Who is Jesus? Jesus is the Son of Solomon based on Matthew 1:6

I. Who is Jesus? Read Matthew 1:5-6 “Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah”

II. Beginning is easy as pie, but finishing is tough as nails. These are all things Americans begin and have trouble finishing. Diets, Exercise plans, Saving money, College degrees, and Cleaning a room, a basement or a garage. Here are the rankings: 1-Exercise plans, 2-Diets, 3-Cleaning a room, a basement or a garage, 4-Saving money, and 5-College degrees. Here is another list. These are things Christians begin and often fail to finish. 1-Reading the entire Bible, 2-Praying for people, 3-Giving up a compromising habit, 4-Letting go of a grudge, and 5-Becoming financially generous.

III. Being a king seemed easy to Solomon (1 Kings 3 account of two women and one living son).

IV. Solomon’s 3000 proverbs and 1000 songs and 1 Kings 4:25. The result was 1 Kings 4:25: “From Dan to Beersheba, Judah and Israel lived in safety, each man under his own vine and fig tree.”

V. First ten chapters of 1 Kings and then read 1 Kings 11:3-4. For the first ten chapters of 1 Kings in the Old Testament Solomon seemed to do no wrong. 1 Kings 11:3 tells us, “Solomon had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray.” 1 Kings 11:4 states, “For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.”

VI. We sometimes begin easy as pie and have trouble finishing things.

VII. Read Matthew 12:42 and comment on Jesus, the son of Solomon, who finished strong. Matthew 12:42 “One greater than Solomon is here.”

VIII. If the life of Solomon shows that beginning things is easy as pie, then the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus shows though finishing things is tough as nails, He finished for us. Read Hebrews 12:1-2 and comment on Moses, Joshua, and Paul. Read Deuteronomy 34:7, Joshua 24:15, 2 Corinthians 11:24-25, 2 Timothy 4:7. Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us, “1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the (Beginner and Finisher)of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Deuteronomy 34:7 states, “Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone.” Joshua 24:15, “Chose this day whom you will serve … As for me and my house we will serve the LORD.” “Five times I received from the Jews forty lashes minus one, three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea.” (2 Corinthians 11:24–25) Paul finished strong. In 2 Timothy 4:7 he said, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.”

IX. Finishing strong and Philippians 1:6. And here is what Christians can count on, “He who began a good work in you, will (finish that good work) on the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6) Amen.