Jesus, Son of David

Good morning Ambassadors! I’m grateful to be joining you from the pulpit this morning as we continue in our series, “Jesus’ Family Tree.” Last week’s look back at Jesus as a Son of Abraham from Pastor JP helped us to set the tone for our time looking at the lineage of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. My task this morning is to explore with you the connection of Christ to His ancestor, King David.

David is, (for many of us obviously), one of the key characters in the Old Testament story, and one of a very few people to have a personal covenant with God that would span eternity. David wrote many of the Psalms, was a fierce warrior king, and began a new line of kings that did not last long, yet, as we shall see, will last forever in Jesus.

The legend of David in the Old Testament begins with his heritage, where we see in Matthew that he came from a long line of consequential people in the mosaic of the Old Covenant. His renown grows as He is chosen by God and anointed by Samuel as the chosen King of Israel while Saul is still on the throne and he is still basically a boy. After his anointing, David slays the giant Philistine Goliath in battle, further embarassing King Saul and beginning a period of turmoil in his eventual takeover of the throne. When Saul is finally killed in battle and David is crowned King of Israel THEN his troubles really began. He struggled with his leadership, the direction of his own legacy before God and Israel, and of course was famous for insane moments of sin, like the taking of Baath-sheba and the murder of her husband Uriah.

King David, as a story, is a picture of one who was “a man after God’s own heart” but was still desperately in need of a Savior, just like us. So if you’re the kind of person that struggles with feeling like you need to earn God’s favor, you can see that the hope was here for David, even as part of the heritage of Jesus.

Let’s turn our attention to Jesus, the Reason for the Season! Matthew 1 begins by providing for us the lineage, heritage, and story of the birth of Christ, some 4 centuries after the last prophecy of the Old Testament. Let’s take a look starting in verse 18:

Matthew 1:18–23 ESV

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).

This infamous Advent/Christmas passage highlights for us the story of the birth of Christ. Now, what is so important about this? Why do we make such a fuss and celebrate for a month Jesus’ birth? Why is the Christmas season so long and Easter, the time of Jesus’ death and resurrection, so short in comparison? I think that leads us to our first observation about Jesus and His family tree in general:

Jesus’ birth highlights His humanity

Jesus is God. But Jesus is also fully man. Any denial of either of those truths removes us from orthodox belief. But as we study the “family tree” we are highlighting specifically this important aspect of Jesus. Jesus was born of a line of people who dealt with all the same problems, issues, and sins that we inherit in our lives. Where Jesus obviously differs is that He was conceived as a man by the Holy Spirit in Mary, thereby Jesus didn’t suffer the same personal struggles while enduring the same personal consequences of the sin of those around Him.

Just the idea of being born is a beautiful picture that further points us to the beauty of His death.

Story of how seeing Jack born changed my life and taught me how to love more deeply and truly.

Let’s move on further into Jesus’ connection with David:

Mark 12:35–37 ESV

35 And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? 36 David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’ 37 David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?” And the great throng heard him gladly.

Jesus is speaking in the temple, trying to get everyone to realize that the Messiah was standing in front of them! He does it by highlighting the idea that David himself looked ahead to his offspring and called Him Lord, in spite of being his ancestor. They would have known that Jesus was of the lineage of David by both Mary and Joseph.

Luke 2:1–4 ESV

1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,

Why did this matter? Jesus’ credibility could not be challenged, although the scribers and Pharisees did their absolute best! While Jesus was born in humble conditions and under what seemed to be suspicious circumstances, the verifiable truths surrounding his heritage provided Him the with the validity needed in His present day. So first, Jesus’ birth highlights his humanity, and secondly as it relates to Jesus and David...

Jesus’ birth in the line of David brings validity

This is the challenge of Christians today as we seek to point the lost world to the hope of salvation only found in Jesus Christ.

1. It shows His right to the throne as King of Israel

2 Samuel 7:16 ESV

16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’ ”

This furthers the narrative that Jesus is not only valid in the line of David, but as a direct descendant of a seemingly broken line, He has every right as fully human to ascend to the throne of David at Jerusalem.

Further highlights humanity.

2. It shows His right to the throne as King of Creation

John 1:1–3 ESV

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

This highlights His divinity

John 1:14 ESV

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Jesus’ presence was the culmination and fulfillment of all prophecies..

Jesus’ birth as Son of David reminds us of God’s Covenant kept and fulfilled

Look at the message of Peter who brings home the point of Christ, his connection to David, and His right to be the King of Israel, Creation, and our lives.

Acts 2:22–36 ESV

22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. 25 For David says concerning him, “ ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; 26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. 27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ 29 “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, 35 until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’ 36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”