it ain't over

11 And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon: 12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;

Matthew 1:16–17 KJV 1900

16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. 17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.

Isaiah 53:1–2 KJV 1900

1 Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, And as a root out of a dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; And when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

Thank all that worked hard for the Christmas Program that we enjoyed this morning.

Thank you James Wilson, praise team and musicians for the many hours of practice that you put in to make today excellent.

Thank you Leasa Mace and all of our Sunday School team for your help at making sure the kids new the songs.

Thank you to the parents for making sure your children were here for practices

Thank you to James Simpkins and those that helped with the props for the program.

Through the week there have been various festivities and celebrations organized by our leadership teams…thank you to Trey and Michelle Henderson for what appeared to be a great Christmas party for our young adults and to Erick and Karla Sanchez for the great food and fellowship last night for Esperanza Viva.

Today I want to continue in the 3rd week of our series that will conclude next Sunday. The series has been preached from the first 17 verses of the book of Matthew in which the writer Matthew records the lineage from Abraham to Messiah.

Getting to Messiah

The reason that Matthew began his account of the Gospel, with the lineage of Jesus Christ reflects on this purpose for writing the Gospel. Of the 4 Gospels, Matthews account was directed to the Jewish people of his day. As such, the first priority had to be to establish that Jesus fulfilled the legal requirements as Messiah. This could only be established by tracing his lineage as the offspring of both Abraham and of David.

As we established in the first week, when one is intending to establish someone as royalty and of noble blood, they usually choose to include the good names and leave out the bad. It is not uncommon in ancient times, for scribes to embellish and exaggerate a bloodline in an effort to enhance the standing of a dignitary.

Yet, as we have discovered the last two weeks, the bloodline of Jesus is more than just a list of “begats”… within the generations of Jesus, we find interwoven, the very message of the Gospel.

Week one of the series, we looked at the lineage of Jesus and asked the question “who let you in”. Listed in the lineage of Jesus were names that under cultural norms, never would have been included. 4 women of poor reputation. Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Bethsheba. Just their identity as women was reason enough to exclude them from being listed in the lineage. Yet, Matthews’ inclusion of these women in the blood line of the King of Glory heralds a very clear message. Even in his blood line, Jesus wasn’t interested in hiding the mess. It is the core of the Gospel…your future doesn’t have to be controlled by your past. Your mess doesn’t scare the messiah!

Last week, we looked at three more names…this time names that should have been included, but were instead excluded. Where is your name Yet, just as clearly intentional as it was to include the 4 women, is the exclusion of these 3 kings. Their blood was royal, their relationships noble…yet in Matthew chapter 1 verse 8, the bible says that Joram begat Uzziah…3 generations of kings omitted from the ancestry of Jesus. Without re preaching an entire sermon from last week, I will just summarize by saying that it apparent that the common quality that excluded Kings Ahaziah, Joash and Amaziah from the ancestry of messiah was their relationship. Joram had married Atheliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, wicked and Godless leaders of Israel that the bible says of Ahab "he did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.”

Joash

These kings followed in the path of wickedness that had been established by Ahab and Jezebel...

and Joash’s son was Amaziah

‘today…and I am going to keep it very brief and very to the point…but as we see the message of the Gospel preached through the lineage of Jesus…if we would focus our attention to the final group of names listed.

A group of names that begins in Matthew chapter 1 vs. 11 with King Jeconiah and concludes with Joseph, the adoptive father of Jesus.

From this final Group, I want to preach this morning for a few moments…Grammatically incorrect, but Biblically correct “It ain’t over”.

There are several factors that stand out about this final category of 14 generations that bring us to the birth of Jesus.

First of all, if the list of names appears to be obscure and unfamiliar…don’t fret…even to the most studied bible scholar names like Abiud (uh-bye-ud), Azor and Alium would appear to be unfamiliar. that is because beginning with Abiud, the offspring of Zerubbabel, and ending with Jacob, the father of Joseph, these men are found in this instance and only this instance in the bible. While there are a few whose names may be familiar…these particular person appear in no other instance within the Scriptures. The previous archives of the ancestry of Messiah are filled with distinguished and illustrious household names…but not among this group.

There are no David-like giant killers listed in this final group.

No Solomoneque Kings renown for wisdom.

No Abrahamic fathers of nations,

nor men like Jacob who wrestled with God and prevailed.

No redemptive stories like that of Tamar, Rahab, Ruth or Bethsheba…absolutely Nothing…

Not one name has been mentioned before and none of their names will be mentioned again after.

If Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Bethsheba were the group that would be uninvited…then this group would simply be the unheard of.

Matthew 1:13–16 NKJV

13 Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor. 14 Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud. 15 Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob. 16 And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.

Matthew 1:12–16 NKJV

12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel. 13 Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor. 14 Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud. 15 Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob. 16 And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.

The Group of insignificance

Perhaps the greatest work of the adversary that is out overthrow and overwhelm the purpose, the plan and the Perfect Will of God, is the swamp of insignificance. Working to paralyze purpose and destiny by convincing people that they are unimportant, unwanted, unneeded, unloved, undesirable, unqualified, undeserving and unappreciated.

