Redeeming Genealogies (Part 1)

Welcome to no compromise radio also known as duplex gratia radio. I know I know I like that name. Back in the studio, I took a week off. I had the treatments at Dana-Farber Cancer Hospital Tuesdays Wednesdays for the last three weeks two more weeks to go.

In real time the numbers are looking pretty good. I have to do blood tests kind of before during and after to make sure the medicines that they give me Don't hurt me. Technically speaking. It's not chemotherapy.

It's targeted drugs that kill the leukemia cells in my blood lymph nodes. And Bones, did I tell you bone biopsies hurt? Ouch I have to have another one at the very end and I now that I know what I'm getting into I'm thinking I just need to schedule like major sedation.

For that final bone biopsy. Thank you for praying for me. I Have been told that one day I'm going to wake up and I'm going to feel great. I'm looking forward to that day because what's happened is I've just gotten used to living with leukemia, which makes you tired and listless and run down and then one day the leukemia will be gone and I'm gonna think I'm You know experiencing the fountain of youth or something.

So I'm looking forward to those days right now. It's just tired. I don't really get much done except my sermons. So at least I'm doing something right. Mike Abendroth, No Compromise Radio. You can always write me Mike at NoCompromiseRadio .com.

Get lots of emails over the last 15 years. I don't know if this is my 15th year 16th 17th. I honestly don't know and I don't know how many shows we've done in total not counting reruns there weren't any reruns to start and Then we turn Fridays into reruns and if I'm on vacation sometimes reruns or if I'm in the hospital.

You know how it goes today. Redeeming genealogies. Well, what do you mean? They don't need redeeming the ones in the Bible don't that's true. But in our minds, I Think we need to think about genealogies in a way that we normally don't.

So today on No Compromise Radio before you turn that dial, I think this is one of my most Helpful Lessons. I'm not gonna call it a sermon because I'll do that tomorrow, but just a lesson to be helpful because the Bible contains many genealogies and if you want to read in Chronicles or if you want to read even in the New Testament Matthew and Luke.

There are genealogies and if we're not careful, we just skip over them. Probably few people underline Things in genealogies unless you see a word in there that you think oh, my grandson's named Amos Amos is in the genealogy of Jesus.

And something like that goes through your mind. So here's what we're going to do. I'm going to read the genealogy of Jesus found in Luke because I've been preaching through Luke and Then I'm gonna give you ways in your mind to think about genealogies.

Rightly the next time you see them in the scripture because they're all over right. Genesis verse Chronicles. Like I said Luke Matthew and even list of numbers in the book of Numbers. I Hope to be a service to you on duplex Gratia radio.

Yes. I know. Every time I say duplex Gratia, then we have to play that right? Okay Luke 3 23 and following Jesus when he began his ministry was about 30 years of age being the son as was supposed of Joseph the son of Heli the son of method The son of Levi the Son of Melchi the son of Jannai the son of Joseph the Son of Mathias the son of Amos The son of name the son of Estley the son of negai the son of math math the son of Mathias the son of Semene the son of Joshua the son of Joda the son of Joe and Jo-an, not Jo-an, but Jo-nan, Jo-nan, Jo-nan, that's better, Jo-nan, sounds more masculine, the son of Resha, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Chazim, the son of Elodim, the son of Ur, the son of Joshua, the son of Eleazar, the son of Joram, the son of Mathat, the son of Levi, the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonan, the son of Elikim, the son of Meliah, the son of Menah, the son of Mathathah, the son of Nathan, the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salah, the son of Nashon, the son of Amenadab, the son of Admon, the son of Arni, the son of Herzron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, the son of Sarag, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, the son of Canaan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the of Jared, the son of Baha 'u'llah, the son of Canaan, the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

What went through your mind when I read those? What's going through your mind right now? Would this ever go through your mind? That there's no salvation without the truths found in those verses. No salvation without the truths behind this genealogy.

Now, maybe what went through your mind seemed like you pronounced those pretty well. Well, I practiced. I put dashes and hyphens in there. Do you know you have Bibles, especially older Bibles, that are self-pronouncing Bibles when it comes to names?

Those would be good to have. I remember early on, sometimes you pronounce names well in practice, but then when you get up in front of the congregation, not so much. And I just remember just slaughtering names.

But I try to teach the students, my preaching students, if you don't know the name, just say it with intensity. They'll think you know what you're talking about. Think about the gospel of Jesus according to Luke.

I mean, it's exciting so far. The births of John the Baptist and Jesus foretold, angels, shepherds, multitudes of angels and heavenly hosts, the supernatural conception of the Lord Jesus and birth and sign, manger, Jesus in public ministry.

John the Baptist recognizes him. The Spirit of God recognizes him. The Father recognizes him. The soon temptation of Jesus in the wilderness with Satan. That's some pretty exciting stuff. And then now, in the middle of all the excitement, we have a genealogy.

Is that how it works? Is that how we're supposed to do it? Are we supposed to try to think through it a little bit differently? I mean, seriously, what can we learn from a genealogy? Anything practical for my life in a world of tell me how to apply this?

What are the four takeaway truths that I'm to do this week? How about that? On a side note, I saw somebody the other day and they said, there's only one kind of Christian and that is one that has completely surrendered to Jesus and completely submitted to Jesus.

And I just thought, it was a young pastor that said it. I just thought that young man needs probably some trials in his life. I don't wish him trials, but he'll get them. And that is just a bunch of self-righteous Mr. Legality talk.

And if he said, the desire of every Christian is total submission, total surrender to Jesus, the King and his Lordship. Fine. That is our desire. Is it not? It's our desire. That's what we're going to strive to and sweat toward and deny self and pick up cross and follow Jesus.

That's of course, what we as Christians want to do and long to do. But we are simultaneously justified and still sinners, right? We still sin. And even if your view of Romans seven is not Paul, the mature Christian, you realize in other passages that Christians still sin.

We're not glorified yet. Anyway, that just popped in my mind and I thought I would just make mention of it before I forgot it. When's the last time you heard a whole radio show on a genealogy? How about a whole sermon?

Would you ever preach a sermon at the rest home on a genealogy? Well, maybe not. There are other things you could pick. What about pastors that are preaching verse by verse and then they get to a genealogy and then they don't preach it?

I guess you could just read it. That might be fine. Explain it a little bit why it's there. That would be fine. But how about a whole sermon on a genealogy? That just won't sell. People just don't want to consume that.

They don't like those things. So, we better give the people what we want, what they want. On second thought, we are sent by God as heralds and we better proclaim the truth. I guess I could work it this way.

Genealogy .com. Ancestry .com. Studying your family history, going back as far as you can, tracing your ancestors. So exciting to find something new, so fulfilling. And you understand these discoveries and it tells you about your parents, your grandparents, and whose line you're in.

And you're in a line of, you know, Louis Pasteur was somehow related to you. And whether you're young or old, you think, oh, this is so fun. It's so rewarding trying to find my roots. I'm going to work hard on it.

I'm going to have to really do some research and dig. When it comes to biblical genealogies, we don't care. I know. I know. I feel your pain. I feel your pain. Did you know that Jews love genealogies?

Let's go back to Bible days. Jews love genealogies. To what extent? Did you know Paul had to warn his readers about getting into genealogies in a weird, esoteric, unbiblical way? 1 Timothy 1 .4, in order to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.

Paul writes to Titus 3 .9, but avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. He's not saying avoid biblical genealogies. That sure would be dumb.

That would be wrong of an apostle to say. But these other genealogies, to give heed to them and how they cause disputes. At least they liked genealogies back then. Maybe today, not so much. So, what we're going to do today and the next show, which I think is going to play tomorrow in no-go time, the message is redeeming genealogies.

We're going to give you some general principles to redeem genealogies. Not that they need redeeming, but our view of them. Redeeming your view of genealogies. I'm going to give you 10 total. See if I can make it.

