Looking Forward With One Eye In The Mirror
Matthew 1:1-17
INTRO: There is a conspiracy afloat in America today to take Christ out of Christmas!
1. We as Christians understand something the common everyday person doesn’t.
Without Christ there can be no Christmas.
Happy Holidays can’t begin to replace Merry Christmas.
Yet even in this, the greatest country in the world, the name of Jesus Christ is under attack.
2. Oh, the world doesn’t have any problem with Christmas…it’s just Christ.
One look at the stores tells us that Christmas itself is ok!
They used to wait until Dec to put out Christmas stuff.
Then it was Thanksgiving.
Now it’s mid-summer.
3. If only Christians would look forward to the Savior’s birth as Wal-Mart does.
If only we could get as excited as the retail world does.
How do we do that?
We do that by Looking Forward With One Eye On The Mirror.
As we look forward to Christmas, let us forever look back to Christ.
This may seem like an odd passage of scripture for Christmas…but stay with me.
This morning we are looking at the genealogy of Jesus Christ.
4. How can looking at Christ’s genealogy make us look forward to Christmas.
a. Anytime we look back at our Savior it will make us look forward to the celebration of His birth.
b. Three things the record of His lineage will show…
God’s Grace.
God’s Sovereignty
God’s Love
Matthew 1:1 - 17 (NKJV) 1The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: 2Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. 3Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. 4Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. 5Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, 6and Jesse begot David the king. David the king begot Solomon by her £who had been the wife of Uriah. 7Solomon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam begot Abijah, and Abijah begot £Asa. 8Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah. 9Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah. 10Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot £Amon, and Amon begot Josiah. 11Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to Babylon. 12And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel. 13Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor. 14Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud. 15Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob. 16And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ. 17So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.
I. God’s Grace Displayed in the Lives of Individuals.
1. The story of Christ is the story of Grace.
John 1:16 - 17 (NKJV) 16£And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
2. Before Him grace was not available…now it is available for all.
3. This “unmerited favor” the favor of God…now shines throughout this dark old world through His Son Jesus Christ.
4. The covenant of grace, which Paul says is the better covenant…would not have become available had Christ not been born.
5. And Get this…that grace is available to each and every one of us…
6. Even in Jesus’ family tree we see people just like you and I…there are a few suprises hanging around that tree…as there are in all of ours…
Tamar v3, who was a Gentile of questionable character…
Rahab v5, a Gentile and a converted prostitute.
Manasseh and Amon…two of the worst Kings over Judah…
Slaves…psalmists…shepherds…prophets…priests…and Kings
Extraordinary and ordinary…just like those He came to save
7. God’s choice of those in the Messianic line proves that He is a God of grace.
8. It makes us look forward to Christmas by remembering God’s grace as displayed in the lives of normal…everyday individuals like you and I.
9. His grace is still working wonders in our lives today.
10. No sin is too great for His blood to cover.
11. No problem is too small to “bother” Him with.
12. No Problem is too complex for Jesus to deal with…some have complex problems…
1 Peter 5:7 (KJV) 7Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
13. Yes, looking back, we can see, that the grace extended at Calvary, had its birth at Bethlehem…and by looking back…we learn to look forward.
II. God’s Sovereignty Displayed in the Affairs of History.
1. Matthews’s record of Jesus’ lineage is carefully divided into three sections.
a. The first 14 names run from Abraham to David.
This was supposed to have been the era of faith.
But it was marked by apostasy and unbelief…
b. The next 14 names extended from David to Jeconiah.
This was supposed to have been an era of Royalty under God.
A quick look into the history of the kings shows how evil most of them were. They led the entire chosen nation to rebel and sin against God.
c. The third division covers the era of the captivity, a period of unmitigated failure, defeat, and misery...
2. Yet, through all the appearances of evil and misdeeds…right on time…and just as He designed it…God’s wonderful Son is born, bringing grace and peace into this world.
3. From Adam to Joseph…God was weaving a perfect tapestry for the unveiling of His perfect plan.
4. Like the weaver who carefully places each and every stitch, God wove that scarlet thread deftly through history…and brought it to life in a stable in Bethlehem.
5. Folks, nothing will frustrate the purposes of God…
I am surprised at how many Christians will worry and fret over the smallest of things…
It’s like we don’t believe that God can bring about His purposes.
But…what God wills will be done.
In spite of man’s interference…in spite of Satan’s interference…nothing can deter the will of God.
What a comfort to us, His people.
Romans 8:28 (NKJV) 28And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
6. Paul reminds us that this is a known to us! We Know This!
7. It is a promise made only to His children!!!
8. When we realize by looking back, that God is Sovereign in the entire world, it ought to make us look forward to the celebration we have come to recognize as Christmas.
III. God’s Love is Displayed in the Fullness of Time.
1. In God’s time…Jesus came…
Galatians 4:4 - 5 (NKJV) 4But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born£ of a woman, born under the law, 5to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
2. God is never early…He’s never late…He’s always right on time…
3. Matthew is careful to demonstrate that Jesus cannot be accounted for by those in His lineage.
4. Though He was identified with them…notice that He was separated from them as well.
5. Look with me at verse 16
Matthew 1:16And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.
6. Notice that the birth of Jesus is listed differently than anyone else in the list of these 42 names.
After 39 uses of the word “beget” or was the father of…
Matthew says…Mary, of whom was born Jesus…
7. This is important…
8. No human birth, no matter how climactic, no matter how royal, can account for the birth of the Christ Child!
9. He is divine…He is God’s Son!
10. He didn’t have a human father…he could not have…explain why!!!Blood.
11. That blood that was running through this child’s body was precious.
12. It did not have a sin nature. It was human…yet Godly…
13. Jesus’ birth came about by a direct act of God in the fullness of time.
14. St John wrote it this way in his memorable Gospel…
John 1:14 (NKJV) 14And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
15. I ask you today…have you beheld His Glory???
CONCLUSION
1. This Christmas, may a look back refresh your energy to look forward to Christmas.
2. May this message encourage you to focus on the Christ of Christmas.
3. God, in His Mercy and Grace, is still doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves.
Matthew 1:18 - 21 (NKJV) 18Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 19Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. 20But while he thought about 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 to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.”
4. I ask you now…have you allowed Him to save you from yours?
5. You could receive no greater gift this Christmas than this.
