The Genesis of the Christ

Introduction:

Connection:

The genesis/origin of something is very important to its identity. Contrary to our modern world, we don’t get to make up our own identity. Sorry Auggie, you don’t get to be a cat, you’re a dog! Your fundamental identity is a fixed reality. It is assigned to us from our origin. Art doesn’t get to assign its own meaning and value—it’s meaning is assigned to it from the hand of the Artist. Creatures can’t change the fact that they come from the living God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth. We don’t have the liberty or autonomy to change our identity, by forgetting our origin. The genesis/origin of something is very important to its identity. This is true of our Lord Jesus Christ as well!

Theme:

The Genesis of the Christ

Need:

If we forget our origin, we forget our identity—If we forget His origin, we forget His identity.

Purpose:

To firmly root us in the faithfulness of God in the story of redemption, which climaxes in the birth of Christ our Lord.

Recap:

We were delighted to have our Elder-Candidate-Ty preach from Eph. 5 last Lord’s Day, what a blessing that was! I was able to tune in on Facebook and was very encouraged. Keep our brother in prayer as he grows in his graces and gifts, as he seeks to serve and shepherd his family and Christ’s flock.

This week we are beginning a new sermon series in the Gospel of Matthew. Buckle up. Prepare yourselves. This one isn’t going to be a quick overview like Esther, or a chapter by chapter series like Ecclesiastes, but a slow, careful, doctrinal, practical, and experiential walk, through the inspired pages where we get to gaze directly into the Person of Christ, as we get to fix our eyes upon His grace and glory—that we might be transformed into his likeness.

JC Ryle: The New Testament begins with the history of the life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. No part of the Bible is so important as this, and no part is so full and complete. To know Christ is life eternal. To believe in Christ is to have peace with God. To follow Christ is to be a true Christian. To be with Christ will be heaven itself. We can never hear too much about the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Gospels are meant to be lifelong meditations for the people of God. So join with me as we open the pages of Holy Scripture, to be drawn into a closer communion with Christ—in whom all the promises of God are Yes and Amen. It is here that we see with the most light and clarity, about the Genesis of the Christ.

Open your Bibles to:

Matt. 1:1-17 ESV

PRAY - PRAY - PRAY - PRAY - PRAY - PRAY - PRAY - PRAY

(1) Jesus brings a Second Book of Genesis - v. 1

Matthew 1:1 ESV

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

(1) Jesus brings a Second Book of Genesis - v. 1

The word translated as genealogy in the ESV, or as generation in the KJV, is actually the Greek word for Genesis. Genesis means birth, origin, source, or beginning. Thus, just as the Old Testament opens up with the Book of Genesis—we can say that the New Testament opens up with the second Book of Genesis; just as the Old Testament opens up with the Book of Creation—the New Testament opens up with the Book of New Creation; just as the Old Testament opens up with the Origin of Adam—the New Testament opens up with the Origin of the Last Adam, Jesus Christ.

Connecting both Creation and Redemption, the Book of Matthew teaches us that the Gospel of Jesus Christ isn’t merely about personal salvation—but also about new creation; the gospel isn’t just about getting right with God—but about the Kingdom of God coming upon man. Jesus brings a new Genesis, so that in Him, we become new creations as citizens of the new kingdom, as stones in the new temple, by the blood of the new covenant. This Gospel has personal, cosmic, and eternal significance—because Jesus is our personal Saviour, cosmic Lord, and eternal King. This Gospel changes everything, as it opens up with this Genesis of the Christ.

As per usual in the start of a new series—in order to understand this new book, we need to ask some basic introductory questions:

Who wrote this new book of Genesis? Matthew the Tax-Collector, Apostle, Evangelist, and Eyewitness of Jesus Christ. There are no good reasons to deny this.

When was this book written? Sometime before 70AD, most likely in the early 60’s. This is mainly due to its prophetic predictions about the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD.

What is this book about? How Jesus is the Christ, God in the flesh, the fulfillment of the OT, who brings the Kingdom of God in his life, death, and resurrection—with the hope of eternal life in a renewed world.

