Sermon Outline, First Advent

Sermon Outline, First Advent November 24, 2005

INTRODUCTION
When Christians speak of the “holy family,” they normally have in mind Jesus’ “nuclear family,” Joseph and Mary and his siblings. But Matthew begins with Jesus’ larger family, tracing his descent from Abraham and David.

THE TEXT
“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon . . . .” (Matthew 1:1-17).


BOOK OF GENESIS
Matthew’s first verse alludes to the book of Genesis in a couple of ways. The Greek word genesis is used here (and in v. 18, translated as “birth”), translated as “genealogy.” Further, the phrase “book of genealogy” (or a similar phrase) is used throughout Genesis to mark off the stories of various patriarchs (Genesis 2:4; 5:1; 10:1; 11:10; 11:27; etc.). “Genesis” means beginnings, and the book of Genesis tells the story of the world’s and Israel’s beginnings. Matthew claims to be telling a new “Genesis,” the story of a new beginning for Israel and for humanity.

SON OF DAVID, SON OF ABRAHAM
Matthew first identifies Jesus the Anointed One as a “son of David,” and his genealogy summarizes the history of the Davidic kingdom. Verse 6 alludes to David’s adultery with Bath-sheba, and the names listed in the royal line include idolatrous kings like Solomon, Rehoboam, Ahaz, and anasseh. This history culminates in the “deportation to Babylon” (v. 11), after which the Davidic line continues but not as a royal house. Throughout this period, though, the prophets continually reiterated the promise of a new David who would restore the fortunes of Israel’s royal dynasty (2 Samuel 7:12-16; Psalm 89:3; 132:11; Isaiah 11:1-5; Jeremiah 23:5-6; 33:14-18; Ezekiel 34:23-24). To call Jesus the “son of David” is not only to name his forefather; it is to say that Jesus is the one in whom these prophetic promises are going to be fulfilled. As Son of David, Jesus will rule all things (Matthew 28:18-20), and will deliver His people from their sins (1:21).

A similar point can be made with regard to the phrase “son of Abraham” (1:1). Jesus is a blood descendant of Abraham, but the point is to emphasize that Jesus is the true and greater Isaac in whom all the Abrahamic promises will be fulfilled. All nations will be blessed in Jesus, the son of Abraham, and through Him Abraham’s seed will inherit the land.

STRANGE WOMEN
Matthew punctuates his genealogy with references to several women: Tamar (Genesis 38), Rahab (Joshua 1-2), Ruth, and “her of Uriah.” None of these have the stature in the Old Testament of a Sarah or a Rebekah, and all but Bath-sheba were Gentiles, and somewhat disreputable Gentiles at that. Their inclusion in the genealogy of the “son of David” shows that they foreshadow the inclusion of all nations in the family of Jesus. The fifth mother on the list, Mary, is also a somewhat shady character, showing up pregnant before marriage.

NUMBERS
Matthew has organized his genealogy into a numerological pattern of three sets of fourteen generations, which no doubt is linked with the notion of Matthew 1 as a “genesis.” Otherwise stated, there are six sets of seven generations, which falls short of a perfect “seven times seven” of generations. Jesus arrives at the beginning of the “seventh” set, and brings the genealogy to its climax, to “Sabbath.” Further, the 42 generations are a product of 12 times 3 1/2. The 12 of Israel has lived through only half of its “week” of history when Jesus appears. In short, he initiates the Sabbath of sevens not at the end of the week but in the middle.

CONCLUSION
The incarnation is not merely about the Son of God taking on individual flesh as Jesus of Nazareth. In taking flesh as Jesus, the Son of God has owned this family as his family, Israel’s history as His history. This genealogy, with all its marks of sin and failure, is the genealogy of the Son of God.


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