“The Essential Credential”
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Good morning. If you have your Bibles turn with me to Luke Chapter 3. Today we are going to finish chapter 3. Next week we will begin our Summer Series as we look into the wise sayings and practical wisdom of Proverbs. We hope you will join us for this exciting journey.
This morning we come to the genealogy of Christ. I remember a time in my life where my grandfather took many trips with his brother to trace our ancestors and to look into our family tree. I also remember a time where my grandmother and aunt who were Serbian told me about their side of the family tree. Over the years there has been a tremendous interest in our genealogies. There are many folks who want to know where they came from. We have things like Ancestry.com and 23 and Me. You take a swab of your mouth and send it in and within weeks you can find out that you are related to someone in your family tree.
There are certain groups of people like the Mormons who have a specific reason for looking into their genealogies and spending a whole lot of money to find their ancestors so that they can be baptized for them in hopes that they will reach the celestial kingdom.
But more importantly as we are going to see today, genealogies were important to the Jewish people. For them ancestry proved what part of the land of Canaan among the twelve tribes they were part of. Also ancestry would prove the right of inheritance to property and all that went along with that. There were also several other specifics that went into knowing your family tree. But the most important of any claim for genealogy would be for a king or the Messiah to have the “Essential Credentials” to be backed up by his family records.
23 Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, 25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, 27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, 29 the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, 31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, 32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon, 33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan, 38 the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
This genealogy begins with God and ends with God. Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega. The beginning and the end. How awesome it that church!!! When it comes to genealogies in the Bible most people don’t enjoy reading through them. Many people tell me that they often skip over those parts and get on to the rest of the story. However, genealogy is part of the story. So, why take time to speak on this today? What are we to do we do with a genealogy?
The overall intention of Luke is clear. Luke wants us to see Jesus and even more importantly to show how Jesus connects to King David, Abraham, and even Adam. Each connection allows Luke to show us a point to be made that Jesus is qualified to serve and has the right credentials to be the Son of God.
Only the gospel of Matthew and Luke take time to explain the genealogy of Jesus, and both of these gospels have both similarities and differences. Matthew begins his gospel with the genealogy while Luke inserts it after the Lord’s baptism. Matthew’s genealogy begins with the past and then runs all the way to Christ. The gospel of Luke goes from Christ backwards to Adam. Matthew is writing to an audience of Jewish people so it would have been a natural thing for him to start with Abraham who was the father of the nation of Israel. Luke on the other hand is writing to an audience of Gentiles or to the whole world. Luke is writing to show that Jesus belonged to the human race. Physically speaking Jesus was born of a virgin and Joseph had nothing to do with the Lord’s conception. This shows us that Jesus was fully divine and yet fully human. Luke’s genealogy is much longer than Matthew’s containing only 42 names compared to Luke mentioning 77 names. Also, it seems that Matthew is recording Joseph’s genealogy while Luke records Mary’s. The important key here is that in Luke chapter 2 and verse 4 it tells us that both parents, Joseph and Mary were of the house and lineage of David.
We now come to verse 23. Look at this with me as we see the start to the Lord’s public ministry.
23 Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli,
The first thing Luke does here is that he begins this genealogy by telling us the Lord’s age. Jesus was about 30 years of age. This helps us to see that there had now come the time where Jesus had reached the age of public service. In other words, this would have been the customary age for men of God to start their ministries. The prophet Ezekiel began his prophetic ministry at the age of 30.
1 In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the Chebar canal, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
Even as far back as Jospeh we see that he was about 30 years old when he came into ruling as Prime Minister in Egypt.
46 Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt.
King David began his rule at the age of 30 years old.
4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.
We also know that those men who served as Priests for Israel began to serve when they turned 30 years of age.
3 from thirty years old up to fifty years old, all who can come on duty, to do the work in the tent of meeting.
All of this helps us to understand that when the Lord began his public ministry at the age of 30 people would have recognized that this was the appropriate age to start. He was not too young or too old to begin his short ministry.
As we consider these specifics today let me give you 3 Credentials that help us to see how the genealogy of Jesus points to the fact that Christ has all the right essentials to be the Messiah, the Son of God.
1. The Credential of the Son of God.
1. The Credential of the Son of God.
It is important for us to see here that Luke takes his genealogy from Christ and goes all the way back to Adam who was the Son of God. So, think with me that originally Adam took on God’s image in a perfect and sinless world or garden. Everything was perfect until Adam sinned. When sin entered the world, Adam and his wife felt naked and ashamed. Because of sin, none of Adam’s descendents were true son’s of God in the same way that they were before the fall.
