Well, as we head into the Advent season, we're going to spend the next four weeks of our time together in Matthew 1 and 2.
! So I would encourage you, if you would please, to turn in your Bibles with me to Matthew 1.
We'll begin there right at the beginning.
If you're using a Pew Bible, you're going to find it on page 807.
807 there on your Pew Bible.
Those of you who are familiar with the Gospel of Matthew know that it begins, the first 17 verses of Matthew, is just a list of names.
So-and-so was the father of so-and-so, who was the father of so-and-so, and on and on it goes until you get to verse 17.
And maybe you think, how in the world are we going to have a sermon on a list of names?
How could it be any more boring than just a list of names?
And what I want to encourage you, of course, is that the list of names is not only inscripturated.
So it's God's idea to put that list of names there for us, and He thinks it's important.
But my goal this morning as we look at this list of names, we're not going to just see the names that are going to show up for us on the page.
But especially, I want you to understand there is a God that is in and around and through those names, creating His story,
and using individuals to eventually lead to His promised Son, Jesus Christ, who was the Messiah.
So as we work our way through Matthew chapter 1 and 2, we're going to just spotlight the promises of God
in the way that God has answered those promises for us, and thus provides a measure of hope,
a measure of confidence, and a measure of stability for us,
recognizing that it's God who sees through history, God who brings history about,
and because God is instrumental above history, we can trust Him.
You can trust God who is over history.
There has been a surge of public interest in genealogies, and I wonder, just as a show of hands,
how many have done a family tree in the last several years?
How many of you have been interested in a family tree, have done that for yourself?
Okay, several of you have done that.
There has been this surge of genealogies and finding ancestry
that has kind of erupted across our nation.
As a matter of fact, in 2014, apparently, doing family trees was the second most popular hobby of Americans,
second only to gardening.
Over 66% of Americans have reported wanting to learn more about their history, their family history.
And a significant portion of those people are even unable to name their grandparents or great-grandparents.
By the start of 2019, more than 26 million people were a part of a DNA test
where they would send their DNA sample into a laboratory,
and that laboratory would provide them with their ancestry as it relates to origins of where they were born
and the kinds of people groups that kind of make up the composite of who they are
in the various regions from which their ancestors came.
And it's expected that more than 100 million people will have continued that process over the next couple of years.
Ancestry and family trees have been a big piece of what has consumed a lot of people's time over the past several years.
Maybe we can understand this, especially coming off the Thanksgiving holidays.
I would expect that many of you had the opportunity to spend some time with family
and the joy of sitting around the table with people that are part of you.
Now, some of you may not have that experience.
And so there has been a growing interest in the family heritage because of that very thing.
Trying to discover, perhaps, their family secrets.
Who are those individuals who were part of their family in the past, and how can I identify them?
Or maybe even finding some long-lost siblings or long-lost relatives to be reacquainted with them
because of the broken home nature of our society.
Some people enjoyed doing this to gain an appreciation for the challenges and joys and struggles that their ancestors had
and being able to work through those struggles and especially those stories of overcoming difficulty.
We want to feel like we're leaving a mark in some way.
And so individuals want to understand who they're related to.
And do they have somebody in their past who has some significant contribution?
And I'm related to that individual, so I am significant because of them.
From a survey of 239 18- to 20-year-olds at seven different universities,
researchers found individuals who had the healthiest identity development
were those who had a connection and a sense of connectedness to their family.
We understand the significance of family.
We can appreciate that when we're connected to people, there is a sense of belonging.
There's a sense of identity.
There's a sense of accomplishment.
And there's a sense that we are connected to an individual or a group of individuals.
We're going to find in our passage today that there is this family tree
that traces its way to Jesus Christ.
It began and it traces back from Abraham.
And the promise that we'll look at this morning is that this promise that was given to Abraham
to make of him a great nation may include you.
So while you may or may not feel connected to a specific physical family,
because of the work of Jesus Christ, there is an invitation for you to belong.
An invitation for you to belong to the greatest family of history.
The family that includes Jesus himself.
To be a brother to Jesus.
And to have God the Father as your heavenly Father.
So if you're there with me in Matthew chapter 1,
let's begin our journey as we look through this genealogy together.
And we're going to see right at the outset that it is God who sets his plan in motion.
God is the one who takes initiative.
God is the one who sets this course in action.
