Where Do You Truly Belong?
Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus, I praise You today as the eternal Son of God, the Creator, Savior and Redeemer of the world.
Read LUKE 3:21-38
[21] When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened [22] and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” [23] Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli, [24] the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melki, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, [25] the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, [26] the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, [27] the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, [28] the son of Melki, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, [29] the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, [30] the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, [31] the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, [32] the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, [33] the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, [34] the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, [35] the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, [36] the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, [37] the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Kenan, [38] the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.
Reflect
What affirmations about Jesus did the Holy Spirit make?The first two verses of this passage declare Jesus’ divine inheritance. The next section, concerned with Jesus’ human nature, has baffled many Christians. Some doubt the importance of this family tree; others, recognizing the relevance of King David’s line, still wonder why Joseph’s lineage is listed like this. After all, Jesus was only “thought” to be his son (23). One theory is that Jesus’ legal status as a Jew would have mattered to Luke’s first readers.
Perhaps, but one aspect which should thrill us is the truth that the Son of God was willing to become human. His cultural and historical connection with all the characters is fascinating. More essentially, he was a real human being, a member of the same race as you and me. Any of us might well be related biologically to these figures from the Old Testament. In eternal terms, human history is short. Indeed, the generations between Jesus and us are fewer than those between Abraham and Jesus! Most important, the astonishing truth is that God, in coming to earth in human form, has declared his kinship with us today.
Apply
Take time to meditate upon the truth that you belong to God’s family. What does it mean to your daily life?
Closing prayer
Thank You, Lord, for becoming a human like me and lavishing such love on me as to call me Your child (1 John 3:1).
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