Hope - The Genesis of Jesus

We often struggle with our identity as Christians. We focus far more on where we came from than where we are going, and Satan uses this against us. Instead, we should find our identity in our Genesis with Christ!

“The book of the genesis of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham.” - Matthew 1:1

Genesis…the beginning. Where did we begin? Matthew has theological reasons to give us the genealogy that he does. He wants us to see the fulfilled prophecy behind the coming Messiah, and that Jesus was the Messiah.

But I believe he had another angle as well, to show that Jesus was also a human just like the rest of us, coming from a normal messed up family, just like the rest of us.

Matthew 1:2 NIV

2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,

Jesus was Jewish.

Abraham was a liar! Twice he lied about Sarah to Pharaoh and Abimelech.

Yet somehow, even Abraham was considered righteous for what he did, and God kept his promises to Abraham.

Matthew 1:3 NIV

3 Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram,

Tamar had married Judah’s son, Er, who was wicked and God killed him. His brother married her, and he too was wicked. Through lies, deception, and prostitution, Judah himself winds up fathering twins with Tamar, his own daughter-in-law.

A scandalous story that could get all parties put to death! This is Jesus’ ancestors.

Matthew 1:5 NIV

5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse,

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Hebrews 11:30–31 NIV

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days. 31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.

James 2:25-26

James 2:25–26 NIV

25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

Matthew 1:10 NIV

10 Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah,

2 Kings 21:1–9 NIV

1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. His mother’s name was Hephzibah. 2 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. 3 He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he also erected altars to Baal and made an Asherah pole, as Ahab king of Israel had done. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. 4 He built altars in the temple of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “In Jerusalem I will put my Name.” 5 In the two courts of the temple of the Lord, he built altars to all the starry hosts. 6 He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced divination, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger. 7 He took the carved Asherah pole he had made and put it in the temple, of which the Lord had said to David and to his son Solomon, “In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my Name forever. 8 I will not again make the feet of the Israelites wander from the land I gave their ancestors, if only they will be careful to do everything I commanded them and will keep the whole Law that my servant Moses gave them.” 9 But the people did not listen. Manasseh led them astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites.

There are equally devious and scandalous characters in Luke’s genealogy (Mary’s side of the family), but Matthew has a reason for presenting this information this way.

Matthew gives us a hint that from the Old Testament until now, God has always planned to include all people in his plan. The Gospel is for everyone, Jesus died for everyone, and his Grace reaches everyone!

John 1:14-18

John 1:14–18 NIV

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ”) 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

Someone always thinks they are unsaveable. Why think the blood of Jesus can reach everyone but you?

Truth is that we are all sinners, that we are all failures, that none of us can fix the broken relationship between us and God by ourselves. We are hopeless without Christ.

Grace is God’s answer to this hopelessness. Grace comes through Christ to bridge the gap between our best intentions and God’s perfect holiness.

Matthew 12:18-21

Matthew 12:18–21 NIV

18 “Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. 19 He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. 20 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory. 21 In his name the nations will put their hope.”

The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament 12:15–21—The Spirit-Anointed Servant

The servant passage in Isaiah 42:1–4 in context refers inescapably to Israel, not to the Messiah, despite a later Jewish tradition applying it to the Messiah (44:1, 21; 49:3). But because God’s servant Israel failed in its mission (42:18–19), God chose one within Israel to restore the rest of the people (49:5–7), who would take the remainder of the punishment due Israel (cf. 40:2) in its place (52:13–53:12). Thus Matthew declares that the Messiah takes up the servant mission of Isaiah 42:1–4, and he is marked by the presence of the Spirit. Matthew translates Isaiah to conform to the language of Matthew 3:17 (“my beloved … in whom I am well pleased”), which was otherwise closer to Genesis 22:2.

In his name the nations will put their hope.

Our FAITH is in the saving power of Jesus, our HOPE is in the name of Jesus, and our LOVE is a reflection of the love of Jesus.