It's God himself who has a plan and puts that plan to work.
Notice with me if you're there in Matthew chapter 1, verse 1, it says,
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
This word for genealogy is the word for beginning, the word for origin.
It's kind of like the word Genesis, which is the book of beginnings.
This is the start of Jesus Christ.
At least the introduction to him in the New Testament.
As we turn the page to the beginning of this New Testament,
we find this new figure that emerges, Jesus Christ.
He becomes the epitome, the supreme figure that marks itself throughout the New Testament.
Matthew begins this gospel.
He wants his readers to understand something significant.
That God's plan in history is a plan that involves people.
That's our first sub-point this morning.
That God does fulfill his plan, but he fulfills his plan through people.
That should be an encouragement to all of us in this room.
Regardless of where you are, regardless of your history,
regardless of how adequate or inadequate you might feel,
how sufficient or insufficient you may feel,
God delights in using people to carry out his plan.
Matthew lays out this history.
It's a history that's actually rooted in the Old Testament.
A history that is established on a foundation of God's promises
that we'll look at this morning briefly.
A history that's built on people and on a nation.
But God is the one who takes the initiative here.
It's God who sets things in motion.
It's God who chooses from among the nations
and establishes his purposes.
It's God who will set those purposes in action, in motion.
And that purpose that God has fundamentally is a purpose
not just of salvation,
but salvation that comes through relationship.
Through a people.
God is interested in people and relationships.
We'll see this as we move through our passage today.
That standing as prominent members on this list,
Abraham and David,
they represent distinct moments in history
where God showed up to initiate a relationship.
Not just a promise,
but a relationship with them and to them.
He's gonna provide,
we're gonna provide more clues as we move through this
that that relationship would help to invite them
into deliverance and salvation.
Even now, God is taking initiative.
We understand from 1 John 4, verse 19,
this initiating work of God.
We love him because he, what church?
He first loved us.
If you love God this morning,
it's because of God's initiating love for you.
He drew you in.
He welcomed you.
He invites you.
And if you haven't participated or enjoyed
or experienced that love of God,
God is inviting you into that experience
of relationship with him
that comes through the apex of this genealogy,
Jesus Christ himself.
He invites you to participate
in that community of faith,
that family of God.
God initiates also in John 3, 16,
you know this verse.
For God so loved the world
that he gave his only begotten son,
that whoever believes in him should not perish,
but have everlasting life.
That initiating work of God has a purpose.
That purpose of sending his son, Jesus,
is to draw you into salvation and forgiveness.
God took that initiative.
But that plan of deployment,
the plan of getting the message to the nations,
that plan of gospel propagation,
is also a plan that involves people.
Matthew chapter 28,
Jesus is telling his disciples,
he says,
go, therefore,
and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I've commanded you,
and behold,
I am with you always to the end of the age.
God's plan involves people.
And that's encouraging
because the people
and the lives that we're gonna look at
in this genealogy
are full of broken,
sinful,
wicked,
rebellious individuals.
And I imagine
that if you're honest with yourself,
you can identify it.
But you're not disqualified
if you put your faith in Christ,
that God delights
in forgiving,
in cleansing,
in making you one with him,
and then deploying you
in the work of gospel mission.
This plan of God
that involves people.
In verse 2,
we come to understand
that God delights
in fulfilling his plan
by his power.
It is by God's power
that we come to experience
and enjoy this plan
that he has put in place.
Verse 2 of Matthew chapter 1 says,
Abraham was the father of Isaac,
and Isaac the father of Jacob,
and Jacob the father of Judah,
and his brothers.
I think we often take for granted
the natural things
that happen in life,
especially as it relates
to childbearing.
And we think that
since these things
just seem to happen,
that promises that are made,
and names that are listed,
and fathers of sons
that continue to propagate themselves
is just natural.
But throughout the story
of Jesus' family line,
natural things like childbearing
proves to be a work of God,
and a work of God alone.
The three men listed in verse 2
had wives that were barren.
Any hope of establishing a legacy,
a family, a nation,
was entirely up to God
from the very beginning.
And God did that by design
to help these forefathers
to know
that if any nation
was going to be established,
it was going to be established
under His power
and His power alone,
not the power of men.
Beginning with Abraham and Sarah,
in this formation
of a people of God,
we come to Genesis chapter 12.
