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Series:  The Characters of Christmas

Please turn with me to Matthew 1 - starting at verse 1.  Usually when we begin reading the account of Jesus’ birth we begin with the angel coming to Joseph or to Mary - “Don’t be afraid.  God is working.  Call the baby Jesus.”  Right?

Matthew doesn’t begin there.  Matthew begins with Jesus’ genealogy.  Which - as all of us know - genealogies are generally about as exciting as yesterday’s cold oatmeal.  “Arpachshad became the father of Abiasaph.  Abiasaph became the father of Uzziel.  Uzziel became the father of Bob”  and so on…  exciting stuff.

How many of you when you’ve been doing your one things - your devotions - reading through Scripture - have come to a genealogy and skipped through the names?  Be honest.  There’s a reason for that.  Right?  Can we all say, “Boring.”  Mispronouncing names of dead people is not exactly great devotional material.

If the Bible were one long genealogy - and we were speed-reading the Bible like we normally speed read genealogies - instead of taking a year - we could probably read through the whole Bible in about a week.  Maybe less.

But we believe in the truth of 2 Timothy 3:16.  Which says what?  “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness…”  Which includes the genealogies.

This morning we’re going to look at a passage that most of us have probably skipped over more than once - the genealogy of Jesus.

Look with me at Matthew 1:1:  “The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.”

We need to realize that Matthew starts with Jesus’ genealogy for a reason.  The prominence of these names here - coming first in Matthew’s account of Jesus’ birth - what to us may seem boring - was really of great importance to Matthew’s original readers.  In Jesus’ day our genealogy - family roots - were hugely important.

Which is kind of true for us today.  Where we’ve come from?  Which explains the existence of sites like ancestry.com. 

I have a friend who’s got a family tree on his wall showing how he’s related to the Pilgrims.  The average American has a 1 in 10 chance of being descended from a Mayflower Pilgrim.  Digging around you might find out you’re related to a Pilgrim.  Or maybe you’re related to royalty or a famous explorer or a pirate or horse thief or mass murderer.  Which is kind of a neat thing to know if you are. 

In Jesus’ days - how and where we fit into the nation of Israel was hugely important.  In Jesus’ day - in order to own land in Israel you had to be able to show public documents that proved you had genealogical right to a piece of the Promised Land.  Your pedigree could determine your military service or if you were connected to the royal house of David or show where you fit into the lineage of the Patriarch Abraham.

That’s important.  Certain privileges were reserved for certain tribes - descendants of Abraham.  For example - to be a priest you had to be of the tribe of Levi.  Which meant that you had Levi’s genes.   

Something else.  God’s people knew that the Messiah would come from the house and lineage of David.  Which is what Matthew claims for Jesus.  Its significant - in Scripture - even the worst of Jesus’ critics never questioned His descent from David.  Never argued with Him about it.  That Jesus descended from the house of David must have been a matter of public record.

The Gospel of Luke - the other place in Scripture where we have a list of Jesus’ genealogy - when Luke lists his genealogy of Jesus - Luke starts with Jesus and works backward to Adam - showing Jesus’ relationship to all mankind.  Matthew starts with Abraham the father of Israel - showing Jesus relationship to the Hebrews.  Luke focuses on Mary’s side of the family - showing Jesus’ blood line while focusing on the virgin birth.  Matthew focuses on Joseph - focusing on Jesus’ legal descent from the house of David.

Hold on to that.  Matthew’s genealogy is carefully constructed.  He’s made purposeful choices of who’s names to include and who’s names to exclude.  Matthew’s genealogy is about establishing the facts of where this baby born in Bethlehem fits within the historical record of God’s dealings with His people.  Jesus descendant of Abraham and David.  Jesus in the lineage from which God would bring the Messiah.

Between the lines of all that is the truth of Who God is.  Who this God is Who sends His Son - the Messiah - into the world and what all that means for us today.  The key to understanding that - to unlocking the between the lines part of Matthew’s genealogy is in verse 17.

