Introduction

"You are members of God's family."  – Ephesians 2:19 (NLT)

Imagine if God were to have a family reunion. What would that look like? There would probably be some very interesting and unexpected people there. I think it’s safe to say that the lineage and family tree of Jesus Christ is as colorful as a Christmas tree. 

You may look at it and say, “That person doesn’t look like they belong in the family tree of the Savior of the world.” But that’s the beauty of the gospel: no one belongs; yet everyone belongs. This tree is full of imperfect and unique characters—ordinary people God used in extraordinary ways to carry out His ultimate plan of salvation. 

We can learn so much from Jesus’ relatives. But the best lesson we learn is that, through Christ, we have been adopted into the family of God. That means that you and I, and everyone who has made the decision to follow Jesus, has been grafted into His family tree, made sons and daughters of God, and we have a part to play in this epic story.

Over the next 12 days, we’re going to take a journey through history . . . your history! We’ll explore our family heritage, see how the Old Testament brings us to Christmas through the lives and stories of different people in Jesus’ line, learn some unique aspects of their characters, and see where we belong in God’s bigger story of redemption. 

As you read and reflect on these devotionals, my prayer is that you’ll learn where the roots of your identity come from and the great lengths that God went to so you can belong to Him and His family of faith! I also pray that, just like the people we’ll be studying, you’ll be able to leave a legacy of faith that will continue to impact people long after you’re gone.