And I know we've talked about
Genesis chapter 12
several times
over the past couple of years,
but it's important for us
to be reminded again
of the work of God
and His power
in establishing His promise
and carrying it through.
In chapter 12,
verses 1 and 3,
it says,
Now the Lord said to Abraham,
Go from your country
and your kindred
and your father's house
to the land that I will show you,
and I will make of you
a great nation.
I will bless you
and make your name great
so that you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you
and whom who dishonors you
I will curse,
and in you
all the families of the earth
shall be blessed.
In these first three verses,
notice that it is God
who takes the initiative.
It's God who calls
Abraham and Sarah
out of Haran.
It's God who establishes
a promise
and the promise
that rests on His power alone.
I will do this.
I will make.
I will show.
I will bless you
and make your name great.
I will make this promise
and the fulfillment
of this promise
depends on the power of God
and the power of God alone.
From the account,
there's no indication here
that Abraham had any inclination
of who God was.
What we find in Joshua 24, verse 2,
that Joshua said to all the people,
thus says the Lord,
the God of Israel,
long ago,
your fathers lived beyond Euphrates,
Terah, the father of Abraham,
and of Nahor,
and they served other gods.
It wasn't that Abraham's heart
was inclined to God.
It wasn't that Abraham
was searching for God
or pursuing God
or wanting God in any way.
His heart was distant.
His heart was opposed to God
and moving in the direction
of idolatry.
And yet,
God takes the initiative
and God draws
Abraham and Sarah to Himself
to establish a nation.
And the amazing part is this,
that God makes this promise
in the worst possible time,
where every human potential
of producing offspring
was all but gone.
We find in Genesis 12, verse 4,
So Abraham went,
as the Lord had told him,
and Lot went with him.
Abraham was 75 years old
when he departed from Haran.
Abraham is an old man.
His wife Sarah is 10 years younger,
but at 65,
and as a barren woman,
there is no human possibility
of fertility in her womb
of bearing children.
Two aged people,
a barren woman,
both way past their prime,
and this is when God
initiates His promise.
Why?
So that what would be
at the front of the fulfillment
is the power of God,
not the power of men.
So about 10 years go by,
and Abraham is beginning to wonder,
is God,
did I hear God right?
I thought God promised me a seed.
There's no son yet.
And so in his wonderings,
God shows up to him again
in Genesis chapter 15.
And it says this,
After these things,
the word of the Lord
came to Abraham,
or Abram,
in a vision.
Fear not, Abram.
I am your shield.
Your reward
shall be very great.
But Abram said,
O Lord God,
what will you give me?
For I continue childless,
and the heir of my house
is Eleazar of Damascus.
And Abram said,
Behold,
you have given me no offspring,
and a member of my household
will be my heir.
And behold,
the word of the Lord
came to him,
This man shall not be your heir.
Your very own son
shall be your heir.
And he brought him outside
and said,
Look towards heaven,
and number the stars,
if you're able to number them.
Then he said to him,
So shall your offspring be.
And he believed the Lord,
and he counted it to him
as righteousness.
God reaffirms his promise
to Abram.
Don't worry, Abram.
I will accomplish the word
that I gave you
ten years ago.
You will have a son.
It will be from your
very own loins.
And I will give you
a descendant.
Descendants that are more
than the stars of the sky.
You can count on it.
In the midst
of the impossibility,
it says that Abraham
believed God,
and it was accounted to him
for righteousness.
So that Abraham
becomes a model of faith.
And we're going to find
from this story
that Abraham is not
just to be
a father of nations
physically,
but that he's also
to be a father
of nations
spiritually.
And so to be part
of Abraham
is not just to be
a descendant of Abraham
in a physical way,
but to be part of Abraham
in embracing
the faith of Abraham.
Being a son
or daughter of Abraham
through faith in God
just the way
that Abraham believed.
Those who would be
true Israel
would be sons
and daughters
physically
and spiritually.
And as you probably remember,
Abraham and Sarah
thought they needed
to help God out.
It had been a while,
and so Sarah
gives Abraham
her maidservant,
Hagar,
and Abraham
has a son
through Hagar
named Ishmael.
But it would serve
as another spiritual lesson.
Hagar's son,
Ishmael,
would represent
those born
under spiritual bondage.
A physical descendant
wasn't all
that God had in mind.
