And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah.

Matthew doesn't hide it. Right there in the family tree of Jesus, he writes that Solomon was born to David "by the wife of Uriah." That phrase is loaded with weight. It points directly to one of the darkest chapters in the Bible.

So here's the story. David was king. He had power, influence, and authority. One evening he saw Bathsheba bathing and he wanted her. Never mind that she was married to one of his most loyal soldiers. Never mind that he already had wives. David took what he wanted because he could.

When Bathsheba became pregnant, David panicked. He called her husband Uriah home from battle, hoping Uriah would sleep with his wife and cover up the mess. But Uriah was a man of incredible integrity. Even when David got him drunk, Uriah refused to enjoy the comforts of home while his fellow soldiers slept in fields. Can I just say that Uriah had more integrity drunk than David had sober?

So David did the unthinkable. He sent Uriah back to the front lines with a sealed letter that ordered his own death. Murder by memo. And it worked. Uriah died in battle, and David took Bathsheba as his wife.

Here's what I need you to know: that man is in the family tree of Jesus.

In that ancient world, your ancestors defined you. David's adultery and murder stained the family line forever. Yet God didn't start over. He didn't find a cleaner family. He kept weaving the story right through David's greatest failure.

Why? Because grace is not about pretending the past didn't happen. Grace is about redemption in spite of the past.

David eventually confessed his sin. Psalm 51 records his broken prayer of repentance. He didn't make excuses. He didn't blame Bathsheba. He owned his failure and threw himself on the mercy of God. And God, in His incredible love, forgave him completely.

Now think about your own family for a moment. Maybe there's a David in your family tree. Maybe you are the David. Maybe you've done something so dark, so shameful, that you've convinced yourself there's no coming back from it.

But the gospel says otherwise.

The world tells you that your history disqualifies you. The gospel tells you that your history qualifies you for grace. Just like David, if you're willing to confess and repent, Jesus will write you into His story.

Christmas is about second chances. It always has been. Tomorrow we'll look at Abraham and discover that even those who compromise can find their way back to faith.

What sin have you been carrying that you've believed is too big for God to forgive?

Read Psalm 51 today. Let David's prayer of confession become your own. Write down the sin you've been hiding and then physically tear up that paper as a symbol of God's complete forgiveness.