A Story of Shame
Advent is a season of waiting. We wait for the promised King, for hope in the darkness, for God to come and make all things new. And as we trace the story of Jesus’ family tree in our Roots to Rooftop series, we discover that God’s plan often unfolds through messy, unexpected, and even shame-filled lives.
Last week, we saw how God welcomed outsiders into His promise—foreigners like Rahab and Ruth, people the world overlooked. From all nations and for all nations, God’s promise reaches far beyond what we might expect. (Listen or watch now!) But God doesn’t stop there.
This week, we step into a story of shame.
The genealogy of Jesus doesn’t hide the messy parts of life. It includes people marked by failure, scandal, and sin—Judah and Tamar, David, Rahab, and even entire exiled communities. These are not minor footnotes; they are branches that carry the weight of real shame.
And this is not just their story—it’s ours. We know what it’s like to want to hide, to fear being fully known. We are often remembered for our mistakes, our sins, or the shameful things we’ve done—whether long ago or just yesterday.
But here’s the hope of Advent: in Jesus, God doesn’t just come near to us. He associates with our shame, takes it upon Himself, and transforms it. He makes our shame His own. And in exchange, He gives us His glory. Every broken, overlooked, or shame-filled part of our lives is woven into God’s story of redemption. Every regret or failure becomes a branch through which His promise grows.
From this line, God promises David an eternal kingdom—a promise that reaches all the way to us. What is broken is honored. What is hidden is revealed in light. What is shameful is replaced by glory.
As we journey toward the celebration of Christ’s birth, let this story encourage you: God’s plan is bigger than our failures. His grace is wider than our shame. His glory shines even in the places we least expect—and He invites us to step into that story.
This is our story too. He wraps us up into His story.
Come this Sunday to explore how God works through unexpected people, through our mess and shame, to bring His promise to the world—and to you.