Tag: Matthew

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Jesus’ Family Tree — Joy of Advent

Links for today’s readings:

Read: Nehemiah 2 Listen: (3:42)
Read: Revelation 11 Listen: (3:24)

Links for this weekend’s readings:

Read: Nehemiah 3 Listen: (5:43), Read: Revelation 12 Listen: (2:58)
Read: Nehemiah 4 Listen: (3:38), Read: Revelation 13 Listen: (3:20)

Scripture Focus: Matthew 1:1, 17

1 This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham

17 Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah.

Nehemiah 2:3-5

3 but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”

4 The king said to me, “What is it you want?”

Then I prayed to the God of heaven, 5 and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”

Reflection: Jesus’ Family Tree — Joy of Advent

By Jon Polk

You may have never read the first seventeen verses of Matthew 1. You should, after all, it’s Jesus’ family tree. If you pay attention, you might even recognize a few names.

So go ahead. Here it is. I’ll wait.

In the old King James, Matthew 1 is the “begat” section. So-and-so begat so-and-so and one hard to pronounce name begat another funny sounding name. It’s the passage to be feared if called upon to read aloud in church.

Ancient genealogies were written with a purpose in mind. Names can obviously refer to a specific person, but they can also reference a family name. The phrase “the son of” can mean literally “direct offspring of” or it can mean more generally “descendent of.”

Matthew carefully shapes Jesus’ ancestry with a goal in mind. Matthew traces Jesus’ lineage back to Abraham and outlines three sets of fourteen generations: Abraham to David, David to the Babylonian exile, and the exile to the Messiah.

Do the math and this equals six sets of seven generations, making Jesus the beginning of the seventh. Seven is a biblical number representing completion. Therefore, Jesus inaugurates the fulfillment of God’s plan for the world.

As expected, there are prominent names in Jesus’ lineage that anyone would love to have in their family tree: Abraham, faithful father of many nations; Judah, the royal tribe through which the Messiah would come; David, a man after God’s own heart; and Zerubbabel, who led exiles back from Babylonian captivity.

Not a bad pedigree.

But wait, there’s more!

Surprisingly, there are a few scoundrels on the list as well: Jacob, who tricked his father out of the family blessing; Rehoboam, son of Solomon who brought about the divided kingdom; and even David, who committed adultery and murder.

Everyone has a few stories in their family history that they would like to keep secret. Even Jesus.

And you thought there were interesting characters in your family?

As we draw near to the holiday break, maybe you’re dreading interactions with your crazy uncle or your weirdo cousin. Perhaps there is tension between members of your extended family. You might be preparing to tread lightly if certain topics come up in conversation.

Somehow there is an odd comfort in knowing that even Jesus’ earthly family history was less than perfect. So go easy on your family this year. Allow the grace of God to saturate every conversation, every interaction.

Because you never know, to someone else, you may be the weirdo cousin.

Divine Hours Prayer: A Reading

Now his mother and his brothers arrived, and standing outside, sent in a message asking for him. A crowd was sitting round him at the time the message was passed to him, “Look, your mother and brothers and sisters are outside asking for you.” He replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers? Anyone who does the will of God, that person is my brother and sister and mother.” — Mark 3.31-35

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more about Bathsheba’s Story — Love of Advent

These are the matriarchs of Jesus: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary. This is Bathsheba’s story.

Bathsheba’s Story — Love of Advent

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What Did You Get Jesus for Christmas? — Joy of Advent

Links for today’s readings:

Read: Ezra 9 Listen: (3:19)
Read: Revelation 8 Listen: (2:15)

Scripture Focus: Matthew 2:9-12

9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Revelation 8:3-4

3 Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne. 4 The smoke of the incense and the prayers of God’s people went up before God from the angel’s hand.

Reflection: What Did You Get Jesus for Christmas? — Joy of Advent

By Jon Polk

Ask any four-year-old what Christmas is all about and what do you think they’ll tell you?

Presents.

We like to say that exchanging gifts is inspired by the wise men from the east who visit the child Jesus and give him gifts.

There’s no evidence early Christians gave gifts to celebrate Jesus’ birth, in fact, gift-giving did not become a focus of the celebration until the 1800s. In 1820, Christmas-themed ads first appeared in newspapers and it wasn’t until 1867 that Macy’s department store stayed open until midnight on Christmas Eve for last-minute purchases.

