Matthew 1 | Good All Along

Today we are starting a new series to celebrate the birth of Christ.

Over the next 4 weeks we will be working through the linear story of the birth of Christ, looking at the accounts in each of the gospels.

Now you would think the story of the birth of Christ starts with the announcement of his birth.

But if you are reading through scripture, after the Old Testament you will find the book of Matthew begin not with a proclamation of the birth of Christ, but rather a genealogy.

Matthew 1:1 NKJV

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ

Now Matthew 1 is probably the most skipped chapter in all of the Bible.

Again if you are reading through scripture in order, you are excited to get to the gospels, to finish out the Old Tetstament, and instead of being met with stories of Jesus you are met with a massive list of names.

And the question is why?

Wouldn’t it be much more exciting to just skip right to the birth and the angels and the miracles and all of that?

No, not really, if you know why this is here and how to read it, you will find that the story of the birth of Christ actually loses a lot of importance without this.

You see Matthew 1 is kind of like the the trailer to a sequel of a movie.

But a good sequel trailer does what? A few things....

It gets you back up to speed where the last movie left off

It gets you excited about the second movie

Most importantly it serves as a meaningful connection between the first movie and the second.

A bad sequel trailer may get you excited for the movie, but not remind you what the movies are about

or it may remind you what its about, but not get you excited

it may even get you excited about the movie and catch you up on where the old one left off, but if it doesnt give a good clear reason for why this sequel needs to exists, then it isn’t a good trailer

It needs to prove that there is a story to be told, a conflict that needs resolved. It needs to give the movie purpose.

Now the easy way to look at Matthew chapter 1 would be to make it the trailer that just catches you up to speed.

We could go person by person, tell their story, and rehash the story of the Old Testament

But that doesn’t tell us why there is a need for the new testament.

Just looking at stories doesn’t give us the need and the purpose that the story of Jesus requires

Because throughout these stories there is so much more than just a review of the lineage of Jesus, within them is the whole reason for Jesus to come in the first place

Matthew 1:1 NKJV

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:

Two individuals serve as the human father figures of the person of Jesus.

David, and Abraham

Yes we could go back to Adam, but there is a reason these two are chosen to start off the lineage.

Matthew 1:2 NKJV

Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers.

Verse 2 of Matthew 1 is the most important section to understand of this lineage, because what you are seeing here is not just the foundation of the lineage of Christ, but the foundation of the people of Israel.

Abraham is known as the father of the Israelites

and it is within the very first interaction between Abraham and God that we see the promise of Jesus.

Genesis 12:1–3 NKJV

Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

So when we are looking at the story of the birth of Christ, if you really want the whole picture you need to go all the way back to book of Genesis, with this message to Abraham.

God told Abraham that would need to leave him country, leave his father’s house and travel to a new land.

This land that Abraham would travel to would be the land of the people of Israel.

But you ask, what does this have to do with Jesus, or Christmas?

Well a lot, this is actually talking specifically about the birth of Christ

Where do we see this/

Genesis 12:3 “I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.””

Now in recent days with all that has happened in Israel, this specific verse has come up a lot in debates.

The question is this, does the world, Christians, the United States have an obligation to support the modern day nation of Israel?

Well let’s look at the verse...

Genesis 12:3 “I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you;

Now the core of this question comes down to who the word “you” is referencing.

Those who argue that we are not expected to show any support or alliance, or any type of special privilege to Israel today would say that this “you” is referencing Abraham specifically.

However there is no support for this in scripture. I beleive it is very clear in scripture that this you is a reference to the descendents of Abraham, the ethnic descendents of Abraham

ARGUMENTS FOR THE “YOU” REFERENCING THE DESCENDENTS OF ABRAHAM

Context of the Passage

The entire focus in the context of Genesis 12:1-3 is the descendents.

