December 7, 2015
Scripture Reading: Matthew 1:1-2; Genesis 12:1-3
1This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:
2Abraham was the father of Isaac,
Isaac the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,
1The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
2“I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
3I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”
Questions for Reflection:
Matthew begins his account of Jesus’ life with a genealogy. Over the course of this week, we’re going to dig into the stories that Matthew is recounting as he shares the history of Jesus’ family. Through the genealogy, Matthew offers a summary of the history of the people of Israel.
Who does Matthew begin his genealogy with? What do you know of Abraham’s life? Who are his descendants that we are introduced to in verse 2 of Matthew? Why are the men so significant? The website Judaism 101 helps us understand their importance: “Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, known as the Patriarchs, are both the physical and spiritual ancestors of Judaism.”
In Genesis 12, God makes a promise to Abram. What does God promise him? Perhaps the greatest promise is the last promise. What is the last promise recorded in verse 3? How were all the peoples on earth blessed through Abraham? How did Jesus play a role in fulfilling that promise? By starting with Abraham, Matthew is reminding his readers of this incredible promise and how Jesus was the ultimate fulfillment of that promise. Abraham was blessed to be a blessing. If you are a follower of Jesus, you have been blessed to be a blessing as well. How can you bless others today?