Have you ever done research into your family – beyond your great grandparents? Gone on Ancestry.com? Family trees are nothing new. They help tell the story of who we are and who we come from. In this week's scripture passage, Matthew uses the genealogy of Jesus to begin his story of Jesus. Matthew is doing much more than giving us the historical, genealogical facts. He’s making some bold theological claims – claims we’ll miss if we do a quick reading with only the hope of “getting through” the first 17 verses without mispronouncing the names. The family of Jesus is surprising and messy and full of colorful characters. May this genealogy help us see God’s Family with a realistic and honest set of eyes, AND a realistic set of expectations.  

Printed Sermon

Scripture Reading by Tom Hansen, Senior Pastor

- Matthew 1:1-17 (NIV)

As we go through the Old Testament portion of The Story, there are many questions about violence, war and bloodshed.  To help us think through these sensitive and important questions, the following resources are recommended.

Did God Order Genocide in the Old Testament?

This is a one-page article from a publication of the Christian Reformed Church. It will not answer all of your questions, but help us to think more deeply about the scriptures and our responses to them.

God Has a Name Teaching Podcast by John Mark Comer

• Episode 1: Yahweh
• Episode 2: Yahweh Elohim
• Episode 3: Compassionate and Gracious
• Episode 4: Slow to Anger
• Episode 5: Forgiving Wickedness, Rebellion, and Sin
• Episode 6: Carry the Name