Verse2 - I will make you a great nation

Verse 3 - You shall be a blessing THEN..… verse 3 - In you all of the families of the earth shall be blessed

2. Context of the Promise

a. In Genesis 17 we see this promise alluded to again added to

Genesis 17:7–8 “And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”

Two times back to back here we see the world everlasting mentioned, and this entire passage is talking about the descendents of Abraham

So we see clearly that no aspect of this Abrahamic covenant is given only to Abraham himself

3. Historical Context

a. In the book of Numbers the nation of Moab calls on a man named Balaam to curse Israel and notice what his message was...

b. Numbers 22:6 “Therefore please come at once, curse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.””

Here we clearly see that even the pagan nations in the world understood clearly that this promise was not just to Abraham but to the people of Israel as a whole

Then, even though Israel was living in sin and rebelling from God, we still see God restrict Balaam from being able to curse the people of Israel, so we see again this promise had nothing to do with obedience.

4. New Testament Affirmation

a. But the promise went away in the new testament right? This would be the next most common argument.

b. Well first of all it really doesn’t matter what we see in the New Testament regarding the people of Israel, because we see the word everlasting mentioned twice within the promise. This covenant was clearly in effect forever, according to the clear word of God.

c. But even in light of this we still see clear expressions in the New Testament that this covenant was still in effect after Christ

Romans 11:1–2 “I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew.

And I think it is important to mention that there has probably never been a time in Israel’s history where they were more disobedient and further from God than when Romans 11 was written, so this is clearly not dependent on belief or obedience.

And if you need any more confirmation on this fact that God has not cast away the promises to the ethnic Jewish descendents of Abraham, just read the book of Revelation

Now the error in this thinking comes in two primary means.

Misunderstanding the meaning of blessing and cursing

to bless the people of Israel does not mean that nations are required to....

send them billions of dollars of weapons and make them a national ally

(NOT THAT IT IS WRONG IF THEY DO, NATIONS CAN ALLY THEMSELVES WITH WHOEVER THEY WANT) but this is not what blessing means

To curse them does not mean....

Rejecting financial support

According to the example we see in scripture, nations who bless Israel and do not curse them, are simply nations who desire the best for the nation, and do nothing to hinder their progress

And this again is what we see throughout history.

IF YOU LOOK AT NATIONS THROUGHOUT HISTORY WHO HAVE BEEN HOSTILE TO ISRAEL, AND THOSE WHO HAVE NOT, YOU WILL SEE AN OVERWHELMING CONISTENCY THAT THOSE WHO BLESS ISRAEL ARE BLESSED, AND THOSE WHO CURSE THEM ARE CURSED

Why do I say all of this? What does all of this have to do with Christmas and the birth of Christ?

Well a lot, because that word “you” in Genesis 12 means one of 2 things

When it says all the nations of the earth will be blessed through you, if it is only talking about Abraham, it is saying by Abraham’s doing only will the world be blessed, but if that you is a reference to his descendents, than who is it talking about?

Well there is no single person on earth who has ever been a blessing to the entire world

EXCEPT ONE, AND IT WASN’T ABRAHAM

And what we celebrate at Christmas is the fulfillment of that very promise, we can look at the birth of Christ as the fulfillment of this prophetic announcement

When God sent his son to earth, to be born as a man to a virgin, in a manger, we see the entire world blessed through God in the flesh coming to mankind, living a perfect life, and dying for their sins on a cross

So why is Matthew 1 important, because we see that this birth of Christ is so much more than just a random or last minute occurence.

This birth had been prophesied centuries before, and it was not just focused on one person, but it was a prohecy that led to the blessing of the entire world, every person.

So with this in mind can I tell you some amazing news today

You… are included in this promise of “all the nations of the earth”

You can be blessed by what we celebrate and remember every December, Jesus being born on earth.

But can I tell you there is also a warning within this promise

All the nations of the earth are blessed by this birth, but that does not mean that the result will be blessing for all nations of the earth.

Isaiah 8:14–15 “He will be as a sanctuary, But a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense To both the houses of Israel, As a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many among them shall stumble; They shall fall and be broken, Be snared and taken.””

