WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:13.800 Our reading this afternoon comes from Matthew chapter 1 and we'll be reading verses 1 to 17. 00:00:23.800 --> 00:00:25.160 Matthew 1. 00:00:25.160 --> 00:00:55.140 Matthew 1. 00:00:55.159 --> 00:01:25.140 Matthew 1. 00:01:25.159 --> 00:01:30.260 Matthew 2. 00:01:30.260 --> 00:01:36.060 Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat. And Jehoshaphat the father of voyez Joram. 00:01:36.060 --> 00:01:42.020 And Joe the father of As Jayah and As I I the father of Jotham. 00:01:42.020 --> 00:01:46.480 And Jotham the father of a WINHAHAN And a new father of a więcYourJe passé. 00:01:46.480 --> 00:01:52.420 And Hezekiah the father ofgender andwow Manasseh the father of Simon. 00:01:52.420 --> 00:01:56.620 And division of demons and Ab hàng has the father of just OS". 00:01:56.620 --> 00:02:02.780 and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the deportation to Babylon. 00:02:05.000 --> 00:02:10.280 And after the deportation to Babylon, Jeconiah was the father of Shiltiel, 00:02:10.939 --> 00:02:16.099 and Shiltiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiad, 00:02:16.879 --> 00:02:21.800 and Abiad the father of Elakim, and Elakim the father of Azor, 00:02:21.800 --> 00:02:27.580 and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, 00:02:28.400 --> 00:02:32.980 and Achim the father of Eliad, and Eliad the father of Eliezer, 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:38.540 and Eliezer the father of Matin, and Matin the father of Jacob, 00:02:39.540 --> 00:02:46.680 and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called the Christ. 00:02:46.680 --> 00:02:52.960 So all the generations from Abraham to David were 14 generations, 00:02:54.060 --> 00:02:57.980 and from David to the deportation to Babylon, 14 generations, 00:02:58.819 --> 00:03:03.860 and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ, 14 generations. 00:03:03.860 --> 00:03:15.000 Well, yeah, why are we looking at Matthew's gospel? 00:03:15.500 --> 00:03:22.240 Dave Corderwood was going to do the fourth talk in the Ephesians 4 Every Person Mini Ministry series. 00:03:22.880 --> 00:03:25.560 He basically had written it, and then he's sick, 00:03:25.720 --> 00:03:29.840 so we decided just to do that another time and bring Matthew's gospel forward. 00:03:30.980 --> 00:03:32.400 But why are we doing Matthew? 00:03:32.400 --> 00:03:39.060 Well, leading up to Christmas, hopefully it's a bit of motivation for us as we look at the origins of Jesus, 00:03:39.520 --> 00:03:43.500 motivation for us as we seek to share our faith with our non-Christian friends, 00:03:43.740 --> 00:03:48.840 and help us with the content of that, maybe even invite them to church if they're up for it. 00:03:50.040 --> 00:03:53.960 But as a church, we always like to keep a gospel on the go. 00:03:54.520 --> 00:03:58.259 So we finished John's gospel earlier this year, so we're going to start Matthew's gospel. 00:03:58.259 --> 00:04:04.519 Having a gospel on the go is really good because it stops us from turning Christianity into a set of principles. 00:04:05.019 --> 00:04:07.159 At the heart of our faith is a person. 00:04:07.859 --> 00:04:10.859 We worship the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:13.739 So, yeah, we're starting Matthew. 00:04:14.599 --> 00:04:16.800 Before we come to God's word, why don't we pray? 00:04:17.339 --> 00:04:18.099 Will you pray with me? 00:04:18.100 --> 00:04:28.280 Father, we do praise you for sending your son so that we can know you. 00:04:29.120 --> 00:04:30.720 We can know you truly and fully. 00:04:31.760 --> 00:04:39.280 Lord, we thank you that he became flesh so that he could identify with us and bridge the gap between us and you. 00:04:40.080 --> 00:04:41.379 We praise you for that, God. 00:04:41.379 --> 00:04:47.779 Lord, we need you for energy this afternoon, but more than energy. 00:04:47.899 --> 00:04:51.980 We need you to open up our hearts to hear your word and to receive it with faith. 00:04:52.680 --> 00:04:55.439 So please do that for us in Jesus' name. 00:04:56.139 --> 00:04:56.399 Amen. 00:04:59.240 --> 00:05:06.040 Well, isn't a list of names such a boring way for the Apostle Matthew to introduce us to Jesus? 00:05:06.040 --> 00:05:06.120 Jesus. 00:05:07.420 --> 00:05:16.439 Now, I know I don't actually think it's boring before I go on, but I know some in the room will be interested in family history. 