TURN TO FACE THE FUTURE
Opening Prayer
Lord, we look to You as our example.
Read LUKE 3:21–38
The Baptism and Genealogy of Jesus
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 Josek, 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,[a] the son of Nahshon,
33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram,[b]
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.
Footnotes:
a Luke 3:32 Some early manuscripts Sala
b Luke 3:33 Some manuscripts Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni; other manuscripts vary widely.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Meditate
“Teach me Your way, Lord; lead me in a straight path” (Psa. 27:11).
Think Further
The sinless Son of God need not repent of sin. Some suggest that he underwent John’s baptism to identify with people genuinely seeking to dedicate themselves to God; but this baptism was not contrived, not even for the sake of others. Fully human, a man of his time, Jesus was born into first-century Jewish culture and raised under the old covenant. True to this heritage, he knows he must do what is right (“fulfill all righteousness”; Matt. 3:15). The idea of repentance (Greek, metanoia) focuses the idea on changing direction. This requires turning from sin, but also toward a new life, a reorientation. Jesus must turn his back on everything a 30-year-old Jewish man might anticipate, denying normal human desires and expectations of marriage, home and family in order to reorient himself to an unimaginably different future. As he arises from the water, the Trinity is present in glory: the Spirit descends upon the Son and the Father speaks. This is to be no easy road for the Jesus who is both God and man. The forces of evil are about to attack, trying to deflect him from his new resolve.
Both Matthew and Luke list Jesus’ genealogy through Joseph. Trying to resolve their differences is futile: treating them as scientific history when their intent is far more significant. Luke establishes that through David Jesus is of royal descent, that through Abraham he belongs to the ancient people of God (Hebrew), and that through Adam he is truly human. At the beginning of the human era, Adam is declared to be the son of God. At the other end of that era, God declares Jesus, the second Adam (1 Cor. 15:45–47), to be the Son of God.
Apply
Lord God, I turn towards Your future. Grant me the courage and strength to face whatever it brings, for Jesus’ sake.
Closing prayer
Lord, we know that You stand apart from time, but we thank You for piercing the veil of time for our eternal benefit.
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