E P I C  C H R I S T M A S
Part 1 — The Backstory 

Jerry Springer Christmas? God uses the genealogy of Jesus to showcase that He came to welcome messy people into His family. The ancestry of Christ includes prostitution, incest, adultery, murder, and deceit. How’s that for a Christmas story?! #JerrySpringerChristmas

“Everyone has at least one dysfunctional family member. If you can’t think of who it is, it’s probably you.”

Matthew 1:1-16 (NLT) // The Ancestry of Jesus

1 This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham:

• Matthew went from being a despised tax collect to disciple of Jesus.
• This book in an eyewitness account of what he saw firsthand.
• He includes women which is noteworthy and unusual.

2 Abraham was the father of Isaac. Isaac was the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers.

• The stories of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob include lying, deceit, and wickedness.
• Judah participated with his brothers in selling their brother Joseph into slavery and telling their father that Joseph was killed.

3 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (whose mother was Tamar). Perez was the father of Hezron. Hezron was the father of Ram.

• Judah’s son was married to Tamar.
• Er was so wicked that God allowed him to be killed.
• Er’s brother Onan was ordered to marry Tamar to produce an heir (this was the custom).
• Onan was wicked not for sleeping with Tamar, but for refusing to impregnate her…so God allowed him to be killed.
• Judah was afraid that God will kill his third son Shelah so he sent him away and Tamar had to live the life of a widow.
• After Judah’s wife died Tamar disguised herself as a prostitute and slept with Judah…and became pregnant with twins.
• Judah found out later that Tamar was pregnant and ordered her to death…until it was revealed he was the father. Can you say scandal? #EnterJerrySpringer

4 Ram was the father of Amminadab. Amminadab was the father of Nahshon. Nahshon was the father of Salmon. 5 Salmon was the father of Boaz (whose mother was Rahab). Boaz was the father of Obed (whose mother was Ruth). Obed was the father of Jesse.

• Rahab was a prostitute who hid Joshua’s spies in the wall of Jericho and lied about it.
• God spared her because of it. This act landed her in the “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11:31.
• She was the great-great-grandmother of King David.

• Ruth was the result of incest.
• Abraham’s nephew Lot slept with both of his own daughters.
• The Moabite’s were the result. Enter Ruth.
• After Ruth’s husband died she married Boaz and became the great-grandma of King David.
• Without the double incest (Lot and his daughters) there would be no Ruth, David, or Jesus. 

6 Jesse was the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah).

• Lust, seduction, adultery, and murder sounds like a movie “coming to a theater near you.”

7 Solomon was the father of Rehoboam. Rehoboam was the father of Abijah. Abijah was the father of Asa.

• Solomon was the result of David & Bathsheba’s sinful relationship.
• He was the wisest man who ever lived, but women were his downfall.
• He took foreign wives who worshipped other gods and he even built shrines for sacrifices to take place. #BabesAreBrutal

8 Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat was the father of Jehoram. Jehoram was the father of Uzziah. 9 Uzziah was the father of Jotham. Jotham was the father of Ahaz. Ahaz was the father of Hezekiah. 10 Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh. Manasseh was the father of Amon. Amon was the father of Josiah. 11 Josiah was the father of Jehoiachin and his brothers (born at the time of the exile to Babylon). 12 After the Babylonian exile: Jehoiachin was the father of Shealtiel. Shealtiel was the father of Zerubbabel. 13 Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud. Abiud was the father of Eliakim. Eliakim was the father of Azor. 14 Azor was the father of Zadok. Zadok was the father of Akim. Akim was the father of Eliud. 15 Eliud was the father of Eleazar. Eleazar was the father of Matthan. Matthan was the father of Jacob. 16 Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah.

• Mary had a bad reputation for becoming pregnant out of wedlock.

Not only will God help you unpack. He wants you in His family!

JESUS comes from a long line of sinners, yet He did NOT sin. You don’t have sin anymore either. See 1 Corinthians 10:13. Don’t use your family as an excuse not to serve God! You can join God’s family and still do something great. You can join God’s family and be someone great. Enter Jesus. Enter Hope. His Story. Your Story. #EpicChristmas #GreatestStoryEverTold

*Too watch this message via our Vimeo page, click HERE.