My Daily Journal:
People often talk about the legacy they want to leave behind. But I don’t think we are called to a legacy. I think that is too self centered and too much wanting what is left behind to be about us. Instead, I believe we are called to be a witness.
Everyone in America knows the line that witnesses are sworn in by: do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God? Put a capital T on truth and that is supposed to be the life of a Christian – that is supposed to be my life. Not to be perfect. Not to be without sin or fault. Not to walk some higher path of being better than others. Instead, we are called to be a mirror shining the light through our testimony to those who do not yet know the Truth and to be a faithful voice backing those who do.
What is the Truth? That God so loved the world (not just the jews, not just select few) that He gave His only Son to die for us, for my sins and yours, to pay the price through grace to redeem us back into unity with Him.
The genealogy in these first lines of Matthew outlines that God fulfills His promise of a King, but even more so, it shows and reminds us of how God has worked through very broken people (like you and me) who were willing to do one very important thing – turn their lives into being a witness of their faith in Him.
My Answers:
3.
a.
i. Er’s wife, him died, tricked Judah to father, “more righteous than I”
ii. Prostitute, hid Jewish spies in promised land, oath of salvation, scarlet cord
iii. your people my people your God my God, Married Boaz Kinsman Redeemer
iv. Bathsheba, adultry with David, 1st died, mom of Solmn
v. Virgin, blessed among women
b. It is factual. God created male and female (gen 1:27) and has a love for all (John 3:16), Jesus is fully human (not from a lineage of perfect people, male or female), Genealogy includes gentiles (Tamar, Rahab, Ruth)
c.All of them, but I have a heart for Ruth – She demonstrated such love and faithfulness to Naomi and God. Ruth 1:16 Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.
d. While we are all called to live out our faith as a witness, my recent times have been calls to strengthen other believers. I had a business lunch that evolved into a deep reinforcing discussion about living faith in the workplace this week.
4.
a. Abraham: Gen 22:18 all nations blessed through your see, Heb 2:16 took not nature of anges but the seed of Abrham Gal 3:16 Jesus is the one seed. David: Isaiah 11 Branch from root of Jesse, 2 Samuel 7:12-14 set up seed, establish kingdom
b. 1. To Jews it was a pre-req. Without proper genealogy, there was no basis for messiah. 2. for all, it emphasizes that God’s plan has never changed or altered course – From fall of man He planned to send His Son as the Savior.
The Notes are Good 