SF879 - The King of Grace (Matthew 1 1-17)
Matthew 1:1-17
Introduction
Genealogies are foreign to us. They were critically important to the Jews of Matthew’s day. Genealogies provided proof of ownership, priesthood and in the case of Jesus, kingship.
Matthew presents Jesus as the sovereign, Mark presents Him as a servant, Luke presents Him as the Son of Man, and John presents Him as the Son of God.
Matthew begins his gospel with the genealogy of the Lord beginning with Abraham, the father of the Hebrew people, through King David, Israel’s model king.
The message of Matthew centers on the kingship of Jesus. Matthew presents the Messiah King who is revealed, rejected, and who will return.
The entire Old Testament looks forward to the coming of God’s King who will rule in God’s promised kingdom. In Matthew that promised king is revealed.
1A. God’s Promised King is the King of Glory
1B. This King would be glorious in His power.
Ø This King will have the power to bruise the head of Satan, restore man to a right relationship with God.
Genesis 3:15 (NASB) 15And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.
Ø This King will establish an eternal kingdom on earth.
Genesis 49:10 (NASB) 10The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet…
2B. This King would be glorious in His person.
He would be both human and divine.
Ø He would be born of a virgin
Isaiah 7:14 (NASB) 14“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.
Ø He would be the savior of sinners
Isaiah 53:3-5
2A. God’s Promised King is the King of Grace
1B. God’s grace is seen in the choice of one woman (1:16)
Mary was a sinner.
Ø Mary did not claim any special worth or merit.
Luke 1:38 (NASB) 38And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Mary needed a savior.
Ø Mary was born a sinner who needed a savior just like every other human.
Luke 1:46-48 (NASB) 46And Mary said: “My soul exalts the Lord, 47And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. 48“For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed.”
Mary was saved by God’s grace.
Luke 1:28 (NASB) 28And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”
“favored one” = one endued with grace
2B. God’s grace is seen in the descendants of two men. (1:1)
Abraham was both a sinner and a saint.
Ø Abraham demonstrated great faith.
Hebrews 11:8 (NASB) 8By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.
Ø Abraham committed gross sin.
Twice he lied about his wife, Sarah. (Genesis 12:11-19, 20:1-18)
David was both a King and a killer.
Ø David was a man after God’s own heart.
Acts 13:22 (NASB) 22“…He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will.’
Ø David was an adulterer and murderer.
2 Samuel 12:9 (NASB) 9‘Why have you despised the word of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon.
The descendants of both Abraham and David were often unfaithful, immoral, and ungodly.
Ø Yet God extended His grace to them.
Ø The King came through the line of two sinful men.
3B. God’s grace is seen in the history of three eras. (1:17)
The first period was from Abraham to David.
Ø It was a period of wandering and enslavement.
Ø God graciously granted deliverance, the covenant and conquest.
The second period was from David to Babylon.
Ø It was a period of decline, degeneracy, apostasy, and tragedy.
Ø God graciously granted protection, prosperity, and preservation.
The third period was from Babylon to Christ.
Ø It was a time of exile, frustration, and silence.
Ø God graciously granted repentance, revival, and salvation.
4B. God’s grace is seen in the inclusion of four outcasts. (1:3-6)
God chose Tamar the Gentile trickster. (1:3)
Ø Tamar deceived Judah, her father-in-law into having sexual relations with her.
Ø Despite the sin of prostitution and incest, God extended His grace.
God chose Rahab the Gentile prostitute. (1:5a)
Ø She was a professional prostitute.
Ø God graciously chose her to be the mother of Boaz, David’s great-grandfather.
God chose Ruth the Moabite widow. (1:5b)
Ø As a Moabite and former pagan she had no right to marry an Israelite.
Ø God graciously brought her into the family of Israel and through her marriage to Boaz she became the great-grandmother of David.
God chose Bathsheba the adulterer. (1:6)
Ø She committed adultery with David which eventually led to the murder of her husband.
Ø God graciously made her the mother of Solomon, the successor to David’s throne.
Application
This promised King is a King of glory and grace.
No matter what you have done, he offers grace to you today.
GOD’S PROMISED KING
Matthew 1:1-17
1A. God’ Promised King is the King of _______________
1B. This King would be glorious in His _________.
Ø This King will have the power to bruise the head of Satan and restore man to a right relationship with God. (Genesis 3:15)
Ø This King will establish an _____________ kingdom on earth. (Genesis 49:10)
2B. This King would be glorious in His _________.
Ø He would be born of a _________________. (Isaiah 7:14)
Ø He would be the ______________ of sinners (Isaiah 53:3-5)
2A. God’s Promised King is the King of ________________
1B. God’s grace seen in the choice of ___________ woman (1:16)
Mary was a ___________________. (Luke 1:38)
Mary needed a ________________. (Luke 1:46-48)
Mary was saved by God’s _______________. (Luke 1:28)
2B. God’s grace is seen in the descendants of two ________________________. (1:1)
Abraham was both a _____________ and a saint.
Ø Abraham demonstrated great faith. (Hebrews 11:8-10)
Ø Abraham committed gross sin. (Genesis 12:11-19, 20:1-18)
David was both a King and a ________________.
Ø David was a man after God’s own heart. (Acts 13:22)
Ø David was an adulterer and murderer. (2 Samuel 12:9)
The descendants of both Abraham and David were often unfaithful, immoral, and __________________.
3B. God’s grace is seen in the history of _________ eras. (1:17)
The first period was from Abraham to ________.
The second period was from David to Babylon.
The third period was from Babylon to Christ.
4B. God’s grace is seen in the inclusion of ________________ outcasts. (1:3-6)
God chose _________ the Gentile trickster. (1:3)
God chose _______ the Gentile prostitute. (1:5a)
God chose _________ the Moabite widow. (1:5b)
God chose Bathsheba the adulterer. (1:6)