Today, we have Black Friday and Cyber Monday and regular delivery trucks in our neighborhoods, and it may seem like gift-giving has gotten out of hand.

The wise men from the east traveled from as far away as Persia. Jesus was probably at least one, maybe two years old when they arrived bearing gifts.

The gifts they brought with them from their homelands — gold, frankincense and myrrh — were three expensive substances, not native to Israel, often imported at great expense.

You may have heard of the traditional interpretation of the three gifts: gold represents Jesus’ kingship, frankincense represents his priesthood, and myrrh pertains to Jesus’ death.

Throughout history, church leaders have further spiritualized the three gifts. For Gregory the Great, they corresponded to wisdom, prayer and the humiliation of the flesh. Martin Luther connected them with faith, love and hope. Others compared them to mercy, prayer and purity.

Most importantly, the three gifts indicate the high esteem with which the wise men revered the child and the honor they bestowed upon him as a King. These wise men from Persia had likely originally heard messianic prophecies from the descendants of Jews in captivity in Babylonia. Clearly, they came to worship and give honor to Jesus as King and Messiah.

If we were going to give Jesus a gift for Christmas this year, what would it be? If we follow the example of the wise men, it would need to be sacrificial. It will probably require our time, energy, or money. It should be prompted by our relationship with Jesus and rooted in worship.

Maybe more time in prayer, Bible study, or fellowship? Or kicking some habit that is holding back your spiritual growth? Perhaps being more attentive to your family or others around you? How about developing an attitude of gratitude and generosity?

What present will you give Jesus for Christmas this year?

Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting

My lips will sing with joy when I play to you, and so will my soul, which you have redeemed. — Psalm 71.23

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more about Saccharine Joy — Joy of Advent

Our culture uses the word “joy,” but we do not know what it means.

Saccharine Joy — Joy of Advent

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A King to Hope In — Hope of Advent

Links for today’s readings:

Read: Esther 7 Listen: (2:08)
Read: 1 John 4 Listen: (2:58)

Links for today’s readings:

Read: Esther 8 Listen: (3:41), Read: 1 John 5 Listen: (3:00)
Read: Esther 9-10 Listen: (6:15), Read: 2 John Listen: (1:50)

Scripture Focus: Esther 7.3-6

3 Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. 4 For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.”

5 King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?”

6 Esther said, “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!”

Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. 7 The king got up in a rage, left his wine and went out into the palace garden. But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate, stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.

8 Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining.

The king exclaimed, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?”

As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. 9 Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, “A pole reaching to a height of fifty cubits stands by Haman’s house. He had it set up for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.”

The king said, “Impale him on it!” 10 So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai. Then the king’s fury subsided.

Matthew 2.16-18

16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

18 “A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.”

Reflection: A King to Hope In — Hope of Advent

By John Tillman

Kings have always been replacements for God. (1 Samuel 8.7)

Some ancient kings only claimed to “represent” or “manifest” a god and others to descend from a god or gods. Many modern kings and politicians still do this. They are just more subtle about it.

Neither Xerxes nor Herod are righteous kings.

Kings don’t usually take well to criticism, the pointing out of flaws, or to being tricked. When Herod discovered the Magi’s deception and his first violent plot against Jesus failed, he ramped up the violence, murdering innocents as Christ’s family fled into exile.

If Xerxes had felt manipulated or accused when he realized he was Haman’s partner in the violent plot Esther exposed, he could have turned on Esther instead of Haman. God’s providence and Haman’s actions ensured he did not. However, after all the drama of getting Xerxes on their side, he couldn’t stop the violence or establish peace. He executed Haman but, as for the coming attacks, he couldn’t stop them or defend the Jews. He only allowed them to defend themselves. He added war to destruction and blood on top of blood. Afterward, mothers still wept for their children, refusing to be comforted.

God charges all kings, Herod, Xerxes, and our leaders, to establish righteousness. Yet most of the tools kings have destroy rather than cultivate. They wield the sword, not the plow. Even in brief moments when kings of the earth might support us, they are not as helpful or powerful as they seem. They are vulnerable to betrayal, assassination, and overthrow. Kings seem glorious in throne rooms yet their glory is an illusion of wealth, lacking any transcendence.

It’s easier than we might think to fall into the dangerous trap of replacing God with a king who is only an illusion of the power, glory, and righteousness of the Messiah. Herod’s soldiers and advisors did it. So might we.