Why was this book penned? To show how Jesus is the Messiah promised in the OT, how He saves his people from their sins, and how we ought to follow Him in this life, and with the hope of the life to come.

To whom was this book written to? To the entire Church of God, but with specific application to ethnic Jews, to show how the OT and NT fit together in Jesus Christ—who is the true Adam, the true Israel, and the true Messiah of the Church.

Welcome to the Gospel of Matthew, inspired by the Holy Spirit, canonized into Holy Scripture—and most needful for our growth in the grace and knowledge of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

And right out of the bat, Matthew begins this new book of Genesis with his purpose of showing and declaring that Jesus is the Son of David, and the Son of Abraham. The interesting thing is that he mentions David before Abraham, even though Abraham lived before David. This is in part to show that Matthew’s Gospel is purposed toward proving that Jesus isn’t just a son of Abraham generally, but the Messianic son of David specifically—the promised Redeemer and Ruler of the people of God …

Romans 1:2–4 ESV

which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,

Truly this is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. This central thrust of Matthew’s Gospel must be the chief desire of our hearts—to know this Messiah, to trust this Messiah, and to follow this Messiah. In order to prove that Jesus is the Christ, he mentions his origin, his genesis, his genealogy, which shows that He is the one who was promised so long ago, he is the consolation of Israel, the hope of the nations, the Saviour of the world.

Matthew Henry says: Concerning this genealogy of our Saviour, observe the chief intention. It is not a needless genealogy. It is not a vain-glorious one, as those of great men often are. It proves that our Lord Jesus is of the nation and family out of which the Messiah was to arise. The promise of the blessing was made to Abraham and his seed; of the dominion, to David and his seed. It was promised to Abraham that Christ should descend from him, Ge 12:3; 22:18; and to David that he should descend from him, 2Sa 7:12; Ps 89:3, &c.; 132:11; and, therefore, unless Jesus is a son of David, and a son of Abraham, he is not the Messiah. Now this is here proved from well-known records. When the Son of God was pleased to take our nature, he came near to us, in our fallen, wretched condition; but he was perfectly free from sin: and while we read the names in his genealogy, we should not forget how low the Lord of glory stooped to save the human race.

Great indeed is the mystery of godliness, that He was manifested in the flesh (1 Tim. 3:15)! That he did not count equality with God something to be grasped, but he emptied himself in taking the form of a servant (Phil. 2:6-7)! That he was born in the flesh, as God over all (Rom. 9:5)! That the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (Jn. 1:14). That this child is Immanuel, God with us (Matt. 1:23). That this Son of David was also David’s Lord (Matt. 22:45). And to prove this very point, Matthew turns our attention to a long list of names. But before we dive into this genealogy, Spurgeon has a word for us:

Spurgeon: The portion before us looks like a string of names, and we might fancy that it would yield us little spiritual food; but we may not think lightly of any line of the inspired volume. Here the Spirit sets before us the pedigree of Jesus, and sketches the family tree of “the King of the Jews.” Let us read each line of “The book of the genealogy” with adoring gratitude that we have a King who is one with us in our nature: “in ties of blood with sinners one”.

So let us hear from these verses the voice of the Spirit—directing our faith to our King—and comforting our hearts in our Saviour.

(1) Jesus brings a Second Book of Genesis - v. 1

And to this Genesis and Genealogy we now turn:

(2) Jesus comes from a Long Line of Sinners - v. 2-16

Matthew 1:2–16 ESV

Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and 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, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.

(2) Jesus comes from a Long Line of Sinners - v. 2-16

It’s quite profound, mysterious, and glorious to think about how Jesus was born from sinners, to save sinners, without being a sinner. As we will see next week, in the narrative of the birth of Christ—Jesus is Immanuel, God with us, who was made a true human by being conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary—born of a sinner, yet born sinless—born from sinners, yet born to save sinners. And so Mathew here shows us that Jesus comes from a long line of sinners—as the one who shall save his people from their sins. Let’s meditate on some of the names in this genealogy which is broken up into three sections. From Abraham to David, from David to Babylon, and from Babylon to Christ. Follow with me in the story of redemptive-history that climaxes in the birth of the Messiah.