I don't know if I can make it or not. So, you might get less than 10, but there are up to 10. But I don't really think we're going to get all 10. I think we would not make it. It's not quite possible to do that.

I watched the newest Mission Impossible, not impressed. I don't think I was impressed really with any of them. I'd rather watch the old TV shows back in the 70s, I think, of Mission Impossible. I think those would be better.

I don't know. The big screen just doesn't do it for me anymore. Maybe it's over the top. Maybe it's not really. I don't like the characters. I mean, Kim and I and my daughters, Maddie and Gracie, we went to see White Christmas the other day.

And it was at one of these sing-along theaters or a theater where it was a sing-along and then they have the lyrics underneath and you sing along with it. Well, wherever he wants to go, wherever he wants to go, wherever he wants to go, we'll follow the old.

You know that? So, like White Christmas, awesome movie. It's a great movie. These other ones, not too much. Redeeming Genealogies. Some General Principles. Those are seven of those. And then Particular Principles for Luke chapter 3.

So, we have general and we have specific. Okay? Here we go. General Principle number one, how to redeem genealogies in your mind, which by the way, genealogy is just a line of descent traced continuously from an ancestor or traced from an ancestor.

And number one is recognize the prophet of genealogies because it's God-breathed. That's 2 Timothy chapter 3, right? Why would they be in the Bible if they're not for our good? Because for as for you, 2 Timothy 3 .14 through 17, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you've been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, including genealogies, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, that the man of God or the preacher, Old Testament designation there, may be complete, equipped for every good work.

In contrast to false teachers and their teachings lead to problems, dissensions, factions, disputes, unrighteousness, ungodliness, the Bible breathed out by God. We're not talking about human authors are inspired like we talk about today.

We're talking about the scripture is God-breathed and it has authority and it all has authority. It's all breathed out by God. And for Timothy to do his task, he needs to recognize that. And so Paul makes it very clear in that last letter that he writes before he dies and scriptures can save you, right?

The word is powerful. And then once you're saved, the scripture teaches you what's your standard of life. It rebukes you. How do you not measure up to things, correcting, stand you up properly again, training in righteousness in every way.

And it does that because scriptures are sufficient. They make you adequate, Paul said to Timothy, complete, able to meet all demands, to make sure you're thoroughly equipped. That's the language of a ship making sure before it was set to sail, it had every little supply for every contingency.

And of course, God has every contingency mapped out in his mind when it comes to history and when it comes to the scriptures. And so we realize that what we have in our hands, we have the Bible is everything we need pertaining to life and godliness, to use the words of 2 Peter chapter 1.

So first of all, remember they're inspired. God breathe. Number two, notice the context. In other words, why are genealogies there? That's going to help you when it comes to Bible interpretation. Why are they there?

They're not just random or as the kids say these days, just not rando. We had a waiter last night, his name was Brando, but that was his first name. I was waiting ready for Marlon Brando, but then his last name was Brando.

Where's his first name Brando. Or if he had a child named Brando Brando. I know somebody who's dating someone that has their first name is the person that they're dating his last name. And I think he's still alive.

He might've retired. And I think he did a lot of ministry in new England for the good. And I think he was with the Southern Baptist Convention, had a big training institute in Vermont or New Hampshire.

Wes Pastor, what's his name? I hope he's still alive. I think he's just retired and he was a pastor. So we had Pastor, Pastor. Sometimes people say Pastor Mike. I say that's Pastor Abenroth to you. Notice the context.

Once you figure out the context, you're like, oh, now I know what's going on here. And so there's a context in Genesis five, which is a good illustration. That's outside of our Luke passage, Genesis chapter five.

I almost yawned on air this morning. I had fun. It's a Saturday here in real time. And my daughter Haley and her husband, Marty, and my wife, Kimberly, we're all at the mountain. Watch you sit mountain, barely a mountain, but a mountain, just over 2000 feet.