Look with me there - verse 17:  So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.

A carefully constructed genealogy.  Between the lines of this genealogy is a compelling sketch of Who God is.  Compressed between verses 2 and 16 - in what is really three paragraphs or three sections of this genealogy - there is about 2,000 years of history - 2,000 years of God dealing with His people that give us a huge glimpse of Who God is and what all that means for us today.

Walk with me through this genealogy - starting at verse 2:  Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.  Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar.  Perez was the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram.  Ram was the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon.  Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab.  Boaz was the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed was the father of Jesse.  Jesse was the father of David the king. 

Let’s stop there.  Do some of those names sound familiar?  Section one begins with who?  Abraham.  And ends with who?  David.  Which is a great period of Israel’s history.

Think about what happens in those years.  The promises made to Abraham.  The forming of the nation.  Moses and the Exodus.  The conquest of the Promised Land.  The glorious reign of King David - the greatest king to rule over Israel.  These are the golden years in Hebrew history.

If we dig into this section - thinking about who God is - were going to see that God Is Love.  Let’s say that together, “God is love.”

What’s surprising in this section is the mention of three women.  Today we might say, “So what’s the big deal.  There ought to be more women listed here.”  Amen?

But when Matthew was writing it was very unusual to mention women in a genealogy.  If someone did mention women it was for the purpose of enhancing one’s reputation - the nobility and purity of one’s line.

If Matthew had followed culture he’d have mention some well respected women of the Old Testament like Sarah and Rebecca and Rachel - the wives of the Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  Maybe Esther.

But, who does Matthew list here?  Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth.  Two of these women aren’t even Jewish.  Rahab was a Gentile prostitute.  Ruth was a Moabite - meaning she was from a nation known for its immorality.  These women didn’t bring credibility.  If anything they contaminated the bloodline.

But, Matthew is teaching us about God who is love.  God’s love extends beyond the Hebrews.  Jesus is the Savior of all people.  Remember what God promised Abraham?  “All the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”  (Genesis 12:3b  NIV)  That’s true.  God isn’t a racist.

Remember the song?  “Red and yellow black and white.  All are - what?  Precious in His sight.”  That dates a few of us.  But its true.

Matthew is letting us know that the blood of these two Gentile mothers flowed through the blood of the Savior of the world - our Savior.  God not only shed His blood for the world.  He got His blood from the world.

Tamar tricked her father-in-law Judah - into having a child by her - how?  By disguising herself as a prostitute.  Which says a lot about Judah as well as Tamar.  Rahab didn’t disguise herself as a prostitute.  She was a prostitute.  Ran a brothel.

We’re getting ahead of ourselves a bit.  But in verse 6 Matthew refers to another woman.  Do you see her?  Bathsheba.  The NASB includes her name.  The NIV and other translations don’t.  In the original Greek Matthew doesn’t even mention her name.  The Greek reads, “David was the father of Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah.”  1,000 years later and Bathsheba still isn’t David’s wife.

What would that have been like to step out of the bath and have soldiers show up to your door:  “The king requests your presence.”  Was Bathsheba a willing participant or rape victim?

A college prof of mine referred to this as “The case of the missing shower curtain.”  There’s a cloud of mystery hanging over Bathsheba.  Wife of Uriah.  The distant grandmother of Jesus.

These women - Tamar, Rahab, and Bathsheba are not exactly role models we talk about in Sunday School - or Ruth the Moabitess - at least not to the full extent of their background.  Its like Matthew scoured the lineage of Jesus trying to find the seediest women he could find.

Anyone here have a few skeletons in their closet?  In your family?  Some issues floating around the family that - when we’re getting together for our family celebrations this next week - everyone knows is there - but we don’t talk about that.

Maybe you’ve got a few skeletons in your own life that you’re hoping nobody will find out about.  You’re hoping they’re well hidden.

We didn’t pick our families.  But God picked this one.  God uses stained and soiled - but repentant sinners - in order to bring us the Messiah.  That should tell us something about God who is love.

