Family Trees • Week 1
Part of Family Trees—Sermon Notes
December 3, 2023

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KEY SCRIPTURE

Mark 6:1-6

1 Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.

2 “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? Isn’t this the carpenter? 3 Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” 5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 He was amazed at their lack of faith.

PRAYER

Father, you are good and your love endures. Thank you for loving me, saving me and accepting me because of Jesus!

Holy Spirit, this morning, help me to see just how good you are. I confess that I often take your grace and goodness for granted. Help me to trust in your Word, your promises and your presence. I want the promises of your Word to take root in my heart, mind and life.

In Jesus’ name, Amen!


SERMON NOTES

DISCLAIMER There is a point in this meesage where we get a little PG/PG-13 using language that may be offensive to some. Reader/listener discretion is advised.

Our vision and values are revealed in three words: Belong, Believe, Become. This year we are focusing on Becoming.

What if part of your journey into becoming like Jesus starts with understanding where you come from? Every person becomes someone from somewhere doing something because they come from someone from somewhere doing something… you catch that?

This Advent season, I want to show you just how important the story of where you come from is important by showing you where, who and what Jesus came from.

I know there are some of you here who don’t believe this, and that’s ok. But we believe that God’s Word (the Bible) is inspired by the Holy Spirit; that it’s important for faith and formation; that it helps to understand how to be saved, be loved by God, love others and love yourself.

We get it, and we’re glad you’re checking us out - doubt, uncertainties and all!

But if we’re honest, there are some parts of the Bible that are really hard to understand and even harder to understand why they should matter to us.

Like when we read Genesis, Numbers, Matthew and Luke, you’ve come across the genealogies (family trees of certain people) and went ‘maybe I’ll just skim over that’ or ‘skip to the good stuff’.

All scripture is God-breathed and inspired; it’s just not all equally important. —Unknown

But therein lies part of the problem. And here’s why…

While the Bible was written for us, it was not written to us. We’re not the original audience!

Words, people and stories we might dismiss as insignificant as 21st century English readers could be incredibly important to the original audience.

Have you ever wondered why there are four Gospels? (Mathew, Mark, Luke, John) Four different books, telling the same story from different perspectives and sometimes those stories don’t line up or they contradict each other.

The answer is easy, one simple reason…

Each book is sharing a different perspective on the story, gospel or good news of Jesus!

Ok, there’s actually another reason that’s equally as important - each was written for a different audience with one mission - To prove that Jesus is God become man, the Messiah, the King, the Christ who came to save the lost and bring them home.

This is why knowing the Gospel’s intended audience matters.

John
Written for everyone and anyone

Luke
Written for Theophilus and gentile Christians

Mark
Written for Roman converts and seekers

Matthew
Written for the Jews

The story from our scripture in Mark can also be found in Matthew.

They’re similar in many ways:
• Jesus is coming into his home town
• He’s been performing miracles, teaching and preaching powerfully
• The Jewish religious leaders are offended
• They end in the quote “And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them ‘A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.’ And because of their lack of faith, he could do no miracles in his hometown.”

But there is a very distinct difference.

This is where the message is going to get a little PG. Please continue at your own discretion.

We often sanitize the Bible (its people, stories, language) and either minimize or gloss over the messy parts and people. When we do this, we miss some important undertones and understandings that make it far more scandalous.

And when we do this, we often times miss what really makes the Good News good news!

Ok, let’s go…

55”Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?” Matthew 13:55

3”… Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” Mark 6:3

Woo, scandalous… okay but seriously let’s step back and understand it from the original reader’s stance…

Remember, what is the miracle of Christmas?

The phrase ‘Mary’s son’ to Mark’s audience is connected to the Hebrew word ‘Mamsa’. We sanitize it to take the sting out.
Mamsa - born out of wedlock (strike that) - illegitimate, born of an affair, from incest, bastard

In other words, Jesus couldn’t be the promised King because God would never install an illegitimate child! After all, God’s Law say as much:

3A Mamzer shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever Deuteronomy 23:3

Why does Matthew not use that while Mark does?
Matthew’s not trying to criticize the Jews, he’s trying to convince them of his point.
Mark’s audience isn’t Jewish, so he’s not worried about offending or putting them off.

I want to make it very clear, there are no illegitimate children in God’s Kingdom. There are no illegitimate mothers either.

28There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28

You see, Matthew, rather than just telling them they’re wrong, closed minded, judgemental, whatever… he gave them proof that he was from the line of King David and had a legitimate claim to the throne of Israel. That Jesus didn’t just come for the broken, he came from the broken.

What you and I may want to skim over to get to the good stuff IS the good stuff for Matthew’s audience. It sets the stage for why Jesus is the promised king of Israel and that God’s Kingdom is a force that not only changed the course of history but changed who can and cannot be used by God.

Over the next several weeks, I want to show you how the Jesus family tree is good news everyone.

1This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham: Matthew 1:1

Keep in mind these key words:

Genealogy

Jesus

Messiah or Christ

Son of David

Sove of Abraham

In just this one sentence, Matthew is saying
This is the story of New Creation through Jesus, the True Joshua, the True Deliverer, who will lead us into the New Promised Land and defeat God’s enemies. Jesus is the True Messiah, the Christ. He is God’s Prophet, Priest & King, who will lead and save God’s people. Jesus is the one True King who will create a new nation and a new people!

Next week, we’re going to go over how God blessed the messed up, broken and unexpected people - to bring healing and do unexpected things not just for them but for you and me.


SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION

Q: All four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke & John) are written with a specific audience in mind. Does that help you to understand further what The Truth brought through the Bible is or does it make it more confusing? Why?

Q: Do you appreciate that parts of the Bible are sanitized for our reading comfort? Do you feel like it makes it easier or harder to understand what you’re reading?

Q: In the difference between our scripture selection in Matthew and Mark, how does it make you feel that many called Jesus mamza?

Discussion: If Jesus’ story were to have happened today, a bastard child and his mother and father claiming that this child was born through the power of the Holy Spirit, how would you react? Why?

Q: When we know that Jesus actually has felt that shame of the human words placed upon him, how does that make it God News for your life? Does it make you feel more like God can actually use you, someone who is broken in his/her own way, for something amazing?


WORSHIP THIS WEEK

God So Loved

King of My Heart

O Praise the Name (Anástasis)

Goodness of God