00:05:16.939 --> 00:05:21.260 And so you're just salivating over this family tree. 00:05:21.420 --> 00:05:26.320 But for most people in the room, I list the names. 00:05:26.400 --> 00:05:28.379 It's not the most exciting thing in the world. 00:05:29.520 --> 00:05:31.720 I know my mum is obsessed with family history. 00:05:31.720 --> 00:05:38.320 She probably lists 14 generations to the deportation from England for our family. 00:05:39.720 --> 00:05:44.860 But why not just skip the first 17 verses and start at verse 18? 00:05:45.060 --> 00:05:49.800 If you look at verse 18, oh, wow, that is a much better hook into the story of Jesus. 00:05:50.880 --> 00:05:52.300 It starts with a scandal. 00:05:52.900 --> 00:05:58.300 Before Joseph and Mary came together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 00:06:00.260 --> 00:06:01.020 That's a hook. 00:06:01.720 --> 00:06:04.900 So why this list? 00:06:06.080 --> 00:06:09.440 Why does Matthew choose to start with the origins of Jesus? 00:06:09.960 --> 00:06:18.620 I think he's got a much bigger intention than just showing the legitimacy of Jesus being a descendant of King David. 00:06:19.620 --> 00:06:24.040 As you read the names, do you see the rich story behind the names? 00:06:25.080 --> 00:06:26.320 So take the start of it. 00:06:26.320 --> 00:06:27.960 Abraham was the father. 00:06:27.959 --> 00:06:32.599 He was the father. 00:06:32.599 --> 00:06:35.459 For most of his life, he didn't have children. 00:06:36.319 --> 00:06:38.500 Was he the father of Ishmael by Hagar? 00:06:38.959 --> 00:06:39.299 No. 00:06:40.459 --> 00:06:40.779 No. 00:06:41.379 --> 00:06:42.759 God came good on his promise. 00:06:43.919 --> 00:06:47.939 He was the father of Isaac by Sarah. 00:06:47.939 --> 00:06:53.040 There wouldn't even be this list if it wasn't for God's intervention. 00:06:53.040 --> 00:06:56.199 You see the rich story behind it. 00:06:56.439 --> 00:07:01.879 Bo has recently taken us through the story of Isaac and Jacob and Esau. 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:07.420 Jacob, I can't believe that God chose Jacob to receive the covenant promises and blessing. 00:07:07.420 --> 00:07:10.500 There's this rich story in this name. 00:07:10.600 --> 00:07:19.340 Just by listing this name, Matthew is painting a picture of all God's dealings with his people throughout the whole Old Testament. 00:07:21.280 --> 00:07:25.960 Matthew is saying the history of the world finds its climax in Jesus. 00:07:25.959 --> 00:07:28.399 It's a big claim. 00:07:30.599 --> 00:07:36.659 By opening with his family tree, Matthew is introducing a central theme in his gospel. 00:07:37.180 --> 00:07:37.859 Fulfillment. 00:07:38.799 --> 00:07:43.599 All God's promises are fulfilled in the birth of Christ. 00:07:43.600 --> 00:07:52.200 This isn't just fulfillment of those explicit predictions of a coming Messiah, the one-liners in the Old Testament. 00:07:52.300 --> 00:07:54.480 This is a fulfillment of the whole Old Testament. 00:07:55.200 --> 00:08:01.660 Matthew sees Jesus fulfilling the characters, the narrative, even the law itself. 00:08:02.540 --> 00:08:05.080 So take Jesus' sermon on the mount. 00:08:05.720 --> 00:08:06.420 He's on a mountain. 00:08:06.420 --> 00:08:13.680 Instead of saying, the law said this, but I say unto you, he's fulfilling the law. 00:08:14.240 --> 00:08:15.920 He's laying down the kingdom values. 00:08:16.080 --> 00:08:18.939 We're meant to be thinking of Moses as we read the Sermon on the Mount. 00:08:20.480 --> 00:08:26.800 Matthew is introducing us with this list with the theme of fulfillment. 00:08:27.000 --> 00:08:28.500 He wants to see that theme. 00:08:28.580 --> 00:08:32.659 He wants us to see that theme throughout the whole gospel story. 00:08:32.659 --> 00:08:39.179 I really like how one commentator I read put it. 00:08:40.500 --> 00:08:42.740 The guy's name was R.T. France. 00:08:42.939 --> 00:08:43.639 He put it like this. 00:08:43.679 --> 00:08:44.659 He's inviting us. 00:08:44.779 --> 00:08:46.779 Matthew is inviting us to join him. 00:08:47.139 --> 00:08:51.939 Join him in his eager search for underlying patterns of fulfillment. 00:08:54.059 --> 00:08:56.459 Which brings us to the main point of these verses. 00:08:56.899 --> 00:09:01.559 Jesus might defy people's expectations both today and back in his own day, 00:09:01.559 --> 00:09:06.979 but Jesus is the answer to all God's promises to save his people. 