1 Peter 2:6–8 “Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.”

Scripture is clear that though the coming of Christ is a blessing to the entire world, for the individual, their end will not result in blessing unless they accept the blessing for themselves

For those who reject the blessing God has sent to this earth, what we celebrate at this time is no celebration

Across the world at this time those who scripture says the birth of christ is nothing but a stumbling block to, will sing....

Joy to the world the lord is come

O Come O Come Emmanuel

O Come All Ye Faithful

In a minute we will sing the old hymn, come thou long expected Jesus

And I hope that you are not sitting here today singing these songs, knowing that what you are singing about is no blessing at all, and you are in fact singing about your own curse, your stumbling block

But Matthew 1 doesn’t just mention the story of Abraham.....

Matthew 1:2 NKJV

Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers.

That promise would come to fruition when Abraham in his old age would have a son named Isaac

And one day God would test Abraham with what would result in perhaps the most prominent picture of Jesus in all of the Old Testament

Genesis 22:1–2 NKJV

Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”

Why would God do this?

Why would God offer this promise that his descendents would be a blessing to the world, and then tell Abraham to kill the descendent by which this nation would come?

Well notice what happens

Genesis 22:6–14 NKJV

So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together. But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together. Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.” And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

Abraham goes to sacrifice his son like God said, and even Abraham understood in this moment that God was not about to go back on his promise, not just to him, but to his descendents.

And he tells his son, GOD WILL PROVIDE A LAMB

Now you want to know an incredible detail of this story that is usually missed

Abraham says God will provide a lamb, but what does God provide in this moment?

Genesis 22:13 “Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son.”

Wouldn’t it had made more sense for God to provide a lamb?

The lamb was the picture all throughout scripture of the sacrifice, from passover, through the law, and of Christ, the lamb was the picture, but here he provides a ram?

Abraham even said it would be a lamb, how would he know it would be a lamb? Was he just wrong in his prediction? No not at all, he was dead on

He wasn’t saying that God would provide a lamb for Isaac, i think that Abraham had no idea what God was going to do with Isaac

But when Isaac asked where the sacrifice was, Abraham said, GOD WILL PROVIDE A LAMB, HE TOLD ISAAC, IDK WHAT GOD IS GOING TO DO HERE, BUT I KNOW HE WILL PROVIDE A LAMB TO BE THE BLESSING FOR THE ENTIRE WORLD, JUST LIKE HE SAID, SOMEHOW, IT WILL HAPPEN

And it did, when he sent Jesus, the lamb of God, to serve as the sacrificial lamb, the final sacrifice to appease the sins of mankind before the judgement of God

But there are a lot more names in Matthew than 1 than just Abraham and Isaac

Matthew 1:1–2 NKJV

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers.

God did not have Abraham sacrifice Isaac, and Isaac went on to have a son named Jacob, and Jacobs name would be changed to Israel, and he would have 12 sons would become the 12 tribes of Israel

and one of those sons, one of those tribes, would be Judah

Matthew 1:3–6 NKJV

Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David the king.

In verse one we see Jesus referenced as the son of David, why?

Well David would serve as the greatest king of Israel, a man after God’s own heart

But through immense sin he would have a son named Solomon

Matthew 1:6 “and Jesse begot David the king. David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah.”

David would have his friend Uriah killed, so that he could have his wife, Bathsheba, and through this marriage he would have a son named Solomon.

SO GOD JUST FORGOT ABOUT ISRAEL BECASUE OF THEIR SIN RIGHT

GOD HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO JUST THROW THEM TO THE SIDE AND FORGET ABOUT HIS PROMISE AFTER WHAT DAVID, THE KING OF ISRAEL DID

BUT HE DIDN’T!, even within this sinful relationship he continued this holy line, and kept his promise

Now Matthew 1:7-14 would be the record of the kings of Israel.