He had a physical
and a spiritual
descendant in mind.
Those who were
sons of Abraham
physically
and through faith
in him
spiritually,
faith in God
spiritually.
Finally,
after 15 years,
Abraham was now
99
and Sarah
was 90.
25 years
after the original
promise
and God shows up
to Abraham
again
in Genesis chapter 17.
It says,
When Abraham
was 99 years old
and the Lord
appeared to Abraham
and said to him,
I am the God Almighty.
Walk before me
and be blameless
that I may make
my covenant
between me and you
and may multiply
you greatly.
Then Abraham fell
on his face
and God said to him,
Behold,
my covenant
is with you
and you shall be
the father
of a multitude
of nations.
No longer
shall your name
be called Abraham
but your name
shall be called Abraham
for I have made you
the father
of a multitude
of nations.
I will make
you exceedingly fruitful
!
And I will make you
into nations
and kings
shall come
from you!
And God said,
Abraham,
As for Sarai,
your wife,
you shall not
call her name
Sarai
but Sarah
shall be her name.
I will bless her
and moreover
I will give you
a son by her.
I will bless her
and she shall
become nations.
Kings of peoples
shall come
from her.
Abraham,
this should have been
abundantly obvious
to you from the beginning
that when I promised
you a son,
I promised you
offspring,
it was for you
and your wife
Sarah
not you
and some other
random stranger.
But let me make this clear.
This promise is to you,
this promise is to your wife
Sarah,
I will make you
into nations
and I will bring you kings.
As you know the story,
in the midst of human
impossibility,
God shows his power
to provide for them
a son named Isaac.
It was completely
dependent on the power
of God
and not the power
of men.
400 years would go by
and the people
of Israel
would make their way
to Egypt
and after 400 years,
God would send
a deliverer,
Moses,
who would lead the people
out of Egypt
and they would wander
for 40 years
in the wilderness
awaiting the time
to go into the promised land.
Once they entered
the promised land
for 300 years
they would be
delivered
and governed
by judges
who God would raise up
and provide
as those who would help
provide both spiritual
and physical deliverance
from the various trials
they experienced
as people.
But the moral decline
during this period
of judges
is summed up
at the end of Judges
chapter 21
verse 25
in this way.
In those days
there was no king
in Israel.
Everyone did
what was right
in his own eyes.
A king had not yet come.
And so the people
decided that they
were going to take
initiative
and they were going
to do for themselves
what this promise
to Abraham
had included.
Let's have kings.
So they took the initiative
and they sought out Samuel.
They demanded a king
and God gave them
Samuel.
Excuse me.
God gave them
King Saul.
As you know
Saul had a heart
that was divided.
Saul was not committed
to the Lord.
Saul was not
God's original plan
for king.
And so
this anointed
man
because he was tall
and handsome
was not God's selection
for his people
and the people
did not flourish
because of his leadership.
So God would take
initiative again
and God would raise up
a king for himself
King David.
And that's what leads us
to our next point
this morning
that God will fulfill
his plan
by his purpose.
By his purpose,
his plan,
his design alone.
Verses 3 to 6
we're back in Matthew
chapter 1
it says
and Judah
the father of
Moriah.
If we had time
to follow
the twists
and turns
and ups and downs
of this genealogy
and pursue the stories
that are laid out
for us
throughout the Old Testament
we would come
to see
that what was
the plan
of the people
as it related
to birthright
and blessing
and that being
established
through the firstborn
was not the plan
of God
for his people.
God's plan
would not follow
that normal course.
God had a design
of his own
at least as it relates
to Judah
who ended up being
the fourth son
of Jacob.
He stuck
towards the end
of the first group
of kids
that were born
to Leah
his wife.
Judah
whose story
is marked
with blatant
sin against God
and yet Judah
was the chosen one
the father
of this future king.
Then the twists
and the turns
of David
this shepherd boy
this youngest son
in a family
of eight sons
the smallest
in stature
the least likely
candidate
to be king
yet the one
that God chose
by his design
it was according
to his purposes
his design
as God
being the master
planner.