Firstly, from Abraham to David (v. 2-6a).

The genealogy of Jesus doesn’t begin with a Jew—but with a Gentile. Abraham was not a Jew. Abraham was a Pagan. He lived in Ur of the Chaldeans and had a long history of idolatry as a heathen (Gen. 11). And yet, the irresistible grace of God called Abram from his fathers country, to become a true Jew, the father of the Jewish nation, the heir of the covenant of promise, the father of the Messiah, whose offspring would possess the promised land, and who would be a blessing to the nations as God does exactly what he did to Abraham—taking Gentiles and turning them into true Jews by faith in the Jewish Messiah (Gen. 12; Gal. 3). Yet God’s plan of redemption focused in on the Jewish nation as the people who would give birth to the Christ, who would bless the nations (Eph. 2). And so this promised line continues through Isaac, and then through Jacob—who were sovereignly elected to be children of the promise rather than Ishmael and Esau; God has mercy on whom he has mercy, and compassion on whom he has compassion (Rom. 9). Our God is the God of electing grace—our God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And from here on Matthew mentions Judah with specific reference to the throne and scepter that will not depart from Judah—the Messiah would come as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah who would secure the obedience of the whole world (Gen. 48). And this King would come from a long line of sinners to be the Lord of grace, dispensing his riches on all who believe (Rom. 10). And so from Judah, to Tamar, to Amminadab, to Rahab, to Ruth, to Jesse—comes David the King—who was given a covenant of promise that one of his sons would sit on the throne of David and over his kingdom forever and ever (2 Sam. 7; Isa. 9). Jesus comes from a line of wicked kings, female prostitutes, and gentile sinners—which no doubt Matthew mentions to prove that this Jesus did not come to be a Jewish Nationalist—but a Christian Saviour of Sinners, a King of a Kingdom of Grace, and the Head of a Church comprised of Jews and Gentiles Alike who are united to Christ and made true children of Abraham by faith (Gal. 6:16). A true Jew, says Paul, is not one outwardly, but inwardly, whose praise is not from man, but from God (Rom. 2). From the Jewish nation would come a true Jew, who would rule over true Israel, to bring the Gospel of the Kingdom of God (Eph. 1). And this leads us to the next section of the genealogy.

Secondly, from David to Babylon (v. 6b-11).

Our Messiah had to be the Son of David—for God promised by covenant oath that one of the sons of David would be the Lord and Redeemer of his church (2 Sam. 7; Ps. 2; Ps. 110). And so the genealogy traces onward from the seed of the King of Israel. From the mighty King David, the Man of War and Victory, comes the peaceful King Solomon, the Man of Rest and Shalom. In David and Solomon we see the picture of the true King to come—one who brings victory over our enemies, and peace to our souls. And so Matthew traces the line from David, to Solomon, but then shows that the lineage thereafter is followed by righteous and wicked kings who are clearly not the one whom they were looking for! From Rehoboam who overthrew Solomons labours, to Hezekiah who brought reform, to Manasseh the rebellious fool, the people of Israel were then thrown into exile for their unrepentance and many sins, coming under the curses of the old covenant (Deut. 28). The people were conquered by the pagan king of Babylon—and they were brought under the fierce curses of Jehovah (2 Kings 25:1-3), as they were thrown into Exile. The people were out of the promised land, were under the judgment of God—and yet the light dawned, God’s mercy moved, and he brought his people back into the land; however, the glory of God, the covenant blessings, the temple worship, the fruitfulness of the land was never restored to it’s pre-exilic state. The people longed for restoration through the promised Son of David (Ps. 137; Jer. 23; Ezk. 34). God made promises to this effect—yet these promises would be fulfilled in a manner greater than they initially appeared. The new covenant promises would come in shadow form in the OT—but would be fulfilled in their true form later on in the NT. As Jesus himself says—something greater Solomon and the Temple is here (Matt. 12:6; 42). The promises of restoration and redemption would be fulfilled in a new work of God which fulfills the entire OT expectation and longing of God’s people (Eph. 3). This brings us to the last section of this genealogy.