Many of these men would serve as King of Israel, and through sin, and captivity, and rebellion, and restoration, God would keep his promise through all of it, in each of these individuals

Then we get to Matthew 1:15

Matthew 1:15–17 “Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob. And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.”

Fourteen generations, from Abraham to Jesus, and through every ounce of it, in this whole geneaology we see not just a record for the sake of a record, we see a story

And this story is what makes the birth of Christ appear so much greater

This was not some last minute birth God just threw together, this was the fulfillment of a promise that lasted through sin and rebellion, and captivity, and restoration, and judges, and kings, and obedience, and idol worship, and nearly every conflict you could imagine.....

YET GOD STAYED FAITHFUL TO HIS PROMISE

BUT ZACH YOU SAY THATS GREAT FOR THEM, AND THAT MAKES THE STORY A LITTLE COOLER, BUT WHAT DOES THAT REALLY MEAN FOR ME NOW 2,000 YEARS LATER?

It means more than you could ever imagine, because what Matthew 1 was for the Israelite 2,000 years ago, means exactly to you what it meant for them, except it is even greater for you.

2,000 years ago, the descendents of Abraham could look back at generation after generation of sin, and they could see with their very eyes that God stayed true to his promise, through a baby laying in a manger.

And what we can do today is look at Matthew 1, and this record of the geneaology of christ the same way, and say with confidence......

IF GOD PROMISED THAT HE WOULD BLESS THE ENTIRE WORLD THROUGH THE DESCENDENTS OF ABRAHAM, AND HE DID, JUST AS HE SAID, IN THE VERY SAME WAY HE SHOWED THROUGH EXAMPLE AFTER EXAMPLE IN EACH OF THESE STORIES.....

THAN WE CAN HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT WHEN HE SAYS JESUS WILL COME A SECOND TIME, THAT WE KNOW HE WILL!

The birth of christ, is a celebration of rememberance, but it is a reminder and a foundation of confidence in the hope of the future return of Christ.

________________________________________

Did you know Joy to the World isn’t a christmas song?

Listen to the lyrics...

Joy to the world! The Lord is come

Let earth receive her King!

Let every heart prepare Him room

And heaven and nature sing

And heaven and nature sing

And heaven, and heaven and nature sing

Joy to the world! the Savior reigns

Let men their songs employ

While fields and floods

Rocks, hills and plains

Repeat the sounding joy

Repeat the sounding joy

Repeat, repeat the sound joy

No more let sins and sorrows grow

Nor thorns infest the ground

He comes to make

His blessings flow

Far as the curse is found

Far as the curse is found

Far as, far as the curse is found

He rules the world with truth and grace

And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness

And wonders of His love

And wonders of His love

And wonders and wonders of His love

The most prominent christmas song we sing, isn’t even about the birth of Christ, its a celebration of his second coming.

And that should tell you something

That the birth of Christ, and the fulfillment of his promise throughout history for us, is a wonderful source of confidence in the fact that he is coming again, and without even knowing we make a clear connection between the birth of Christ and his second coming even in our music

And for the beleiver, this is wonderful, and it is cause for excitement and joy.....

But for the unbeliever, there is no joy in this season

For the unbeliever, the birth of Christ is a stumbling block, and his second coming is an eternal death sentence in the lake of fire

So my qustion for you today is this.....

Is Christmas really a season of Joy for you?

If you can with confidence look at the birth of Christ, and the incredible story of his geaneaology, and that gives you hope of his return, then celebrate this season with Joy, and sing proudly COME THOU LONG EXPECTED SAVIOR ONCE AGAIN

but if not, then you have no joy in this holiday season, you have no hope, and everything we have looked at today should give you more and more confidence that you are on your way to condemnation, death, and hell, and the birth of Christ is nothing but a stumbling block

but for the believer, have confidence in the most amazing story ever told, a story that is not a single event, but last quite literally back to the creation of the world, and is proof of Gods providence and faithfulness throughout history, to bring us the only source of hope, and joy.