The genealogy of Jesus has always been intriguing to me. What an unusual way to start the final, and most climatic part of the great story of God’s salvation plan for the creation—a list of names.
So what’s the importance of the genealogy of Jesus? The genealogy of Jesus underlines the point that as Christians, as the people of God, we have to know from where we came in order to know where we’re going. The genealogy of Jesus also reminds us that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise to his people.
Matthew 1:1 reads, “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” Right away we encounter the reference to both David and Abraham. Here we recall that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise to both Abraham and David. Ever since the book of Genesis, the first book of the Bible, the world has been awaiting the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham: that all nations would be blessed through his family.
God’s wonderful grace and peace that comes with salvation comes through a people–through the family of Abraham, the family of David.
We often forget this point in the church today. We have the tendency to emphasize the fact that Jesus died for our sins and now we can go to heaven when we die. This is certainly a part of the gospel message, but it’s a small part at best. The center of the gospel message isn’t about where we go when we die. It’s about reconciliation–the power of God that makes reconciliation, grace and peace, possible comes through a people, for a people.
Once again, Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise to his people personified in the figures of Abraham and david.
So what does this mean for us today? We have to remember that our salvation is not about us. Ever since the very beginning, as we read in Genesis, God’s grace and peace comes to the world through a people. This hasn’t changed. Our salvation must go beyond us. Just like God’s work with Abraham went beyond him. God’s walk with Abraham was for the sake of the world, not just for Abraham and his family.
The same is true for David. David was an excellent king because he was a man after God’s own heart. How did God reward David for his faithfulness? The same way he rewarded Abraham for his faith: with a promise that he would bring redemption through him to others.
I’ll say it again, our salvation is not about us. Our salvation is about Jesus and being available to him so that we can become the people through whom his grace and peace reaches the world.
God is still reaching the world through a people. He reached us through Jesus, who came through David, who came through Abraham. Whom does God wish to reach through you? God’s salvation always comes through a people.
