ANCESTRY…JESUS

INTRODUCTION

There is so much talk today about seeking your ancestors and this made me think of Jesus’ genealogy and what it says to me. Some of Jesus’ ancestors were prostitutes, cheats, murderers and adulterers

JESUS’ GENEOLOGY

For example, there was Jacob who cheated his brother Esau out of his inheritance, Rahab, a prostitute in the city of Jericho who helped the Israelite spies. And David, adulterer and murderer who lusted after his neighbor’s wife. Bathsheba, and had her husband, Uriah, killed.  JACOB GENESIS 25:23; RAHAB JOSHUA 6:23; DAVID 2 SAMUEL 11:1

Let’ stake a closer look at ISRAELITE SPIES SAVED BY RAHAB THE CAANANITE

Then Joshua, son of Nun, secretly sent out two spies saying, “Go, reconnoiter the land and Jericho.” When the two reached Jericho, they went into the house of a prostitute named Rahab, where they lodged.

But a report was brought to the king of Jericho: “Some men came here last night, Israelites, to spy out the land.” So the king of Jericho sent Rahab the order, “Bring out the men who have come to you and entered your house, for they have come to spy out the entire land.”

Now, she had led the spies to the roof, and hidden them among her stalks of flax spread out^* there….Rahab went up to them on the roof….

 Rahab said to the spies:^* “I know that the LORD has given you this land…, We have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, …and all the inhabitants of the land tremble with fear because of you.

 Now then, swear to me by the LORD that, since I am showing kindness to you, you in turn will show kindness to my family. that you will allow my father and mother, brothers and sisters, and my whole family to live, and that you will deliver us from death.”

 “We pledge our lives for yours,” they answered her. “If you do not betray our mission, we will be faithful in showing kindness to you when the LORD gives us the land.”…

 REFLECTION

God never gives up on us no matter what we have done or what our ancestors have done.

God can bring repentance and conversion out of our sins..  Never give up!

I myself have walked away from God but in His mercy He never gave up, sought me, and called me back into His embrace.

Can you think of a time that sins got your attention and brought you to repentance/ conversion?

God wants us to receive His mercy and let it flow through us to others.    God wants us to extend love and forgiveness to others just as He does to us.

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REPENT AND BELIEVE IN THE GOSPEL

MARK 1:15