who do you think you are?

I have never really got into that thing where people delve deeply into their family history. I guess I have come to the conclusion that it is probably pretty boring back there. My parents were both teachers. I know that on my dad’s side his father sold insurance and that’s that! My nanny stayed at home and my granddad worked in the steel factories of Sheffield. I still like to drive through the city from time to time and I have discovered graves in the cemeteries where they are, but apart from that, nothing! From a faith point of view I know I descend from Adam and I am one of God’s children and He is my father and that has always satisfied me.

Matthew’s gospel starts with a genealogy. It traces Jesus’s line back to Abraham. It uses Joseph’s family line to show that Jesus is the rightful heir to the throne of David. Jesus is the true King. Jesus is the King from heaven yet the true King for the earthly throne. However his rule is going to be completely different. The rule of Jesus is one of servanthood, power expressed in healing and setting lives free and eventually laying down one’s life so that it can be gained.

There are some interesting people in the family line of Jesus which only goes to show that no matter who you are, what your family is like, what you have done or how privileged or disadvantaged you may be, God can use you, bless you and through you advance his kingdom – how good is that!