The Pellow family is my mother’s side of the family.  Mark Pellow has spent ages tracking down members of the family and constructing a family tree.  This year the family had a reunion at Sourton in Devon (pictured above).  In this present age people do not seem to value connections with the past. We have become so immediate and tied to the present that we are not sure where we have come from.  We may be connected to a thousand people through technology, but we are not connected to our roots, traditions and heritage. 

In the Bible passage for todayJesus is shown to be connected with David, Abraham, and Adam.  As the NIV Application Commentary states, “Each connection allows a point to be made about who Jesus is and whom he is qualified to serve.”  The commentary goes on to say that Jesus is therefore the regal heir, the hope of Israel, and the representative for humanity.  Do you acknowledge him as your king, your hope, and your representative?

Luke 3: 23-38

²³Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph,
      the son of Heli, ²⁴the son of Matthat,
      the son of Levi, the son of Melki,
      the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,
    ²⁵the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos,
      the son of Nahum, the son of Esli,
      the son of Naggai, ²⁶the son of Maath,
      the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein,
      the son of Josech, the son of Joda,
    ²⁷the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa,
      the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel,
      the son of Neri, ²⁸the son of Melki,
      the son of Addi, the son of Cosam,
      the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,
    ²⁹the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer,
      the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat,
      the son of Levi, ³⁰the son of Simeon,
      the son of Judah, the son of Joseph,
      the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,
    ³¹the son of Melea, the son of Menna,
      the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan,
      the son of David, ³²the son of Jesse,
      the son of Obed, the son of Boaz,
      the son of Salmon,^[d] the son of Nahshon,
    ³³the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram,^[e]
      the son of Hezron, the son of Perez,
      the son of Judah, ³⁴the son of Jacob,
      the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham,
      the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,
    ³⁵the son of Serug, the son of Reu,
      the son of Peleg, the son of Eber,
      the son of Shelah, ³⁶the son of Cainan,
      the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem,
      the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,
    ³⁷the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch,
      the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel,
      the son of Kenan, ³⁸the son of Enosh,
      the son of Seth, the son of Adam,
      the son of God.

Questions

1. Which characters do you recognize in Jesus’ genealogy?
2. Who is the father of all mankind?
3. What three roles does this genealogy give Jesus the right to fulfill?
4. How do scholars synthesize the genealogy here with the one at the beginning of Matthew?
5. When watching you where would people say your hope and your allegience are?