Good morning!
We're so glad you decided to join us!
Today is the third Sunday of Advent.
When we meet in person, we share our joys and concerns. Take some time to consider the past week, and any prayer requests you might have. When you are ready, use the prayer below (source) to get started.
Lord Jesus,
Master of both the light and the darkness, send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas. We who have so much to do and seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day, We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us. We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of your kingdom. We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of your presence. We are your people, walking in darkness, yet seeking the light. To you we say, "Come Lord Jesus!' Amen.
Today's lesson is on Matthew 1:1-17.
Lesson Context
The Gospel of Matthew was written primarily for a Jewish-Christian audience somewhere between about 50 - 100 AD. The author emphasized connections between Jesus' life and Old Testament writings as a way to show that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah. Our book briefly points out that the genealogy in Matthew and the genealogy given in Luke 3:23-28 do not match up. There are different names, different numbers of generations, different organizational structures and they go back to different people. Each writer had a different purpose in mind for their rendition of Jesus' family history. Matthew's primary purpose in writing his Gospel was to reveal who Jesus the Messiah is and why his life is significant. The Hebrew word for Messiah (which can be translated with the Greek word for Christ) means "anointed one" and referred at various times to both priests and kings. At some point after the fall of David's royal line, it came to refer to the anticipated savior of the Jewish people. Because the audience of this gospel was Jewish, the connection to Abraham and David would have ben important. The audience knew the promises made to both of those men. How Jesus fulfilled these promises would take the rest of the gospel to answer.
From Abraham to David (verses 1-6)
This first chunk of the genealogy covers approximately 1,100 years. Abraham was chosen by God, and was promised that, "all peoples on earth will be blessed through you," (Genesis 12:3). Isaac was the miracle baby, born to Abraham and Sarah in their old age (Genesis 21:1-7). Jacob was Isaac's second son, who stole his brother Esau's birthright (Genesis 27). Later, Jacob was renamed Israel after wrestling with God. (Genesis 32:22-31). Jacob and his wives had twelve sons, who were the ancestors of the twelve tribes of Israel (Genesis 35:22-26). Matthew's genealogy goes through one of the younger brothers, Judah. In a change of pattern, the next generation's mother, Tamar, is also mentioned. It is assumed that Tamar was a Canaanite woman. She was married to one of Judah's sons, but he died before they had any children. At that time, one of her husband's brothers would have married her in order to provide the deceased brother with an heir. This did not happen. Instead, Tamar devised a plan to become pregnant by Judah himself. She gave birth to twin boys, Perez and Zerah. The family then went to Egypt during the famine in Canaan. They stayed there until the exodus. Amminadab and Nahshon are both associated with the 40 year period of wandering in the wilderness. Salmon represents the first generation that was tasked with conquering Canaan in the days of Joshua. We then encounter the next woman within the genealogy, Rahab. Rahab was the Canaanite prostitute who helped the Israelites conquer Jericho (Joshua 6:25). Rahab and Salmon had a son named Boaz. The story of Boaz and Ruth takes up the first four chapters of the book of Ruth. It was also the first lesson of this quarter. Ruth was a Gentile, the third to be named in this passage. The two had a son named Obed. His son was Jesse. Jesse originally offered his older sons as candidates for king. But the Lord chose Jesse's youngest son, David instead (1 Samuel 16:1-13). Matthew calls him King David, emphasizing the promise that David's throne would be established forever.
From David to Exile (verses 6 - 11)
The middle portion of the genealogy covers about 400 years. It starts with King David, and then his son, Solomon. Our book points out that Solomon's mother was referred to as Uriah's wife instead of by her name, Bathsheba. It suggests that this has a couple of purposes. One is to highlight that she was likely a Hittite, as was Uriah. It also emphasizes her first marriage that was destroyed after David called her to his house. Reminding the reader of David's grave sins serves to temper any hero worship that the king's status -- especially having been handpicked by God and received incredible blessings from him -- might otherwise inspire. Solomon was the last king of the united monarchy of Israel, in large part due to his own faithlessness later in his reign (1 Kings 11:9-13). From there, King Rehoboam and his successors of the southern kingdom of Judah in Jerusalem are listed. Some of these kings were righteous, and some were not. There are a few notes on the list of kings. Assyria conquered Israel during the reign of Hezekiah in 722 BC. Judah's survival of that crisis is attributed in part to Hezekiah's continued faithfulness to the Lord (2 Kings 19:14-36). Josiah was credited with reinstituting the worship of the Lord and teaching the book of the law (2 Chronicles 34). At the end of this section, we have wicked King Jeconiah. He and his brothers were exiled in the first wave to captives to Babylon. Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed in the final Babylonian siege in 586 BC (2 Kings 24:18-16). The exile marks the end of this portion of the genealogy.
