Posts with the category “christmas-with-compassion-2024”

Merry Christmas! This is the week most of us have been excitedly anticipating and preparing for, for months now. It is also a very difficult week for those missing loved ones or struggling with bigger things outside of their control. Both excitement and grief are very much at work in this season. Thankfully we have a God who understands and comforts us.  Read More

Highlight This account of Solomon being made king is in the midst of one of David’s other son’s attempts to overthrow his father and be the next king. Following normal birth order, this son was rightfully the next to inherit the throne. Yet, God had promised David that Solomon would be the next king (2 Chronicles 22:9-10).  Read More

Highlight Chapters 11 and 12 can be read together and a chiastic structure can be seen between the two stories. Yet, for the Genealogy of Jesus, we will focus on chapter 11 and the sin of David. Yesterday, we read of the promise God gave to David. Today, we see that time has passed. David still follows God, but it seems that he has not kept himself accountable or in check lately. He has allowed himself to drift from what God has called him, as king, to do.  Read More

Highlight This chapter is a beautiful dialogue between God, through the prophet Nathan, and David. David has recognized all that the Lord has done for him. At this time, David had officially been king for awhile and settled into his palace in Jerusalem. But before that, it was years of waiting to be king while Saul was still on the throne, waiting for battles to be won in the land, and building a permanent home in Jerusalem. Once that was all accomplished, David was ready to make a permanent home for the Lord to dwell in. From this heartfelt desire, we receive the promise to David that shapes the rest of history.  Read More

Highlight Rahab’s information helped Joshua know what to expect and how to prepare for their battle with Jericho. When God sent word for Joshua and the men to attach Jericho, they were prepared and ready for what was to come. Once the walls fell, Joshua sent men to retrieve Rahab and her family. They protected and provided for them, while the rest of Jericho burned according to God’s command.  Read More

Highlight The book of Joshua comes right after Moses, the great prophet who led the Israelites out of Egypt, died and the Israelites are preparing to enter the Promised Land after years of waiting. Joshua wants an idea of what to expect when entering the land, so he sends spies into the land. These spies end up at an unlikely place in Jericho. They find themselves at the home of Rahab, a prostitute. Yet, this space yields an abundance of information and protection for the spies and Joshua. All that is asked in return is for Rahab and her family to be spared when the God of Israel destroys Jericho.  Read More

Welcome to Genealogy of Christmas Reading Plan! This reading plan is designed to partner with Compassion Christian Church’s sermon series of the same name, which you can find information about right here. Christmas is truly one of our favorite seasons around here. Most of all, we enjoy slowing down and remembering how our God humbled Himself for us. He chose to leave the throne in Heaven to be born as a baby, walk in our world, and experience what we experience to reconcile our brokenness to His Holiness.   Read More

Highlight The psalmist here is speaking to the consistent struggle between Joseph and Judah. The tribe of Ephraim is Joseph’s second son. In Genesis 48, Jacob claims Manasseh and Ephraim as his own sons. He blessed Ephraim, the second born of Joseph, with his firstborn birthright.  Read More

Highlight If you followed along last week, this chapter is not new. Except today we are going to look at Judah’s part, not Tamar's. As we have looked at Judah this week, we see that as the fourth son of Jacob, his descendants are blessed to be the bearers of royalty and the Messiah.  Read More

Highlight It was customary in the Old Testament days to pronounce prophetic blessings to your sons in your last days. That is what we see Jacob doing here for all twelve of his sons. Some of them are short and simple, others are harsh and dramatic. The two that stand out are Judah and Joseph.   Read More

Highlight A lot has taken place between Genesis 35 and 44. Joseph has experienced a wild ride of bad and good fortune. Most of what we know between these two chapters occurred to Joseph. We have a small chapter on Judah, which we will take a closer look at later in the week. But the majority of what we read between these chapters is all about Joseph. It is all about how God sent him ahead to prepare for his family.   Read More

Highlight In Genesis 35 we begin to meet Jacob’s sons. The author only places Leah’s sons in birth order, which is important because it shows Jacob’s natural successors. This is key to remember as the rest of Genesis unfolds.  Read More

Christmas is truly one of our favorite seasons around here. Not only do we enjoy the time with family and friends, hot chocolate, and opening presents that all occur during this season. Most of all, we enjoy slowing down and remembering how our God humbled Himself for us. He chose to leave the throne in Heaven to be born as a baby, walk in our world, and experience what we experience to reconcile our brokenness to His Holiness.  Read More

Highlight “David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife” (Matthew 1:6b). Matthew does not even call Bathsheba by name. Which reinstates the fact that not much is known about her. She is the daughter of one of the men in David’s army. Her husband was a God fearing Hittite in high standing in David’s army.  Read More

Highlight “Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth,” (Matthew 1:5b). Ruth was a Moabite woman who married into a Jewish family. That family had fled Bethlehem after a famine had hit their land. Sometime later Ruth’s first husband died.  Read More

Highlight “Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar” (Matthew 1:3a). Genesis 38 is an odd story, and we will chat more about Judah next week. In the meantime let's focus on Tamar. Her nationality is uncreated. We can guess that she might be a Canaanite, because Judah had married a Canaanite and seemed to be living in that area.  Read More

Highlight Tax collectors were appointed by the Romans to collect the tax revenue in a certain area. The reputation of a tax collector was one of greed and indulgence. They often overcharged people and lived a life of luxury off of the profits.  Read More

Highlight The Old Testament ends with the book of Malachi, which is one of Israel's minor prophets that wrote around 430 B.C. While he, Haggai, and Zechariah were prophets around the same time, those canonizing the Bible chose to place Malachi as the last book of the Old Testament, because of the last verses.   Read More

Welcome to Genealogy of Christmas Reading Plan! This reading plan is designed to partner with Compassion Christian Church’s sermon series of the same name, which you can find information about right here. Merry Christmas! Whether you strongly believe that Christmas begins after Halloween or not until after Thanksgiving, we are happy you have chosen to be here with us during our Christmas series.  Read More