Throughout the Bible at various places we find genealogies. These are not there by accident. Many things can be learned from an in-depth study of these passages. So, don’t avoid them, even though the names may be hard to pronounce. An infinite God declares Himself to us in a finite number of pages in the Bible. That should tell us one thing for sure—each one of those pages is important.
The Object
Placard Signs As Follows: Standing Ovation Cheers Applause Boo Hiss Huh? Hmmmmm Moan
This is designed for audience participation, and may not always be a lesson in and of itself, but rather and introduction activity. As the genealogy is read, pause appropriately and hold up the corresponding sign as an audience cue. The yellow highlighted words correspond to the appropriate cue card. This is roughly a reading of Matthew 1, but with a few phrases added in to help clarify the person’s character.
The Lesson
A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ (standing O, cheers) the son of David (applause), the son of Abraham (cheer). Abraham was the father of Isaac (applause), the father of Jacob who stole his brother’s birthright (boo), and Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers who sold Joseph into slavery (hiss). And Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (huh) by Tamar (hmmm), and Perez was the father of Hezron and Hezron was the father of Ram and Ram was the father of Aminidab (huh). And Aminidab the father of Nahshon the father of Salmon who was the father of Boaz by Rahab (cheer) who used to be a prostitute (boo), and Boaz (applause) was the father of Obed by Ruth (cheer and applause). And Obed was the father of Jesse the father of David the King (cheer). And David was the father of Solomon (applause) by the wife of Uriah whom he had murdered (hiss). Solomon was the father or Rehoboam who was a good king (cheer) but abandoned God’s ways for years (boo), and Rehoboam was the father of Abijah (applause) who had 14 wives (boo), and Abijah was the father of Asa (applause) who did not walking in the way of the Lord at the end of his life (boo) and died of gangrene in his feet (moan). And Asa was the father of Jehosaphat (applause) who ruled wisely most of the time (hmmm). Jehosaphat was the father of Joram who was the father of Uzziah whose pride brought about his fall (boo). But Uzziah was the father of Jotham (applause) a very good king in every way (cheer), who was the father of king Ahaz, a bad king in every way (boo). And Ahaz was the father of Hezekiah who cleansed the temple and the kingdom (cheer and applause). Hezekiah was the father of Mannaseh (boo) who ruled almost his whole life as an evil king (hiss and boo) and Mannaseh was the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the deportation to Babylon (moan). After the deportation to Babylon, Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel who was he father of Zerrubabel, a governor of the people and chosen by God (applause). And Zerrubabel was the father of Abuid (huh), and Abuid was the father of Eliakim (huh), who was the father of Azor (huh), who was the father of Zadok (huh), who was the father of Akim (huh). Who was the father Eliud (huh), the father of Eleazar (huh), the father of Mattan (huh), the father of Jacob (huh) the father of Joseph (applause), who was the husband of Mary (cheer) of whom was born Jesus the Christ (standing O and cheers).