Thirdly, from Babylon to Christ (v. 12-16).

After 70 years in Babylon, God brought Israel back into the land—but God didn’t come back to dwell with them as he once did. Nonetheless, it was the sheer mercy of God in preserving a remnant, gathering his people, and continuing his faithfulness to his covenant promise to bring the coming Messiah through the line of David, the Branch of David which would sprout up out of dry ground (Isa. 53)—which lineage Matthew says was carried on through Zerubbabel who returned to the land with Ezra and Nehemiah under the hand of the King of Persia, Cyrus (Ezr. 2:1-2). From here on in the genealogy, the next groupings of names are relatively unknown, but are from the line of David, after the return to the land of Canaan. From Abiud, to Eliud, to Matthan, God preserved the line of promise—from whom the Christ would be born (Rom. 11:5-6). Though the people toiled and struggled to thrive in the kingdom of Israel, they had hope in God who had made promises of a new covenant, of a new creation, of a new kingdom, of a new temple, of a new people—and all of which would come through the Suffering Servant, the Branch of David, the Seed of Abraham (Isa. 55; Jer. 31; Ezk. 36). Shadows would soon give way to the substance, the fulfillment in Christ and the Church—yet some would stumble over the cornerstone that was being laid in this new temple, even after all the promises of a new work of God in the prophets (Isa. 55). However, Matthew closes this section by proving that God is faithful and true, that his calling and gifts are irrevocable, and that his promises are all yes and amen—as Joseph, a son of David, was wedded to Mary, a daughter of David, who gave birth to Jesus, the Son of David, who is called the Christ (Lk. 2:11). At last, the seed of the woman, the son of Abraham, the son of David, the promised Redeemer—Immanuel—was born, God’s promise was fulfilled; the Saviour had come! The King of glory was born of the Virgin Mary, which led her to sing:

Luke 1:54–55 ESV

He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

What God had promised to her fathers, had been fulfilled in her womb—and Jesus was born, who is called the Christ, who will save his people from their sins. Bless the Lord, all you saints! All you who fear his holy name! For God who has promised is faithful—he has fulfilled all his holy covenant. Put your trust in Him alone—in the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (Jn. 1).

And so from Abraham to David, from David to Babylon, from Babylon to Christ—God’s plan of redemption was unfolding, God’s covenant mercy was magnified, and God’s only begotten Son was given.

This sets the stage for the Gospel of Matthew—where Matthew will show us the true nature of this new covenant, this new creation, this new temple, this new kingdom, this new Israel in Jesus Christ and his Church.

So what do we learn from this genealogy? We learn that the Christ is the One of Unsearchable Riches of Grace! (Eph. 3:18). He was born from a long line of sinners, that he might save sinners by grace alone. The famous, the forgotten, the righteous, the wicked, men and women, great and small—are all included in this genealogy—oh what a beautiful truth about the Gospel, that Christ saves any and all, from the least of them to the greatest, any and all who repent of their sins, and put their trust in the Christ (Jn. 8)—all those who are broken over their sins, humbled in the depravity, and hoping in the mercy of Christ alone. This genealogy sings Gospel Grace for sinners like you and I:

Ryle: We should always read this list with thankful hearts. We see here that no human being can be beyond the reach of Christ’s sympathy and compassion. Our sins may have been as black and great as those of any whom St. Matthew names. But they cannot shut us out of heaven, if we repent and believe the Gospel. If the Lord Jesus was not ashamed to be born of a woman whose pedigree contained such names as those we have read today, we need not think that he will be ashamed to call us his brothers and sisters, and to give us eternal life.