00:09:07.799 --> 00:09:08.759 He is the answer. 00:09:11.579 --> 00:09:16.139 Which is why we start with Abraham and David. 00:09:16.299 --> 00:09:17.039 They're the focus. 00:09:18.979 --> 00:09:21.459 Let's pause for a moment and consider the promises. 00:09:23.099 --> 00:09:25.459 Let's consider the start of the story. 00:09:25.460 --> 00:09:35.960 After Adam and Eve sent humanity on a downward spiral of sin and curse and death, 00:09:36.960 --> 00:09:39.960 rejecting the life of blessing under God's good rule, 00:09:40.780 --> 00:09:41.379 what do we see? 00:09:41.460 --> 00:09:45.620 We see their next offspring, Cain, killing his brother. 00:09:46.100 --> 00:09:48.060 And the world just gets worse and worse. 00:09:48.240 --> 00:09:50.420 Depravity just spreads through the whole world. 00:09:50.500 --> 00:09:52.040 That God wipes it out with a flood. 00:09:52.240 --> 00:09:53.759 But even that doesn't fix it. 00:09:53.759 --> 00:10:00.519 Humanity builds a tower to try and control God and control the world apart from listening to God. 00:10:01.399 --> 00:10:07.840 The first 11 chapters from the fall onwards, that is, of Genesis is just, it's bleak. 00:10:09.439 --> 00:10:10.240 But what happens? 00:10:10.519 --> 00:10:16.779 Genesis 12, the first few verses, God makes this promise, unconditional promise. 00:10:17.080 --> 00:10:20.580 It's all on God to fulfill it to Abraham. 00:10:20.580 --> 00:10:24.259 So chapter 12, verses 1 to 3, let me read it out to you. 00:10:25.580 --> 00:10:27.540 I will make of you a great nation. 00:10:28.200 --> 00:10:32.259 And I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 00:10:33.300 --> 00:10:34.820 I will bless those who bless you. 00:10:35.440 --> 00:10:37.420 And him who dishonors you, I will curse. 00:10:37.580 --> 00:10:41.100 And in you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed. 00:10:41.100 --> 00:10:45.139 All the families of the earth shall be blessed. 00:10:45.680 --> 00:10:52.019 So from this point on, the Bible's looking for this offspring of Abraham who's going to be a blessing to the world. 00:10:53.600 --> 00:10:58.420 And that promise gets sharpened when we come to King David. 00:10:58.419 --> 00:11:04.819 So the promise in King David, chapter 2, 2 Samuel of, I'll start that again. 00:11:05.139 --> 00:11:08.500 The promise to King David in 2 Samuel, chapter 7. 00:11:10.379 --> 00:11:11.740 Again, it's unconditional. 00:11:12.179 --> 00:11:13.439 It's not based on people. 00:11:13.599 --> 00:11:18.199 It's all on God, which is such good news because then we can't stuff it up or people can't stuff it up. 00:11:18.200 --> 00:11:21.100 Here's the promise to King David. 00:11:21.620 --> 00:11:32.840 When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. 00:11:33.040 --> 00:11:36.379 Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me. 00:11:36.620 --> 00:11:39.240 Your throne will be established forever. 00:11:39.240 --> 00:11:48.460 And so from then on, we're looking for the son of David who's going to be the hope of the world to bring that blessing to all the families of the earth. 00:11:48.779 --> 00:11:57.340 So do you feel the weight of Matthew declaring in these verses the book of the origins of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham? 00:11:57.600 --> 00:11:58.279 He's here. 00:12:00.060 --> 00:12:00.879 He's here. 00:12:01.779 --> 00:12:03.100 The hope of the world. 00:12:06.220 --> 00:12:07.399 It's a big claim. 00:12:07.399 --> 00:12:10.340 It's going to bring blessing. 00:12:13.860 --> 00:12:15.360 God's kingdom forever. 00:12:16.319 --> 00:12:24.259 If you want God's blessing, if you want to belong to God's eternal kingdom, this man is the key. 00:12:31.039 --> 00:12:37.120 So let's look at some of the details in this family tree because the good news is in the detail. 00:12:38.019 --> 00:12:39.879 There's some surprising things in here. 00:12:42.319 --> 00:12:43.720 How is Jesus the answer? 00:12:43.939 --> 00:12:47.659 Well, first, Jesus is God's real answer. 00:12:48.959 --> 00:12:51.919 The family tree shows that Jesus was a real person. 