Untitled Sermon

Woman

Tamar,

Ruth

Mary

The Lexham English Bible Chapter 1

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ occurred in this way. His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found ⌊to be pregnant⌋ by the Holy Spirit. 19 So Joseph her husband, being righteous and not wanting to disgrace her, intended to divorce her secretly. 20 But as* he was considering these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will give birth to a son, and you will call his name ‘Jesus,’ because he will save his people from their sins.” 22 Now all this happened in order that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled, saying,

23 “Behold, the virgin ⌊will become pregnant⌋ and will give birth to a son,

and they will call his name Emmanuel,”

which is translated, “God with us.” 24 And Joseph, when he* woke up from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and he took his wife 25 and ⌊did not have sexual relations with⌋ her until she gave birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

English Standard Version Chapter 1

Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, 4 and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth,

English Standard Version Chapter 1

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

2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, 4 and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of David the king.

And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, 7 and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, 8 and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, 9 and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, 11 and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

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

English Standard Version Chapter 1

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,

and they shall call his name Immanuel”

(which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

The Lexham English Bible Chapter 1

26 Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee ⌊named⌋ Nazareth, 27 to a virgin legally promised in marriage to a man ⌊named⌋ Joseph of the house of David. And the name of the virgin was Mary. 28 And he came to her and* said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was greatly perplexed at the statement, and was pondering what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her,

“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

31 And behold, you will conceive in the womb and will give birth to a son,

and you will call his name Jesus.

32 This one will be great, and he will be called the Son of the Most High,

and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.

33 And he will reign over the house of Jacob ⌊forever⌋,

and of his kingdom there will be no end.

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?” 35 And the angel answered and* said to her,

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,

and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

Therefore also the one to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.

36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth—she also has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For ⌊nothing will be impossible with God⌋.”

38 So Mary said, “Behold, the Lord’s female slave! May it happen to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

English Standard Version Chapter 1

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 33A: Matthew 1–13 Comment

The third and most appealing option utilizes a little from each of the first two options but centers on the way in which the women prefigure Mary by calling attention to the abundant presence of both surprise and scandal in the Messiah’s lineage. The sovereign plan and purpose of God are often worked out in and through the most unlikely turn of events, and even through women who, though Gentiles or harlots, are receptive to God’s will. The virgin birth and the importance of Mary are just such surprising and scandalous (though in Mary’s case only seemingly scandalous) ways through which God brings his purposes to realization in the story of Jesus. The women then serve as reminders that God often works in the most unusual ways and that to be open to his sovereign activity is to be prepared for the surprising.

This Advent Season we have been focusing on the W. One week 1 we looked at the good news that Jesus came to save the World, which includes you. In week 2 week discovered that Advent was originally practiced by the Church as a preparation for Christ’s second coming, not His first. So, we are to Watch in order to be ready for Jesus’ return. Last week we talked about Waiting. We aren’t very good waiters, but our wait reveals our wants and when we want Jesus we can learn to wait well.

This week’s W…Woman. World, Watch, Wait…and Woman?

Women are rising to unprecedented levels of power and influence in our world, but it wasn’t always like that. However, I might argue this morning that God always intended women to play unprecedented roles in His coming Kingdom. And what I hope comes out of this message is that all of us, both men and women are encouraged, challenged and changed by what we are about to unpack.

Here at regeneration Church we promote reading your Bible. In fact, one of the reasons we don’t project a lot of the passages on the screen is to force you to find the passage and read it for yourself. We think it’s important for you to know where Genesis, Deuteronomy, Ruth, and 1 and 2 Kings are located and that you are familiar with the stories contained within them. I try to lead by example by reading through the Bible each and every year. I would love for you to join me beginning January 1 with attempting to make that happen.

Granted, I know it can be a cumbersome task. Leviticus is about as entertaining as reading a recipe. Numbers is an endless list of names and numbers. 1 and 2 Chronicles rehashes much of what we already read in 1 and 2 Kings and so on.

Even

When someone first places their trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior we encourage them to read the book of John first. It’s the most entertaining of the four gospels, and if we started them with Matthew they may not even make it through the first chapter.

When’s the last time you looked forward to reading ? Everyone do me a quick favor and pick up a Bible and go and find .

Read Matthew 1:1-15

Why? Right? This is one of those places where your eyes kind of glaze over and your mind wanders and you see the words but you don’t actually comprehend what you are reading.

This Advent Season we have been focusing on the W. One week 1 we looked at the good news that Jesus came to save the World, which includes you. In week 2 week discovered that Advent was originally practiced by the Church as a preparation for Christ’s second coming, not His first. So, we are to Watch in order to be ready for Jesus’ return. Last week we talked about Waiting. We aren’t very good waiters, but our wait reveals our wants and when we want Jesus we can learn to wait well.

For years I would come to this part and just speed read it.

Until at some point and time I was drawn to the unusual nature of a few of these verses.

Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, the wife of Uriah aka Bathsheba, and Mary

v.3, 5-6

This week’s W…Woman.

World, Watch, Wait…and Woman?

Women are rising to unprecedented levels of power and influence in our world, but it wasn’t always like that. However, I might argue this morning that God always intended women to play unprecedented roles in His coming Kingdom. And what I hope comes out of this message is that all of us, both men and women are encouraged, challenged and changed by what we are about to unpack.

Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, the wife of Uriah aka Bathsheba

Here at regeneration Church we promote reading your Bible. In fact, one of the reasons we don’t project a lot of the passages on the screen is to force you to find the passage and read it for yourself. We think it’s important for you to know where Genesis, Deuteronomy, Ruth, and 1 and 2 Kings are located and that you are familiar with the stories contained within them. I try to lead by example by reading through the Bible each and every year. I would love for you to join me beginning January 1 with attempting to make that happen.

Granted, I know it can be a cumbersome task. Leviticus is about as entertaining as reading a recipe. Numbers is an endless list of names and numbers. 1 and 2 Chronicles rehashes much of what we already read in 1 and 2 Kings and so on.

When someone first places their trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior we encourage them to read the book of John first. It’s the most entertaining of the four gospels, and if we started them with Matthew they may not even make it through the first chapter.

All four women are referred to in OT scripture and their names would cause an emotional response from a Jewish audience.

When’s the last time you looked forward to reading ? Everyone do me a quick favor and pick up a Bible and go and find .

So what?

Read

First of all, the inclusion of the women is a bit unusual. Lineage was almost always recorded through the men, because your inheritance was determined by who your father was, not your mother. We aren’t going here but I want to give you this one for free. Your inheritance is still determined by who your Father is…eternal…heavenly.

Secondly, Matthew’s choice of women to highlight is fascinating.

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

Tamar was the forgotten widow until she tricked her fath-in-law, Judah, into getting her pregnant.

2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, 4 and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of David the king.

And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, 7 and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, 8 and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, 9 and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, 11 and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

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

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

Rahab is the wild card of the bunch. She was likely the prostitute rescued from Jericho by the Israelite led Joshua when they began their Promised Land Conquest. It’s hard to know if this is that Rahab because she appears a little too late in the genealogy, but the name alone invokes this idea that she is a woman of a shameful past and a rebellious people who chose to follow God and live with His people.

Why? Right? This is one of those places where your eyes kind of glaze over and your mind wanders and you see the words but you don’t actually comprehend what you are reading.

For years I would come to this part and just speed read it.

Until at some point and time I was drawn to the unusual nature of a few of these verses.

v.3, 5-6

Ruth was the Moabite widow who rejected her gods for the one true God and her people for her mother-in-law Naomi. She seduced an older man in order to secure their inheritance.

Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, the wife of Uriah aka Bathsheba

All four women are referred to in OT scripture and their names would cause an emotional response from a Jewish audience.

So what?

Bathsheba was the one weakness of an otherwise perfect warrior-king. David committed murder of one of his most loyal and faithful men, Uriah, in order to secure her as his wife.

First of all, the inclusion of the women is a bit unusual. Lineage was almost always recorded through the men, because your inheritance was determined by who your father was, not your mother. We aren’t going here but I want to give you this one for free. Your inheritance is still determined by who your Father is…eternal…heavenly.

Secondly, Matthew’s choice of women to highlight is fascinating.

Tamar was the forgotten widow until she tricked her father-in-law, Judah, into getting her pregnant.

Rahab is the wild card of the bunch. She was likely the prostitute rescued from Jericho by the Israelite led Joshua when they began their Promised Land Conquest. It’s hard to know if this is that Rahab because she appears a little too late in the genealogy, but the name alone invokes this idea that she is a woman of a shameful past and a rebellious people who chose to follow God and live with His people.

It’s quite possible that none of these women are of Jewish decent. Three of them wear scarlet letters of shame for their sexual sins. Ruth is the least controversial in this regard, but you do get the impression from her story that she used her beauty to her advantage.

Ruth was the Moabite widow who rejected her gods for the one true God and her people for her mother-in-law Naomi. She seduced an older man in order to secure their inheritance.

