Sermon Info
Summary
We all have a family tree. We all have people who have gone before us who have impacted our lives - some good and others not so much. We can’t control what has been passed down to us, but we can control what we pass on to others. God uses imperfect people to accomplish His perfect plan. If you are in Jesus, then you are a new creation. You are not defined by your past, but by the One who loves you. Focus on Jesus this CHRISTmas season. Find your worth and value in Him, and then pass Him down to the next generation. It’s all about Jesus!
Content
You are a Part of God’s Story
Have you ever used the phrase, “I’m just not good enough”? Maybe you’ve felt that way about a work position, a relationship, or a task you’ve been given. You look ahead at the task, and you just feel like you’re not the person for the job. You just weren’t cut out for it.
Friends, this simply is not from the Lord. Because we are made in the image of Jesus, we are called chosen, loved, and enough. Despite our imperfections, flaws, and mistakes we have made, God can use us, and He does. There’s nothing that can disqualify you from being a part of God’s plan, so don’t disqualify yourself. God uses imperfect people to accomplish His plan. He is in the business of redeeming, restoring, and renewing us, and we were born where we are for a reason and a purpose.
So, when you find those thoughts of disqualification or inadequacy creeping into your mind and your heart, remember what God’s Word says – we are chosen and we are a part of God’s greater story. He never once has called us “not enough” or “useless”; rather He calls us valued and special. His story is far greater than anything we could ever imagine, and we see that to be true in Matthew 1.
What the Bible Says in Matthew 1
In the first chapter of Matthew, we read the genealogy of Jesus, the Messiah, which is, simply stated, the family tree of Jesus. 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... (Matthew 1:1-2) These are names that we recognize – stories found in the Old Testament, all of which contain brokenness and some level of dysfunction. Even Jesus, the Perfect Savior, had dysfunction in His family, yet that did not stop Him from accomplishing His plan and purpose.
We can learn several things from this genealogy of Jesus. First, we can’t control what was passed down to us. Even Jesus had brokenness in His past, but we do not have to allow what happened in our families in the past to affect our futures. Through Jesus, we can overcome our past. Secondly, we can control what we pass on to the next generation. The choices we make today impact tomorrow, and they impact the future generations. Just as we have been impacted by our families, the decisions we make now will impact those who come after us – we’re all passing on something. And, as a church and as believers, we have a calling to pass on our faith in Jesus to future generations and to the community around us.
What are you passing on?
Are you allowing your fear of not being good enough to keep you from stepping forward in faith? Or are you allowing your past or your family’s dysfunction to hold you back? Past fears or failures can threaten to keep us from God’s perfect plan for us, but, friend, we cannot allow them to do so. Though we all have things that have happened to us or in our family lines, we can hold on to hope – because of Jesus.
Jesus is our Hope.
He’s the focus of all history. He’s the reason we can play a part in furthering His Kingdom. He’s the One worthy of all honor and glory, and He’s at center stage, now and forever. True fulfillment comes when we live for Him. Whatever our past may have held or what our future may contain, we are a part of Jesus’ cast, and our role is to bring glory to God with our life.
Let this verse be your guide and your comfort today and this Christmas season...
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, then he is a new creation. The old has gone and the new has come. – 2 Corinthians 5:17
In Him, you are new. You are His creation. You are redeemed and called by name. The old is gone – so do not allow it to have a grip on you any longer.
Supporting Resources:
- Christmas: Love Came Down // Part 1: Hope // Jeff Simmons
- A Beautiful Life // Part 8: Confident in Christ // Jacob Scrimpshire
- RH Family Making History Podcast // Christmas Special
