Matthew 1:16-17 ~ Generations

Matthew 1:16-17

16 and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. 17 So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.

The Generation Gap

Why 14 Generations. This is about 500 years.

Have we ever seen so many Generations with so many advances and so many differences?

My grandmother Anita (1898-1992) rode to visit her beloved grandmother (who adored the 6 boys and 6 girls) in two covered wagons.  Later in the 1930s, getting from Dallas to Richardson, Louisiana took 3 days or more. Car travel depended on the rain levels, which were unpublished in a readily available form, to the dirt roads and the lack of bridges - the family would search the creeks for a place to drive the car across. Frequently the visit would last for the summer. Only the men holding jobs went home.

My great-grandmother lived to be a 100 years old and for 62 years, until she died, her local family got together 6 days a week at her home to prepare for two hours the main meal - lunch for 12 or more people. Lavish homegrown vegetables and all the ladies cooked. The men arrived from work and lunched with the family. Great Grandmother Leota had 3 children in her forties. Ending only when my great-grandfather died of pneumonia. These 3 children lived to be about 94 years old.

Something to live for - like love - makes a long, sturdy life.

Grandmother saw the moonwalk and amazing things happen.

So what perils do we face today?

With the Church declining 2% annually, we find millennials who do not know who Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are. Football and the NFL are declining at 8% audience loss a year. We observe the realism of people who adore football being hurt things change. Old football players are astonished at the decline of football. Social media reflects the change in life no one expected here. We see generational change.

Our grandparents and parents knew the perils of communism, socialism - rising to dictators, World War II and the unusual characteristics of loud, angry political battles with questionable news.

What has caused the new millennials without housing and in rental housing to be so interested in Socialism and lacking Church? 1 Debt. 2 Divorce.  3 Despair as realism. Millennials doubt they will be deed holders. In First Century Rome, Augustus Caesar made all types of marriage easy (slaves, non-sharing of wealth marriages, children in marriage - all types). The family and stable careers and inheritances - were a thing of the past. Leading to despair increasing crime and almost destroying Roman trade - the foundation of the Empire.


We are so ambivalent to college costs. The Debt is driving the younger generation to despair. When we listen and care about the next generations coming up, there are conversations to continue with compassion. We need to make them a priority. When we talk to the rental generation with 2 sets of college debts, they don't even recognize our generations had financial despair. This generation says the upper two generations horde wealth. There is a conversation here to have about medical bills as we age.


There are real gaps.

Conversations to have.

The youngest generation uses the morning after pill more routinely, as monthly birth control, than we know or acknowledge. This could be entirely a lack of communication. Asking young person to young person about birth control. Popular forums. Health care isn't affordable for our youngest adults readily. This is a poverty we should put in our prayer efforts.

Why? This Monthly Morning After Pill, very frankly, is a BAD IDEA. Why? It's not effective. Sure it is. No. Really. This morning after pill will give a hormone alteration to the chemical pregnancy tests. It alters the necessary pregnancy hormones, but this is not a life ending event unless the square peg hits the square. At four months, there are women who are utterly astonished. And frightened to death this Baby knows it was harmed, might be harmed - all combined with major parental guilt. In fact, there are major new companies formed to chemically undue a morning-after pill. And these companies deal with women with four-month  pregnancies, making these second-trimester pregnancies.

This is hyped as less expensive than the birth control pill. Giving argument the Pill is just the same. Actually the Pill puts out hormones telling the sperm not to create life. The Morning After Pill tries to end life already created. Ineffectively.

The old-fashioned, not chemical, abortionists petition for funds saying this is what 'the poor' need. In all generations, the birth-giving-age is the most impoverished. But we are living a gap now.

Know the Scriptures, Know the Power of God.

What about Jesus? In the Scriptures, we know Jesus arrived to an impoverished, unwed mother. And very apparently, this young family married (USA Marriages are back on the rise and with birth after the marriage) and began to do very well in the community.

What is our model here? Still Matthew 1, the First Chapter of the New Testament.

Joseph invested in what God would want of him. He took Mary away from the family she left for 3 months 'in great haste'. He walked beside her to make life within the laws of government. He did all he could to care for her health care. He was available for her. And he lived life with - purity. And with a dedication to his family. He made sure he took care of his family Spiritually - right away. Joseph practiced hospitality in a stable to unknown shepherds. Joseph gave - tenderly.

When we find Father God's Scriptures reveal the Power of Scripture and are living and active - God warms our hearts. Matthew 1 isn't just the Christmas Story. Matthew 1 is about generational gaps and solutions. Tender loving care. Walking together, walking with the tenderness of Jesus.





Abba, Heavenly Father,

Real life is the mending of fences. It's not Republican or Democrat. The folding up of labels. This is the warm hand of you are you and I am me. We are the People of God. Eyebrows, elbows, ankles knees and toes. Here we go.

The Body of Christ is united. We want more Heaven on earth. We want Jesus.

We want our troubles and conflicts to be genuine and to have God pulling us up up and away. Jesus told us to Rise.

Father God, Let us not find our life conflicts to eat up our compassion. There is so much discord, disagreement, dastardliness in the world. Don't let the disagreements of life cause failing to love hearts. We want Your help to fight the Good Fight!!!
Warm hearts to love. Let the consuming fire of God be my heart working in love to the end when my Father calls me to His Home.

Let the well done of God's Child in my life be forgiveness, mercy, grace, bravery, integrity, humor and above all compassion. Help me to stand for right and help me have more skill in this life for this work.

In a Word - JESUS. Let Jesus cover, fall, raise my Loved ones. My cares and prayers. My work of Father God and my life. For my Nation trusting in God. For all of His people. For all the nations trusting in God. Let God be our Love and Hope.

In the Powerful Name of Jesus. Amen and Amen and Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †