Derek Smith
Lead Pastor
Matthew 1:1-6, 16
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah….and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.
The story of Christmas is an epic story of God becoming man. Jesus left Heaven and dwelt among us, what an incredible miracle! However, the characters involved in the story are not the holiest of the holy. Here in the genealogy of Christ there are 5 women listed. Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary. They are not queens or heads of state. All except Mary are not homely, quaint, Bible-toting girls. These are not the good girls that hung out at the Temple on the Sabbath. Talk about issues, how about prostitution, rape, seduction, and outright paganism? This is a group of broken, lonely, used and abused ladies, but each one represents a brokenness that was redeemed. And just think, these are the very ones Jesus chose to associate with! What a picture of the grace and mercy of God. Just like these broken women, so you and I are just as broken in sin apart from Jesus. Jesus intervenes in and identifies with our brokenness when we humbly call on His name for forgiveness and salvation. That’s what Christmas is all about! So, if you’re broken and undone this Christmas, you’re exactly who Jesus is looking for, and He has the most incredible Christmas gift ever bought just for you…..eternal life! This Christmas season, receive Jesus. Exchange your brokenness for His blessedness. Find peace, joy, redemption, and transformation in the gospel, and before you look down upon the broken among us remember this: Jesus came to bind up the brokenhearted and to set the captives free!