The centuries
old promise
that God made
to Abraham
and Sarah
would finally
come true
God would
raise up
a king
through Judah
and David
as you know
would be this man
of God
a man after
God's own heart
a man of faith
a man of worship
a man of devotion
and a man of patience
Samuel would
anoint David
king
but it would
require David
to wait
for God's
ultimate
fulfillment
of that promise
faithfully
serving King
Saul
but constantly
on the run
in danger
of losing
his life
yet trusting
in God
and waiting
for his timing
and not taking
matters into
his own hands
David
trusted in God
God's
master plan
to see it
through
nearly a thousand
years has
transpired
now since
Abraham
and that original
promise
for there
to be
a king
and now
finally
David
is here
and David
is waiting
and now
God
brings
a promise
to David
we find
in 1st
Chronicles
chapter 17
verses 7
to 14
now therefore
thus shall
you say
to my
servant
David
thus says
the Lord
of hosts
I took
you
from the
pasture
from following
the sheep
to be
the prince
over my
people
Israel
and I have
been with
you
wherever
you have
gone
and have
cut off
all your
enemies
from
excuse me
from before
you
and I will
make for
you a name
like the name
of the great
ones of the
earth
when your
days are
fulfilled
to walk
with all
your fathers
I will
raise up
your offspring
after you
one of your
very own
sons
and I will
establish
his kingdom
he shall
build a
house for
me
and I will
establish
his throne
forever
I will
be to him
a father
he shall
be to me
a son
I will
not take
my steadfast
love from
him
as I took
it from
him
who is
before
you
but I
will
confirm
him
in my
house
and in
my kingdom
forever
and his
throne
shall be
established
forever
David
don't forget
where you
came from
don't forget
I took
you from
the pasture
I was
the one
who took
initiative
as a
lowly
shepherd
the youngest
of your
family
you were
the least
likely
candidate
to be
king
but I
took
initiative
by my
design
I drew
you out
and by
my power
I'm
making
you
king
I put
you in
place
you were
merely
a shepherd
but I
raised
you up
and I
fulfilled
my purposes
and my
promise
to you
by establishing
you as a
priest
and protecting
you from
danger
and preserving
your life
by cutting
off your
enemies
and so
because
of the
way in
which
I've been
able
to
fulfill
my
promises
to you
you can
trust
that the
promises
that I'm
making
about your
future
offspring
your
future
son
it will
be true
you can
trust me
because
I will
raise up
a seed
verse 11
I will
establish
his
kingdom
verse 11
I will
establish
his throne
forever
I will
be a
father to
him
and he
will be
a son
to me
I will
not take
my love
from him
I will
confirm
him
his throne
will be
established
forever
this
is my
design
you
can
trust
it
I will
see
it
through
and
throughout
the
Old
Testament
Israel
awaited
this
king
they
anticipated
the
promise
they
knew
that
God
was
faithful
to
carry
it
through
and
as
God
took
the
initiative
and
as
God
demonstrated
his
power
they
knew
that
the
promise
keeping
God
was
going
to
fulfill
!
His
promises
to
David
and
so
they
waited
God
is
one
we
can
trust
to
keep
his
promises
we
see
not
only
this
initiating
God
in
this
genealogy
but
we
also
come
to
understand
he
is
a
God
of
mercy
a
God
who
includes
the
nations
we
see
that
here
in
verses
3
to
6
there
are
three
names
of
ladies
that
stand
out
in
these
verses
and
as
we
read
these
key
women
in
these
verses
we
come
to
understand
these
are
women
of
faith
but
they're
also
women
of
the
world
they're
women
outside
the
people
of
Israel
who've
been
drawn
in
although
two of
them
had a
dark
history
providentially
God
incorporated
them
into
his
genealogy
to
make
a
statement
and
that
statement
is
that
he
would
be
faithful
to
answer
the
promise
to
Abraham
and
Sarah
that
he
would
bless
the
nations
through
them
all
the
families
of the
earth
would
be
blessed
not
just
those
of
Israel
this
first
woman
on
our
list
her
name
is
Tamar
Judah
and
Tamar
we find
their
story
in
Genesis
38
Tamar
is a
Canaanite
woman
who was
first
given
to
Judah's
firstborn
son
named
Ur
was
wicked
and so
God
