| "Matthew 1 – 4
God’s Human Family Tree
God’s story Finally God unveils the masterful story-plan he has been crafting for centuries. The Redeemer he has been pointing to and promising is none other than his own Son. Audacity of audacities, God has stepped into a single cell in the womb of a woman — to become the God-Man. Deity has a human family tree. God’s Spirit visits a young woman, Mary, who is soon pregnant with God’s Son. God sends an angel to Mary’s fiancé, Joseph, to explain the incredible thing he has done. Soon God’s Son is born. He is Immanuel, “God with us.” Following the angel’s instructions, Joseph names the baby Jesus — “Yahweh saves.” Following the star God has positioned in the sky, scholarly magi from the east come to Bethlehem. Through their visit, Herod, the evil Roman-appointed king of Judea, hears about Jesus and orders an infant massacre. God leads his Son’s family to safety. Years pass and Jesus’ relative John begins to prepare the people for Jesus, challenging them to change their lives and baptizing them in the Jordan River. Jesus comes to be baptized too, and God declares how deeply He loves His Son. The Spirit leads Jesus into the wilderness to fast. After 40 days Satan comes to tempt Him — perhaps he can cause the Son to sin. Jesus clings to the truths He knows about His Father. Beaten, Satan leaves. John is imprisoned and Jesus calls his first disciples — it is a changing of the spiritual guard. The King’s heart It’s a story line so astounding that God had to reveal it in pieces over centuries: God the Creator became one of His creations. Most of the religious leaders never were able to wrap their heads around it. But it was God’s plan all along. God could have arrived on earth at any point. Instead he chose to cultivate a family tree over centuries, to graft himself into the story of His people and then to graft us in too. Perhaps God knew that if He just arrived on earth without preparing us, no one would have believed Him. It is just too audacious. But since His goal was to convince His people of His love, God came slowly — loving long. God chose that the way He would save us would be personal, working through people. It declares God’s sole heart-intention: “I want to be close to you.” Insight The book of Matthew arranges Jesus’ genealogy into three groups of 14 men — or six groups of seven men. Seven was a highly significant number to God’s people. Jesus being born as the seventh group of seven made it clear — God was doing something wonderful. For your next reading, go to page 1147. " |
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