Jesus is the one king we can hope in. He will not add war to violence and call it peace. His power is unassailable and unselfish. His glory is not an illusion of wealth or fine clothes, but the transcendent truth of existence. His righteousness is established not only by cutting down enemies but by cultivating goodness, growth, and godliness. His reign is both already and not yet. His kingdom is coming. His Advent is near.

Come quickly, King Jesus.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting

Hosanna, Lord, hosanna!…Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; we bless you from the house of the Lord. — Psalm 118.25-26

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more about Another Love Chapter — Love of Advent

One purpose of Christ’s advent was to show what God is like. The Holy Spirit’s advent in our hearts shares that purpose. 

Another Love Chapter — Love of Advent
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Rahab’s Story — Readers’ Choice

Scripture Focus: Matthew 1.1, 5a
1 This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:

5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab…

Joshua 6.25
25 But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho—and she lives among the Israelites to this day.

Originally published on December 12, 2023, based on readings from Matthew 1 and Joshua 6.

Readers’ Choice is here: There’s still time to tell us about your favorite, most meaningful posts of the year. If you shared it with someone, or it helped you, let us know via email, direct message, or filling out the linked form.

Advent in September: Several of the choices from readers were from last year, during Advent. We are putting these posts together in this first week of Readers’ Choice. We pray as Summer winds down that the spirit of Christmas has continued in your heart and that these posts will help you look forward to anticipate the coming seasons.

Readers’ Choice posts are selected by our readers:
Barbara, TN — Hallelujah!
Michele, CO — I imagine she [Rahab] must have declared, like Ruth, your God will be my God. And Salmon must have decided that her past was behind her. Imagine that!

Reflection: Rahab’s Story — Readers’ Choice
By Erin Newton

These are the matriarchs of Jesus: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary. This is Rahab’s story.

Who was this Rahab, the great-great-great-(and so on) grandmother of Jesus? Her identity is somewhat muddled. (Have no fear, she is not the mythic dragon from Job, Psalms, or Isaiah.)

She is likely the woman you remember from Joshua, whose name is rarely said without her epithet, “the prostitute.” How shameful that we demote her to one identity, because she is, in fact, a matriarch of Jesus.

Rahab the prostitute matriarch, like Tamar, was not a member of the Abrahamic family. She did not escape slavery from Egypt nor cross the Red Sea with the multitudes. She was a Canaanite.

Her business was one of pleasure, not love as we dream of it. She used her body in a culture that was more than willing to pay for it. Her job was scandalous and disgraceful to the covenant people encroaching on the borders of Canaan. She is an unlikely character in God’s story of redemption.

The stories of God saving his people reached her ears in Jericho. Stories of wonder and power, stories that herald the supremacy of God. I imagine how she compared the stories to the pathetic notion of her Ba’al killed and trapped by the god of death. Rahab heard and believed in this true God.

By faith, she hid the spies who swore an oath to spare her family. She risked her life to save people who would condemn her land, her friends, her culture, and her job. All because she knew God was coming to her.

The sign of mercy would be the scarlet cord draped from her window. The grandchildren of the people who spread the lamb’s blood across their doorposts would recognize this same sign of faith letting judgment pass safely over her house.

And so she lived among the Israelites. Her old ways would be reformed. Her past would become a testimony. Her future would bear the One whose blood would wash away all sin.

Yes, she was a prostitute.

But she is a matriarch of Jesus. Rahab, the disgraceful member of the enemy nation, is chosen and honored as one of five women named in Jesus’s family. She is not defined by her occupation or nationality.

In the love of Jesus belong the foreigners and the shamed. In the love of Jesus, we are renamed. 

From John: The Divine Hours prayers will return in October. This month we will pray one scripture passage or verse each week.

Prayer:
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. — John 1.14


​Today’s Readings
Jeremiah 29 (Listen 5:44)
1 Corinthians 6 (Listen 3:03)

Read more about Becoming Part of the Promise
Rahab asks to be accepted by this powerful God who is not only in the heavens but active upon the Earth.

Becoming Part of the Promise

Readers’ Choice is here!
This month, we are thankful to share your favorite posts from the past year. There’s still time to tell us your faves via email, direct message, or the linked form, so we can repost them.

https://forms.gle/9vyYwVxa1kZZn7AKA

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After Advent? — Readers’ Choice

Scripture Focus: 2 Chronicles 30.18-19
18 Although most of the many people who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone 19 who sets their heart on seeking God—the Lord, the God of their ancestors—even if they are not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary.” 20 And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.

