Sermon Recap | What to Make of a Genealogy?

whattomake

This post is based on CJ Mahaney's sermon, What to Make of a Genealogy, given on November 11, 2018.

In this Sunday’s sermon on Exodus 6:10-27, CJ reminded us of the graciousness of God shown both in his patience with us and faithfulness towards us.

 After noting that Moses, once again, attempted to convince God of his inability to lead the people out of Egypt, CJ pointed us towards the patience of God towards Moses: rather than becoming frustrated, God patiently assures Moses of his presence with him and reissues his call for Moses to confront Pharaoh. We were then reminded that God’s faithful patience towards Moses is the same patience God shows towards us today because of Jesus. Regardless of the unfaithfulness we’ve shown, God resolutely and graciously remains patient towards us. He always has been and always will be, “a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.” Our Christian life is one of faith-filled service to God motivated by wonder at his never-ending patience towards us.

 CJ then drew our attention to the genealogy which appears to interrupt, not only the dialogue between God and Moses, but the story of the Exodus itself. Why a genealogy? And why here? This genealogy reminds us that the exodus is not a spontaneous, reckless, unplanned rescue mission, but the culmination of the faithful, careful, and purposeful plan of God to fulfill his promises made hundreds of years beforehand to the patriarchs. This genealogy reminds us that God is both a multi-generational God who makes promises “to you and to your offspring,” and a faithful God who fulfills those promises by sovereignly shaping all of history to bring about the salvation of his people. This genealogy is a testimony of the determined faithfulness of God, a faithfulness which finds its greatest fulfillment, not in rescuing the Children of Israel from Egyptian slavery by the hand of Moses, but in rescuing us from slavery to sin by the death and resurrection of Jesus.

God is indeed infinitely gracious, both in his patience with us and faithfulness towards us.