel? [06:08]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the historical grounding of the gospel in Matthew's genealogy affect the understanding of Jesus' life and mission? [01:42]
2. In what ways does the genealogy challenge societal norms and values, according to the sermon? [05:57]
3. How does the concept of salvation by grace, as opposed to works, liberate individuals from self-justification? [03:38]
4. What does the radical inclusivity of the gospel, as demonstrated in the genealogy, reveal about God's view of humanity? [06:21]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on the idea that the gospel is good news rooted in history. How does this perspective influence your faith and daily life? [01:42]
2. Consider the individuals in Jesus' genealogy who had questionable pasts. How can you extend grace to those in your life who may not fit societal norms? [05:08]
3. The sermon highlights the upside-down values of the gospel. How can you challenge societal norms in your community to reflect these values? [05:57]
4. Salvation by grace is a central theme in the sermon. How can you remind yourself daily to rest in God's grace rather than striving for self-justification? [03:38]
5. The genealogy includes people from different backgrounds and races. How can you actively promote inclusivity and diversity within your church or community? [06:08]
6. Reflect on a time when you felt marginalized or excluded. How does the message of radical inclusivity in the gospel offer hope and belonging to you? [06:21]
7. Identify one person in your life who might feel excluded or marginalized. What specific action can you take this week to show them the grace and inclusivity of the gospel? [06:33]

Devotional

Day 1: The Gospel as Historical Reality
The genealogy in Matthew's Gospel serves as a powerful reminder that the story of Jesus is not a myth or a fairy tale but a historical reality. This grounding in history is crucial because it affirms that Jesus' life, death, and resurrection are real events that offer salvation by grace, not by our own efforts. The genealogy begins with Abraham and traces the lineage through David to Jesus, emphasizing the fulfillment of God's promises throughout history. This historical foundation assures us that our faith is not based on abstract ideas but on the tangible reality of God's intervention in human history. [01:42]

"Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’" (Isaiah 46:9-10, ESV).

Reflection: How does knowing that your faith is rooted in historical events impact your trust in God's promises today?


Day 2: Grace Over Pedigree
The genealogy of Jesus includes individuals with questionable pasts, such as Tamar, Rahab, and Bathsheba, highlighting that grace, not pedigree or moral standing, is the basis for inclusion in God's family. This challenges societal norms that prioritize lineage and respectability. Jesus' genealogy shows that He is not ashamed of these individuals, and it emphasizes that anyone, regardless of their past or social standing, can be part of His family. This radical grace invites us to embrace others with the same openness and love that Jesus extends to us. [05:08]

"For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;" (1 Corinthians 1:26-27, ESV).

Reflection: Who in your life might you be overlooking because of their past or social standing? How can you extend grace to them today?


Day 3: The Upside-Down Kingdom
The inclusion of marginalized individuals in Jesus' genealogy demonstrates how the gospel overturns societal values, emphasizing that all people, regardless of gender, race, or morality, are equal recipients of grace. This challenges the world's values that often prioritize power, prestige, and moral superiority. The gospel invites us to see others through the lens of grace, recognizing that everyone is a sinner in need of redemption. This perspective transforms how we interact with others, encouraging us to embrace humility and love. [05:57]

"But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;" (1 Corinthians 1:27, ESV).

Reflection: In what ways do you find yourself valuing worldly status over God's grace? How can you begin to see others through the lens of the gospel's upside-down values?


Day 4: Salvation by Grace, Not Works
The genealogy underscores that salvation is not achieved through living a good life but through Jesus' sacrificial life and death. This liberates us from the burden of self-justification and invites us to rest in God's grace. The genealogy reminds us that Jesus came not just to be a moral example but to save us, offering a salvation that we could never earn on our own. This truth frees us from striving for perfection and allows us to live in the freedom of God's grace. [03:38]

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV).

Reflection: What areas of your life are you still trying to earn God's approval? How can you rest in the assurance of His grace today?


Day 5: Radical Inclusivity of the Gospel
By including women and non-Jews, the genealogy illustrates the gospel's radical inclusivity, inviting everyone to become part of Jesus' family through repentance and faith, regardless of their past or social status. This inclusivity is a testament to the transformative power of the gospel, which transcends cultural and gender barriers. It challenges us to reflect on our own biases and to embrace the diversity of God's family, recognizing that all are welcome in His kingdom. [06:08]

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28, ESV).

Reflection: What biases or barriers do you need to overcome to fully embrace the inclusivity of the gospel? How can you actively welcome others into God's family today?

Quotes


the first thing it teaches us is that the gospel is good news not good advice the gospel is good news not just good advice notice that the story of jesus life does not start off once upon a time doesn't say once upon a time it starts with a genealogy see once upon a time is the way fairy tales start but a genealogy says this is history [00:19:47]

what happened to jesus christ that we're going to tell you about actually really happened historically now there's a lot of people who say who cares uh so what if it's a legend after all they say what really matters is not doctrine and things like that what really matters is that you're a good person so if you read the story about jesus christ then you try to be like him [00:21:45]

jesus christ actually came not to show us how to live so that we could save ourselves he came to save us he came to live the life we should have lived in our place and then die the death we should have died in our place so that god could forgive us so the penalty for our sins could be put on him [00:30:32]

if jesus christ didn't actually live then you're not you can't be saved by grace you can't be saved by god you have to save yourself and that's deadly and so the genealogy starts right off saying the gospel is good news not just good advice on how to live it's good news that not advice on how to save yourself but it's good news god has saved you [00:33:25]

now you and i see a genealogy and we say that's interesting but in the old days the genealogy was like your resume because family was everything and what you always did was you gave your resume by giving people your genealogy and you always bragged about the people who were well known or were great [00:38:55]

the one thing you always kept out of your genealogy was anybody who you know wasn't quite right wasn't respectable you just kept that out but right here in jesus genealogy you have four women and women were almost never back in those patriarchal times ever included in genealogy as well as father to son father son there's four women [00:42:56]

and look who those women are tamar who committed incest who was a prostitute ruth who was a moabite she wasn't jewish he was of a different race and then what the text calls uriah's wife which of course was bathsheba who was married to uriah and david has commits adultery with her and then kills her husband [00:45:52]

and here's what it's telling us even at the very beginning the genealogy is speaking to us of grace first of all what we see here is jesus is not ashamed of these people these are his mothers these are women not men these were in some cases people of a different race not jews some some of them were immoral not moral [00:50:24]

and yet jesus is saying anyone can be a member of my family anyone can be a member of my family you're not saved by your pedigree and by your respectability you're saved by grace there is no sin so small that it doesn't deserve condemnation so king david who's in the genealogy needs to be needs god's grace [00:53:19]

but there's no sin so great that it can bring condemnation on those who truly repent and it also shows that in the gospel the gospel turns the world's values upside down it doesn't say men are better than women and jews are better than non-jews it doesn't say even the moral or better than the immoral [00:56:32]

it really says that all people are sinners and all people can be recipients of grace so pedigree and credentials and beauty and money and things like that should not matter to us as christians because they don't matter to god i don't care who you are or what you've done i don't care whether you've camped out right near the gates of hell [00:59:20]

you can be a member of jesus christ's family if you turn to him so right here at the very beginning the genealogies are just are just dripping with grace and giving hope to anyone amen [01:02:32]

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Transcript
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