2 Chronicles 31.1
1 When all this had ended, the Israelites who were there went out to the towns of Judah, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. They destroyed the high places and the altars throughout Judah and Benjamin and in Ephraim and Manasseh. After they had destroyed all of them, the Israelites returned to their own towns and to their own property. 

Mark 1.14b-15
14b Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Matthew 21.31b-32
31b Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

Originally published on December 26, 2023, based on readings from 2 Chronicles 30-31, Mark 1, and Matthew 21.

Readers’ Choice is here: This month means so much to us because we focus on you, the readers, and the devotionals that have been meaningful to you. Each year we send approximately 253 devotional emails. (260 minus a few holidays, like yesterday.) Over 50 percent of our emails get emailed responses from readers like you. It’s over 70 percent when we average the total number of respondents. Hearing that what we have written is meaningful to you is meaningful to us. That’s why we love sharing some of your most meaningful comments and messages. Thank you, readers. We do what we do to serve you. There’s still time to tell us about your favorite, most meaningful posts of the year. If you shared it with someone, or it helped you, let us know via email, direct message, or filling out the linked form.

Advent in September: Several of the choices from readers were from last year, during Advent. We will put those posts together in this first week of Readers’ Choice. We pray as Summer winds down that the spirit of Christmas has continued in your heart and that these posts will help you look forward to and anticipate the coming seasons.

Readers’ Choice posts are selected by our readers:
Barbara, TN — Wow! Poignant exhortation! Thank you!
MT, TX

Reflection: After Advent? — Readers’ Choice
By John Tillman

2 Chronicles 30 describes a Passover celebration like none since the days of Solomon and David. But not everyone was ready for Hezekiah’s revival.

Whether by ignorance or haste, some failed to come to the feast consecrated, violating the commandments Hezekiah was reinstating. Yet, there was mercy.

Hezekiah prayed that God would not look at their outward adherence to ceremonial rules of cleanness but at the determination of their hearts to seek after God. When God had mercy, the celebration was so joyous that Hezekiah extended the Passover festival for a week.

Many popular songs wish for a continuation of the Christmas season and the “spirit” of Christmas. Can you imagine a Christmas so peaceful or joyous you’d want it to keep going?

Truthfully, Christmas does keep going. Christmastide continues on the church calendar, ending with Epiphany on January 6th. Additionally, Advent’s message of the gospel never expires. We can and should share it all year round. But what comes after Advent? What should follow in our lives after experiencing hope, love, joy, and peace in Christ?

2 Chronicles 30 is followed by 31. Mercy, worship, adoration, and joy bring change. After the festival, the people smashed sacred stones and cut down Asherah poles. They dismantled the infrastructure of false worship, tearing down altars and destroying high places. They acted in faith to turn away from idols they had been devoted to.

Thank God that we can seek him as we are. When we come to him, God will judge us not by our outward adherence to rules but by the determination of our hearts to seek after him. We do not need to perfect ourselves, cover our wounds, or shine ourselves up. Like the unwashed shepherds or the pagan Magi, we can rejoice, knowing we are accepted.

Seeking God’s mercy, however, doesn’t mean continuing in sins. Jesus ate with sinners and preached repentance. Prostitutes didn’t stay prostitutes. Crooked tax collectors became honest. The demonically influenced were set free. Violence-prone fishermen became disciples of love. 

Jesus’ advent will not leave us the same. Mercy does not maintain the status quo. Pardon is not perpetual permission. Healing is not the enablement of re-harming ourselves or others.

Continue Christmas by seeking what change Jesus initiates in you. May we act in faith, turning away from what we have been devoted to, smashing our sacred stones and tearing down our altars.

From John: The Divine Hours prayers will return in October. This month we will pray one scripture passage or verse each week.

Prayer:
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. — John 1.14


​Today’s Readings
Jeremiah 28 (Listen 3:05)
1 Corinthians 5 (Listen 3:15)

Readers’ Choice is here!
This month, we are thankful to share your favorite posts from the past year. There’s still time to tell us your faves via email, direct message, or the linked form, so we can repost them.

https://forms.gle/9vyYwVxa1kZZn7AKA

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