Who Would Have Thought?
A Study of the Women in the Genealogy of Jesus
Scripture: Matthew 1:1–17
Conclusion
My concluding thoughts come from Alistair Begg from “Truth for Life.”
We all have a genealogy, a family tree that is as unique as our fingerprint. Begg says, “We wouldn’t choose all the people in our family tree or all the experiences and events represented in that family tree that we didn’t plan.” But there it is, we are who we are. We haven’t chosen our family but we are a product of it.
We are part of a greater family. We have been looking at a little bit of that line as recorded in Matthew 1:1–17. The family tree of Matthew moves on. Through the redemption and saving power of Jesus Christ, we are also part of that family line. Isn’t it amazing that God provided for any believer to be a part? We are chosen with all our failures, sin, mistakes and personality flaws.
Begg concludes five truths about the inclusion of these women that we have been studying in the genealogy of Jesus as told in Matthew.
They are:
- Flawed people. They are not ideal; God chooses to deal with actual people.
- God uses all the very messy stuff to accomplish His purposes. Life is not all neat and tidy.
- God is not operating on our timetable but comes just at the right time. All of these lives (in the book of Matthew?) led to the coming birth of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
- The family line of Jesus includes all kinds of people; some were moral outcasts for different reasons.
- The family line of Jesus was ethnically diverse and is a clear reminder that the Gospel is for all people. His is a Gospel for a fallen, sinful world.
- God values and uses women of all kinds to fulfill His purposes.
Have you accepted, believed and received Jesus Christ? Have you added your name to the eternal family record? If nothing else, this study shows us that there is no sin too great or failure too devastating that God cannot forgive.
P.S. Don’t forget to check out the Leader’s Guide and Resources!
Be blessed!
