Matthew 1:1-17
Reflect
Happy Blessed New Year!
Matthew was one of Jesus’ 12 disciples. He was a despised, rejected tax collector, but his life was changed when he met Jesus. Matthew wrote this Gospel to his fellow Jews to prove that Jesus is the Messiah and to explain God’s kingdom.
In Jewish culture, a genealogy proved his or her standing as one of God’s chosen people. Matthew was showing that Jesus was a descendant of Abraham, the father of all Jews, and a direct descendant of David, fulfilling Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah’s line.
Jesus’ lineage is comprised of men, women, kings, adulterers, prostitutes, heroes, evil people, Jews and Gentiles. One would have thought the Messiah’s bloodline would be spotless but instead, it was a hodgepodge of sinners and saints. In Jesus Christ, we’re now brought into this family. We are part of God’s grand eternal family.
Matthew wrote this to his fellow Jews, but we can also see that God used all kinds of people to bring His Son into the world. He uses all kinds today to accomplish His will.
Beloved, God wants to use you. Ask God, how He can use you in 2024. He wants to be invited, He created you and knows what delights you. It’s always an adventure when we do it with God!
Karen Alksne
Pray
- Pray for our Senior Lead Team Pastor, Lyle Buyer, his ministry, and family.
- Pray for our Church Board members: Beth Cheung, Gerhard Hiob, Hal Reirson, JD Kliewer, Mary Jetha, Mike Ross, Randy Voss, Seth Jansen, Trevor Toews, Uwem Okome.
- Pray for our Custodians, Adit Gamble, Stan Goodnough and Anne King; Facilities Manager, Joe Richards.
- Pray for our office staff: Vicky Bailey, Naomi Voss; bookkeeper Liudmyla Lushchyk.