A Messed-Up Family Tree

 A Messed-Up Family Tree - Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org

 

I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star. -Revelation 22:16

 

In the first century, Jesus was not a unique name. Many boys were named Jesus, which means "Jehovah is salvation." But there was only one person who has embodied that name in every way, and that is the Lord Jesus.

 

The angel Gabriel told Mary, "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David" (Luke 1:32). That word great is from the Greek word megas, the same word from which we get our English term mega, conveying the idea of bigness and magnitude. Jesus would be the very definition of the word great-mega, if you will.

 

Gabriel said, "the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David" (verse 32). David is a unique figure in Scripture, described on one hand as the sweet psalmist of Israel and a man after God's own heart. But we also know of David's foibles and shortcomings. Two names connected with David sum up his life: Goliath and Bathsheba. Goliath represents David's greatest victory, while Bathsheba represents his greatest defeat. David was a flawed man, yet Jesus was called "the Root and the Offspring of David" (Revelation 22:16). And as Jesus was engaged in His ministry, He was referred to as the Son of David. Clearly, Jesus was connected to this man.

 

So if you think you have a dysfunctional family, take a look at Jesus' family tree. Some of the most unsavory characters who made it into the most exclusive genealogy in human history include prostitutes, liars, cheats, adulterers, and even a murderer.

 

What does this say to us? Even before Jesus was born into that family tree, His ancestry pointed to one thing: Christ came into the world to save sinners.