00:12:53.500 --> 00:12:58.959 A few times I've looked at our three-and-a-bit-month-old baby Samuel just crying, 00:12:58.960 --> 00:13:01.920 and I have to carry him around because he can't walk yet. 00:13:01.920 --> 00:13:03.900 He's starting to roll over. 00:13:04.420 --> 00:13:08.100 He's just so dependent on Emma for food. 00:13:08.280 --> 00:13:13.280 It's just – he's wonderful, but it's rather pathetic as well. 00:13:14.980 --> 00:13:19.860 And every now and then I just think, Jesus was once a baby boy. 00:13:19.860 --> 00:13:22.600 Isn't that incredible? 00:13:24.680 --> 00:13:30.980 If you consider those words in verse 16, Mary of whom Jesus was born. 00:13:30.980 --> 00:13:38.360 Jesus is God's real answer in history, real person. 00:13:41.200 --> 00:13:44.180 Jesus is also God's final answer. 00:13:44.179 --> 00:13:51.500 There's things about this family tree that are a bit unexpected. 00:13:52.559 --> 00:13:58.459 So instead of following just the birth line like we normally think of the family tree, 00:13:58.799 --> 00:14:04.419 this one's really focusing on the legal rights, so kind of the head of the clans going down. 00:14:04.419 --> 00:14:11.379 But – so Matthew makes a big deal of 14 generations in each of these three time periods. 00:14:11.959 --> 00:14:16.059 But if you have a look at the details, he skips some generations. 00:14:16.959 --> 00:14:22.159 So he skips three kings in between King Joram and Uzziah. 00:14:23.199 --> 00:14:29.099 So before we judge the family tree based on our own standards of family tree, 00:14:29.259 --> 00:14:30.539 I think we should ask a different question. 00:14:30.659 --> 00:14:31.919 What does Matthew want us to see? 00:14:31.919 --> 00:14:33.860 Why does he do this? 00:14:33.860 --> 00:14:35.480 Why does he align it this way? 00:14:39.399 --> 00:14:41.320 To be honest, people aren't really sure. 00:14:42.060 --> 00:14:47.440 Some people think it's to do with the number seven, a big number in the Bible. 00:14:48.060 --> 00:14:49.980 I'm not really convinced of that. 00:14:52.019 --> 00:15:01.659 I've heard that the name David, the letters in the name, numbers-wise, add up to 14 maybe. 00:15:02.200 --> 00:15:02.700 I'm not sure. 00:15:03.860 --> 00:15:08.100 I think the best answer I've heard is similar. 00:15:08.480 --> 00:15:12.879 Just that there's 14 generations in the Old Testament from Abraham to David. 00:15:13.100 --> 00:15:14.980 So David is the key. 00:15:15.580 --> 00:15:23.300 And so to kind of underscore the point, I think the next two lots of time periods are put as 14 generations as well, 00:15:23.360 --> 00:15:25.360 to kind of just put the focus on King David. 00:15:25.360 --> 00:15:28.279 So you arrive at David from Abraham. 00:15:28.279 --> 00:15:32.159 And then it's when the monarchy disappears. 00:15:32.720 --> 00:15:38.399 So King David's line ends, it seems like, going into exile. 00:15:38.560 --> 00:15:40.820 And then it's the son of David who turns up. 00:15:40.820 --> 00:15:44.540 We're not really sure why the 14. 00:15:45.640 --> 00:15:47.760 But obviously King David is very central. 00:15:49.240 --> 00:15:52.600 The fact that Jesus is the Messiah is repeated throughout this. 00:15:52.840 --> 00:15:54.720 So verse 1, Jesus the Messiah. 00:15:54.960 --> 00:15:57.600 So it's also translated Christ. 00:15:57.600 --> 00:16:03.580 Verse 16, the end point is the fact that Jesus, who is called the Messiah. 00:16:04.680 --> 00:16:07.040 In this note, you see it again in 17 and 18. 00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:09.300 Jesus is the Messiah. 00:16:10.420 --> 00:16:16.300 So unlike Mark's gospel, which we're studying today in SWOT, where the Messiah is kind of kept a secret, 00:16:16.299 --> 00:16:21.079 in Matthew, Matthew's just going, Jesus is the Messiah, all the way through the gospel. 00:16:21.699 --> 00:16:22.779 He's the son of David. 00:16:22.919 --> 00:16:25.559 He's making it, he's saying it loudly. 00:16:27.959 --> 00:16:32.139 So Jesus is God's real answer and Jesus is God's final answer. 00:16:32.659 --> 00:16:36.159 The promise son of David is fulfilled. 00:16:36.379 --> 00:16:37.019 This is it. 00:16:37.139 --> 00:16:37.919 We've arrived. 00:16:37.919 --> 00:16:52.819 So around the time of Jesus, there was a group of really devout Jews who lived in a community separate from the rest of society. 00:16:53.000 --> 00:16:55.819 So kind of what we would picture as a monastery. 00:16:57.299 --> 00:16:59.679 They were called the Qumran community. 00:17:00.199 --> 00:17:03.759 And they were really strict about the observance of God's law. 00:17:03.759 --> 00:17:09.220 They believed that God's promised Messiah was about to turn up. 00:17:09.279 --> 00:17:09.940 And they were right. 