2017 Worship Guide

Page 10 2017 WORSHIP GUIDE Wednesday, December 6, 2017 LINCOLN DAILY NEWS PUBLICATION Hope Chapel Church of the Nazarene Pastor Greg Wooten A manger big enough for all H ere’s a portion of the Christmas story as it was recorded by Matthew in the gospel that bears his name. This is how it reads from the New International Version of the Bible: “This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers...” You’re thinking I’ve made a mistake, aren’t you? Doesn’t the real Christmas story start toward the end of Matthew chapter one when Joseph learns that his betrothed is pregnant and he struggles to deal with this unplanned pregnancy he didn’t cause? Maybe a conflicted fiancée, a caravan of Magi, some visiting angels, startled shepherds and a wrathful king make for better drama, but that’s not where Matthew chose to begin. Matthew decided that in order to properly tell the story of Jesus you had to first tell the story of the family that God chose for His Son. And what a family it is! Do you ever think your family is a doozy? Let me tell you, your family’s got nothing on the ancestry of Joseph. Here are just a few of the high – and low – points: It begins with Abraham. He’s known as the father of the faithful, but for years he struggled to trust God and tried to hurry up God’s timing. Along the way he lied repeatedly about his relationship with his wife to save his own skin and fathered a child by another woman. CONTINUED ....