Grace…Grace

Scripture

The genealogy of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham.

~Matthew 1:1, REB

Quote

The Bible is a history of God’s grace bestowed on men who did not deserve it or fully appreciate it.

~Timothy Keller

What’s in a genealogy, it is just a list of names and many find them boring to read. Some things require deeper study and genealogies is one of those things. The Jews were big on history and genealogies but Matthew {a Jew} throws them a curve by including five women in Jesus genealogy. That in itself would not be a big deal but when you look at the list, it can only speak of one thing and that is grace which the Jews as a whole stumbled over. The first woman mentioned was Tamar. Tamar married Judah’s eldest son Er who was a wicked man. He died without fathering any children and Judah had his second son Onan wed to Tamar to give her a child and he refused to get her pregnant. He also died at an early age and by this time, Judah probably thought that Tamar was bad luck so he basically forgot about her. She dressed as a harlot and seduced Judah and became the mother of twins Perez and Zerah. Incest, intrigue and deception: not one of the finer moments in Jewish history.

The second woman mentioned is Rahab who didn’t merely play the harlot, she was a harlot by trade. Rahab was Boaz mother and then one generation later, Ruth the Moabite, becomes the mother of Obed who is David’s grandfather. The Jews say that Tamar was an Israelites but Rahab and Ruth were not. Then Matthew mentions the mother of Solomon, not by name but by description, “the wife of Uriah.” Do you see what’s going on here: these ladies are not paragons of virtue. Two were not Israelites and all but Ruth were either involved in prostitution or adultery.

Are you not impressed with the honesty of the bible? The bible reveals the flaws of the Patriarchs as well as all the kings and even the prophets. I’m not sure who the poster boy for grace is in the O.T. but Jonah has to be in the running. Suffice it to say, we all go to heaven the same way on the same transport….JESUS! He is the way.


I’m trying to go one day without mentioning the weather which has me border line depressed. The first day of fall was hot and they say the first week of fall will be hotter but either fall is coming or Jesus…one of the two is coming and I say hallelujah!

R E V I V A L

November 3-6

Grace Point Baptist Church

With

Timothy Ray Keenum…Evangelist

Doug Seaver…Praise and Worship

Sunday Services…10:15 am and 6:00 pm

Monday-Wednesday at 6:30 pm

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