Family trees filled with not just people but the stories of those people. Some are good, some are bad. Matthew, a former tax collector and thus an outcast from religious society, told a version of the Christmas story that begins not with the virgin birth but with the genealogy of Jesus. The grandfathers of Jesus he lists had shocking stories, but stories that were telling and necessary to introduce us to the Jesus he knew: a Jesus that came FROM sinners and FOR sinners.
1. Have you been taught that the grace of God is completely free and easily accessible to anyone and everyone that will believe? Or have you been taught that the grace of God a contingent upon your behavior?
2. Which of the stories of the men in Jesus' genealogy sticks out to you most?
3. Do you know anyone who has been misinformed about what God is like? How can the church be more effective in helping them have a more accurate view of God?
4. What statement was God making by announcing Christmas first to a group of shepherds who had been excommunicated from the temple?
Invite someone to NBC this week
Luke 2:11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.