Matthew is showing us that God’s love is a whole lot larger than the crud in Israel’s history - a whole lot larger than your sin or my sin. God is loving towards us even while we’re still sinners - still messed up by sin.  Jesus born in Bethlehem into this really messed up family with scoundrels and saints - Jesus came and died for us.  God’s love embraces us even with our sinfulness. 

If God can be loving to a Tamar or a Rahab or a Ruth or a Bathsheba - it doesn’t matter what our background - God’s love extends to you.  This morning God desires for you to know His love.

At the beginning of the second section - paragraph two - at verse 6 Israel is basking in the golden age of Hebrew history.  David is the king.  Things cannot get any better.  And they don’t.  It all comes apart.  The kingdom crumbles.  Fourteen generations upward to the golden age.  And now fourteen generations in a downhill slide.

Look with me at verse 6:  David was the father of Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah.  Solomon was the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa.  Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah.  Uzziah was the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.  Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, and Amon the father of Josiah.  Josiah became the father of Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

Verses 6 to 11 are a descent into a dark period of Israel’s history that ends with God’s people being conquered and hauled off - out of the Promised Land - off to captivity and exile in Babylon.  What we see here is that God Is Just.  Let’s say that together, “God is just.”

Beginning with David who at the height of God’s blessing commits adultery with Bathsheba and orders the murder of her husband to cover up his sin - the names Matthew lists here represent the kings who succeeded David.  They represent a period of great national unfaithfulness to God.

Reading the Old Testament - the historical accounts of these kings - over and over again we see that their hearts weren’t fully devoted to God.  Some of these kings had some bright spots - occasional periods of turning to God - but the slide is downward.  They worshipped false Gods - engaged in gross immorality - abused the poor for their own selfish gain.    As the kings go so goes the nation.  Things just go from bad to worse to ugly.

The whole time God is sending His prophets to the people.  The prophets are saying, “Turn back to God.”  They’re warning God’s people, “If you don’t turn back God is going to judge us and its not going to go well with us.”

God’s people are rejecting God’s prophets.  They’re listening to prophets that are telling them what’s PC - what they want to hear.  Whatever justifies their right to sin.  “Why would God judge us?  We’re His chosen people.  We’re doing sacrifices at the Temple.  God has to bless us.”

Ever heard this?  “God bless America.”  Look at all the good we’re doing.  We are so self-righteous.  So self-deluded.  With all the immorality of this nation - with our outright rejection of God - why should God bless America?  Why shouldn’t He bring down His judgment on us?

It is so easy to mistake God’s His love and His mercy for indulgence.  But, God is serious about sin.  God doesn’t take our sin and our unfaithfulness lightly.

Reading through the prophets of the Old Testament there’s a record there of God fighting for His people - yearning for His people to repent - longing for His people to return to Him.  God fights against us and for us - as we’re rebelling against Him - pursing our way to Hell.  But there comes a point where God releases us to the intent of our will - where God says, “Have it your way.”

That’s what Matthew record here.  In 722 BC the Assyrians came and hauled Israel - the northern kingdom of God’s people - hauled off Israel into exile.  In 586 - the Babylonians conquered Judah - the southern kingdom - sacked Jerusalem - burned it and the temple to the ground - hauled off anything worth hauling off - hauled God’s people off into exile.   All of which was allowed by God as an act of judgment against the sin of His people.

Remember Hebrews 12?  What we looked at just a few months ago?  “And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as His children?  He said, ‘My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when He corrects you.  For the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes each one He accepts as His child.’  As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as His own children.  Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father?  No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening - it’s painful!  But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.”  (Hebrews 12:5-7,11 NLT)

The counter balance of God’s love is His justice.  The boundaries He sets.  The discipline He gives.  Because He knows the horrendous self-destructive consequences of our sin - and His desire is to turn us back to Him. 

We’ve talked about God’s love and mercy.  But we need to hang on to that God takes sin seriously.  Maybe this morning you may be experiencing God’s judgment in your life.  Or God speaking to you about crud in your life - sin - where you’re living your own way.  Maybe you’re trying to do the Christian thing - Sunday’s at church acting Christian -  and yet you’re serving other God’s.  Maybe God only has part of your heart.  That’s a struggle for a lot of us.

God is longing for you to return to Him in repentance.  To give your whole life to Him.

The third section reminds us that God Is Faithful.  Let’s say that together, “God is faithful.”

Look with me at verse 12:  After the deportation to Babylon:  Jeconiah became the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel. 

Zerubbabel led the first return from exile.  In 536 BC - under a decree from Cyrus - Zerubbabel and about 50,000 others returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple.  This is all about God who is faithful.  God being faithful to His promise to return His people to the land.  God delivering and restoring His people.
 

Verse 13:  Zerubbabel was the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor.  Azor was the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud.  Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob.  Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.

There are 57 relatives in this genealogy - verses 2 to 16.  57 relatives either listed here or implied - like the brothers of Judah - 11 of them.  One thing they all have in common is that they were all waiting.

Remember God’s promise given to Abraham:  “All the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”  (Genesis 12:3b  NIV)  God promised David, “I will establish your seed forever and build up your throne to all generations.”  (Psalm 89:4).     

God’s people waited.  Still no Messiah.

Ever been there?  Why isn’t God doing something?  Maybe this morning you’re waiting for God to do something.  To step into a situation - to act with His power in a situation of pain or sorrow or some ongoing struggle.  Maybe something to do with finances or work or what’s going on in your family.  We get tired of waiting.  Ever ask, “God.  How long is this going to go on?  Why don’t you do something?”

Generation after generation God’s people waited.

A person could almost be lulled to sleep reading through the genealogy and we just might miss this.  So and so was the father of so and so...  Verse 16 - Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.

Jesus is Mary’s son.  He’s not Joseph’s son - by lineage yes.  By blood no.  He’s God’s Son. 

When the Messiah - Jesus - was born He was the descendant of King David.  Jesus had the right genes.  Both humanly and heavenly.  He’s the Son of Man - David - and the Son of God.  God didn’t forget His promise.  God remained faithful  Jesus came just as God promised.

Gabriel tells Mary “Do not be afraid for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David - do you hear genealogy in that?  and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”  (Luke 1:30-32)

Can you imagine Mary?  The song that Lizzy sang:  “I wonder what I’ve done… You’ve come and chosen me to carry your son…”  (Breath of Heaven - Amy Grant)

“Are you sure you got the right girl?”  That’s just a tad overwhelming.  Isn’t it?

God places Mary into the genealogy of Jesus.  The incredible reality is that each of us can enter into this genealogy.  In the past our relationship to Abraham was what was crucial.  Now what matters is our relationship to Jesus Christ.

Maybe in saying that maybe you might feel like God’s made some kind of mistake.  How could we ever fit into a genealogy like this one?  But then again - how does anyone ever fit into a genealogy like this unless its God who puts us there.

The Apostle John writes:  “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God.  Even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”  (John 1:12,13)

We don’t receive forgiveness of sin and life with God for now and forever because of our genes - because of our bloodline.  But, by faith in Jesus Christ, God makes us to be His child.  57 relatives and counting. 

Let me share three truths that are worth hanging on to.

First:  God is love. 

It doesn’t matter how much we’ve messed up in our life.  God is gracious and merciful and loving.  And He loves you.  He’s created you with purpose and value.  He desires to have a relationship with you. 

Second:  God judges sin.

Romans 6:23 says what?  “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Our sin separates us from God.  Sin is self-destructive.  Don’t be complacent about sin.  God isn’t.  God deals with sin and God offers us life in His Son Jesus.

Third:  God is faithful.

When we trust God with our lives God will never forget us.  He will fulfill His promise to us.  He will be with us now and forever.

_________________________

Adapted from a message by Dr. Vic Pentz,  “Levi’s Genes”,  1989

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE ®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation.  Used by permission.