Do you know this son of Abraham? Do you know this son of David? Do you know this Christ, the Son of the Living God? Do you know the salvation, forgiveness, peace, and joy that he brings? Do you know the spiritual blessings that he lavishes upon all who repent and believe? Come to this Christ, wait no longer. The Saviour of the world has been born—so rest in Him for salvation from your sins. On Calvary’s Cross Jesus paid it all, he suffered the wrath of God, bore our sin and shame, crushed the darkness of Satan, and freed us from the pangs of death—come to Jesus, the one promised so long ago, the one born of the Virgin Mary, and the one who alone can redeem those in chains of darkness and slavery to sin and Satan (Eph. 2:8).

Your name might never make it into a legendary genealogy, but Christ’s did, and the good news is that your name is written on his heart—he came for you, to save all those whom the Father had given him—dear Christian, your name might not be spelled out in this chapter, but the name of Jesus is! And so we can sing:

One with Himself, I cannot die; My soul is purchased by His blood; My life is hid with Christ on high; With Christ my Savior and my God!

Praise be to God for Jesus Christ, who came to seek and save the lost (2 Tim. 1). Don’t skip genealogies—for they teach us precious lessons about the unfathomable grace that is lavished upon the poor and needy (Rom. 5).

(2) Jesus comes from a Long Line of Sinners - v. 2-16

This leads us to the last verse in our text for this morning:

(3) Jesus is the Goal of all Redemptive-History - v. 17

Matthew 1:17 ESV

So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.

(3) Jesus is the Goal of all Redemptive-History - v. 17

Matthew finishes this genealogy with a summary statement, as he structures his genealogy into three sections of fourteen generations, in order to show that all of history has been divinely orchestrated by the sovereign Lord of heaven and earth, with the redemptive purpose of climaxing in the fullness of time, in the birth of Messiah, in the coming of the Christ, to bring all of God’s saving purposes to fruition in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus—in the coming of the new covenant, the new kingdom, the new creation, the new temple, and the new Israel of God in the Church. Christ and the Church has always been the center, the focus, the purpose, and the goal of all redemptive-history from Genesis to Revelation! The Apostle says:

Ephesians 3:11 ESV

This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord,

Matthew structures this genealogy around three fourteens—which has led many scholars scratching their heads. Why did he do this? Some think he is using a special Hebrew tool to show that these fourteens count up to the name of David in Hebrew Numerology. This is possible. But whatever the reason was—he skipped some names, he jumped over some kings, in order to make a theological point, namely, that history has been driving to Christ under the sovereignty of God. All things were made through him, and for him! Here is the one who brings the end of the ages, who brings the dawning of the age to come—who sparks the beginning of the end, in this new book of genesis (Col. 1). He is the apple of God’s eye! He is the royal diadem! He is the Father’s delight, history’s purpose, and the hope of the nations (Ps. 22).

Jesus is not plan B—He has always been plan A—the Church is not Plan B—it has always been plan A: from before the foundation of the world, Christ and His Church were the covenant purpose of God whereby all his promises would come to pass in glorious fulfillment (Eph. 3)! This is the Mystery of Christ that was hidden in generation past. As Christ is the goal of this genealogy—so too is he the goal of all redemptive-history; that he might be preeminent in all things! (Col. 1:18).

The purpose of the Gospel of Matthew is to prove this simple point: that Christ and the Church are the fulfillment of the story of Israel in the Old Testament. Torah is fulfilled in Jesus, who is the true Israel of God. Jesus is the preeminent one who unites all of God’s people into one new man and assembly, as he renews all of heaven and earth into our eternal dwelling place, in our inheritance of the new world . This is actually the purposeful structure of the Gospel of Matthew, which is divided into 5 sections, to show how Jesus fulfills the 5 Books of the Torah:

Kidd writes: Matthew renders the life and ministry of Jesus in five discrete sections of material, recalling the five books of Moses, the Torah or Pentateuch. Thematically, Matthew’s Gospel follows the arc of Torah. No less than the book of Genesis, Matthew’s account is one of “beginnings.” Matthew’s narrative of Jesus’s birth and early ministry echoes Exodus’s story of deliverance [as the true Son and Israel of God]. Leviticus is dominated by the theme of “holiness,” both by way of sanctifying sacrifices (e.g., Lev. 16:30) and by way of instruction (e.g., Lev. 19:2, “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy”). Just so, in Matthew’s account Jesus offers his own “blood of the covenant … for the forgiveness of sins” (Matt. 26:28) and teaches his followers to be “perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt. 5:48). If the book of Numbers is the story of God’s people becoming a community on the journey to the Promised Land, Matthew undertakes instructions on how to be the “church” while “going and making disciples.” And just as the book of Deuteronomy places a life and death choice before God’s people at Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, so Jesus pronounces beatitudes (Matthew 5) and woes (Matthew 23), and says, in effect, “Build wisely” (Matt. 7:24); in other words, “Choose life” (Deut. 30:19).

This new book of Genesis begins with this genealogy that ends with Christ; and the rest of the book Matthew is going to show us that Jesus is the Christ, the anointed Prophet, Priest, and King of the Church—who came to bring the weary to true rest by the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, in the Church of Jesus Christ (Matt. 16). In Christ, all of Scripture finds its fulfillment—Jesus said he did not come to abolish the OT but to fulfill it, every dot and iota (Matt. 5:20; Lk. 24)

Hendrickson: In him the new and the old meet. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the heart and center of all. Apart from him there is no salvation. He is Messiah, David’s true Son. And in the course of redemptive history, as here symbolized in its three great stages, God’s plan from eternity was being perfectly realized.

So let me close this point by reading from the book of Ephesians, which summarizes this Mystery of Christ, which knits together the fulfillment of all of redemptive-history in the Body of Christ.

Ephesians 3:4–6 ESV

When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

And this divine mystery of the new people of God in Christ leads Paul to cry out in doxology:

Ephesians 3:20–21 ESV

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

If you are a true member of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ—you are partaking of the fruit, blessings, and glories of every spiritual benefit that is in the King of kings, and Lord of lords! You are a coheir with Christ; and nothing can change that. Christ is the goal of history—and if you are in Him—then you have everything, which nothing can take from you. Your health can’t steal the riches of Christ from you, your pain can’t steal the riches of Christ from you, your depression can’t steal the riches of Christ from you, your burdens can’t steal the riches of Christ from you, your brokenness can’t steal the riches of Christ from you—for as Paul says:

2 Corinthians 1:20–22 ESV

For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

Take heart, dear believer—the birth of Christ proves the faithfulness of God—and if you are in Christ, then you have the right to drink ever so deeply from the fountain of life, from streams of living waters, which are guaranteed from the deposit of the Spirit. Take heart! The goal of history, is the Christ of sovereign and unsearchable grace.

(3) Jesus is the Goal of all Redemptive-History - v. 17

And so in summary we see this big idea and conclusion from our text this morning:

(C) The Genesis of Jesus Christ proves the Faithfulness of our Covenant God.

If we forget our origin, we forget our identity—If we forget His origin, we forget His identity.

This genealogy in the Gospel of Matthew changes everything. It proves that God’s covenant faithfulness is true, that the Christ was born, and that the Saviour has come. But the story doesn’t end with Christ’s birth, but it continues with our rebirth. We must be born again to enjoy the blessings of God’s new covenant.

Oh let us trust in Him for the forgiveness of our sins, let us follow Him in newness of life, and let us hope in Him for the world to come. Kiss the Son, take refuge in Him—come under His gracious reign. Our God is faithful and true!

(C) The Genesis of Jesus Christ proves the Faithfulness of our Covenant God.

Amen, let’s pray.

Discussion Questions:

(1) In what way does the Gospel of Matthew open up as a ‘New Book of Genesis/Beginnings’?

(2) Why does Matthew focus in on Jesus being the Son of Abraham and the Son of David?

(3) What does this long list of names show us about God’s sovereignty and plan of redemption?

(4) What does this long line of sinners show us about Christ and the Grace of the Gospel?

(5) How is Jesus the Goal of all of the Scriptures? How is Christ and the Church the Climax of God’s redemptive story?