The Son Of David

The Son of David

Matthew 1:1; 2:1-2

Purpose: To explain the importance of the title “Son of David.”

Aim: I want the listener to humbly worship Christ as King.

INTRODUCTION: History records for us an interesting footnote. It was during the dark winter of 1864. At Petersburg, Virginia, the Confederate army of Robert E. Lee faced the Union divisions of General Ulysses S. Grant. The war was now three and a half years old and the glorious charge had long since given way to the muck and mud of trench warfare. Late one evening one of Lee’s generals, Major General George Pickett, received word that his wife had given birth to a beautiful baby boy. Up and down the line the Southerners began building huge bonfires in celebration of the event. These fires did not go unnoticed in the Northern camps and soon a nervous Grant sent out a reconnaissance patrol to see what was going on. The scouts returned with the message that Pickett had had a son and these were celebratory fires. It so happened that Grant and Pickett had been contemporaries at West Point and knew one another well, so to honor the occasion Grant, too, ordered that bonfires should be built.

What a peculiar night it was. For miles on both sides of the lines fires burned. No shots fired. No yelling back and forth. No war fought. Only light, celebrating the birth of a child. But it didn’t last forever. Soon the fires burned down and once again the darkness took over. The darkness of the night and the darkness of war.

The good news of Christmas is that in the midst of a great darkness there came a light, and the darkness was not able to overcome the light. It was not just a temporary flicker. It was an eternal flame. We need to remember that. There are times, in the events of the world and in the events of our own personal lives, that we feel that the light of the world will be snuffed out. But the Christmas story affirms that whatever happens, the light still shines.

One day the Pharisees were talking about the Messiah and Jesus asked them, ✔ “What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?” (Matthew 22:42 NAU). This was a controversial question. When the people from Christ’s hometown of Nazareth were confronted with His miracles they asked, “Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?” (Matthew 13:55 NAU). By implication they were saying that this man who they watched grow up could not possibly be devine.

It got worse. At one point the religious rulers implied that Jesus was, “ born of fornication” (John 8:41 NAU). They went on to accuse Jesus of being controlled by Satan: The Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” (John 8:48 NAU)

The worst accusation came when they said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons.” (Mark 3:22 NAU)

The Bible answers the question about Christ’s son-ship three different ways. Jesus often referred to Himself as the Son of Man. This was a title for the Messiah that highlighted His role as Savior and deliverer. Jesus is also referred to as the Son of God. This name points to His position as God. Jesus was also called the Son of David which pointed to His role as King of Israel and King of the earth.

Whose Son is He?

Jesus Son of Man

Christ Son of David

Lord Son of God

By the way, calling Jesus “Son” does not mean that He was created at some point in time. The Bible is clear that Jesus is eternal. “Son” refers to His position in the Trinity. Jesus was appointed Son by the Father. “I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.” (Psalm 2:7 NAU)

Today I want us to look at just one of these titles for Jesus Christ. Lets’s learn the importance of the title Son of David by asking a series of questions.

I. How Do We Know That Jesus Is The Son of David?

A. Jesus is a descendant of King David

Matthew 1:1 The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham: (NAU) Matthew 1:6 Jesse was the father of David the king. David was the father of Solomon by Bathsheba who had been the wife of Uriah. (NAU) Matthew 1:16 Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah. (NAU)