00:17:10.900 --> 00:17:17.720 But they thought that he would turn up if his people were finally obedient to the law. 00:17:18.140 --> 00:17:21.000 If they were fully obedient, then the king would come. 00:17:21.539 --> 00:17:22.460 The king would be established. 00:17:24.879 --> 00:17:32.279 But if we look at the detail in these verses, something becomes really obvious quite quickly. 00:17:33.759 --> 00:17:36.920 The Messiah did not come because of people's goodness. 00:17:39.720 --> 00:17:43.400 So in verse 2, we've got Judah and his brothers. 00:17:44.519 --> 00:17:46.519 This is the history of Israel. 00:17:46.680 --> 00:17:48.480 How did they fare as being God's people? 00:17:48.660 --> 00:17:50.859 How loyal were they to God? 00:17:53.500 --> 00:17:55.059 Well, we see it in the detail. 00:17:55.259 --> 00:17:56.019 So the formula. 00:17:56.660 --> 00:17:58.740 So-and-so was the father of so-and-so. 00:17:58.740 --> 00:18:03.299 If there's any bits added on to that, we should pay attention to those. 00:18:06.099 --> 00:18:09.599 In verse 6, we've got David himself. 00:18:09.880 --> 00:18:16.420 David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah. 00:18:16.420 --> 00:18:35.220 The greatest king, the greatest king, saw a married woman, took her, I would say raped her, and then sent orders for her husband to be killed. 00:18:35.220 --> 00:18:40.779 It's shocking, isn't it? 00:18:44.360 --> 00:18:47.160 And here it is in the genealogy. 00:18:49.100 --> 00:18:51.940 And that's not just shocking by our own modern standards. 00:18:52.079 --> 00:18:55.680 By God's law, they were capital offences. 00:18:55.860 --> 00:18:56.779 He deserved to die. 00:19:00.059 --> 00:19:01.059 That's King David. 00:19:01.059 --> 00:19:09.819 The son of David did not turn up because of God's people's goodness. 00:19:12.339 --> 00:19:20.839 And Solomon, who showed so much promise of establishing God's kingdom, who set up the temple, he just totally flopped, didn't he? 00:19:22.419 --> 00:19:28.259 And then the next generation, just the kingdom was split so soon afterwards. 00:19:28.259 --> 00:19:35.039 Into north and south, the people were split. 00:19:35.519 --> 00:19:38.319 And this lineage follows David's line. 00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:41.519 But it's not like David's line were better than the northern kingdoms. 00:19:42.099 --> 00:19:45.680 In David's line, we've got Manasseh here, King Manasseh. 00:19:45.799 --> 00:19:54.379 He led the people in such horrible, idle worship, even sacrificing children in the fire. 00:19:54.380 --> 00:20:09.540 And then David's succession of kings ends in God's judgment, sending them off to exile, away from God's presence, away from God's blessing. 00:20:09.539 --> 00:20:17.359 Which leaves us wondering, where is God's promised son of David? 00:20:18.180 --> 00:20:18.759 Where is he? 00:20:18.859 --> 00:20:20.099 Has God given up on his promise? 00:20:20.240 --> 00:20:28.940 Given the people were just so sinful, generation after generation, you almost could understand if God had given up. 00:20:28.940 --> 00:20:35.840 No king sat on David's throne from the exile on. 00:20:36.920 --> 00:20:42.299 But in that name that's hard to pronounce, Zerubbabel. 00:20:43.340 --> 00:20:44.920 It's kind of fun to say as well. 00:20:45.019 --> 00:20:45.559 Zerubbabel. 00:20:46.120 --> 00:20:47.860 In verse 12, there's hope. 00:20:47.859 --> 00:20:52.879 It looks like King David's line is gone. 00:20:53.699 --> 00:20:54.619 But that's not the case. 00:20:55.679 --> 00:21:02.439 The prophet Haggai, at the end of the book of Haggai, listen to the hope in these words. 00:21:03.119 --> 00:21:11.039 Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I'm about to shake the heavens and the earth and to overthrow the throne of kingdoms. 00:21:11.779 --> 00:21:14.539 I'm about to destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations. 00:21:14.539 --> 00:21:25.659 On that day, declares the Lord of hosts, I will take you, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, declares the Lord, and make you like a signet ring. 00:21:26.339 --> 00:21:31.319 For I have chosen you, declares the Lord of hosts. 00:21:32.619 --> 00:21:38.500 Now, it's not quite saying that he's king, but it is sounding a lot like the king. 00:21:38.879 --> 00:21:39.980 Chosen servant. 