Jesus The Messianic King(2011)-2

JESUS The MESSIANIC KING-II—Matthew 1:1-17

Attention:

For many, Christmas is about the change of physical seasons. With our sentiments being stirred by specific & secular, holiday songs & stories. White Christmas, Winter Wonderland, Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, & of course the Night Before Christmas.

But none of these even approach the magnificent mystery of Christ's taking on human flesh to redeem us for God's works & heaven!

Those secular appropriations are a paltry attempt by the lost, to redeem the celebration for themselves.

Need:

Jesus was no doubt a very intelligent teacher. But What is so special about Him?

Is there any evidence for what the Church believes about Him?

Matthew’s audience is provided a telling look at Jesus’ right to Messianic rule.

Jesus is uniquely the Messianic King.

Why is Jesus uniquely the Messianic King?

OR

What makes Jesus uniquely the Messianic King?

This morning we discovered 2 qualifiers making Jesus uniquely the Messianic King were by...

1. COVENANT(:1)

2—Jesus is uniquely the Messianic King by...

INCLUSION(:3, 5, 6, 16)

Explanation: (:3, 5, 6, 16) Grace/Forgiveness

The inclusion of 5 women(here Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsehba, Mary) is both “unnecessary & unusual in Jewish genealogies.”—Craig Blomberg

By Matthew’s adding them, their stories become significant to his audience.

A common factor among all 5 of them is that they are encompassed by “suspicions of illegitimacy,”

TAMAR:

:3—“Judah begot Perez & Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, & Hezron begot Ram.”

“by Tamar”—

Judah’s or rather “Perez’” entry is different in that his mother is listed.

She is “Tamar,” who is a noteworthy person known by having craftily tricked her lying father-in-law(“Judah”) into an illicit, one-time, sexual relationship as she posed as a harlot. This shamefully contorted & sordid event, recorded in Gen. 38, produced Perez(& “Zerah” his twin).

Gen 38:1-10 “It came to pass at that time that Judah departed from his brothers, & visited a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah. And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua, & he married her & went in to her. So she conceived & bore a son, & he called his name Er. She conceived again & bore a son, & she called his name Onan. And she conceived yet again & bore a son, & called his name Shelah....Then Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, & her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, & the LORD killed him. And Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife & marry her, & raise up an heir to your brother.” But Onan knew that the heir would not be his; & it came to pass, when he went in to his brother’s wife, that he emitted on the ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother. And the thing which he did displeased the LORD; therefore He killed him also.”

Gen. 38:11-16—“Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house till my son Shelah[Judah has another son by Shua’s daughter] is grown.” For he said, “Lest he also die like his brothers.” And Tamar went & dwelt in her father’s house. Now in the process of time the daughter of Shua, Judah’s wife, died; & Judah was comforted, & went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he & his friend Hirah the Adullamite. And it was told Tamar, saying, “Look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.” So she took off her widow’s garments, covered herself with a veil & wrapped herself, & sat in an open place which was on the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown, & she was not given to him as a wife. When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, because she had covered her face. Then he turned to her by the way, & said, “Please let me come in to you”; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law....””

Gen. 38:24-27—“And it came to pass, about three months after, that Judah was told, saying, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot; furthermore she is with child by harlotry.” So Judah said, “Bring her out & let her be burned!” When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “By the man to whom these belong, I am with child.” And she said, “Please determine whose these are--the signet & cord, & staff.” So Judah acknowledged them & said, “She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son.” And he never knew her again. Now it came to pass, at the time for giving birth, that behold, twins were in her womb.”

So when we discover that your ancestors were thieves & murderers & the like, don’t let that keep you from trusting that the Lord God can use you to do His will! Remember the Messiah was produced thru such as you!