In our Advent Christmas series, "Unexpected," we invite you to journey with us as we unfold the genealogy of Jesus. We'll delve into the lives of key figures such as Abraham, David, Joseph, Mary, and four other unexpected relatives highlighted in Jesus’ family tree from Matthew 1:1-17. These relatives reveal to us Jesus Christ is the Messiah who came to save the world, but also each of their own stories show us unexpected truths of how God brought about the birth of His own Son. And, forces us to ask the question, why did these people make it into the Jesus’ genealogy and the Christmas story?
Beginning in Matthew 1:1-2, we are reminded of the first of these truths: through Abraham's offspring, all nations will be blessed (Genesis 12:1-3). This assures us today that God remains faithful to His promises, even when their fulfillment takes generations. Consider that there were about 2,100 years from Abraham to the birth of Jesus. Not 2,100 seconds, minutes, or months, but years. And here we are, over 2,000 years beyond the birth of Jesus, being reminded this weekend to wait in hopeful anticipation, trusting that God will bring to fruition everything He has spoken about Jesus Christ, our Messiah!
Rahab, a Canaanite prostitute from Jericho, appears in Jesus' genealogy as a powerful example of God's grace reaching unexpected people. When Israelite spies came to scout the promised land, she chose to hide them despite the risk to her life, demonstrating remarkable faith in the God of Israel. Her story challenges us to reconsider how we judge others and shows that no one is beyond God's transforming grace. Rahab's inclusion in Christ's family tree proves that God can use anyone for His purposes, regardless of their past or current circumstances.
