The Messiah would be a descendant of King David of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it.  – Isaiah 9:7

 

It’s Christmas morning, you’re in your pajamas with a cup of coffee. You watch your family open presents.

Life is good. You say to yourself.

“Open it,” your loved one says as they hand you the prettiest box you’ve ever seen.

“You’ve been talking about this all year.” The loved smiles.

I talk about many things. It’s too small to be a car, could it be the keys?  You say to yourself.

You unwrap it with care.

“Hurry, it’s only paper, just rip it!” Your loved one is anxious to take a picture of your as you see the surprise.

“A DNA Kit! Thank you!”

They were listening.

All across the world, this scene will play out on Christmas morning. DNA kits have been one of the rave gifts this year, but why geneology for Christmas?

There are many reasons we might want to trace our ancestry. Maybe it’s the novelty of knowing that someone famous is in our lineage. Are other more practical reasons like to trace a family inheritance, trace land ownership, find birth parents, trace medical conditions, validate old family stories, or reconnect with family.

DNA kits help us discover our ancestors through genetic matching. These trending kits guide the user in collecting their own DNA samples and then results are received by mailing the samples in to a lab. The result from the testing are compared to other DNA samples from around the world, detecting similarities that trace back generations and connect us to the lands of our ancestors. Although DNA tests are fun and have become a recent hit, they are not always accurate.

These tests reveal what people groups are in your lineage, not specific individuals, which is still fascinating. With shows Finding Your Roots, Who Do You Think You Are, and Genealogy Roadshow, as well as, websites like https://www.geni.com, http://www.ancestor.com/, https://www.myheritage.com/, and https://www.ancestry.com/cs/finding-your-roots we can trace our lineages.

We can trace our lineage with accurate records.

Jake and Cherrilynn have discovered a pirate, Vikings, WWI General, Cowboy, and Farmer in their combined genealogies. Cherrilynn is a descendant of Sir Francis Drake, a pirate, and a pioneer. Cherrilyn attributes her plundering her sister’s candy and her love for travel to her lineage. Jake has confirmed old family stories of Vikings through his ancestry. Jake finds encouragement in his ministry looking back at the transformation of many Vikings on their hearing of the Gospel.

You may or may not be on the DNA Kit bandwagon this Christmas, but there is a great benefit to knowing our ancestry. Whatever inspires us to solve the mystery of our past, many find healing, strength, and a sense of belonging and purpose through the research.

Matthew and Luke who both tell of the birth of Jesus, also highlight Jesus’ genealogy. Obviously, they didn’t use a DNA kit, but the results are just as incredible. The difference between our lineage and that of Jesus is that his birth was predicted hundreds of years before the event. Isaiah prophesied about the Messiah. Along with other prophets Isaiah told that the Messiah would be a descendant of David, and therefore a descendant of Jesse and Abraham.

In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious. –  Isaiah 11:10 (NIV84)

But even beyond the prophecies, we learn In Matthew and Luke’s’ lists that Jesus had a King, shepherd, and prostitute in His lineage. The King may be expected in Jesus’ ancestry, but a prostitute? Yes, a prostitute. And in those days shepherds were considered quite lowly. There are also many other unsavory characters in that list, but Jesus wasn’t ashamed of his genealogy. He knew he had a mission and joyfully accepted it. His mission was to be the Savior of the World and bring ultimate peace.

Matthew’s genealogy begins with Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation, shows the relationship of Jesus to all Jews—he is their Messiah. This agrees with the theme and purpose of the book of Matthew—to prove that Jesus is the Messiah.

The purpose of the book of Luke is to give a record of the life of Christ as the perfect human Savior. Therefore, the genealogy record of Luke goes back to Adam, to demonstrate the relationship of Jesus to His creation.

He is the Savior of the world.

As you open your gifts this Christmas, as many of your ancestors did in the past, remember the best gift is to know that Jesus’ genealogy proves He is Savior and Lord. It also proves that Jesus was and his later sacrificial death was for everyone. The King, the popper, and yes, even the prostitute.

Genealogy doesn’t lie.

 

 

 

Have you tested your DNA or searched your ancestry? Or is a kit under your tree?