The connection that Luke makes to Adam is important because it shows us that Jesus represents all humanity and is now the new Adam since the first Adam fell. So in Jesus God has carefully designed the affairs, so that as God’s Son, Jesus is both the hope of the Old Testament and the hope of all creation. He has now come to offer us salvation and to free us from our sin and guilt. To save us from an eternity in hell. Church we should be forever thankful for Jesus and His wonderful heritage.
Luke’s genealogy clearly serves as an authenticating role for Jesus to serve as our mediator so that we can come to God. This passage shows us the richness of background in Jesus’ family.
The promised king of Israel as we will look into in a moment is that of Christ. He is also the head of the human race. God’s promise to Israel becomes our promise in Christ. We as Gentiles have been grafted in alongside the Jews who also believe in Jesus.
17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree,
So, this list of names or genealogy that covers many centuries, declares to us that God is doing something wonderful and amazing. Our association with Jesus and the promise is an opportunity that God took centuries to prepare.
We all have genealogies, that trace us back to our forefathers and some are unique and stand out. Some are famous or infamous, however the only genealogy that actually matters or counts is that we are connected to Jesus. Christ’s work makes our biological roots less relevant. God has made his children out of Jews and Gentiles, slaves and free, blacks and whites, Croats and Serbs.
The Lord’s family was full of significant historical figures. People like David, Abraham, Adam, Zerubbabel, Jesse, Boaz, Judah, Jacob, Isaac, Shem, Noah and even Enoch. Some of these people are well-known Old-Testament people who made a great mark, and others are less-known. The point is that Jesus represents both well-known and the unknown of the world. God knows us all and we matter to him. You made be here today and feel insignificant or than your life does not matter, but if you are a Christian than you must understand that your life matters to God. He has intricately made you, and you are here to serve him and to follow him. If you are not a believer today, call out to Christ and ask him to save you from your sin and then begin to live for Christ and understand what purpose and meaning your life truly has.
2. The Credential of the Rightful King.
2. The Credential of the Rightful King.
The genealogies that we see in both Luke and Matthew show us that we have no reason to doubt that Jesus was a descendant of King David. We know that there were many people mostly religious leaders who were against Jesus, but no enemy of Jesus could deny that he came from the family tree of David. There was genealogical proof. When we come to the triumphant entry of Christ into Jerusalem it is always interesting to remember what the crowds were chanting.
9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”
The connections to David establish Jesus to be the rightful and true King. Jesus is the King of Israel. Jesus is the Son of God and shows us that in this way He has the right to rule as the Promised One, the Son of David. Luke helps us to see this as he begins his gospel.
31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
For now we understand that the kingdom of God is a spiritual reality. There is coming a day where the Lord will set up his kingdom and reigns for a thousand years and then there will be a new heaven and a new earth, but even now God’s kingdom cannot be harmed. God’s kingdom cannot be stopped. No earthly ruler can hinder God’s power. No laws can be put into place by any government that can stop God’s kingdom. No one can get in his way.
In John chapter 18 verse 37 Pilate ask’s Jesus a very serious question.
37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
Let me ask you today what one mark distinguishes people in the kingdom of God? We know the truth. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. When we know the truth we understand how to live. We live in humility and obedience, ready to serve and suffer for King Jesus.
3. The Credential of the Seed of Abraham.
3. The Credential of the Seed of Abraham.
The connection to Abraham traces the Lords genealogy all the way back and shows us that through Abraham and his offspring would come a wonderful promise and hope for Israel.
16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.
Anyone who trusts Jesus becomes a child of Abraham and even more importantly a son or daughter of God. We share in this line of promise.
26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.
Conclusion: The genealogy of Jesus provides to us that he has the right credentials. He is the Son of God, the Rightful King and seed of Abraham. As Jesus showed up and began his public ministry he showed the world to which he was called to go about His Father’s will and carry out his mission that He was the Savior. His mission was pointing people to the Father and to help us see that we are sinners in need of a Savior who is our mediator so that we can approach the Father. So, what are we to do as we await for Christ to return? How are we to live in a perverse world? Turn with me to Psalm 37. Listen to these words from King David a relative of Christ.
1 Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
be not envious of wrongdoers!
2 For they will soon fade like the grass
and wither like the green herb.
3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act.
6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
and your justice as the noonday.
7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
over the man who carries out evil devices!
8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
9 For the evildoers shall be cut off,
but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.
10 In just a little while, the wicked will be no more;
though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.
11 But the meek shall inherit the land
and delight themselves in abundant peace.
Stop grumbling and complaining about the world we live in, trust in the Lord. Wait patiently for him and know that you have nothing to worry about because God is in control. Don’t get angry but keep your eyes focused on the Lord. Turn off the news and if you start to become anxious or worrisome about life, read Psalm 37 and be reminded that Jesus is the Son of God, the Mighty King of Kings who is ruling and reigning even now. Church, we serve a mighty King.
(Pray)
(Lead into Communion)