- Mt 1:1-25
- are you spiritually ready for Christmas?
- the spiritual aspect of Christmas is the most important reason for the season, rather than “giving”, “gifts” and other physical aspects
- the genealogy of Christ is important
- it intends to get us ready for every Christmas
Getting ready for Christmas requires us to…
- Recognize the basics of Christmas (v1, 17)
- very specific points of human history
- genealogy always used to establish rank, status, nobility
- v17: chunks of 14 generations
- not intended to be comprehensive genealogy; a highly selective genealogy shown…
- designed by God to highlight David and Abraham
- why the need to link to David and Abraham?
- 2 promises, which were made to each of them:
- Abraham in Genesis 12
- while he was a pagan, and everything was broken
- Abrahamic covenant Gen 12:1-3
- “Through you, all the world will be blessed by Me”
- alluding to Jesus
- Gal 3:8
- David in 2 Sam 7:12-13
- usher in an everlasting kingdom, which would be after David’s time
- Jesus must be of the kingly bloodline
- Abraham never saw the fulfillment of God’s promise to him, and neither did David
- When God makes a promise, He will never break it. He will keep it and fulfill it at His perfect and right time
- Abraham in Genesis 12
- 2 promises, which were made to each of them:
- very specific points of human history
- Reflect on the High Priest of Christmas (v2-16)
- Why 14 generations between?
- to be easily memorized and meditated upon
- The shocking thing is the people left in Jesus’ genealogy, rather than removed/hidden
- The Jews, and even some pagans, reading His genealogy would laugh and know of the stories and issues
- Jewish and Greek culture focused on patriarchal bloodlines, so why are 4 women highlighted?
- v3: Tamar
- A Canaanite, who became a child-less widow twice, because God struck down her evil husbands
- Judah would not marry her and fulfill the promise
- Ended up dressing up as prostitute and got propositioned by Judah, receiving his signet ring and staff, which she presents to him when he tries to condemn her to death for adultery
- Both Tamar and Judah should be condemned for adultery and sin, yet both are kept in genealogy
- v5: Rahab
- Also a Canaanite; possibly cult prostitute
- heralded in hall of fame of faith Heb 11
- Ruth
- Gentile; no business whatsoever marrying a Jew
- More specifically, a Moabite…
- 1st child of incestuous lineage of Lot is Moab
- Deut 23:3-5
- Moabites were excluded and cursed for not giving food and drink to Israelites wen in Egypt
- she already returned to Israel with Naomi as an outcast
- Gentile; no business whatsoever marrying a Jew
- v9: The Wife of Uriah
- Bathsheba
- perpetual reminder of the sin committed by David
- Also, Uriah was a Hitite (i.e. not a Jew) and therefore his wife was probably a pagan
- both Bathsheba and David sinned in a reciprocal massive way
- v3: Tamar
- hardly one person who was completely righteous
- is this a criminal lineup, or a genealogy???
- we can see the devastation and sin to affect our hearts
- even bigger proof and legitimacy
- even bigger scandal of the birth of Jesus
- Why 14 generations between?
- Rejoice in the blessing of Christmas (v18-21)
- prepare our hearts
- reveals who the baby really is
- why inform us of the poor lineage?
- 1 Tim 1:15
- came into world to save the sinners
- did Matthew reflect upon Jesus coming up to him as he was writing this?
- this list reflects the damaged goods that we all are
- more grace in the heart of God than any of us could ever have
- Gal 3:28-29
- salvation for all; if you are a Christian, you are a child of Abraham
- the list demonstrates how everyone can be used by God for His glory despite their brokenness, through their completeness in Christ
- you have unearned righteousness in Christ
- is your heart rejoicing from the truth of Jesus?