Morgan started us off looking at Matthew 1:1-17 and compared it to the famous violinist who sold out a concert at Carnegie Hall and the next day stopped and took time to play in the NYC subway. Very few stopped to enjoy his amazing music. They had no idea who was in their midst. Matthew 1 is similar to this in that Matthew is laying literary art before us. To a Jewish leader, this is dripping with history, stories and beauty. This is rich theology and not just biblical genealogy. Many of us skim over these verses and pay little attention to the lists of names and timelines. We need to realize Matthew is telling of the birth of the Savior and Messiah. He is telling the story of the "greater Joshua" who will lead his people.
We also looked at David and Abraham and their relationship to Jesus and how scripture was fulfilled.
2 Samuel 7:12-16
Genesis 12: 1-3
Both promises to David and Abraham are fulfilled through Jesus.
Matthew is writing to a Jewish audience and yet his verses are filled with moral, ethnic and gender outsiders.
Matthew includes women in the family tree and 4/5 were Gentiles. He also included a prostitute, an adulterer, a murderer and a man who sold his own brother into slavery.
Jesus promises us a multi ethnic family. He commands us to make disciples of all ethnicities.
Christ is not ashamed of sinners. He identified with them, loved them and served them. In Christ, prostitutes and kings sit down as equals. The gospel is deep and wide with sufficient grace for all of us.
Jesus can also use you no matter what our situation looks like. God is calling you to be in relationship with Him. Jesus called and used Matthew (formerly known as Levi) who was a Jewish tax collector who collected from Jewish people for the Roman government. In Morgan's words, "He was today's Uncle Tom." And yet, Jesus sought him and used him.
Sometimes in our culture we take a snapshot of someone at their worst and then identify them for the rest of their lives using that snapshot. Thank goodness, through grace, Jesus takes us as we are. God is working in the ups and downs of your life and can use you right where you are. You may not know your family lineage. If you are in Christ, THIS is your story.
Are we extending God's grace to others and living under the truth of the gospel? Are we being inclusive and inviting outsiders to our table? God has a way of using unlikely folks. I challenge you to listen and see how He can use you right where you are today.
