Christ Has Come – Week 1Episode Title: The Promised King & His Gift of Hope*Matthew 1:1–6, 16 In this Advent episode of the Refresh & Restore podcast, Keith Harris walks through Matthew’s genealogy and helps us see how God threads the gift of hope through the real, messy stories of Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba. These women—outsiders, sinners, the broken, and the overlooked—are intentionally highlighted in the lineage of Jesus to show that the promised King came for people just like them…and just like us. Together, we explore: Why Matthew includes four unexpected women in Jesus’s family line—and how their presence highlights God’s grace. The difference between vague, anxious human hope and solid, biblical hope rooted in the promises of God (Heb. 10:23). How God’s faithfulness shines through human sin and suffering, bringing His redemptive purposes to pass through Tamar’s tragedy, Rahab’s past, Ruth’s loss, and Bathsheba’s sorrow. How these stories point us to Jesus, the Redeemer who came into a broken world to save broken people (Luke 19:10). The invitation of Advent: to wait with expectation, rest in the faithfulness of Christ, and cling to the hope secured through His coming, His cross, and His promised return. This episode reminds us that Jesus didn’t avoid human brokenness—He entered it, redeeming every story touched by sin with His mercy, and offering real, lasting hope to all who call on Him (Rom. 10:9, 13). If you would like to see a written version of this study, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
