DAY 1 ( Matthew 1:1-17)

We will be making use of the “5Q Pattern” (SACTS) for these daily devotional postings. “SACTS” stands for: Scripture, Adoration, Change, Thanksgiving/Testimony, and Supplication. As you experienced in the 5MF Workshop, this can be applied in personal, spousal, parental (for Family Worship), and Church contexts (your 5MF Peer Small Group).

We will always have the SCRIPTURE reading part of 5Q. We will often highlight just 1-2 responses to the Scripture reading (from the “ACTS” part of SACTS).

**SCRIPTURE (Sacts):

–PRAY Ps 119:18 (“Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your Law”)

–READ Matthew 1:1-17 (LISTEN HERE)

–ASK Christ: “What do You want to say to me/us through Your Word?” Seek first to hear what the Holy Spirit is showing you.

–REFLECT: Matthew is considered to be similar in literary genre to many ancient biographies. Ancient biographies put the emphasis on presenting one primary person. Matthew is “about” Jesus Christ. He is the ultimate focus of Intentional Family Discipleship (the 1st “C” of Kingdom Life in Christ – Christ, Community, Character & Conduct, Calling, Competencies).

Matthew begins with a “family tree.” A long list of largely unfamiliar names may seem boring and irrelevant. But, this “family tree” leads us to Jesus and connects Jesus to the “Big Picture” of God’s Salvation History with His people. This “family tree” provides a flashback on the Old Testament part of the Story and hints at how Jesus is “The Christ” who fulfills major promises given to Abraham (Gen 12:3, “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed”; see also Gen 22:18), King David (“I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom…And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever,” 2 Sam 7:12, 14), and God’s exiled people (see Jer 31:31-34).

From the beginning of Matthew, Jesus is called Jesus CHRIST. Christ means “Anointed One.” This language was used of Israelite kings who were installed through being “anointed” with oil, as were Saul and David by Samuel (see 1 Sam 9:15-16; 10:1; 16:1, 3, 6, 10). But, there was an even more significant anointing – that of the Spirit of the LORD who came on them after the tangible and physical act of anointing with oil (1 Sam 10:6, 9-11; 11:6-7; 16:13). The Spirit of the LORD empowered them to bring military deliverance in the time of the Israelite monarchy – to make them mighty to save (see 1 Sam 11).

The people of God had lost kingship with the exile to Babylon. But God had promised an eternal dynasty and for God’s people to be restored under the rule of one king (see Isa 9:2-7; Hos 1:11; Jer 23:5-6; 33:14-16) whose anointing with the Spirit would finally bring God’s pure, just, and righteous rule (see Isa 11:1-9; 42:1-9; 61:1-6).

By being referred to as “Christ” and because of the clear emphasis on Jesus as “conceived…from the Holy Spirit” (see Matt 1:18, 20), Matthew lets us know that the promised Spirit-Anointed King has arrived and the promises of saving restoration are being fulfilled! Jesus would be mighty to save in a totally unexpected but more important way – “he will save his people from their sins” (Matt 1:21). We understand this salvation to be BOTH from the “guilt” of sin that leads to condemnation as well as the “grip” of sin that leads to being controlled by evil. The beginning of Kingdom Life in Christ happens as we experience Christ removing this guilt and breaking this grip.

**CHANGE (saCts):

–ASK (Based on this Scripture passage): “Lord, what do you want me to do/change?”

–CONSIDER: This means we should focus on Christ in personal faith as the fulfillment of God’s saving promises of restoration for each of us and in surrender to Christ as the promised and rightful ruler over our hearts and lives.

**SUPPLICATION (sactS): You can pray your own prayer based on Matthew 1:1-17, and/or offer up the following: “Jesus, I ask that You would be MY Christ – the One who saves me from the guilt and grip of sin and who rules everything about my life. Thank You for coming and making it possible for me and all in my family, church, and world to be changed in this way. Amen.”

**“TAKE-5” GRACE-HABIT CHALLENGE – Take “5 minutes” today to at least begin the following:
Knowing and glorifying God in Jesus Christ is the ultimate heart, soul, and focus of Intentional Family Discipleship (IFD). Intimacy with this Christ is the most fundamental dimension without which nothing else in IFD can get going.

In order to know Christ rightly, we need to be learning the big “plotline” of the Bible and how it fits and flows together toward fulfillment in Christ. Consider rehearsing one helpful take on the “Big Picture” of God’s Story: 1) EXAMINE the Table of Contents of The Big Picture Story Bible and Big Picture Family Devotional (see RESOURCES MENTIONED below); 2) NOTICE how the author sketches out God’s big purposes and promises in Scripture and how they come to climactic fulfillment in and through Jesus; and, lastly 3) CONSIDER BEGINNING TO MEMORIZE the 5 major theme statements of the 5 parts of the Family Devotional.

Kids Video for Matthew 1:1-17

RESOURCES MENTIONED: