Sunday is the Lord’s Day – Resurrection Sunday, and I am excited!
The original resurrection Sunday, when Jesus walked out of the tomb alive and well, is the day that changed everything.
Why? How?
At the heart of the Christian faith is one message – the proclamation of the gospel message – that Paul calls “of first importance – a message that holds the power to give life, forgive sin, and secure eternity with Jesus:
“…Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures….”
This is not just an inspirational story or some religious tradition. It is the true, good, victorious news that Jesus died for sinners like us, was buried in a borrowed tomb, and rose again just like the Scriptures said He would.
Yes, Jesus died for our sins – taking our punishment and paying our sin debt.
Yes, He was buried – truly dead, wrapped in grave clothes and laid in the silence of the grave.
But praise God, HE IS RISEN!
When the women arrived at the tomb that first Resurrection Sunday morning, they heard the words that still echo throughout history:
Jesus always – ALWAYS – keeps His word. And His resurrection proves it. It proves His power over sin and death. It proves His identity as the Son of God – as God incarnate. It proves that all who trust in Him can have a living hope, an unshakable promise of eternal life.
This Sunday at Christ Community, we’ll gather not just to remember an empty cross or to commemorate an empty tomb. No, we’ll gather to worship our risen and resurrected King! We’ll sing “King of Kings” and “Holy, Holy, Holy (Jesus Reigns)” because Jesus is alive and reigning even now, interceding on behalf of those He saves at the right hand of the Father. We’ll celebrate our “Living Hope” and declare that “Ain’t No Grave” able to hold Jesus or those He gives eternal life!
John is going to open the Word of God and point us to our resurrected Lord and King, our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.
All in all, we’ll embody the truth of the beloved hymn “Because He Lives”. Because He lives, we can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone. Because He lives and we know that He holds the future in His hands, life is worth living. Jesus has changed everything because He lives!
So, come and worship. Come and believe. Come and rejoice in the Savior who died, who was buried, and who rose again – just as He said.
Most Sundays, we list out the Scriptures and songs we’ll use in our worship gathering to help people prepare their hearts. These posts are typically titled “Songs for Sunday”.
Here are our Scriptures and songs for Sunday, April 20:
1Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. 5But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.”
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 “And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant— 7 these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” 8 The Lord GOD, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, “I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.”
The Original Context
Isaiah spoke these words to Israel during a time of spiritual renewal, casting a vision of God’s heart for the nations. In contrast to the idea that Israel alone was God’s chosen people, Isaiah announced that foreigners who loved and followed the Lord were welcomed into His house.
This radical promise highlighted something about God’s covenant: His salvation was never meant for Israel alone because God was gathering worshipers from every tribe and tongue to find joy and belonging in His presence. His temple was never meant to be a barrier but a beacon.
Fulfillment in Jesus
When Jesus entered the temple in the final week of His life, He saw that its courts – meant for Gentile worshipers – had been turned into a marketplace. In righteous anger, He drove out the merchants and quoted Isaiah 56:7 in Matthew 21:13:
“My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you make it a den of robbers.”
Jesus was restoring the temple to its true purpose. And ultimately, He became the new and better temple (John 2:19-21). In Him, all who trust and follow God, all who confess Him as Lord and believe in their hearts He is risen from the dead – regardless of background or nationality – are brought near (Romans 10:9-13, Ephesians 2:11-22).
Hope for Today
Jesus is still gathering outcasts. He is still welcoming foreigners. He is still saving sinners. And He is still building a house of prayer for all peoples.
If you’ve ever felt like an outsider – too far off, too broken, too different, too sinful, too shameful – know this: there is room for you in God’s house. The joy of His presence is not reserved for some select few who have it all together or who have the right genealogy, but offered to all who come to Him through Christ.
This Holy Week, let your prayers rise in confidence and hope. Jesus has not merely opened a way for people to come to Him, He IS the Way (John 14:6), and He prepares a place for Him in His Father’s house for all He saves (John 14:2-3). If He has saved you, you belong there; you are home with Him. And through Him, your worship is welcomed with joy.
As we walk together through Holy Week, I invite you to journey not only through the events that led to the cross and the empty tomb, but also through the ancient promises and prophecies that pointed us there long before Jesus ever entered Jerusalem. This devotional booklet is titled He Who Promised is Faithful because that simple truth, drawn from Hebrews 10:23, is an anchor for our hope in Jesus:
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
The Scriptures you’ll find in these pages are not just poetic and prophetic – they are promises kept. Each Old Testament passage reveals something about God’s heart, His holiness, and His plan. And every one of them finds its “Yes” and “Amen” in Jesus (2 Corinthians 1:20). The writers of the New Testament didn’t treat the Old Testament as merely background noise – they believed it testified to the coming Messiah, fulfilled in Jesus, and still speaks to us today.
These brief devotions are here to help explain and illuminate those texts, like the leaders in Nehemiah 8:8 did when “they read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and…gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.”
My prayer is that you will not stop at the devotions, though, but be drawn into God’s Word and asking His Spirit to open your eyes to the beauty of Jesus in all of Scripture. And as you do, remember what this Holy Week ultimately points us to: not just events of the past but the glorious promise of what is to come – of Who is coming again.
So open your Bible. Read slowly. Marvel at God’s goodness. Let the promises fulfilled in Christ strengthen your faith and stir your worship as we prepare to celebrate the resurrection and long for His return.
You can click the links for each day’s podcast episode or devotion or download a copy below:
📖 Revelation 3:7–13We’re back!After a few months off, The King is Coming returns in 2026 with one of the most encouraging letters in Revelation — Jesus’s message to the faithful church in Philadelphia. In a world filled with opposition and weakness, Jesus opens a door no one can shut.In this episode, Keith Harris and Jamie Harrison explore:✔️ Jesus’s identity as the Holy One, the True One — God Himself✔️ What the “key of David” means and how Jesus alone opens and shuts✔️ The debated phrase “I will keep you from the hour of trial” — and how to read it biblically✔️ Why “little power” doesn’t disqualify faithfulness✔️ How being kept through the trial glorifies Christ’s strength in us✔️ What it means to be a pillar in God’s presence foreverThis church had no rebuke — only encouragement. And Jesus’s call still stands today: “Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” (Revelation 3:11, ESV)🔗 Missed earlier episodes in the series? You can click here to catch up and listen from the beginning.✍️ If you’d like to see a written version of this podcast, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
Sunday’s coming — the LORD’s day, and I’m excited!
Every Sunday is a celebration of the goodness and grace of God, reminding us that He not only died for us but that He raised from the dead and LIVES for us! This Sunday at Christ community, we are going to sing about His goodness and grace and remember His mercy and how He saves.
In Titus 3:4-5a, Paul gives us one of the clearest, richest summaries of the gospel:
“But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy….”
Let’s break that down and take it to heart:
“But….”
This is a very important conjunction. It takes everything before, cancelling it in favor of what comes after. In the context of Titus 3, what came before is what we once were: “once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing out days in envy, hated by others and hating one another” (Titus 3:3). BUT Jesus cancels that out in favor of His salvation.
“But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared….”
Paul is reminding us that salvation starts with GOD — not with us, not with our efforts or any righteousness of our own. The word “appeared” points us directly to Jesus’s first coming — God in flesh. He didn’t send a proxy or representative. He didn’t send salvation. God showed up Himself.
Jesus is the visible expression of God’s goodness and loving kindness, because He Himself is God being good and loving. He didn’t wait for us to climb up to Him (which we can’t do — remember, not with our efforts); He came down to us. His goodness and light broke into our sin and darkness.
“…He saved us….”
These three words change everything. God didn’t tell us what we could be doing better. He didn’t merely advise or improve us — He SAVED us. That speaks of our reality and need. we were lost, helpless, and dead in our sin, but HE acted. He rescued. He redeemed. These three words are a beautiful reminder that salvation is not self-help but divine deliverance!
“…not because of works done by us in righteousness….”
This part humbles us. There is no room for pride or patting oneself on the back in the gospel. We can’t earn our salvation by cleaning up our act or doing good deeds. There are no scales that we can balance by heaping service and good deeds; in fact, if there is a scale, our sin has it solidly weighted down unless Jesus acts upon the other side. We can’t impress God into loving us. All our best works can’t bridge the gap between our sin and His holy, holy, holiness.
“…BUT according to His own mercy….”
There’s another “but” here. It takes the false hope of our own righteousness and cancels it out with the hope of God’s own mercy. This gets at the heart of the gospel: God saved us because He is merciful. That’s who He is. Mercy means that He does not treat us as our sins deserve. Instead, He pours out grace through Jesus — grace that cleanses, restores, and makes us new.
That’s good news!
And that good news — that gospel — no, “our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” is who we are going to read, sing, and preach about this Sunday. We’re going to sing of His mercy.
Songs like “Holy Water” and “Washed Clean” will remind us that Jesus’s grace is what refreshes our hearts and keeps us coming back to Him in gratitude and worship. Then, we’ll read Philippians 2:5-11 and lift our eyes to Jesus, declaring His beautiful and powerful name — the name that is above every other. We’ll sing “Your Great Name” and “What a Beautiful Name” as a response to the Savior who stooped low to save us and is now exalted on high at the right hand of the Father.
If you have been saved by Jesus in His mercy, come ready to rejoice!
And if you haven’t yet trusted in Jesus, know this: His goodness and loving kindness have appeared. He is still saving. He is still merciful. Come lay your burdens on Him. Come and receive the mercy that never runs dry. Come to Him.
4But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing and regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that being justified by His grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
5Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Every week, our faith family gathers because of all that Jesus has done for us — His life, His death, His resurrection, His work even now, and His imminent return. We don’t gather to impress each other or prove ourselves on the basis of religion or attendance. We come because we need Jesus — and because He has made a way for sinners (like us) to be made right with a holy, holy, holy God.
This Sunday at Christ Community, we will spend time in worship reading 1 John 1:5-2:2. It’s a beautiful and powerful reminder that God is light, and that in Him there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). That’s both comforting and confronting. It comforts us because it means that God is pure, holy, trustworthy, and sinless (everything we aren’t), but it also confronts us because when we step into His light, our sin is exposed. So, we don’t get to walk in darkness and claim to have fellowship with the God who is light (1 John 1:6).
That sounds like bad news if we were to stop there, but praise GOD, the good news is coming in 1 John 1:7: “If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
The blood of Jesus. That’s our hope. He is our hope. Our sins — real, serious, and shameful though they are — can be cleansed by His blood. Y’all, that’s not just a line from some hymn but the truth of the gospel.
That gospel saturates every part of our worship gatherings. We read it together from the Word. We sing it. John opens the Word and preaches it. And we have the opportunity to hear it from our own voices and the voices of our brothers and sisters, reminding us that Jesus doesn’t wait for us to clean ourselves up to come to Him — He came to save us while we were still sinners, and He did it because He loves us (Romans 5:8)!
As 1 John 2:1-2 says, when we do sin (and we do), we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous! He is the propitiation for our sins. He bore the wrath of God due for our sin, took our place on the cross we deserve, made peace by the blood of His cross, and gives the LIFE He has and the favor of God He deserves to those who put their trust in Him — for those who confess Him as Lord.
If you need to be reminded that God is still gracious and Jesus still saves, come on (Titus 3:4-7, Hebrews 7:25).
You won’t be out of place because our gathering is full of sinners in need of grace (Luke 5:31-32, 1 Timothy 1:15). The only difference is that many of us sinners have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9). You’ll hear us pour our hearts out singing “Thank You, Jesus, for the blood applied…. Thank You, Jesus, You have saved my life!” You’ll hear us sing “O the blood, it is my victory!” You’ll hear us sing because we haven’t moved past our need for grace. We’ve just come to the One who gives it freely (Romans 3:23-25, John 1:16, Revelation 22:17).
5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
Tomorrow is the Lord’s Day — Sunday, and I’m excited!
Every week at Christ Community, we gather because the gospel — the good news about Jesus — is true: He really lived, died, and rose again to save sinners and bring us into life eternally with Him. You see, we don’t gather to prove ourselves, check some religious attendance box, or pretend we have it all together. No, we gather because we need Jesus.
There’s more good news: He came to save. This is clearly seen in some of the verses we will read together in worship.
16For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.
And how did He do that? The apostle Paul puts it plainly, saying it is the most important message, in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4:
…Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, …He was buried, …He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures….
This is the most important news, the good news we call the gospel. It is what we proclaim with our mouths and our lives. It is at the heart of everything we sing, read, pray, and preach. Jesus gave Himself for us — not when we are all cleaned up and put together but while we were lost, guilty, and broken.
One of the songs we will sing, “God So Loved”, takes the message of John 3:16 and other passages to give an invitation to come to Jesus. Ponder these words:
Bring all your failures Bring your addictions Come lay them down at the foot of the cross Jesus is waiting there with open arms God so loved the world
If you have never trusted in Jesus as Savior — confessed Him as Lord and believed that God raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9), we pray that you consider these words today. This is the more important invitation, to come to Him more than coming to church.
We would also like to invite you to gather with us where you will hear this gospel again and again. Even if you have trusted in Him, we invite you to gather with us, praying that your heart might be stirred again by the wonder of His gospel — His love, grace, mercy, and salvation — and respond with fresh joy, worship, and devotion to Him.
This gospel will saturate our songs. When John opens the book of Hebrews, this gospel is at the heart of the book and the sermon. We will read the good news together.
16“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
3For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
3 For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, 4 and that he was buried, and that he was raised up on the third day according to the scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve, 6 then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, the majority of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep.
1 Corinthians 15:3-6
He made the one who did not know sin to be sin on our behalf, in order that we could become the righteousness of God in him.
2 Corinthians 5:21
8 But what does it say? “The word is near to you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim), 9 that if you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who is rich to all who call upon him. 13 For “everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.”
📖 Revelation 3:7–13We’re back!After a few months off, The King is Coming returns in 2026 with one of the most encouraging letters in Revelation — Jesus’s message to the faithful church in Philadelphia. In a world filled with opposition and weakness, Jesus opens a door no one can shut.In this episode, Keith Harris and Jamie Harrison explore:✔️ Jesus’s identity as the Holy One, the True One — God Himself✔️ What the “key of David” means and how Jesus alone opens and shuts✔️ The debated phrase “I will keep you from the hour of trial” — and how to read it biblically✔️ Why “little power” doesn’t disqualify faithfulness✔️ How being kept through the trial glorifies Christ’s strength in us✔️ What it means to be a pillar in God’s presence foreverThis church had no rebuke — only encouragement. And Jesus’s call still stands today: “Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” (Revelation 3:11, ESV)🔗 Missed earlier episodes in the series? You can click here to catch up and listen from the beginning.✍️ If you’d like to see a written version of this podcast, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
We have spent a good bit of time the past few weeks at Christ Community in Luke 2:10 and the verses around it. The declaration of the angels to those poor and frightened shepherds should about be memorized at this point: “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring good news to you of great joy which will be for all the people”. Good news. Great joy. For all people.
The word translated “good news” is often translated gospel, and the message that the angels proclaimed on that hillside 2,000 years ago is a beautiful and succinct picture of the gospel. They preached that the Savior “who is Christ the Lord” was born for them – for those dirty, stinky shepherds – and that He could be found that very day in Bethlehem. It was news that would and could change the trajectory of their lives. They just needed to believe in Him and receive the salvation He had to offer – they would receive grace by faith through Him.
Now, I know that on the day they heard that gospel message Jesus was still laying in the feeding trough, still an infant, and was decades away from His death, burial, and resurrection. But the babe in the manger was still “the Word [become] flesh” (John 1:14). He was still the Lamb slain “before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4).
We sometimes want to overcomplicate things. We know the whole story and want to add and fill in the gaps in the angels’ proclamation that day, but the “good news of great joy” is still just as simple. In fact, Paul gives very succinct proclamations of the gospel, too. The first can be found in 1 Corinthians 15 where he tells the church at Corinth that he is passing on to them the most important message he had to offer – the very same message that he received himself: Jesus died for our sins according to the way that the Bible said He would, He was buried, and He rose from the dead on the third day exactly as the Bible and His own preaching said He would. That’s good news!
Paul’s second succinct gospel summary comes in his next letter to the church at Corinth in 2 Corinthians 5:21. In one complex little sentence, he shares that God put the sins of those who would be saved on Jesus. Jesus had never sinned and did not deserve any condemnation, but He willingly bore our sin on our behalf. Those who trust in Him no longer are under the condemnation and shame due to their sin; Jesus bore that (Colossians 2:13-14). In a great exchange, Jesus traded His righteousness for our sin. He bore the wrath of God and exchanged that for God’s favor. Basically, He traded His extravagantly full bank account for our bankrupt one so that when God looks upon those who Jesus has saved, He does not see their sinfulness but Jesus’ righteousness! That’s good news!
The gospel is good news, but there is also bad news. Those who do not confess Jesus as Lord and believe He died for their sins and rose again to not receive part in that great exchange. They remain in their sin. Their condemnation remains their own. It does not have to be that way. All who call out to Jesus in faith will be saved. Anyone who believes in Him will not be but to shame, but not believing leaves the shame where it belongs – on the sinner.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn Fall on your knees!
Those who are without Jesus are still in their sin and “pining” after the wrong things, sinful things. But everyone – all people – have the opportunity to fall on their knees, believe in Him – confess Him as Lord, and repent of their sin. And those who do will not only have heard the good news of great joy but also to have believed it and received the salvation Jesus offers.
I love the phrase “good news of great joy” because 1) it is straight from the Bible, and 2) it captures what Jesus offers. But I also love the way the writer of “O Holy Night” captured what it is to be a sinner and receive Christ: “a weary world rejoices”. If you have been reading with us over these past two weeks, you have read snippets of the “good news of great joy”, but have you received it? Have you believed on Jesus, or are you still on the fence? If you haven’t, I urge you: fall on your knees, believe what the Bible says about Him, confess Him as Lord, and rejoice in the salvation He brings!
Matthew 1:1-17 — 1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, 4 and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of David the king.
And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, 7 and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, 8 and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, 9 and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, 11 and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.
12 And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, 15 and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.[1]
📖 Revelation 3:7–13We’re back!After a few months off, The King is Coming returns in 2026 with one of the most encouraging letters in Revelation — Jesus’s message to the faithful church in Philadelphia. In a world filled with opposition and weakness, Jesus opens a door no one can shut.In this episode, Keith Harris and Jamie Harrison explore:✔️ Jesus’s identity as the Holy One, the True One — God Himself✔️ What the “key of David” means and how Jesus alone opens and shuts✔️ The debated phrase “I will keep you from the hour of trial” — and how to read it biblically✔️ Why “little power” doesn’t disqualify faithfulness✔️ How being kept through the trial glorifies Christ’s strength in us✔️ What it means to be a pillar in God’s presence foreverThis church had no rebuke — only encouragement. And Jesus’s call still stands today: “Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” (Revelation 3:11, ESV)🔗 Missed earlier episodes in the series? You can click here to catch up and listen from the beginning.✍️ If you’d like to see a written version of this podcast, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
One thing that I love about Christmas is that people are abnormally willing to be open to talk about Jesus. Much of the year, people’s attitudes toward Scripture or gospel can be very Scrooge-like, very “Bah! Humbug!” But for a few weeks in one month out of the year, people’s hearts swell like the Grinch’s after encountering Cindy-Lou-Who.
Another thing I love about Christmas is the way this season produces stories. As I type, The Polar Express is on in the background, a narrative of a young boy regaining the childlike sense of wonder and hope. I will no doubt watch It’s a Wonderful Life on Christmas day, a fairly new tradition at the Harris household, and follow good old George Bailey finding that his life has more blessings than curses and realizing the value and impact a single life can have. I’ll even watch one of my favorite Christmas stories chronicling John McClain’s daring rescue during the hijacking of Nakatomi Corporation’s Christmas party. More than those fictional stories, though, I love the stories that come from real life, from real people.
Christmas is a time of joy and celebration, but for many, it is a time of mourning, grieving, and faking-it-till-you-make-it. As I have talked with folks about this in recent years, I find that the thing that bridges the gap between those two groups – the joyful and the weary – is their stories. Even those who are mourning have stories and memories of bygone traditions. There are funny and happy memories, and yes, sad ones, too, that come out during this season. Those memories can kind of weave together into the tapestry of who we are. They become part of our story.
Jesus’s story is not different in that aspect because part of becoming flesh and dwelling among us (John 1:14) is the sin and death we need rescuing from. His Story is of the perfect and sinless Savior deigning to live among – to live for and on behalf of – those He came to save. In order for Isaiah’s prophecy that “those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone” (Isaiah 9:2), Jesus needed to come and shine in the darkness, and we need to be reminded that the “darkness has not overcome” Him (John 1:4)!
So today, let’s take a moment and look at Jesus’s Story, specifically the Story of the lineage God chose to make Jesus a part of. Sometimes we look at stories in the Bible and feel inadequate. Rest assured that Jesus’s lineage as seen in Matthew 1:1-17 is full of people just like us – people who needed a Savior like Him!
Once upon a time, there was a great and powerful King. He was foretold of old to be a hero who would come from His far away country to redeem and win back His lost love. His Story is one of romance as He left His palace to rescue His Bride. His lineage hailed back to other…great…well, um….
One of the things I love about God’s Word is how it does not fall into the temptation of prettying things up or rewriting them to be more acceptable to folks’ sensibilities. Yes, Jesus is the great King – the King of kings who was prophesied for centuries to come from heaven and rescue His people. Yes, Jesus’s Story is one of romance, where He left His throne on high and traded it for a lowly manger in a tumble-down stable. But His lineage? It wasn’t filled with kings and queens, although there were a few sprinkled in toward the middle. It wasn’t filled with flawless heroes – the flaws are many. No, Jesus’s family tree was filled with regular sinners with real sin and problems – people like me and you.
This Bible study will look at the women emphasized in Jesus’s family tree who point us to Him in specific ways. We won’t go into their full stories, but I will give you the cross-references so you can check them out directly from Scripture.
Tamar (v. 3) …and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar….
The first woman mentioned is Tamar (v. 3), and her story is found in Genesis 38. Tamar was Judah’s – you know, Judah as in the lion of the tribe of – she was his daughter-in-law. Originally, she was married to Judah’s oldest son, Er, until “the Lord put him to death” because he was “wicked in the sight of the Lord” (Genesis 38:7). By levirate marriage customs, it became the responsibility of Judah’s second son, Onan, to father children on behalf of his deceased big brother. But Onan was selfish and wicked, refusing to fulfill his duty; the Lord put him to death as well (Genesis 38:10). Judah promised his youngest son, Shelah, to Tamar when he came of age but had no intention of ever fulfilling that promise. Tamar, left without hope of bearing children, took matters into her own hands. Disguised as a prostitute, she tricked Judah into sleeping with her. Her actions were scandalous – and so were Judah’s.
So, why is Tamar mentioned in Jesus’s genealogy? Her story shows us God’s providence and mercy in bringing about His purposes despite human sin. Tamar’s inclusion reminds us that God can use even the most broken situations to fulfill His promises. Judah’s declaration, “She is more righteous than I” (Genesis 38:26), points to her determination to preserve the family line, a role God used in the lineage of Jesus. Her child that would be Jesus’s earthly ancestor was marked by a scarlet string around his foot. It brings to mind the way that God used her story and the stories of people like her almost like a scarlet thread of salvation running through His Story.
Rahab (v. 5) …and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab….
The second woman is Rahab (v. 5), whose story is found in Joshua 2:1-21, 6:17, and 6:22-25, with further mentions in Hebrews 11:31 and James 2:25. Rahab wasn’t one of God’s chosen people. She was a Canaanite from Jericho, known for her sinful profession. But she had heard of the God of Israel and believed in His power. She protected His spies, siding with the Lord and marking her house with a scarlet cord as a sign of her faith and obedience. When Jericho’s mighty walls fell by the power of God and the city was taken, Rahab and her family were spared.
Why would someone like Rahab be included in Jesus’s official lineage? Her faith in God is the answer. Rahab’s faith stood out like a scarlet cord, demonstrating that salvation is not about where you come from but about the one you put your faith in – in the God you trust. Her inclusion reminds us of God’s grace and His power to redeem and use anyone for His glory. Rahab’s life became part of the story of salvation history, pointing us to the greater salvation found in Jesus, who rescues all who place their faith in Him.
Ruth (vv. 5-6) …and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king.
The third woman is Ruth (v. 5), whose story is told in the book of the Bible bearing her name. Like Rahab, Ruth wasn’t one of God’s chosen people. She was a Moabite, descended from incest between Lot and his daughter (Genesis 19:30-37). When famine struck Israel, Ruth’s husband Mahlon and his family came to Moab for refuge, but tragedy followed. Ruth’s father-in-law, brother-in-law, and husband all died, leaving Ruth and her mother-in-law in dire straits. Despite her own loss, Ruth chose to return to Israel with Naomi, declaring, “Your people shall be my people, and your God my God” (Ruth 1:16). She returned with Naomi to Bethlehem – yes, the Christmas Bethlehem – and met Boaz, a kinsman-redeemer who married her and restored their family’s inheritance.
Why is Ruth mentioned in Jesus’s genealogy? Ruth’s story is one of God’s grace extending beyond Israel to include the nations. Her faith and devotion to God stand as a testament to His redeeming love. Her role as David’s great-grandmother and an ancestor of Jesus reminds us that God’s plan of salvation always included people from every nation.
The Wife of Uriah (vv. 6-7) … and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah….
The fourth woman is not named directly but is referred to as “the wife of Uriah” (v. 6). Her story is found in 2 Samuel 11:1-25. Her name was Bathsheba, and she was the wife of Uriah the Hittite, one of David’s mighty men. King David, in a moment of temptation and sin, saw Bathsheba bathing on her roof and had her brought to him so that he could sleep with her. She became pregnant, and David attempted to cover his sin by arranging Uriah’s murder. His actions were heinous, and the wages of his sin brought tragedy to his family and others.
Why is Bathsheba included in Jesus’s genealogy? The mention of her as “the wife of Uriah” highlights David’s sin and the brokenness of humanity. Jesus being a descendent of David and rightful king as his heir is meant to be a good and special thing, but “by the wife of Uriah” highlights David’s sin. Yet God’s promises are unshaken. Through Bathsheba came Solomon, the king who would build the temple, pointing forward to the great King, Jesus – who everyone, all who sin, need as Savior. That includes kings. Bathsheba’s inclusion reminds us of God’s power to bring beauty from ashes and fulfill His covenant despite human failure.
Mary (v. 16) …and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.
The fifth and final woman is Mary (v. 16). Her story is found in Luke 1:26-38 and Matthew 1:18-25. Mary was a young woman of humble means, betrothed (like engaged but more intentional and binding) to Joseph. When the angel Gabriel announced to her that she would conceive by the Holy Spirit, she responded in faith and submission: “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). The fact that she was a virgin fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14, demonstrating that Jesus’s conception was a miraculous act of God.
Why is Mary included in Jesus’s genealogy? Well, first how can one be born without a mother? God could have chosen to come and save in any way He wanted, but to come as the baby of a mother is one of the oldest promises in the Book. Genesis 3:15 promises victory of the “seed” of woman over the serpent, over Satan. Victory over our sin comes from her seed as well. Furthermore, Mary’s role here points to God’s grace. She bore the Savior of the world, yet she also needed Him as her Savior (Luke 1:47). Her inclusion highlights the miracle of the incarnation: God becoming flesh to dwell among us (John 1:14). Mary’s life, from the miraculous conception to standing at the foot of Jesus’s cross during his crucifixion (John 19:25), consistently points us to Jesus, to the Savior, and the fulfillment of God’s promises.
Wrapping Up
Why does the Bible recognize the sins and sinners in Jesus’s lineage? Simply put: because it all really happened. Sin happens. All people “have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). None of us – not a single person in the history or future of the world – deserve to be in Jesus’s family tree, not even the great King David. But faith in God, trusting in Him, His work, and His steadfast love, is woven through that lineage like a scarlet cord. Looking at the sin and faith in Jesus’s genealogy reminds us that none are worthy of saving. That’s why He came. Jesus Himself said He came to “seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10).
So, as you gather with family and friends and notice some rough-looking fruit in your family tree – or whether you notice the same by looking in your own mirror – realize that Jesus is more than the reason for the season. He’s more than a holiday. He’s the King. He’s the Savior. He’s the Christ. He is God. And He came to save sinners like me and you.
While Jesus is more than a holiday, He offers His salvation to us as a gift. There is no season like this one that highlights something important about gift giving: it’s no good if the gift is not received.
Won’t you receive Him?
The Bible tells us that “all who…receive Him,” who believe in His name, He gives “the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). The Bible also shows us what that belief looks like. In Romans 10:9, it says, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” This goes beyond mere words or understanding the concept of who He is – it’s giving Him your life, ceding control to Him as Lord and trusting that His death on the cross paid the penalty for your sin and His resurrection gives you eternal life in Him.
That’s good news.
That’s a wonderful gift, freely given but not cheap. Won’t you receive it – receive Him? Merry Christmas, dear Sojourner, and I pray that God blesses you and yours this season — not necessarily with the traditional holiday trappings but absolutely by seeing Him for who He is in your lives.
I’m thankful for the Father of Mercies and the God of All Comfort!
In 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Paul invited the church at Corinth (and us today) to praise God for who He is — the source of mercy and comfort. God, in His great love, shows compassion to us in our pain and suffering. He doesn’t stand far off or push us away but instead draws near, meeting us in our affliction with His presence, peace, and sustaining grace. Whether we face sorrow or loss, trials or tribulations, we can cling to the promise that the “God of all comfort” is with us, strengthening and reminding us that we are never alone.
But God’s comfort doesn’t end with only Him comforting us. Paul emphasized here that as we receive mercy and comfort from the Lord, we are called to extend it to others. God often works through His people, the Church, to show His love and care to those in need. When we have experienced God’s mercy, we are uniquely equipped to share it with others and minister to them. Our struggles and the comfort we received become tools in His hands, allowing us to walk alongside those who are hurting, offering hope and encouragement.
As His Church, we are His hands and feet, bringing His comfort and gospel to a broken and lost world. This is a beautiful picture of God’s redemption, even in the midst of our suffering. He uses the suffering and trials we experience to shape us, sanctify us, draw us closer to Him, and equip us to serve others for His glory.
Today, I am thankful for the mercy and comfort God has shown me, and I’m challenged to share that same mercy and comfort with those around me.
How can you reflect the heart of the “Father of Mercies” in someone’s life today? Consider those around you who are hurting and mourning as we enter the holiday season. Not everyone is ready or willing to be holly and jolly because or real hurts and hangups in their lives. Think of how Jesus has brought you through your own hurts and hangups and extend His love to others in the midst of theirs.
Lord, I thank you for being the Father of mercies and God of all comfort. Thank You for never leaving me alone when all the world has and adopting me into your family. There is nothing like the comfort of a loving Father, and I thank You for allowing your people to reflect that love and comfort to others. Help us to notice those who need to be comforted by You. Amen.
All through the month of November, our Christ Community Church family is focusing on what we are thankful for and expressing our thanks to our “great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us” (Titus 2:13-14).
This, like the #DailyWisdomChallenge we went through in October, is a challenge from our pastor John Goldwater — the #GRATITUDEandHOPEchallenge — where we have the opportunity to post Bible passages that move us to thanksgiving or in which we find hope. May this lead you to be grateful and find your hope in Jesus!
I’m thankful for salvation in Christ alone by grace alone through faith alone!
What makes grace so amazing? It’s that God saves us not because of who we are or what we’ve done but because of who He is. In our sin, we are spiritually dead, unable to save ourselves. But God, rich in His mercy and overflowing with His love, makes us alive through Jesus. Salvation is not something we can earn; it is a gift of God’s grace that must be received through faith in Jesus (alone).
This means that our works, our goodness, or even our religious or church activities cannot save us. No one can ever be good enough to meet God’s perfect standard (Romans 3:10, 23) but Jesus (1 John 2:1-2). He lived the sinless life we couldn’t live, died the death we deserved on the cross, and rose again to offer us new life. When we trust in Jesus — put our faith in Him believing that He is enough and that He died and rose again, we are forgiven, made alive, and welcomed into God’s family through adoption (John 1:12, Romans 10:9-10).
Faith is not about trying harder to fix ourselves but about turning to Jesus and trusting Him fully.
Grace means that God does what we cannot do. Jesus makes the dead alive, the lost found, and the broken whole. That’s good news!
Today, if you’ve not experienced this grace, I invite you to put your faith and trust in Jesus. if you’ve already trusted in Christ, let your heart overflow with thankfulness for the gift that you did not earn but He gave freely — salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone!
This is why I’m thankful, and this is why I have hope. What about you?
All through the month of November, our Christ Community Church family is focusing on what we are thankful for and expressing our thanks to our “great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us” (Titus 2:13-14).
This, like the #DailyWisdomChallenge we went through in October, is a challenge from our pastor John Goldwater — the #GRATITUDEandHOPEchallenge — where we have the opportunity to post Bible passages that move us to thanksgiving or in which we find hope. May this lead you to be grateful and find your hope in Jesus!
Just Keith Harris 