Who's Your Daddy?

I used to play fantasy football.

I was good at it, too. I studied hard. I drafted well. I released and picked up players at the right time off the waiver wire. I usually won my division. I never missed the playoffs. AND, I could talk good smack on my weekly opponent and back it up by pounding them down week after week.

One exception. 'Who's Your Daddy' was the 'crem de la crem' in my Fantasy Football League.

The 'owner' of 'Who's Your Daddy' was a friend who prided himself as the King of Smack atop of the heap of trash talkers. He spared no one with his ruthless, cut to the quick, intimidating assaults, and could back up every word each Monday night when the final player and team stats were posted. 'Who's Your Daddy' left no prisoners as 'Da Man', with the rest of us being nothing more than 'wannabe's'.

By the way, who is your 'Daddy'? What do you know about him? What does it mean to you to be the next generation child of your human father? How important is that single relationship to you? Do you yearn for more from your 'Daddy'? Was he aloof or engaged? Hidden or authentic? Sincere or manipulative? Was he invested in you? Did he teach you about life? Was he around for your games, and did he hold your head to his chest when you were heartbroken? Did he affirm you when you were weak, stand up for you when you were attacked, wait up for you when you were late, and teach you by an example that made his words credible?

"A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham." Matthew 1:1

What a confusing introduction to the New Testament! Whose 'son' was Jesus? 14 generations removed from King David and still his 'son'? Thousands of years since the days of Abraham and yet his 'son'? What is that all about? Why should you care? You may have even heard or read that Jesus was the 'Son of God'. How does that fit in the mix?

Literally, this verse can be read; "A record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah..." Those three words capsule the meaning of the entire New Testament, and fulfill the descriptions of His Sonship(s). 'Son of David' is a description of His fulfillment as King of all (including your heart) and 'Son of Abraham' is the covenant designation given only to Jesus as the fulfillment of the redemptive promises of God (including forgiveness for your sins). In one sweeping sentence, the God of the Bible reveals that His Son is the promised Deliverer, sent on mission to set free those mired in the reality of sin and desperate for timely and timeless hope.

When Joseph was confused, wounded and angry that the woman to whom he was engaged was expecting, the Heavenly Father stepped in with the message, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit, (Matthew 1:20). No human father would qualify Jesus as the fulfillment of prophecy and history. The Heavenly Father would dispatch His only begotten to return to each of us the glory that had been stolen in the Garden of Paradise by sin. His coming trumped sin and triumphed over hopelessness.

From time to time, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased" would be heard from the heavens affirming to Jesus His Father's loving approval and confirming to those who heard the reality of Who exactly they were being taught and healed by. Jesus never doubted whose Son he was. Here's the kicker...YOU can be adopted into His family! As you continue reading your New Testament for the upcoming 63 days, this incredible fact will become absolutely crystal clear. So, keep reading!

Today...read Matthew 1-2 and Acts 1-3. This is your first step to real and lasting transformation!

"Sons of Thunder" was the name of my fantasy football team. I named my team after the beach side bad boys of the New Testament as I thought they must have earned that name...or been born to a powerful man of strength and persuasion. They retired that name to take up the name, 'Apostle' instead. Rather than being known for their brute, they chose instead to hang out with the Messiah. Now that is transformation of the kind you and I still read about and are impacted by to this very moment.

That's not trash talking...that's just a fact!