Resources For "Genealogy of Hope" From Each Harderwyk Preacher
I. New For This Week
Heidelberg Catechism - This week we are looking at sin. Not a popular topic but our Catechism reminds us that is important to address. Only when we understand the extent of our sin can we begin to understand the extent of God's grace and love given in Christ Jesus. CLICK HERE for Lord's Day 1 as a helpful reminder and meditation.
“The Genealogy of Jesus" by Irish priest Herbert McCabe - CLICK HERE to view, download or print a copy.
Jesus’s Troubled Family History by Nancy Guthrie helped me see Jesus' Family Tree - and especially Tamar - through the eyes and experience of a woman. CLICK HERE for the entire post.
How Church Leaders Can Help Domestic Violence Victims by Laura Baxter is a helpful, first-hand account that can help us see what it would look like to deal with this issue well and in light of the Gospel. CLICK HERE for the entire post.
Celebration Sermon Outline - CLICK HERE for this Sunday's Sermon Outline.
II. From The Commentaries On This Passage
From Nancy Guthrie's Article "Jesus's Troubled Family History" mentioned above:
Tamar’s first husband was so evil that God put him death. Imagine being married to a man that evil! Left a childless widow, Tamar, following the cultural practices of her time, married her husband’s brother, but this brother didn’t want to share his inheritance with children born to her, so he simply used Tamar for his sexual pleasure while avoiding impregnating her. God put him to death for his evil ways too. Left widowed again and desperate for security and posterity, Tamar dressed as a temple prostitute and put herself in the path of her father-in-law, Judah. Evidently, she knew Judah was such a lowlife, he would easily be seduced. She also knew she would need evidence of their liaison to keep from being killed once her pregnancy was discovered, so she kept his seal and staff. And her plan worked. She gave birth to twins fathered by her father-in-law. And one of her twins, Perez, became part of Jesus’s family tree.
From Michael Wilkins in the NIV Application Commentary on Matthew:
“The striking characteristic of this section is the alternating series of godly and wicked kings that ruled Israel. The genuineness, and unlikeliness, of this genealogy must have stunned Matthew’s readers. Jesus’ ancestors were humans with all of the foibles, yet potentials, of everyday people. God worked through them to bring about his salvation.
There is, in other words, no pattern of righteousness in the lineage of Jesus. Adulterers, prostitutes, heroes, and Gentiles are all found in the genealogy from Abraham to David. We see that wicked kings fathered good kings, and good kings fathered wicked kings. Wicked Rehoboam (cf. 1 Kings 14:21–31) and his wicked son Abijah (cf. 15:1–7) had offspring who were good kings—Asa (cf. 15:10–11) and Jehoshaphat cf. 22:41–44). Their offspring was the wicked king Joram (cf. 2 Kings 8:16–19). As Carson notes, ‘Good or evil, they were part of Messiah’s line; for though grace does not run in the blood, God’s providence cannot be deceived or outmaneuvered.’”
III. Ongoing Resources
1) Spiritual Formation Resources Page - CLICK HERE - This is still a work in progress, but be a part as we look to build
2) Scotty Smith’s Heavenward Daily Prayers - CLICK HERE - to see the daily prayer blog of Scotty Smith. You will see an option to have them delivered to your email inbox each day as well.
3) Simple Lectio Divina Overview - CLICK HERE - for a simple introduction of the spiritual practice of a more personal way of experience the Word through contemplation and reflection.
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