That they don’t matter and they have nothing to offer!

I would present today that the growth of the Kingdom of God is prevented when insignificance is promoted.

The purpose and the plan of God through you is limited if the enemy can convince you that your contribution doesn’t make a difference.

If the enemy can convince you that your praise is inconsequential.

That your prayers are pointless

That your prayers don’t change things

that wether you attend church or don’t is really a trivial and unimportant matter.

that your connection to the body of Christ doesn’t impact your eternity

If the adversary can convince you that your talents and abilities are meaningless...

From Jechoniah to Joseph…the unfamiliar and unimportant!

Since the devil likes to hang out in the land of “un”…I’ve got an un for him today

Romans 16:20 NKJV

20 And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

You are not unimportant, unwanted, unneeded and you’re certainly not unloved!

While it would make sense for a scribe to embelish and exaggerate by listing only those of royalty and renown, the Almighty God moved upon Matthew to include the insignificant.

You can’t get to Messiah without making your way through a list of names you’ve never heard of!

You’ll never get to Immanuel without the journey through insignificance.

Week 1 I told you that you belong here...

Week 3 I’m telling you that we need you! You matter!

2. There is more to this list of names that simply their obscurity …but the significance that we see in their story is established by the preface of their names. It is their in vs. 11

Matthew 1:11 KJV 1900

11 And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon:

Historically, we understand that this was and even still to this day is, a dark blot on the history of the descendants of Abraham. Because of their continued disobedience and continued turning away from God, God allowed them to be taken carried away as captives in Babylon.

Bible historians and theologians tell us that as we follow the lineage from Abraham to Christ, there are two major transitions. The first would be when David rises to the throne of Isreal. This is the apex of the heritage.

Things are looking really good. We go from father Abraham traveling as a stranger, looking for a city whose builder and maker was God. The bible says that He died in faith…not having received the promises.

But now…the family tree has arrived!

We’re moving on up...

We’re like the Jeffersons...Movin on up To the east side....We finally got a piece of the pie.

Well we're movin on up, To the east side. To a deluxe apartment in the sky. Movin on up To the east side. We finally got a piece of the pie.

David is on the throne…talk about an upgrade…its like going from the Clampits…the beverly hill billy’s to the Royal family!

Now that we are kings…we are set up and positioned for the birth of a messiah....it all makes sense now!

But then comes the second transition…After 14 generations of nobility and royalty...here comes Babylon!

And as uplifting and powerful as the rise of David was for the promise of Messiah…equally as devastating and tragic is their bondage in Babylon.

The monarchy was destroyed and the remnant of a once powerful and proud nation is brought to Babylon.

It looks like its over.

Hopes shattered, dreams dashed. Not since Abraham celebrated his 99th birthday with no promised son being born, has the promise of a righteous seed, appeared to be so improbable?

How do you get fromBabylon to isaiahs prophecy of a child that would be born, and a son would be given…and

Isaiah 9:6–7 KJV 1900

6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: And the government shall be upon his shoulder: And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, Upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, To order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice From henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Isaiah 9:

Isaiah 9:6–8 KJV 1900

How do you get to Messiah, when there is no throne!

How do you get to a Kingdom that will never end when there is no kingdom remaining?!?

It looked like it was over!!!

Matthew Henry said it this way in his commentary “After all these years the Hope for Messiah was dim, when the house of David was buried in obscurity.

And for 400 years God would remain silent. God would not speak…Not a word from God. No throne! No King! No Kingdom…

It appeared all hope was gone!!

But Zerubbebel begat Abiud (Uh-Bye-Ud)

No word from God! No king on the throne…what about the promises God made?

And Abiud begat Eliakim

What about the prophecies of isaiah…what about this Wonderful savior

And Eliakim begat Azor

What about a government whose increase and peace would never end?

And Azor began Sadoc

How are we every going to the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings?

And Matthen begat Jacob…and Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus the Messiah.

the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, Who is called the Christ.

I know it may look like its over…it may look there is no way to Get to Messiah from here...

But I like what Paul said when he wrote about Jesus in Colossians chapter 1 vs. 15….

Colossians 1:15 KJV 1900

15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

He’s an invisible God…Even when you can’t see it he’s working!

He’s an invisible God…Even when it looks like its over…God is working in ways you’ve never heard of to bring about a destiny you never thought of!

Isaiah said it this way in Isaiah 11:1

Isaiah 11:1 KJV 1900

1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

A branch coming out of a stump!

Isaiah 53:2 KJV 1900

2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, And as a root out of a dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; And when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

A root out of dry ground....with just a little bit of research I found that the number one factor in the healthy growth of a root, it water availability.

Yet Isaiah said that Messiah would be a root of out dry ground.

out of obscurity!

God works through insignificance to introduce the Wonderful, counselor, mighty God everlasting father....prince of peace.

I know it looks like its over…but that last prayer that the enemy told you wouldn’t make a difference…it may be that prayer that gets you to Messiah!

I know it looks impossible…its dry ground! its a stump! But today, your response to the presence of God could be the very thing that introduces the Wonder, Counselor into your troubling storm!

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it ain't over

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Getting to Messiah