The Son of Man’s Genealogy
Luke 3:23-38
October 20, 2024
In 1963, Walter Cronkite filmed a television special entitled “D-Day Plus 20 Years,” which was aired on June 6, 1964. In the filming, Cronkite asked President Eisenhower what he thought about when he returned to Normandy. In Character Above All, Steven Ambrose summarized Eisenhower’s response: he “spoke not of the tanks, the guns, the planes, the ships, the personalities of the commanders and their opponents, or the victory. Instead, he spoke of the families of the men buried in the American Cemetery in Normandy. He said he could never come to this spot without thinking of how blessed he and Mamie were to have grandchildren, and how much it saddened him to think of all the couples in America who had never had that blessing, because their only son was buried in France.”
The response is a reminder of the cost of war and the importance of history. It was a reminder that while we may not remember or even know all the stories of all our ancestors, they have been woven into our lives in essential ways. In a similar (but far greater) way, the genealogy of Jesus is a reminder to us of the importance of Christ, and the reality that history is actually His Story. Everything is moving toward Him or flowing from Him.
In 3:23, Luke notes the beginning of His ministry after Jesus’ baptism. For all of the important events and people in the opening chapters of the book, Luke now transitions to Jesus as the priority of the book. John the Baptist may have been the greatest man among men born naturally (7:28), but Jesus infinitely supersedes John. His story and ministry are about to be told. But before Luke launches into the details of Jesus’ life, he offers the basis of Christ to be considered as the focal point of history. So Luke provides the genealogy of Jesus (3:23-38). From this genealogy we learn this reality:
As the Son of Man and Son of God, Christ alone is perfectly placed to reign as King.
In this genealogy, let’s look at six pictures/snapshots of Christ t gain six perspectives on His Story…
- Jesus is the Son of Mary: He is Genuine Humanity (v. 23)
- Jesus is the Son of Neri: He Avoids the Curse (v. 31)
- Jesus is the Son of David: He is Rightful King (v. 32)
- Jesus is the Son of Abraham: He Fulfills the Promise (v. 34)
- Jesus is the Son of Adam: He is the World’s Savior (v. 38a)
- Jesus is the Son of God: He is Genuine Deity (v. 38b)
Lessons About Genealogies —
Download the rest of this sermon on Luke 3:23-38.
Genealogy inscription of Luke 3:38 on a mosaic in En Gedi synagogue, 6th century AD.
The audio will be posted on the GBC website by Tuesday.
Words of Grace 