They have a ski resort there and they were all snowboarding this morning. So I had to set my alarm to wake up to take care of my grandson, Amos. And so I did that for the past five hours. That's why. I'll tell you what though, when it comes to lunch, some pre-made garlic mashed potatoes warmed up, but a lot of butter and those were good.

I don't think he wanted anything else except his little cheese puff things. And what do we care? We're the grandpas. Remember Genesis five, that genealogy. Let me read you a little bit of it. Not every word.

Thus all the days that Adam lived were 930 years and he died. Thus all the days of Seth were 912 years and he died. All the days of Enos were 905 years and he died. Thus all the days of Kenan were 910 years and he died.

Thus all the days of Mahalal were 895 years and he died. Thus all the days of Jared were 962 years and he died. Thus all the days of Methuselah were 969 years and he died. Thus all the days of Lamech were 777 years and he died.

Eight times, I think. And he died, and he died, and he died, and he died, and he died, and he died, and he died, and he died. Why? Well, if you look at the context and everything makes sense, and you go, oh, in my mind, I've redeemed that genealogy.

Now, the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, did God actually say, you shall not eat of any tree of the garden? And the woman said to the serpent, we may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, you shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.

But the serpent said to the woman, you will not surely die. And he died, and he died, and he died, and he died, and he died. Well, that redeemed that genealogy in my mind. That's for certain. Number three, how do you redeem genealogies in your mind so you don't just skip them?

Well, they're God-breathed. Context will help you unlock the goodness found therein. Number three, remember the Bible's historical accuracy. We're not thinking of Narnia here. We're not thinking of Middle Earth.

This is real history with real people. What a good reminder about the Bible's accuracy, the Bible's historical accuracy, that there are real people and real family histories with names like Adam and Methuselah.

Not a myth, not a legend, not just Book of Mormon coming on the scene without any roots. Historically accurate. Every time you see a genealogy, you should think that. Number four, rejoice in the fulfillment of God's prophecy and God's promises.

Many genealogies will give you a little hint with a person like David, right? The Messiah was to come from the line of David. That's Isaiah 11 .1. There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his root shall bear fruit.

And then all of a sudden, in the Old Testament, you see that prophecy, and in the New Testament, you see in Luke 3 that Jesus comes from son of David. And then Matthew 1 and Jesse, the father of King David.

Many times you'll look at a biblical genealogy and you'll see that God fulfills his promises. Right? Second Samuel, the Davidic covenant, when your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you and who shall come from your body.

And I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the son of men.

But my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.

In addition, number five on how to redeem a genealogy. Last one for today. Praise God for his care and interest in people. Praise God for his care and interest in people. And these are specific people, not just nations, not just clumps, not just nebulous groups, not amorphous blobs.

No, no. With people, with names, with mothers and fathers, image bearers, eternal souls. God is near and God cares. That's one of the things you should think about when you have a genealogy in the Bible.

God cares. Remember what Jesus said? Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you'll put on. Is life not more than food and the body more than clothing?

Look at the birds of the air. They neither sow nor reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Good words. Good words. God knows and he's near.

Don't you see that in every genealogy? Of course. In Isaiah 41 .10, do not fear for I'm with you, God said. Psalm 46 .10, be still and know that I am God. Be anxious for nothing, Paul wrote to the church at Philippi, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. That's one of the things I think of when I read genealogies, that God knows all these people. He cares for them. He's intimately acquainted with all their ways.

And that it reminds me of who God is. So today on No Compromise Radio, we've talked about redeeming genealogies. And next time we're going to talk about how God is a God not far off, but very close. And that's something we can be reminded of when it comes to genealogies.

Don't forget, you can write me if you'd like to have some books at quantity discounts. And we're going to have, hopefully in 2024, a couple more NoCo books that are out. Working on a couple right now.

We'll see how far I get. If I have a little bit more spunk with these treatments, I can get back to writing. Mike Havenroth, NoCompromiseRadio .com, also known as Duplex Gratia Radio.