View powerpoints:
1. Perspective on rich and poor (pic of child crying in anger because she got an iphone with only 16 GB instead of 32 GB next to a pic of a starving African wearing sandals made from two liter Coke bottles). Comment: Which of these do we most identify with?
2. Teach your children (pic of little girl with caption: If you don’t teach your children to follow Jesus Christ, the world will teach them not to). How are we doing sharing our faith with our children?
3. Children? What’s happening? (Read article). The Week magazine Dec. 14, 2012, Baby Bust: The Declining U.S. Birthrate – “A new study by the Pew Research Center found that the U.S. birthrate in 2011 was the lowest ever recorded… “With the waning of religion in American life we’ve fallen victim to the cult of the individual. Americans are so focused on their own personal fulfillment that they can’t be bothered to raise a generation to replace them.
When God made Adam and Eve in the beginning He also blessed them with these words: “Be fruitful and multiply and plenish the earth and rule over it.”
Psalms 127: Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.
God’s word is true. God designed child-bearing with our Salvation in mind. It was through the seed of the woman that God brought us Jesus. Paul pick up on this theme in Galatians 3 and 4. Today let’s consider this “seed” and the line of generations that led to Him.
Last week we talked about where the story of Jesus all began and we started in Genesis, where God Himself starts the story.
God created humanity in His own image and likeness. Later we discover that God became a human and was born into the world just like all of us have been. The seed that saves us from our sins was coming into the world. Paul writes: As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. Adam is the fountain head of humanity, and the initiator of death. Jesus Christ is the fountain head of Redemption and the bringer of eternal life.
There’s a long history behind Jesus’ coming that is recorded for us in the pages of the Bible. This biblical record stays close to a singular genealogical line. As this line progresses throughout the scripture only the branch that carries forward the seed and line of Christ remains in the scope. Everything in the Bible actually centers on that one matter. The line of Adam becomes the line of Noah and the line of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Judah, then the line of David and his family. Genealogy was always important in the Bible. We wonder sometimes when we read through the Bible, why are there so many names! God shows us early on that He is interested in these things. Why? Ultimately, there is a family line that will lead us to Jesus Christ.
Both Matthew and Luke give us a genealogical list of the line of Jesus, the seed that would be born of woman and crush the serpent’s head. Some theologians have argued that there is a constant spiritual battle going on throughout history in an attempt to destroy the seed, the line of Christ. By God’s grace Noah preserved the human race from extinction during the flood. God chose Abraham and led him into the land of Canaan where God also promised to make Abraham the father of many nations. But it took a miracle to bring about the birth of Isaac, through whom God continued the line of Christ. God also preserved the line of Jesus through Joseph, who brought Israel’s family down to Egypt during the famine. Years later God preserved the nation of Israel through Moses even as Pharaoh wanted to kill all the sons of Israel. God delivered Israel from Egyptian bondage and formed them into a nation under covenant with Himself as His chosen people.
Finally, God anointed David as king over His people and promised David that eventually God would establish David’s throne forever. Look at 2 Samuel 7:11b – 16.
Go with me to Acts 2:22-36.
One of the names of Jesus is: Son of David. The line of Christ has two kinds of people in it: faithful and unfaithful.
1. Many of the forefathers of Jesus were close to God. Many experienced God’s presence in powerful and personal ways. Having just read through the Old Testament in my 90 Day Bible reading these names are all fresh with real life flesh and bones on them to me. There is nothing like going through the Bible looking for evidences of Jesus. His coming is indeed the key character and purpose of all human history. God wants us to know Him. Jesus makes the Father known to us. To see Jesus is to see the Father! John 14:9. As we study the lives of Old Testament forefathers of Jesus we learn about God as well.
2. It is also true that many of the forefathers of Jesus were far from God. Some were idol worshipping, murderous adulterers who lived in complete rejection of God’s will. I think of the kings of Judah in David’s line and hear God’s honest record of them and wonder. Could God actually work through such sinful people to accomplish anything good? Then I consider the sovereignty of God’s hand on Pharaoh and others. As Romans 8:28 reminds us, God works all things together for the good of those that love Him and are called according to His purposes.
In spite of all the sins of those in Jesus’ line, He still came. In spite of all the attempts to wipe out the line of Jesus, He still came. In spite of how the church has risen and fallen through Christian history, He still came. In spite of whether you and I believe and follow Jesus Christ today, He still came.
God’s will is for all to come to repentance, that none would perish. But even if the large majority of mankind rejects Jesus Christ and fails to receive the glory of eternal in Him, He still came. He came for you, for me! Are you listening? He still came. And He’s coming again.
Next week, Lord willing, we will look at some of the key prophecies of the Old Testament that point us to Jesus coming.
This week I would invite you to reflect on those of the Old Testament who waited for Jesus and wanted Jesus, but only saw him by faith. As you do, I believe it will encourage you to want to see Him coming again.
Are you ready for that day to come?
