Rev. Don Campbell
1 Chronicles 1-2
THOUGHT FOR TODAY, April 23, 2019
“GOD HAS NO GRANDCHILDREN”
“Name after unpronounceable name” might have been your reaction if you read all 109 verses of today’s reading. These genealogies don’t mean much to us, except when we stumble across the name of one of the heroes of faith. These genealogies meant a lot to the Jews for at least two reasons. First, they needed to confirm their ancestry and claim their rightful land inheritance. Second—and this was lost on most of them—the promised Messiah would descend from one of them. Mathew sums up the genealogy of Jesus: “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1). He goes on to trace the line from Abraham to Joseph, the husband of Mary (vv.2-16). Jesus’ was the last genealogy of Scripture. Jesus did not come to produce a line of heirs from himself to the end of the world, but produce heirs who would be his brothers, for God has no grandchildren: “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him” (Romans 8:16-17).
Paul encourages Timothy: “As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1 Timothy 1:3-5).
There are two things that testify to our sonship: love springing from a pure heart and sincere faith, and the testimony of the Spirit of God: For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:14-16).
CONNECTIONS
1. Some people are proud of their religious genealogy: “I was baptized by Brother Big.” “I was baptized by Brother Bigger.” What does Paul say to them (1 Corinthians 1:10-17)?
2. Some denominations teach that infants should be baptized on the faith of their parents and later confirmed on their own faith. Would not being baptized on parental faith make one a grandchild instead of a child of God? (Galatians 3:23-27).
