Luke 3:23 (ESV)
Jesus, when he began his
ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of
Joseph, the son of Heli,
This begins Luke’s record of Jesus’
genealogy tracing all the way back to Adam who was created by God. The Bible
Knowledge Commentary observes,
[Luke] related Jesus not only back
to Abraham but all the way back to Adam and to God. This is an indication of
the universal offer of salvation, which is common to his Gospel—Jesus came to
save all people—Gentiles as well as the nation of Israel.
There is no white Jesus, black
Jesus, brown Jesus. There is only Jesus the Son of God who came as a Jewish
man. He started his ministry at “about thirty years of age.” But he came for
every tribe, tongue, and nation. It concerns me that we often champion
missionaries sent to far away places to reach people with the gospel, yet if we
lived across the street from those same people, we would have nothing to do
with them because they are different from us.
I have to be honest. There are
some people that I find harder to connect with than others. Their homes are
different than mine. Their diet is different than mine. Their customs are
different than mine. They look different than I do. Their politics differ from mine.
But I must never forget that my goal is not to help them look, smell, act, and
think like me. My goal is to represent Jesus well to them because he came for
them too.
Father, help me look past their differences
and see them as men, women, and children created in your image. Help me love
them as you love them. Help me represent you well before them. May they see
Jesus in me and be drawn to you.
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