Luke 3:23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli
A hundred years ago people used to boast that their family extended all the way back to those who came off of the Mayflower. People would say, “My great, great, great, great, great grandfather came off the Mayflower. That was a point of pride. Will Rogers was a cowboy and entertainer, first in Vaudeville and later in film many years ago. He was a Cherokee from Oklahoma. Will Rogers used to say, “My family didn’t come on the Mayflower. They were the ones who met the Pilgrims when they landed.” So, I don’t know how far back your genealogy goes and how far back you trace it, but genealogies are actually quite important in the Bible.
It is easy for us to gloss over and lose interest when we get to genealogies, but they are in the Bible for a reason. There is also a reason that the last genealogy you find in the Bible is found in Luke 3, and it is there as the genealogy of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Luke 3:23 it says, “And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli…” and on it goes. It is worthy of note that the Bible says, “(As was supposed),” because in truth, Jesus was not the Son of Joseph. He is the Son of God.
There is a reason this is the last genealogy in the Bible. It is because all the genealogies in the Bible find their apex in the Lord Jesus Christ. The last verse of chapter 3 and this genealogy says, “Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.” Now, Adam was not the son of God the way Jesus Christ was the son of God. The Bible says in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.” So, this is the only Son that God begat. Jesus is not connected to God through Adam; He is directly connected to God as God the Son.
Now, we are connected to God only through Jesus. In verse 8 there were those who were religious and were very proud of their genealogy, their Jewish heritage. John the Baptist said to them, “Don’t even think about saying, ‘Well, we have Abraham as our father,’ because God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.” They were proud of their genealogy and thought that gave them some favor with God, yet not long after a voice came from Heaven that said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Jesus is God’s only begotten Son. He is the Son of God, but He is also the Son of man.
It is interesting to think that it is quite possible that Joseph might have descendants still on this planet. They probably don‘t even know it, but the important thing to know is that you are a child of God by faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus, not your religion, is your only connection to God. The people to whom John the Baptist spoke in preparing the way of the Lord were religious people, but many of them rejected God the Son. Your religion cannot bring you peace with God the Father if you don’t do right by His Son the Lord Jesus.
Our connection to God is not our family. Most people today probably don’t care much about their genealogy, but there have been times when people were very concerned about that, like in Jesus’ day. Your family is not what gives you a connection to God.
Sometimes we think about history. What would so and so do if they were in my shoes? I have often done that, but the truth is, our connection with God is not through history. It is with God Himself in real time. So, I may not always know what some historical figure would do if they were in my shoes, but I can know what God would have me to do. I can look at what Jesus did do in His earthly ministry and pattern my actions, attitudes, and life after Him today.
So, regardless of your genealogy, your religious background, or your history, Jesus is your only connection to God.