killed
him
so
then
Tamar
was
then
given
to
his
brother
the
second
oldest
named
Onan
too
was
wicked
so
God
killed
him
now
Tamar
is
left
without
an heir
and
without
a son
and
at
this
point
Judah
is
beginning
to
wonder
if
it's
wise
to
give
Tamar
to
his
youngest
son
so
Tamar
begins
to
take
matters
into
her
own
hands
she
tricks
her
father-in-law
and
then
gives
birth
to
a
set
of
twins
named
Perez
and
Zerah
we find
their names
listed
for us
in this
passage
this
twisted
story
of
sordid
wickedness
and the
details
that come
that help
us
understand
that God
he overcomes
sin
God
is drawing
the nations
and God
uses broken
people to
accomplish
his purposes
God
delights
in using
brokenness
to demonstrate
that his
plan
can continue
to move
forward
not on
our
strength
but on
his
strength
alone
the next
woman
that comes
in our
list
we find
her name
in verse
five
Rahab
we discover
is the
mother
of Boaz
if we
remember
the nation
of Israel
here they are
they've left
Egypt
and they're
on their
way
through
the
wilderness
and they're
just on
the verge
of the
promised
land
and they're
waiting
and looking
over the
Jordan
and the
first city
they see
is this
city of
Jericho
this foreboding
city
that had a
double walled
system
and those
walls would
tower over
the landscape
and the
people within
those walls
were giants
their military
might preceded
them
but before
crossing the
Jordan
Joshua
sent two
spies
into the
land
to scope
things out
and providentially
the spies were
met by this
prostitute
named Rahab
who took
the spies
into her
home
and hid
those spies
on her
roof
among the
flax
she tells
them
what actually
was on the
hearts
of everyone
in the
land
we find
her account
in Joshua
chapter 2
verses 8
to 11
here's what
she says
before the
men lay
down
she came
up to
them
on the
roof
and said
to the
men
I know
that the
Lord has
given you
the land
and that
the fear
of you
has fallen
upon us
and that
all the
inhabitants
of the
land
melt away
before you
for we
have heard
how the
Lord dried
up the
water of
the Red
Sea
before you
when you
came out
of Egypt
and what
you did
to the
two kings
of the
Amorites
who were
beyond the
Jordan
to Sihon
of Og
whom you
devoted
to destruction
and as soon
as we heard
it
our hearts
melted
and there
was no
spirit
left in
us
any man
because of
you
for the
Lord
your God
he is
God
in the
heavens
above
and on
the earth
beneath
so Rahab
asks for an
exchange of
kindness
she asks
that when
the people
of Israel
come and
conquer
Jericho
that she
and her
family
would be
delivered
she becomes
for us
a model
of faith
she
represents
the fear
that was
on the
entire
land
of Canaan
because of
the testimony
of God's
work
in leading
the people
out of
Egypt
and then
Matthew
here records
the prominence
of Rahab's
faith
in making
her part
of the
line of
David
ultimately
in the
line of
Christ
the lesson
for us
is that
regardless
of our
background
whether
you're
an outsider
whether
you're
a
prostitute
whether
you have
done
other
sins
that
you
are
ashamed
of
whatever
your
history
God
is
strong
enough
to
forgive
he
overcomes
your
sin
by
sending
Jesus
who
can
forgive
your
sin
if
you
ask
for
forgiveness
if
we
confess
our
sin
he
is
faithful
and
just
to
forgive
our
sin
and to
cleanse
us
from
all
unrighteousness
he
did
that
for
Rahab
who
was
marked
out
for
destruction
everyone
in
Jericho
was
going
to
die
and
yet
God
rescued
Rahab
because
of
faith
a
model
for
the
entire
land
of
Canaan
if
they
too
had
come
to
God
in
faith
and
had
trusted
in
him
like
Rahab
they
too
would
have
experienced
and
enjoyed
deliverance
the
question
for us
for
you
this
morning
have
you
believed
have
you
come
to
a
place
of
acknowledging
your
sin
of
asking
for
forgiveness
and giving
your
heart
and life
to
Jesus
Christ
God
inserts
into
his
genealogy
this
record
of
amazing
rescue
and
salvation
and
forgiveness
and
faith
then
we
come
to
Ruth
we
find
there
in
verse
five
as
well
Boaz
the
father
of
Obed
by
Ruth
who
is
one
of
my
favorite
characters
in
the
Old
Testament
this
young
Moabite
woman
who
for
all
intents
and
purposes
had
no
