November 24, 2025 

Even though we are in the thick of Thanksgiving preparations, this coming Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent. Don’t worry, we won’t skip Thanksgiving! In fact, anticipating the birth of our Savior highlights what we can be most thankful for this year and every year!  

In this Advent season of expectation, our church will focus on the unexpected genealogy of Jesus. Let’s read. 

This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham: 

Abraham was the father of Isaac, 

Isaac the father of Jacob, 

Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 

Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, 

Perez the father of Hezron, 

Hezron the father of Ram, 

Ram the father of Amminadab, 

Amminadab the father of Nahshon, 

Nahshon the father of Salmon, 

Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, 

Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, 

Obed the father of Jesse, 

and Jesse the father of King David. 

David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, 

Solomon the father of Rehoboam, 

Rehoboam the father of Abijah, 

Abijah the father of Asa, 

Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, 

Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, 

Jehoram the father of Uzziah, 

Uzziah the father of Jotham, 

Jotham the father of Ahaz, 

Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 

Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, 

Manasseh the father of Amon, 

Amon the father of Josiah, 

and Josiah the father of Jeconiah[c] and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. 

After the exile to Babylon: 

Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, 

Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 

Zerubbabel the father of Abihud, 

Abihud the father of Eliakim, 

Eliakim the father of Azor, 

Azor the father of Zadok, 

Zadok the father of Akim, 

Akim the father of Elihud, 

Elihud the father of Eleazar, 

Eleazar the father of Matthan, 

Matthan the father of Jacob, 

and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah. 

Matthew 1:1-17 NIV (emphasis mine) 

In ancient biographies like the gospels, genealogies were common. However, in patriarchal cultures it was not customary, and certainly not necessary, to include anything beyond the lineage from father to son. But Matthew includes the names of five women: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Uriah’s wife (Bathsheba), and Mary. Why would the Holy Spirit inspire Matthew to depart from expected practice and unexpectedly include the names of these particular women? Since the Bible is primarily meant to teach us about God, how do the stories of these women reveal more about Him?  

This week, we will seek to answer this question as we get to know Tamar, the many-times great grandmother of Jesus, whose story is found in Genesis 38. Get ready—this is certainly not a story one might expect to be featured in a lineage of the Son of God. But the Holy Spirit inspired Matthew to include her name for a reason. I am excited to find out why! 

Questions for reflection and discussion:  

  • What are you expecting this Advent season? 
  • Why do you think the Holy Spirit inspired Matthew to include these women in Jesus’ genealogy? 
  • How has God used unexpected things in His Word and in your life to teach you about Himself? 
  • Take some time to thank God for His Word as well as for the unexpected things He has brought to your life.  

Church Reading Plan: 1 Chronicles 19-20; 1 Peter 1