A New Beginning

Text: Matthew 1:1-17

Introduction

When it comes to public speaking, it is a well known method to make sure your introduction catches the minds of your audience before you dive in to the main content of your speech, sermon, etc.

Uhm, did Matthew not realize this? Of course he did! That is exactly why he began with this genealogy from Abraham all the way through (with a few exemption) to Jesus Christ.

We have to remember that Matthew’s audience was primarily Jews. To the Jews, it meant “beginning”; the story of the original beginning. Remember what Pilate to them, “Behold your King!” Of course, don’t forget how they replied, “We have no king but Caesar” So, Matthew comes out of the gate with Jesus’ pedigree.

This Christmas season, we gather in worship to a STRONG KING; KING JESUS! Let us appreciate the enormous work of our Sovereign Father to work out a New Beginning through His Son Jesus Christ.

1) The First Beginning

We must go back to the book of beginnings to lay the foundation.

God created them male and female.

Adam was the federal head over all humanity.

God made them the first royal family. They were to rule over the dust. Unfortunately, the dust ultimately ruled over them.

Genesis 3:6-19 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. 7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. 8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. 9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? 10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. 11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? 12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. 13 And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. 14 And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: 15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. 16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. 17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

1 Cor. 15:22 “22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”

Romans 5:12 “12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:”

Romans 5:19 “19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”

The need was for man to get their names out of Adam’s book and into Christ’s. OUR NEED ALSO!

Turn to: Genesis 3:15 “15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

Thus, the hope of the new beginning begins...........

2) The Awaited Beginning

Here are some simple yet captivating facts about this genealogy:

3 groups of 14 generations:

Abraham — to — David

David — to — Babylon

Exile — to — Christ

Just making the claim of such lineage was not good enough for Jewish people of that day. You had to PROVE IT!

3 groups of 14 generations

#14 is David’s number; D-V-D

(3 Hebrew consonants) (D) dalet, (v) Vav, (D) dalet

(D) 4 + (V) 6 + (D) 4 = 14

The backdrop to this genealogy is, “Jesus is the son of David.”

Jesus is the legal heir to the throne of David; Jesus’ royal identity as the son of David.

2 Sam. 23:5 “5 Although my house be not so with God; Yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, Ordered in all things, and sure: For this is all my salvation, and all my desire, Although he make it not to grow.”

Think about the enormous stretch of TIME THAT PASSED...

2,000 years of Bible history in 16 verses.

Over 100 years per verse.

42 generations are listed.

Someone said, “December is the longest month of the year for kids. It seems like Christmas never comes.”

Illustration: C.S. Lewis’ Narnia is described as a place where it is always winter but never Christmas.

Song — Charles Wesley’s song, “Hark The Herald Angel Sing”..... “late in time”

Believers of the Old Testament often cried, “How long Lord?”

Psalm 6:3 “3 My soul is also sore vexed: But thou, O Lord, how long?”

Psalm 13:2 “2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart daily? How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?”

Psalm 94:3 “3 Lord, How long shall the wicked, How long shall the wicked triumph?”

God’s promise to Abraham did not come until 2,000 years later!!!

Think about the concern about this promised SON OF DAVID when they put David’s dead body in the grave!!!

Quote: Delays of promised mercies, though they exercise our patience, do not weaken God’s promise. (Matthew Henry)

Quote: God’s time for the performance of his promises is when it labours under the greatest improbabilities. (Matthew Henry)

3) The New Beginning

Read — verses 18-25

Quote: The gospel story is about how Jesus Christ, the son of David, in God’s kingdom restores life to what it was meant to be. In other words, it is about a new genesis. (Sinclair Ferguson)

This story tells how Jesus UNDID the effects of Adam’s fall.

This story tells how Jesus ACCOMPLISHED what Adam failed to do.

Romans 5:15 “15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.”

Matthew 19:28 “28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

“regeneration” = rebirth; new age; the beginning again.

PTL for the record of this genealogy!

We are blessed to live in a time when we can look back quickly and see that what seemed tot hem as God possibly forgetting His covenant was actually God faithfully fulfilling it.

This snap-shot of history speaks of failures, trials, cataclysmic events!!!

It tells us God knew exactly where He was going.

GOOD NEWS for those who need a NEW BEGINNING!

A new beginning can only be found in JESUS THE CHRIST!

1 Cor. 15:45 “45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.”

2 Cor. 5:17 “17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”