From Exile to Christ (verses 12 - 17)
The last portion of the genealogy takes a little under 600 years, starting from the low point of the Babylonian exile. The next men, Shealtiel and Zerubbabel, represent the 70 years in captivity. After Babylon was conquered by Cyrus of Persia, the people of Judah were allowed to return to Jerusalem in 538 BC. Zerubbabel was instrumental in rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem. With Zerubbabel, the Old Testament account of the kingly line ends. The last men listed, up until Joseph, come from a source unknown to us. Nothing is known about the lives of the men from the rebuilding of the temple to Jesus' adoptive father, Joseph. As a side note, Joseph's father does not match between this genealogy and that of Luke. The end of the genealogy is carefully worded. Joseph is the husband of Mary, not a biological relative of Jesus. Jesus' belonging in Joseph's family was a matter of choice, like adoption, instead of natural heritage. Mary is the only woman in the genealogy who was not a Gentile. She accepted God's plan for her with faith and humility, demonstrating why he chose her to raise Jesus. Calling Jesus the Messiah bookends the genealogy. Numbering fourteen generations in each section of the genealogy is an organizational tool that emphasizes the roles of Abraham, David and the exile as formative people/events in Israel's history. The summary serves to emphasize the fulfillment of God's promises.
Conclusion
Showing all of the different people, with all of their different backgrounds and problems, shows us something about God. The people listed in Jesus' genealogy were both men and women, Jews and Gentiles, righteous and wicked. All of them were imperfect people. But God used them to accomplish his perfect plans.
Prayer
Lord God, may we be reminded that you use all sorts of people to accomplish your will. May you use us, in spite of our sins and weaknesses. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Questions for Discussion
Benediction
This week's benediction is from the New English Translation.
Next week's lesson will be on Luke 1:36-45, 56.
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Good morning!
We're so glad you decided to join us today!
Today is the second Sunday of Advent.
When we meet in person, we share our joys and concerns. Take some time to consider the past week, and any prayer requests you might have. When you are ready, use the prayer below, written by John Birch, to get started.
We are moulded, each one of us,
in the image of God, and within our souls there is a fingerprint none can erase. We pray for those who have no regard for anyone but self, who put no value on human life. For nations and individuals who abuse and kill. We are not called to be judge or jury, but we are called to be agents of change, and if the butterfly that flaps its wings should be our attitude to others then so be it, Lord, and may the hurricane this generates somewhere within the world reach into the hearts and souls of those for whom we pray, and reveal to them how precious are those for whom they have no love, and how precious are they who now bring tears to the eyes of God. Amen
This week's lesson is on 1 Samuel 17:31-37, 45, 48-50.
The story of David and Goliath demonstrates how the Lord intercedes for His people. David was a young shepherd. King Saul and his men were battling the Philistines, one of which was a 9-foot giant named Goliath. The men of Saul’s army were afraid of Goliath; there was no one to stand up to him. David was filled with faith and a passion for God’s name, which was being blasphemed by Goliath.
An important point in this story is that Goliath was taunting the sovereign Lord of the universe. He was challenging God’s people to stand up to him and demonstrate that their God was more powerful than he was. However, David’s faith was so strong that he was willing to believe that the Lord would go with him and enable him to defeat Goliath. David’s faith was born out of his experience of God’s grace and mercy in his life up to that point. The Lord had delivered him out of dangerous situations in the past, proving His power and trustworthiness, and David relied on Him to deliver him from the Philistine. From the story of David and Goliath, we can learn that the God we serve is capable of defeating any of the giants in our lives—fear, depression, financial issues, doubts of faith—if we know Him and His nature well enough to step out in faith. When we do not know what the future holds, we have to trust Him. But we can’t trust someone we don’t know, so knowing God through His Word will build our faith in Him.
Conclusion
Faith and responsibility are key aspects of living with God. Faith is our decision to follow the Lord and responsibility is how we live out our faith on this earth. There should be no doubt who we serve, just as there was no doubt that David served God and Goliath did not. Prayer Lord, may we grow in courage in our faith. May people see the love of Jesus as he guides our steps through the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Benediction
This week's benediction is from the King James Version.
Next week's lesson will be on Matthew 1:1-17.
Good morning!
We're so glad you chose to join us today!
Today is the first Sunday of Advent.
When we meet in person, we share our joys and concerns. Take some time to consider the past week, and any prayer requests you might have. When you are ready, use the prayer below (source) to get started.
God of love- I feel like I am lost but your words say that you will always guide me. You do not leave me wandering through life but you are with me during every moment of every day. Help me to follow your ways when I feel weary and frustrated and help me to experience joy in life. May I be like a well watered garden which thrives because the roots are firmly planted in your love. Amen.
Today's lesson is on Ruth 1:6-18, 22.
The book of Ruth is one of my favorite books in the Old Testaments. It shows that you do not have to be blood related to be family. Ruth shows us in her beautiful vow how devoted she was to Naomi. She left all of her family and everything and everyone she knew to follow Naomi.
