He Called Them by Name 

Read Matthew 1:1-17

You have just read the ancestry of Jesus from Abraham to his arrival for a second time today. Congrats! I’m sure you weren’t thrilled with the idea of reading a long list of names…again, most of whom you might not be familiar with. But this week we will be taking a closer look at four Old Testament women in the genealogy of Jesus: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba. 

These women represent real people with struggles, joys and pains. Two of these four, Rahab and Ruth, were not Jewish, but from other nations, yet they are listed in the family line of Jesus. We should note that these women are included in this long list of men, in a time when this is very counter-cultural. But God calls them by name and includes them in His family line.

I want you to keep an open mind about these women as you hear their stories. Put yourself in their position. Their stories are full of brokenness, seemingly impossible situations, abuse, and desperation. In a world where it’s easy to pass judgment on these women’s choices, occupations, and life circumstance, God uses them to bring His Son to us.  

In recent years you may have heard of the movement #metoo. It’s a movement of courageous women sharing their stories of sexual abuse. As I’ve been reflecting on these four women this week, I’ve been thinking about how many of them would likely have shared their stories using this hashtag if they lived today. 

God used these unlikely women in the line of Jesus to share a powerful message that we need now: His Salvation is for everyone! God’s salvation isn’t gender-based. It doesn’t discriminate against the color of your skin. It doesn’t say “this person is in and this person is out” based on your circumstances, how others have treated you, or how you see yourself. Jesus is not ashamed of you. He wants to call you his family, just like these bold and brave women that are named in the family line of Christ.

For Family Discussion: Why do you think that God included ALL kinds of people in His family tree? 

For Personal Reflection: Describe how God’s capacity to love is different from our own. How would you like God to change your heart, so that you view all believers as fellow family members?

by Lisa Kay Galloway