God Planned, Part 1: A Broken Family Tree

Grant Fishbook, Lead Teaching Pastor

Matthew 1:1–16
This is a record [genealogy] of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham:
Abraham was the father of Isaac,
Isaac was the father of Jacob.
Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers.
Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (whose mother was Tamar).
Perez was the father of Hezron.
Hezron was the father of Ram.
Ram was the father of Amminadab.
Amminadab was the father of Nahshon.
Nahshon was the father of Salmon.
Salmon was the father of Boaz (whose mother was Rahab).
Boaz was the father of Obed (whose mother was Ruth).
Obed was the father of Jesse.
Jesse was the father of King David.
David was the father of Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah).
Solomon was the father of Rehoboam.
Rehoboam was the father of Abijah.
Abijah was the father of Asa.
Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat.
Jehoshaphat was the father of Jehoram.
Jehoram was the father of Uzziah.
Uzziah was the father of Jotham.
Jotham was the father of Ahaz [the worst king in Israel’s history] .
Ahaz was the father of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh [the second-most evil king].
Manasseh was the father of Amon.
Amon was the father of Josiah.
Josiah was the father of Jehoiachin and his brothers (born at the time of the exile to Babylon).

After the Babylonian exile: Jehoiachin was the father of Shealtiel.
Shealtiel was the father of Zerubbabel.
Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud.
Abiud was the father of Eliakim.
Eliakim was the father of Azor.
Azor was the father of Zadok.
Zadok was the father of Akim.
Akim was the father of Eliud.
Eliud was the father of Eleazar.
Eleazar was the father of Matthan.
Matthan was the father of Jacob.
Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah.

Your notes

Truth #1 – God planned a way to make brokenness whole.

The word Messiah means .

The name Jesus means .

Your notes

Truth #2 – God used to bring about his plan.

Your notes

Truth #3 – Jesus what once defined us.

Your notes

Small Group Questions

1. Are you a live tree or a fake tree person? Why?
2. Have you ever done any research into your family tree? What did you find? Are you related to anyone famous?
3. Read the genealogy out loud and share any of the stories you know from any of the people listed? Why do you believe God included them in his lineage?
4. Grant hung some “ornaments” on the tree. What ornament would you hang on the tree from your past? What ornament would you hang on the tree that would describe your new life in Jesus?
5. You are included in the family line of Jesus. How does that change your perspective on Thanksgiving and Christmas?
6. How can we pray for you right now and throughout the week?