Tragedy creates a before and an after – before the job loss, the accident, the fight; after the breakup, the death, etc. When tragedy strikes, we might question God's sovereignty or fear that he is using his strength to punish us through our pain. No matter how strong our faith, tragedy can leave us raw and feeling that we are merely surviving. Reading stories of tragedy found within the Bible can offer comfort. When we see examples of how others remained faithful to God, we inspire to persevere. And even more, when we see how God demonstrated his faithfulness to others, we can regain confidence in his provision no matter our current circumstance. We don't need easy answers in pain; we need God's love, often expressed through the love of other believers. Ruth's story is one biblical example of love expressed in the after time of tragedy. The setting of the events in Ruth were during the time of the Judges. The conquest of Canaan was completed with the Israelite tribes settled in the land. But the Israelites' experience oppression from outside nations, Moab occasionally being one of them. The Moabites were descended from Abraham's nephew Lot. The Moabites were banned from entering the assembly of the Lord though marriage to Moabites was not banned specifically. Despite these deep feelings of dislike for Moabites, a persistent famine in Israel motivated Naomi's Israelite family to leave Bethlehem and settle in Moab. Ten years are covered quickly in the text, apparently beginning with the death of Naomi's husband, Elimelek and ending with the death of her sons. In the meantime, these two sons had married Moabites women, Ruth and Orpah, before leaving the childless with their untimely deaths. Widowhood was an especially precarious state for women. In the ancient Near East, including both Moab and Israel, men had far more economic power than women. A woman left without male relatives to care for her could be reduced to poverty and prostitution might result. Fathers or sons were the best lines of defense to protect widows: in the case of a younger widow, this protection lasted until new husbands could be found. God had given Israel specific instructions for caring for widows, both within the family and the larger community. Returning to Bethlehem to her people was Naomi's best option to be cared for in her widowed state. She had gotten word that the famine was over. And God's renewed provision in her homeland meant that her family's legal obligations to care for her would not burden an already famished community. For Naomi, the journey back to the land of Judah was a return to family and the safety net they represented. But using the same rationale of familial obligations and care, Naomi's two daughter-in-laws would have been expected to stay in their homeland, Moab. That the Moabite women began this journey with their mother-in-law speaks to the depth of their love and devotion to her. Traveling with Naomi potentially put her well-being over the younger widows' own future prospects for marriage and family. Naomi urged her two daughter-in-laws to go back to their mother's house. Naomi did not want them to share in the difficulties that widowhood would represent to herself. As Moabite widows, Ruth and Orpah would be incredibly vulnerable in Israel. She intended to leave the women in the Lord's care even though she also intended to leave them in the land of Moab. Naomi's future was far from assured; the gift she felt she could give her daughter-in-laws was to free them to find more likely sources of stability that she could offer. In a typical farewell gesture, Naomi sealed her hopes for them with a kiss. It signified her love in what she expected to be her final act of care for them. Naomi knew she was beyond childbearing years and could not have any more sons for them to marry and would be too long of a wait even if she could. She knew the best thing she could do is send them back to their families in Moab where they would be taken care of. Naomi felt that God had turned against her. Not that God had abandoned her but that God had judged her for going to Moab. Ascribing motivation to God is a dangerous business. We need only to read Job to be reminded of this. But in the middle of so much grief, one way of arriving at meaning, either legitimately or illegitimately, is to find God's judgment in pain. We do well to remember that we cannot know why God allows hard circumstances in our lives, We are wise to remember that his ways are not ours and his thoughts are above ours. And we can rest in the hope that God uses all things to benefit if we place our hope in him, regardless of our circumstances. Orpah kissed Naomi goodbye but Ruth would not be swayed by any argument Naomi could make. Ruth's choice was between what she had known before and what she had come to know in her husband's household. Verses 16-18. The introductory statement is an emphatic statement of Ruth's immovable will to follow Naomi, strengthened by Ruth's listing her commitments to Naomi. Ruth's response reflected Naomi's hope for Ruth but unexpectedly anticipated their fulfillment in a future that included the two women together. The commitment to Naomi's people and God directly tied back to Naomi's plea to Orpah's example. The commitment to go and stay with Naomi tied Ruth's future with Naomi's. Whatever provision Naomi would find among her people, Ruth would accept as well. Naomi would expect to die well before Ruth. Yet Ruth's commitment was to die in Judah and be buried there. In these ways, Ruth declared Naomi to be her mother and outlined the devotion that she would demonstrate as Naomi's true child. Naomi and Ruth arrived in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning which would be mid-March to mid-April. What is not discussed in today's lesson was the rest of the book of Ruth. Ruth went out to the fields to gleam barley that was left in the fields so that Naomi and her could have food to eat. She was gathering wheat in a field when Boaz's the landowner was checking his fields. He asked the overseer about Ruth and found out that Ruth was so caring of Naomi and sacrificed all that she knew to come there with Naomi. Boaz was a relative of Naomi's husband. Ruth and Boaz were married which also meant that Naomi was taken care of also. God blessed Ruth and Boaz by having them to be in the lineage of Jesus.
Conclusion
We are created to be in community with God and with others, Ruth's faithfulness to the Lord and to Naomi is an example to all of what living and loving in community might require of us. Ruth's words and actions demonstrated true commitment to carrying Naomi's burdens. Showing up in the midst of pain and anguish is difficult, especially if we are dealing with our own feelings of loss. How we respond to tragedy will determine whether we are following Ruth's example as she followed Christ's example without even knowing her many times great grandson.
Questions for discussion
Benediction
This week's benediction is from the New International Version.
Next week's lesson will be on 1 Samuel 17:31-37, 45, 48-50.
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