00:21:40.839 --> 00:21:41.680 To be ruler. 00:21:41.680 --> 00:21:47.860 It's like a quasi-monarchy behind the scenes. 00:21:47.960 --> 00:21:52.580 It's not in literal history, but it's saying that God's promise continues. 00:21:53.080 --> 00:21:54.500 He hasn't given up on it. 00:21:55.320 --> 00:21:57.460 You can't see it, but he hasn't given up on it. 00:22:01.620 --> 00:22:04.920 God's king did not show up because of his people's goodness. 00:22:04.920 --> 00:22:09.820 He showed up because of God's faithfulness. 00:22:11.200 --> 00:22:12.380 It's the only reason. 00:22:12.620 --> 00:22:14.200 God's faithfulness to his promises. 00:22:16.000 --> 00:22:20.620 2,000 years of patient grace reached its climax in Jesus. 00:22:20.619 --> 00:22:28.159 God is the only completely faithful one you will ever meet. 00:22:30.019 --> 00:22:32.759 We totally rely on his faithfulness. 00:22:33.439 --> 00:22:35.799 This list reminds us of that. 00:22:36.339 --> 00:22:39.779 He's faithful to his promises, despite his people mucking it up. 00:22:39.779 --> 00:22:51.099 And with the sinful mess of God's people's history, you might expect God's Messiah to have nothing to do with sin. 00:22:51.799 --> 00:22:53.579 Or sinners, that is. 00:22:54.680 --> 00:22:58.720 His kingdom was to be a kingdom of righteousness and rule with justice. 00:22:58.720 --> 00:23:04.400 You might expect him to take that Qumran community and start the kingdom there. 00:23:05.579 --> 00:23:10.360 But the details in this genealogy tell us something otherwise. 00:23:10.880 --> 00:23:15.120 The four women who were mentioned, they've got two things in common. 00:23:16.579 --> 00:23:22.980 First, each of them have a sexually inappropriate part in the story. 00:23:22.980 --> 00:23:30.099 So Tamar seduces her father-in-law, Judah, to have a baby, to have an heir. 00:23:31.599 --> 00:23:35.980 Rahab is a prostitute who helps the spies enter Canaan. 00:23:37.299 --> 00:23:39.900 You've got Ruth, who we looked at earlier this year. 00:23:41.180 --> 00:23:47.579 At best, it's just inappropriate to be at the threshing floor with Boaz at night. 00:23:48.779 --> 00:23:51.799 And then you've got Bathsheba, although not at fault herself. 00:23:51.799 --> 00:23:57.539 She's at the centre of the biggest scandal in Jewish history. 00:24:00.299 --> 00:24:03.779 Like most people try and hide the skeletons in their family history. 00:24:04.500 --> 00:24:07.460 In the Messiah's family history, it's like they're underlined. 00:24:10.960 --> 00:24:16.839 As we've seen, King David himself is the biggest scandal. 00:24:16.839 --> 00:24:25.919 God said to King David in 2 Samuel 12, 13, 00:24:26.079 --> 00:24:28.459 The Lord has put away your sin. 00:24:30.220 --> 00:24:31.819 You shall not die. 00:24:36.619 --> 00:24:37.899 How is that possible? 00:24:37.900 --> 00:24:43.420 The Lord has put away your sin. 00:24:43.519 --> 00:24:44.400 You shall not die. 00:24:46.400 --> 00:24:47.640 It's a lot of grace. 00:24:49.960 --> 00:24:51.060 How is that possible? 00:24:51.060 --> 00:24:55.280 How can God continue to bless David? 00:24:55.279 --> 00:25:00.039 How can the Messiah associate with sinners? 00:25:01.819 --> 00:25:04.680 I think Matthew is opening up that question for us. 00:25:05.299 --> 00:25:08.279 And wanting us to follow the story to its end. 00:25:08.660 --> 00:25:09.420 To find out how. 00:25:10.700 --> 00:25:11.660 Someone must die. 00:25:11.660 --> 00:25:19.540 The surprising thing is it's the Messiah himself. 00:25:24.019 --> 00:25:28.360 What's scandalous about God's Messiah is that he won't associate with good people. 00:25:28.460 --> 00:25:29.740 He associates with sinners. 00:25:29.740 --> 00:25:36.900 So Emma reminded me just a few days ago of a quote. 00:25:37.019 --> 00:25:38.859 I can't remember who said it. 00:25:38.940 --> 00:25:44.059 But I'm not sure what I did that or my attitude that prompted her to say this. 00:25:44.140 --> 00:25:47.440 But we only bring to God our sin which he saves us from. 00:25:48.279 --> 00:25:50.900 And when I heard that, I was like, oh, I know you're right. 00:25:52.559 --> 00:25:54.339 I was just, it annoyed me. 00:25:54.339 --> 00:26:01.500 I think it annoyed me because it confronted my desire to do something to deserve God's blessing. 00:26:04.639 --> 00:26:07.000 The Pharisees had the same problem with Jesus. 00:26:09.399 --> 00:26:14.819 So later in the story, we're told that Jesus is having dinner at a tax collector's house. 