The Christmas story is truly a “special delivery,” filled with messages delivered in spectacular ways—angelic announcements, divine encounters, and moments that shaped history. Matthew begins his Gospel with a genealogy, which may seem like an unusual way to start the story of Jesus. But Matthew knew his audience, people who loved history, who valued lineage, and who found identity in the stories passed down through generations. In a world without electricity, screens, or social media, families gathered to share stories of their ancestors and remember where they came from. Their genealogies were more than lists of names; they created connections, identity, dignity, and reminded them of God’s promises.

In New Testament times, there were few written records. Therefore, genealogies established legal standing, inheritance, priestly qualification, and property rights. So, when Matthew opened with a family tree, the people of his day would have leaned in. But what surprised them were the names he included—women, Gentiles, scandals, and outsiders. Tamar, a Canaanite wronged by Judah, survived through desperate measures and holds her place in the lineage of Jesus. Rahab, a prostitute in Jericho who hid the Israelite spies, saved her family from destruction and is cited by Matthew in the genealogy. Ruth, a Moabite widow from a people considered unclean, became part of the Messiah’s ancestry. Even Bathsheba is highlighted through the reminder “Uriah’s wife,” pulling the scandal of David’s sin back into the light, and as the mother of Solomon, she too holds a significant place in the genealogy of the Messiah.

Matthew is making a point: Emmanuel—God with us—meets people where they are. This messy genealogy is not accidental. It shows a Savior who is not ashamed of sinners, who steps into the brokenness, the pain, the dysfunction, and the scandal. Jesus came for the people you wouldn’t expect—Hittites, Moabites, Canaanites, Jericho-ites, Riverbend-ites—because God wants everyone in the family. If you think you’re too messy, too sinful, too far gone, Jesus whispers, “Are you kidding? Look at my family. Look what God can do if you open your heart.”

From Genesis to the manger—the thread of God’s redemptive power is prevalent. He wants us to see that the story isn’t sanitized or picture-perfect. It’s full of fallen people, moral failures, murderers, desperate people—and yet God works through it all. From the moment humanity fell, God was preparing for this arrival. Emmanuel—God with us. Even through the generations of chaos, scandal, and brokenness, the Messiah has come, and he calls us to have the same heart: a heart for people, a heart for salvation, willing to step into the mess.

Scriptures – Matthew 1:1-17 (NIV); Ruth 1:16 (NIV)

Verse – This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham. (Mt 1:1)

Discussion – How does understanding the cultural importance of genealogies in ancient Israel change the way you read the opening of Matthew’s Gospel? What does Matthew’s approach to telling Jesus’ story teach us about how we should view and treat people with difficult histories and even scandalous pasts? Which of the women Matthew includes—Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, or Bathsheba—stands out to you most? Why do their stories matter in the Christmas narrative? In what ways does Jesus’ messy family tree encourage you personally when you think about your own past, mistakes, or family background?

Prayer – Lord, thank You for meeting me in the middle of my mess and loving me with grace that reaches beyond my failures. Thank You for sending Jesus through a lineage of real, imperfect people, which reminds me that no one is beyond Your redemption. Help me reflect Your heart for the broken, the overlooked, and the hurting. Emmanuel, God with us—stay close, guide, and shape me into a person who carries Your hope into the world. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.