Today’s Bible reading is 1 Chronicles 7 and Romans 9.
If you want to know Jesus, you should gradually learn his family story.
That’s what happens when we get to know each other today. Over the course of time and several conversations, we learn each other’s family stories–where are you from? To whom are you related? Where have you lived? Where did you go to school? How did you meet? How did you get here? What common connections do we have?
In Romans 9:4-5, Paul summarizes Jesus’ family story.
They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.
Jesus’ family are the descendants of the patriarchs–Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob–God’s adopted people. They beheld his glory firsthand in their deliverance from Egyptian slavery. They entered into a covenant with him and received his law at Mount Sinai. God dwelt among them in the tabernacle and eventually the temple. He made precious and very great promises to them. Most precious of all? Through their family line came Jesus–the Christ, Immanuel, God with us–who is blessed forever and willing to be a blessing to every human being.
It’s tough reading here and there, but every time you open your Bible to the Old Testament, you’re entering into the conversation. Learn the family story and you come to know Jesus all the better. But even more, you find your place in the greatest story ever told.