00:26:15.339 --> 00:26:17.619 Sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 00:26:17.759 --> 00:26:20.319 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, 00:26:20.319 --> 00:26:23.119 why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners? 00:26:24.339 --> 00:26:28.139 On hearing this, Jesus said, it is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick. 00:26:29.339 --> 00:26:31.859 I've been come to call the righteous but sinners. 00:26:35.199 --> 00:26:37.519 Sinners are invited to the king's table. 00:26:39.179 --> 00:26:41.139 Those who think they're good are going to miss out. 00:26:47.759 --> 00:26:52.740 Who do you write off as being too sinful for Jesus to save? 00:26:54.339 --> 00:27:08.240 I wonder if we see Bible knowledge and being socially respectable as better marks of Christian maturity than confessing our sin. 00:27:13.879 --> 00:27:15.679 Messiah associates with sinners. 00:27:15.680 --> 00:27:22.900 The genealogy hints us towards this and we're going to see more of it in his gospel. 00:27:25.080 --> 00:27:30.420 The second thing about these four women who are mentioned is that none of them are descendants of Abraham. 00:27:32.680 --> 00:27:33.779 They aren't Jews. 00:27:33.920 --> 00:27:36.940 They aren't heirs of the promise, the covenant blessings. 00:27:36.940 --> 00:27:40.500 But here they are in the Messiah's family tree. 00:27:42.500 --> 00:27:50.580 The Jews thought that given their many privileges, which were many, that somehow they had an ownership of God. 00:27:52.220 --> 00:27:54.779 But they were always to be a light for the world. 00:27:54.779 --> 00:28:01.019 God's Messiah has a much bigger idea of who his people are. 00:28:03.000 --> 00:28:11.579 The four non-Israelite women in the story, in the Old Testament, they're praised for finding their refuge in God. 00:28:11.579 --> 00:28:23.419 We see this in the story later on when a Roman centurion shows greater faith than all the Jews that Jesus encounters. 00:28:24.359 --> 00:28:26.759 And Jesus says to him and to those around, 00:28:26.919 --> 00:28:35.859 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 00:28:36.359 --> 00:28:38.799 But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside. 00:28:38.799 --> 00:28:41.779 It's not what we expect. 00:28:43.399 --> 00:28:48.559 The Messiah came for all people, all his people from all nations. 00:28:53.419 --> 00:28:59.099 So Emma and I got to visit an Aboriginal church a couple of years ago in Campbelltown. 00:29:00.099 --> 00:29:04.539 And the pastor there, Michael Duckett, he showed us some of his paintings. 00:29:04.779 --> 00:29:08.619 And this, I wanted to share one with you just to, it struck me. 00:29:09.200 --> 00:29:10.779 It really moved me, really. 00:29:11.619 --> 00:29:13.159 And I wanted to show you it. 00:29:14.659 --> 00:29:20.339 Just to show how Christ just is the Messiah of all people. 00:29:20.539 --> 00:29:23.960 So let me explain what symbolism is here. 00:29:24.039 --> 00:29:28.099 So you can see the cross in the centre there, shaped in boomerangs. 00:29:28.099 --> 00:29:40.519 Then you've got the night sky with the stars, which is meant to remind you of the promise to Abraham of descendants numbering the stars in the sky. 00:29:41.299 --> 00:29:45.859 You've got the three circles which are connected in the sky, which is to represent the Trinity. 00:29:45.859 --> 00:29:53.559 Then you've got just the chaos on the earth with all the different colours and the strokes on the earth. 00:29:53.639 --> 00:29:58.839 That's meant to represent the chaos caused by sin in this fallen world. 00:29:58.839 --> 00:30:04.359 And you've got that little, down the bottom left of the black U shape. 00:30:04.919 --> 00:30:08.399 The U shape is the imprint someone leaves when they're sitting on the ground. 00:30:08.659 --> 00:30:10.179 So it represents a human being. 00:30:10.180 --> 00:30:14.900 But it's filled in with black because of our sinfulness. 00:30:15.400 --> 00:30:22.039 But you've got the white dots around the black U shape to represent we're still all in God's image. 00:30:22.039 --> 00:30:35.240 But then, if you can see it, through the middle, through the cross, you've got this river of blood, this red stroke all the way through the painting to represent Jesus' death. 00:30:35.240 --> 00:30:42.599 And you've got another U shape, another human being who's in the blood and made white in the blood. 