A Royal Line

I've known a few families in my day that were around my high school, college, or city that were large and had a last name with weighty reputation. Often times the weight of their last name came because of their athletics, their entrepreneurship, or simply because of their faith.

When we begin to remember the birth of Jesus, we remember the weight of the line that he is coming from.

Mary is a cousin to Elizabeth (married to a priest/Levite).

Joseph is a direct descendant of the house and line of King David.

While the Christmas story reminds us of some of their financial plight, we should also be reminded in the Advent season that Jesus comes from a line of folks with strong reputations (even though the virgin pregnancy makes it a little shaky for a bit).

When we consider Advent we are reminded that not only is Christ born into a royal kingly/priestly line, but we also because of Christ are adopted into this line.

Jesus says that through obedience we are His brothers and sisters.

Paul says through we are grafted into the tree + have become co-heirs.

Peter says that we are now a royal priesthood.

Advent not only reminds us of the line/family/house that Jesus is born into, but it also reminds us of the line/family/house we have been adopted into because of Christ.

Advent.

The arrival of Christ and the genesis of a new family of faith.