A Star of Hope

December 15, 2024

FBC Baxley

am service

Grocery Bags, Choir Musical…Snow-globe... tonight_________________________

Welcome radio and online guests…

*It’s ok if you’re broken, unfaithful, lost, we are too and we are here seeking God’s will and way and plan.

We are all prodigals here…

Some rescued….Some Not..

All Loved…

*Acts 4:12 (repeat)

*John 3:16

Sermon Title: A Star of Hope

Scripture Passage: Matthew 2:1-12

1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

6 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

for from you shall come a ruler

who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared.

8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.”

9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was.

10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.

11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

PRAY

Three Points:

God’s People are Imperfect

God’s Plan is Redemption

God’s Promises are Unshakable

Intro:

We all have a family tree. Some of us come from magnificent trees that have been firmly planted and stand tall,

providing shade from the harsh sun and a nesting place for God’s little birds.

Others of us come from mangled trees that onlookers shield their children’s eyes from. Either way, we all have a family tree.

The Gospels provide two different places to see Jesus’ family tree. -Matthew 1 and Luke 3.

While you might think the Messiah’s family tree would be one of those magnificent trees, a closer look seems to show it as more mangled!

Yet, God used each of these imperfect individuals to bring about his perfect plan.

This tells us something incredible about God's character and his approach to us.

I. God’s People Are Imperfect

The genealogy of Jesus is filled with individuals who had significant flaws and failures.

Think about it:

Rahab: The book of Joshua says:

“So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there. (Joshua 2:1)

Ruth: The Bible describes Ruth as:

“Ruth the Moabite, the dead man’s widow” (Ruth 4:5)

At this time, a widow’s only hope for security would be her son’s ability to provide for her.

However, Ruth doesn’t have children.

On top of that, she is a widow from a despised nation.

David: We know David as a man after God’s own heart, a shepherd, a giant killer, and a king.

We also need to remember that he was an adulterer and murderer.

In fact, in the book of First Chronicles, we see God say,

“You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood” (1 Chronicles 22:8)

Solomon: David’s son Solomon would become the king of Israel and be known as the wisest man who ever lived.

However, he also turned away from God.

“As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD” (1 Kings 11:4)

This is just 4 of the people listed in the lineage of Jesus.

It reminds us that God’s work is not limited to the perfect.

This is good news because, according to James 3:2:

“We all stumble in many ways. Those who are never at fault in what they say are perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.”

Speaking of Jesus’ family tree, James is in there. He was Jesus’ half-brother.

So James knew what a perfect person looked like.

Yet he also knows perfection is impossible for us mere mortals.

An older, wiser James literally says, “We all stumble in many ways.”

The Apostle Paul would drive that point home when he wrote to the believers in Rome:

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23

God isn't waiting for you to get your act together before he can use you.

He's not looking for perfection - he's looking for...

willingness.

Just like he worked through the flawed individuals in Jesus' lineage, he wants to work through you and me.

II. God’s Plan Is Redemption

Each person in Jesus' lineage has a story of redemption.

God took people from diverse backgrounds and transformed their stories into a beautiful narrative of hope.

Remember Rahab?

James 2:25 says:

“Rahab the prostitute was considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies”

Despite her situation and being from a despised nation, Ruth said to her Israelite mother-in-law, “Your people will be my people and your God my God.”

David is still known as the greatest king of Israel and wrote many of the Psalms we use today.

Likewise, Solomon built the first temple and is credited with two books in the Bible.

God doesn’t grade us by our faults, he guides us by our faith.

He has always had a plan to provide redemption through his grace.

Paul would explain that the reason Jesus came was to accomplish God’s great plan of redemption.

“Who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” Titus 2:14

Remember that whole “imperfect” point we talked about just a few minutes ago?

Our imperfections are actually a part of God’s perfect plan.

We read that Romans 3:23 says, “all have sinned”.

The next verse goes on to say:

“And all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:24

The lineage of Jesus isn't about showcasing a perfect bloodline.

It's about demonstrating God's grace, his ability to redeem, and his commitment to his promises.

No matter your past, God can redeem your story.

His grace is powerful enough to turn your mistakes into a testimony of his goodness. (Messes into Miracles)

III. God’s Promises Are Unshakable

The lineage of Jesus shows us that God is faithful to his promises across generations.

Despite the ups and downs of those in Jesus' family tree, God’s plan for salvation remained intact.

This lineage is a testament to God’s unwavering commitment to humanity.

Long before Jesus was born in a manger in Bethlehem, God had made a promise to Abraham.

“And through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.” Genesis 22:18

God made a promise to an imperfect person in Jesus’ lineage.

This promise was a part of God’s plan.

What we need to keep in mind is that God is going to keep his promise…NO MATTER WHAT!

His promises are unshakable.

On top of that, in spite of our imperfections, God allows us to benefit from his great promises:

“If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:29

Jesus' family tree is a reminder that God's plan is bigger than our mistakes and stronger than our weaknesses.

When you feel uncertain or lost, remember that God is faithful.

His promises endure, and he is working out his plan in your life, just as he did through the generations leading to Jesus.

.....Place Your Faith In A Faithful God

So, the next time you feel disqualified because of your past or your shortcomings, remember Jesus' family tree.

It's not about where you've been or what you've done.

It's about where God is taking you and what he wants to do through you.

Not only that, but the Lord will hold on to you no matter what your struggles and weaknesses are and one day,

He willturn you from imperfect to perfect.

“He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:8–9

This is the beauty of the gospel - it's not about perfect people, but a perfect Savior.

Jesus didn't come from a line of flawless individuals(His earthly lineage), but he came to make flawed individuals like us all.

That's the power of God's love, and that's the message at the heart of Jesus' lineage.

-Pray

-Invitation