00:30:43.200 --> 00:30:48.079 And you've got the little dots coming down from the Trinity representing being given the Holy Spirit. 00:30:48.779 --> 00:30:49.420 I love it. 00:30:52.039 --> 00:30:56.019 It's such deep theology in that painting. 00:31:00.019 --> 00:31:03.099 Jesus is not the Messiah of just the Jews. 00:31:03.399 --> 00:31:06.379 He's not just the Messiah of Western culture. 00:31:06.759 --> 00:31:10.879 He's not going to be put in a box of any culture. 00:31:11.500 --> 00:31:14.440 He is the Messiah for all cultures, all peoples. 00:31:15.700 --> 00:31:17.279 He'll stop at nothing less. 00:31:17.279 --> 00:31:23.619 He says, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 00:31:23.740 --> 00:31:25.819 Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations. 00:31:26.079 --> 00:31:28.339 That's where this gospel is going to end. 00:31:29.480 --> 00:31:30.819 Jesus gets the victory. 00:31:36.819 --> 00:31:42.940 Matthew is preparing us to meet the Messiah that breaks the bounds of how we expect God to work. 00:31:42.940 --> 00:31:52.900 The Jews had their own ideas of what the Messiah should be like and who deserved to be in the kingdom and what they needed saving from. 00:31:53.019 --> 00:31:56.279 And when they met Jesus, they wanted nothing to do with him. 00:31:58.460 --> 00:32:04.539 But Matthew is saying God's promises have all been answered in Jesus. 00:32:04.539 --> 00:32:13.759 And the shocking but good news is bound up in the meaning of his name, which we'll look at more next week. 00:32:14.299 --> 00:32:23.559 The angel told Joseph in verse 21, you shall call his name Jesus or he will save his people from their sins. 00:32:23.559 --> 00:32:30.000 He will only associate with sinners. 00:32:32.779 --> 00:32:38.019 We need those same words spoken to us that were spoken to King David. 00:32:39.019 --> 00:32:41.279 The Lord has put away your sins. 00:32:43.279 --> 00:32:44.500 You shall not die. 00:32:44.500 --> 00:32:53.740 Our Messiah invites us not to rest in our goodness, but in his faithfulness to his promises. 00:32:58.519 --> 00:33:00.660 Jesus calls us to come to me. 00:33:01.880 --> 00:33:05.500 All who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. 00:33:06.559 --> 00:33:09.140 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. 00:33:09.140 --> 00:33:14.180 For I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for yourselves. 00:33:14.500 --> 00:33:18.839 Let's pray. 00:33:19.359 --> 00:33:19.980 Let's pray. 00:33:34.140 --> 00:33:36.539 Lord, we praise you. 00:33:37.799 --> 00:33:44.380 That you would, though you're holy, that you would come down and become one of us. 00:33:44.500 --> 00:33:50.140 And that you would associate with us despite our sin. 00:33:51.000 --> 00:33:53.779 Lord, we thank you that you don't leave us in our sin. 00:33:55.400 --> 00:33:58.720 But Lord, we thank you that you do associate with us. 00:33:59.220 --> 00:34:02.279 Lord, I pray for each one of us that you would humble us. 00:34:02.420 --> 00:34:06.539 That we would admit our need for our saviour. 00:34:06.539 --> 00:34:14.019 Lord, as we go through Matthew, break open the boxes that we've tried to put Jesus in. 00:34:16.019 --> 00:34:22.759 Show us afresh just how beautiful Jesus is as the one who came to save us from our sin. 00:34:22.880 --> 00:34:27.099 Who came to save the whole world and bring the blessing to all the families of the earth. 00:34:27.099 --> 00:34:35.719 Lord, warm our hearts as a church to want to share this more and more to make your name known. 00:34:38.299 --> 00:34:39.819 Yeah, we pray this in Jesus' name. 00:34:40.059 --> 00:34:40.339 Amen. 00:34:40.339 --> 00:34:40.420 Amen. 00:34:40.420 --> 00:34:40.460 Amen. 00:34:40.460 --> 00:34:40.519 Amen. 00:34:40.519 --> 00:34:42.519 Amen. 00:34:42.519 --> 00:34:43.460 Amen. 00:34:43.460 --> 00:34:44.420 Amen. 00:34:44.420 --> 00:34:44.500 Amen. 00:34:44.500 --> 00:34:44.539 Amen. 00:34:44.539 --> 00:34:45.000 Amen. 00:34:45.000 --> 00:34:45.599 Amen. 00:34:45.599 --> 00:34:46.500 Amen. 00:34:46.500 --> 00:34:47.000 Amen. 00:34:47.000 --> 00:34:47.099 Amen. 00:34:47.099 --> 00:34:49.099 Amen. 00:34:49.099 --> 00:34:51.099 Amen. 00:34:51.099 --> 00:34:53.099 Amen. 00:34:53.099 --> 00:34:54.099 Amen. 00:34:54.099 --> 00:34:55.099 Amen. 00:34:55.099 --> 00:34:56.099 Amen. 00:34:56.099 --> 00:34:57.079 Amen.