right
or
opportunity
to
even
be
married
by
anyone
in
Israel
this
young
Moabite
woman
who
was
loyal
to
her
mother
in
law
who
left
her
family
who
abandoned
her
idols
who
embraced
the
God
of
Israel
she
like
Abraham
and
Sarah
continue
to be
this
example
for
us
of
what
it
means
to
leave
the
things
behind
and
to
pursue
God
in
many
ways
she
becomes
this
continuing
example
of
commitment
to
the
Lord
knowing
that
she
was
leaving
Moab
that
which
was
comfortable
that
which
was
familiar
leaving
her
family
behind
and
she
was
coming
with
her
mother-in-law
to
an
unfamiliar
place
this
stigma
of
widowhood
this
looming
feeling
of being
punished
by
God
not
knowing
how
they
would
survive
but
trusting
God
to
carry
them
and
this
amazing
model
of
faith
in
Ruth
that
God
uses
to
mark
out
this
woman
of
faith
and
this
model
for
us
of
those
who
do
what
Ruth
did
can
also
enjoy
the
benefits
of
being
a
part
of
God's
family
in
Ruth
1
16
and
17
this
is
her
confession
she
says
to her
mother-in-law
who is
urging her
to go
home
she says
do not
urge me
to leave
you
or to
return
from
following
you
for
where
you
go
I
will
go
and
where
you
lodge
I
will
lodge
your
people
shall
be
my
people
and
your
God
my
God
where
you
die
I
will
die
and
there
I
will
be
buried
may
the
Lord
do
so
to
me
and
more
also
if
anything
but
death
parts
me
from
you
throughout
this
little
book
of
Ruth
we
see
Ruth's
commitment
of
faith
and
God's
abundant
provision
God
cares
for
Ruth
because
Ruth
has
trusted
in
God
finally
we
come
to
God's
character
of
preserving
his
people
we
see
that
in
verses
7
to
17
God
preserves
his
people
beginning
in
verse
7
it
says
and
Solomon
the
father
of
Rehoboam
and
Rehoboam
the father
of
Abijah
and
Abijah
the father
of
Asaph
and
Asaph
the father
of
Jehoshaphat
the father
of Joram
and Joram
the father
of Uzziah
Uzziah
the father
of Jotham
and Jotham
the father
of Ahaz
Ahaz
the father
of Hezekiah
Hezekiah
the father
of Manasseh
and Manasseh
the father
of Amos
Amos
the father
of Josiah
and Josiah
the father
of Jeconiah
and his
brothers
at the time
of the
deportation
to Babylon
we see
this list
of names
and the
stories
that are
bound
to each
individual
but what
started
so well
with David
a man
after God's
own heart
would then
turn its
way over
to Solomon
who initially
it seemed
to be going
so well
Solomon seemed
to be so
committed
to God
asking for
God's wisdom
building the
temple
enjoying God's
peace
in broadening
the territory
of Israel
in every
estimation
human estimation
Solomon must
be this
promised son
and yet
what started
was this
slow decline
into this
deteriorating
moral
culture
Solomon's
many wives
captured
his heart
away from
God
it was
becoming
clear that
Solomon was
not this
promised
son
and that
moral decline
continued
until
eventually
the northern
ten tribes
they would
be conquered
by Assyria
and taken
captive in
722
BC
the southern
two tribes
of Benjamin
and Judah
would be
conquered by
Babylon
and taken
into captivity
the temple
destroyed
the capital
city
of Jerusalem
left in
ruins
the kings
and princes
taken
10,000
captives
taken
into Babylon
the question
has God
forgotten
his promises
was God
finished
with Israel
do they have
a continuing
history
or is God
done
but we see
from the
prophecies
of Jeremiah
and Isaiah
and Ezekiel
that God's
promises
were still
intact
as a matter
of fact
God would
make a
promise
to Jeremiah
and Ezekiel
that not only
would his
promise
would be
intact
but a new
promise
a new
covenant
would be
inserted
a promise
that would
depend on
God alone
that he would
bring his
spirit
he would put
his law
in their
hearts
he would
change
the heart
of stone
into a
heart
of flesh
that God
would save
them by
his power
and his
power
alone
God would
see it
through
it would
happen
through his
power
in this years
of preservation
that are recorded
in verses 12
to 16
of Matthew
chapter 1
notice
after the
deportation
to Babylon
Jesus
a kingdom
of God's
a decree
would go
forth
and 2
a couple
would make
their trip
to Bethlehem
a son
would be
born
named
Jesus
and angels
would explode
in praise
