People are usually proud of their family “tree” but
other people would just as soon not mention theirs. One of the wonderful things
that we inherit as a Christian, is a family tree that is full of righteous
people. For example, after we are saved, all the amazing people listed in
Hebrews chapter eleven become part of our family. How exciting to know that
Moses is now one of our kinfolks. Everyone can now have a new family if they
want one.
This “new family” became possible after Jesus gave
His life to set in motion God’s new covenant. The Bible says: For
Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one
people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility
that separated us. Eph 2:14 (NLT). When Jesus united the Jews and the Gentiles all Christians
inherited part of the Hebrew family. This is legal because we are in Christ who
is a Jew.
Joining as
part of the old family, means that we only inherit the righteous people that
had faith in God. Paul said: There is no
longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in
Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children
of Abraham. You are his heirs, and
God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you. Gal 3:28-29 (NLT). The new family
of faith has their roots in righteousness.
The beginning of God’s new family is Jesus, the second
Adam who was created in the womb of Mary. This family created by the life and
death of Jesus is a combination of Old Testament believers and the new. The old
people were a people of works and the new members are of “Grace”. Several Old
Testament prophets told people that the Messiah would come to earth as a
righteous branch from David’s royal family.
The prophet Isaiah, in about 725 BC, said that from
the old royal family of David would grow a new family. The Scripture says: Out
of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot— yes, a new Branch bearing
fruit from the old root. Isaiah 11:1 (NLT). One hundred years later the prophet Jeremiah said: Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a
righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute
judgment and justice in the earth. Jer 23:5 (KJV).
Then about
500 years before Jesus was born another prophet said: Here is the man called the Branch. He will branch out from where he is
and build the Temple of the Lord.
Zech 6:12 (NLT). These three famous prophets never met each other but they
all spoke about the righteous branch of King David’s family that would rule in
Jerusalem some day. What a privilege to become a member of the family of Jesus.
The
eternal family of God is being built today. Many of us humans have trouble
understanding the strength and beauty of joining this family tree. The Bible
says: So now Jesus and the ones he
makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them
his brothers and sisters. Heb
2:11 (NLT). Wow!
What a great “big brother” every Christian has. No matter how small of a person
we are, Jesus is not ashamed of us.
Jesus died
for everyone in His family tree. Abraham was saved by his faith and the Bible
says we have the same opportunity. It was
recorded for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as
righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the
dead. He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to
life to make us right with God. Romans 4:23-25 (NLT). Our big Brother is
alive today and we can belong to God’s family if we believe enough to live our
life in faith.
It is
difficult for some people to believe that God wants a family to live with him
forever. But the Bible says: Even before
he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without
fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family
by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. Eph 1:4-5 (NLT). We must
accept the fact that through Jesus Christ our life can become a part of God’s
family. Learning to live a righteous life is getting us ready for the royal
family of Heaven.
Jesus has
brought the saved Gentiles into the righteous part of Abraham’s family. As a
Christian our family tree now includes all righteous Jews. To deny our Jewish
roots is to deny Jesus the greatest Jew that ever lived. Abraham’s family was
chosen to teach us many different things but bringing forth the Savior of the
World is their greatest triumph. The new covenant is God’s way to bring all
believers together into His family.
