People
A reading for Monday, May 5, 2014: Matthew (1:1-17) 3:1-6.
In the south, who your "people" are is a big deal. My wife's family are true southerners and I am amazed sometimes how much they know about who is related to who, and where that person came from. This is the way people know their roots, and have an identity. There are nine governors of South Carolina in my wife's family, and whole books have been written on the familial history. The state waltz is named for their family. I remember many conversations with her grandmother recounting how her "people" were connected to their "people." It's kind of a big deal.
Today, Matthew wants us to know Jesus "people." Before we can get to John the Baptists and the introduction of Jesus through baptism, we need to know the roots and identity of Jesus. Jesus is a direct descendent of Father Abraham, going all the way back to the beginning. There are fourteen generations in Jesus genealogy, from the beginning to the exile. Then there are fourteen more from the exile to his father Joseph. Along the way there are kings. There are also great women of faith. There are also names we don't know anything about. All this is to provide roots and a sense of identify for Jesus. It's kind of a big deal.
Truth is, through Jesus Christ, we have been grafted onto this family tree. This genealogy of Jesus is also our roots and our identity. These are our "people." No matter who you are or where you come from, you have "people" when you are a child of God in Jesus Christ. In your family, there are kings. There are also great women of faith. There are also names you don't know anything about. All this is to provide you with roots and a sense of identity.
If you follow Jesus, your "people" are my "people." I will call you brother and sister and we will be connected like family. It's kind of a big deal.
In the south, who your "people" are is a big deal. My wife's family are true southerners and I am amazed sometimes how much they know about who is related to who, and where that person came from. This is the way people know their roots, and have an identity. There are nine governors of South Carolina in my wife's family, and whole books have been written on the familial history. The state waltz is named for their family. I remember many conversations with her grandmother recounting how her "people" were connected to their "people." It's kind of a big deal.
Today, Matthew wants us to know Jesus "people." Before we can get to John the Baptists and the introduction of Jesus through baptism, we need to know the roots and identity of Jesus. Jesus is a direct descendent of Father Abraham, going all the way back to the beginning. There are fourteen generations in Jesus genealogy, from the beginning to the exile. Then there are fourteen more from the exile to his father Joseph. Along the way there are kings. There are also great women of faith. There are also names we don't know anything about. All this is to provide roots and a sense of identify for Jesus. It's kind of a big deal.
Truth is, through Jesus Christ, we have been grafted onto this family tree. This genealogy of Jesus is also our roots and our identity. These are our "people." No matter who you are or where you come from, you have "people" when you are a child of God in Jesus Christ. In your family, there are kings. There are also great women of faith. There are also names you don't know anything about. All this is to provide you with roots and a sense of identity.
If you follow Jesus, your "people" are my "people." I will call you brother and sister and we will be connected like family. It's kind of a big deal.
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