over the
pasture lands
outside
the outskirts
of Bethlehem
a savior
would be
born
and God
would fulfill
his promise
to send
this seed
this offspring
of Abraham
this seed
of David
so that in
Matthew
chapter 1
verse 17
all the
generations
from Abraham
to David
were 14
generations
and from
David
to the
deportation
to Babylon
14 generations
and from
the deportation
to Babylon
to the Christ
14 generations
and what
stands as
the predominant
feature
through these
17 verses
is the name
Jesus Christ
Jesus as
the promised
seed
Jesus as
the hope
of Israel
Jesus as
that promised
king
God's
promises
do not
fail
that is
the testimony
of Matthew
chapter 1
verses 1
to 17
this prominent
repetition
of the title
of Christ
in verses 1
in verse 16
verse 17
then verse 18
draws out
this theological
implication
that Christ
is the one
who is
expected
he is this
promised
seed
that was
given
to Israel
so that the
angel
Gabriel would
tell Mary
in Luke
1
31
to 33
behold
you will
conceive in
your womb
and bear a
son
you shall
call his
name Jesus
he will be
great
and will be
called the
son of the
most high
and the
Lord God
will give
to him
the throne
of his
father
David
and he
will reign
over the
house of
Jacob
forever
and of
his
kingdom
there will
be
no end
the
legacy
of this
genealogy
is not
for the
names
of the
list
before
Christ
but it
finds
as its
ultimate
crescendo
the name
Jesus
himself
and because
of Jesus
he invites
us
and welcomes
us
into
take part
in the
same
family
that comes
in the
same way
that if we
believe
in God
that just
like Abraham
believed God
and it was
accounted to
him
for
righteousness
those
of us
regardless
of your
background
regardless
of your
past
regardless
of your
wickedness
and blatant
rebellion
against God
that God
has sent
Jesus
himself
to welcome
you in
to be part
of this
family
and to
enjoy the
benefits
of the
family
of God
the people
of God
to be called
a son
and a daughter
a child
of God
through faith
in Jesus
Christ
do you
know
Jesus
Christ
today
have you
come to
a place
of recognizing
your sin
have you
asked for
forgiveness
have you
made Jesus
the Lord
of your
life
Paul
will say
if you
confess
your sin
and believe
in your
heart
that God
raised
Jesus
from the
dead
you'll
be
saved
and as
we
turn
in
repentance
from
our
old
way
of
life
and
allow
the
Holy
Spirit
to
work
in a
new
way
a fresh
way
in our
life
and
point
us
in the
direction
of
obedience
it will
help
to
confirm
that
saving
work
of
Christ
in
us
and
God
has
put
us
all
on
a
unique
mission
that
the
individuals
that are
represented
in this
room
may be
also
a part
of a
family
tree
a
spiritual
family
tree
and think
about
the
individuals
that God
used
instrumentally
in your
life
to speak
the gospel
to you
and to
lead you
into
this
family
and
God
has
given
us
the
great
privilege
of being
gospel
agents
to welcome
others
to take
part in
this great
family
of God
to be
part of
the
genealogy
as it
were
that we
see here
even in
Matthew
this great
family
that
is possible
only because
of the
work
of Christ
his
saving
work
of death
on the
cross
his
resurrection
from the
grave
that invites
us all
to take
part
may God
help us
not only to
understand the
significance
of the
salvation
that we
enjoy
but the
great
responsibility
of the
mission
he's put
us on
because
God
uses
people
to carry
out
his
mission
may God
help us
to be
faithful
Lord we
thank you
for this
word
this list
of names
that seem
so
common
seem
so
mundane
but we
understand
through this
list
Lord
that you
delight
in using
people
so help
us
as your
people
to be
faithful
to be
workmen
that need
not to be
ashamed
workmen
that understand
that we
are your
workmanship
created in
Christ Jesus
for good
works
that you
prepared
beforehand
that we
should
walk
in
them
so God
help us
to be
faithful
to the
objectives
that you
placed
before us
and help
us to be
filled up
with
this
overflowing
sense
of privilege
of being
welcomed
into your
family
may we
extend that
to others
through the
gospel
I pray
in Jesus
name
amen
thanks for
coming
this morning
and God
bless you
this week
in