Bathsheba was the one weakness of an otherwise perfect warrior-king. David committed murder of one of his most loyal and faithful men, Uriah, in order to secure her as his wife.

It’s quite possible that none of these women are of Jewish decent. Three of them wear scarlet letters of shame for their sexual sins. Ruth is the least controversial in this regard, but you do get the impression from her story that she used her beauty to her advantage.

What in the world is God trying to point out through Matthew?

What in the world is God trying to point out through Matthew?

Sin - God didn’t use perfect people. God used prostitutes and murders and double crossers. We all have relatives that we don’t brag about. All of us have at least one Cousin Eddie. Jesus’ lineage is littered with people who messed up…big time. Jesus is personally connected to the history of sin.

Redemption - God not only redeems men, but women, and not only Jews, but Gentiles. He is willing and able to reconcile anyone to himself if they trust HIm.

Women - Women have been a key part of God’s Story from the beginning. So, it shouldn’t be too surprising that Mary ends up playing such a monumental role in the NT. We hear about Joseph in the first couple of chapters of Matthew and Luke, but Joseph never speaks, and by the time Jesus is a young man Mary is the only one referred to.

Sin - God didn’t use perfect people. God used prostitutes and murders and double crossers. We all have relatives that we don’t brag about. All of us have at least one Cousin Eddie. Jesus’ lineage is littered with people who messed up…big time.

Mary, could have tried out for MTV’s reality show Teen Mom.

Just imagine that for a moment.

Now let’s be honest. We have a tendency to look down on certain people and call into question their integrity. Teen mom makes the list.

And yet not only does she not fade into the background of the Gospels, but she rises to the top as being one of the few, mostly women by the way, who were with Jesus at the cross. She was not only the Teen Mom of the Messiah, but she became a faithful female disciple of Jesus.

Redemption - God not only redeems men, but women, and not only Jews, but Gentiles. He is willing and able to reconcile anyone to himself if they trust HIm.

Mary is God’s Big Christmas Surprise.

It’s almost like God was trying to say, “I value all people, and can transform anyone who trusts Me.” There may be someone in your life that you have so devalued that you would rather they be dead. Maybe they are dead already. How does it make you feel that God can redeem them, could redeem them, might redeem them, and then use them to do great things for His kingdom?

Maybe you feel like you were one of those people. Far from God, living a life ignorant of His love and care for you, and then one day the light comes on, and you’ve never been the same. Let this encourage you.

Women - Women have been a key part of God’s Story from the beginning. So, it shouldn’t be too surprising that Mary ends up playing such a monumental role in the NT. We hear about Joseph in the first couple of chapters of Matthew and Luke, but Joseph never speaks, and by the time Joseph is a young man Mary is the only one referred to. She was not only the mother of the Messiah, but she was a faithful female disciple of Jesus.

Maybe you feel like you are one of those people. Abandoned, looked down on because of your age or circumstance, burdened by expectations that you have been unable to meet, looking for satisfaction in others only to be taken advantage of, looking for satisfaction in things that eventually wear out or break.

Mary’s story is here for you. God used her and then she bore and then followed Jesus.

Mary, could have tried out for MTV’s reality show Teen Mom.

God can use you.

Just imagine that for a moment.

Now let’s be honest. We have a tendency to look down on certain people and call into question their integrity. Teen mom makes the list.

You can find what you need in Jesus.

And yet not only does she not fade into the background of the Gospels, but she rises to the top as being one of the few, mostly women, who were with Jesus at the cross.

Mary is God’s Big Christmas Surprise.

It’s almost like God was trying to say, “I value all people, and can transform anyone who trusts Me.” There may be someone in your life that you have so devalued that you would rather they be dead. Maybe they are dead already. How does it make you feel that God can redeem them, could redeem them, might redeem them, and then use them to do great things for His kingdom?

Maybe today, you can choose to follow Him. Maybe today you can be God’s Big Christmas Surprise to us by trusting Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

Pray

Maybe you feel like you were one of those people. Far from God, living a life ignorant of His love and care for you, and then one day the light comes on, and you’ve never been the same.

Altar Call

Maybe you feel like you are one of those people. Abandoned, looked down on because of your age or circumstance, burdened by expectations that you have been unable to meet, looking for satisfaction in others only to be taken advantage of, looking for satisfaction in things that eventually wear out or break.

Mary’s story is here for you. God used her and then she bore and then followed Jesus.

God can use you.

You can find what you need in Jesus

Maybe today, you can choose to follow Him. Maybe today you can be God’s Big Christmas Surprise by trusting Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

Pray

Alter Call