Grace Grows in the Family Tree
Matthew 1:1–17 (NRSV)
Read the passage on Biblia.com
Quick Summary
The opening of Matthew’s Gospel reads like a family record, but hidden in those names is the story of God’s grace. Jesus’ lineage includes the faithful and the flawed, saints and sinners alike. The genealogy reminds us that the story of salvation is not about spotless people—it’s about a faithful God who works through imperfection.
Introduction
We often skip the genealogies in Scripture. They feel like the part of the Christmas story we can skim—page after page of names that seem disconnected from the miracle to come.
But Matthew begins his Gospel there on purpose. Before angels sing and shepherds run, he reminds us that the story of Jesus begins in the long, uneven history of God’s people. It begins in the real world, with real people.
The genealogy is not filler—it’s theology. It tells us that the same God who entered history at Bethlehem has been redeeming it from the start.
Big Idea
The story of Jesus begins with people who remind us that God’s grace runs through imperfection.
Reasoning
In Matthew 1, we meet three sets of fourteen generations—from Abraham to David, from David to the exile, and from the exile to Christ. It’s not just a list; it’s a rhythm of promise, loss, and restoration.
The names include heroes of faith and people we’d rather forget. Abraham, the father of faith, who doubted. Jacob, who deceived. David, who sinned greatly. And then there are the women—Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and “the wife of Uriah.” Each carries a story of courage and scandal, of faith and failure.
Matthew is saying something bold: this is the line through which the Savior comes. The grace that begins in Genesis runs straight through the broken branches of this family tree.
This is a great time to talk about your own family or to mention how the congregants are experiencing family tradition, often doing what grandparents and great-grandparents started - family get-togethers that prioritize worshipping together.
The Sermon
1. Gracely g Doesn’t Skip the Messy Parts
If we were writing the story, we might leave out the uncomfortable names. But Matthew includes them because the gospel refuses to sanitize the human story.
Tamar was wronged. Rahab was a foreigner and a prostitute. Ruth was a widow and an outsider. Bathsheba’s story began in tragedy. Yet here they are, woven into the lineage of Christ.
God does not hide from human failure. He redeems it.
The good news of Christmas isn’t that God avoided our mess—it’s that he entered it.
2. Grace Is Bigger Than Bloodlines
The inclusion of Gentile women in the genealogy shows that God’s plan was never limited to one nation. From the very beginning, grace has been stretching beyond boundaries.
When we say “God with us,” we are saying that every outsider has a place in the family.
The church still bears that calling—to welcome those who don’t seem to fit, to widen the table rather than guard it.
3. Grace Brings Hope from History
The genealogy doesn’t just trace ancestry—it traces hope. Each generation carries the promise forward, even through exile and silence.
When Matthew writes, “and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born,” the rhythm of generations breaks. The story pivots. History bends toward redemption.
It’s a reminder that God’s timing is patient, and His grace often works in ways that only make sense looking back.
Meaning for Today
The genealogy of Jesus isn’t ancient trivia—it’s the family photo of grace. It tells us there’s room for our story, too.
No life is too stained, no past too tangled for God to use. The same grace that ran through Tamar and David, Ruth and Rahab, runs through you.
So this Christmas, remember: the family tree of Christ is wide enough for the world. And if you trace its branches far enough, you’ll find your own name written into it by grace.
