The Genesis of Jesus, Part 2

What compelled Mathew to start his New Testament book with a rather laborious list of names. Why would he choose to drag us through someone else's family tree foreign names. We can barely pronounce today on Insight for living. Chuck Swindoll presents a clarifying study Matthew chapter 1, in which will explain in a fashion that's easy to grasp the power and significance behind the genealogy of Jesus were just getting started a brand-new study of Matthew called the king's arrival titled today's message the genesis of Jesus. You are so many things to us. Father wore our anchor in the world. It seems a wash, having lost its way.

Centuries ago, thank you for anchoring us to truth, giving us the Northstar of your word to guide us unerringly through the path that at times seems somewhere between confusing and disturbing. You are also father the reminder of an abiding love that is not fickle. Your love doesn't change when our love toward you changes. It is, it is never conditional based upon power living or what were doing the one who knows is best� The most thank you for being that presence of love.

You are our protection. The Lord is our light in her salvation whom shall we fear the Lord is the strength of our life, of whom shall we be afraid you're watching over those warriors those faithful men and women serving you in uniform and all the corners of this globe all around and beyond these United States and the difficult places where life is hard and existence is risky. Thank you for rejecting us our father and giving us the hope of liberty, continuing in war. You also are the one who overrules when we pray, foolish prayers. You know when to say no and were grateful and you know how to handle those times, Lord, when we simply do not know, and we cry out help you guide us. Thank you for being that stabilizing presence along with your protection, your love, the anchor of our lives be our vision father expand our minds beyond our own backyard. Deliver us from selfishness and the limited perspective, show us the world for which your sons died and give us a love for those who've never ever trust you guard us from impatience from Judge mentalism from partiality and prejudice.

May we remember again and again that you found us when we were terribly unlovely and unattractive, and even to this day when we are your grace abounds.

Because of this, and a thousand other reasons we give you our offerings today grateful father or your stability, protection for your provision for your vision in the name of Christ we pray we give everyone sit to study the book of Matthew with Chuck Swindoll sure to download his searching the Scriptures. Studies by going to Insight world.or/studies and Alice resume the message titled the genesis of Jesus. There are three segments of history worth noting, and if you have not observed them.

You could rush to the end and find them listed for you in verse 17, all those listed above include 14 generations is the first segment from Abraham to David, and then there are 14 generations from David to Babylon are the Babylonian exile ended 14 from the exile to the Messiah. Those may not mean much to you because you're not Jewish you're not a student of Jewish history most likely because Matthew was because know anyone who would write a record of his life certainly needed to be those things are important. Let's go to the three first from Abraham to David, that's versus two through six. You see it for yourself. Abraham, the father of Isaac all the way down verse six just see the father of the one who was to be king. The most significant king in the history of Israel. They name the city the king the city of David. They still call the fly the flag of David.

The symbol is the crown of David, still the most significant.

This could be called we might write this in our notes.

The period of the patriarch's it's a period of wandering and enslavement in foreign land, a period of deliverance from slavery of covenant making lawgiving a period of conquest as well as victory and defeat by the end of the era, Israel has become a powerful nation under David they were in fact that is greatest.

David was he was not Messiah nor any of those in his progeny mentioned in verses 1 to 2 through through six so David through Bathsheba give birth to Solomon. Solomon them is the father of Rehoboam who oversees the beginning of a divided kingdom, Jeroboam fighting with Rehoboam and now we see a decline. Of the King's we call the first one. The period of the patriarchs call this next 14 generation era. The period of the king.

There is infighting there is competition there was a Civil War of all things the divided kingdom now comes in place of the United Kingdom. What was once strong under David now is weakened through the multiple wives of Solomon, who led him astray. And from that come these warring figures those of the north and those of the cell and there was a decline there is degeneracy there is apostasy there was idolatry, you reach the end of this time which is called the time of the exile and and you realize it is a national disaster so we get when Babylon marches and there's hardly a fight to defend itself in the city of David Paul's and the Temple of David is in ruling it.

It is a it is a horrendous tragedy can hardly be put into words. When you read the Lamentations of Jeremiah, unless you read it through the eyes of a broken hearted profit. It will not make much sense. He's stumbling his way through the ruins of Jerusalem, having known it when it was in its heyday at least something of it in its heyday.

Jeremiah has not live to see it as it passes into ruling and that ultimately the exile you will you and I read that as we come to verse 12 or verse I should say verse 11 where there are words first Mitch of the exile to Babylon and then the Babylonian exile itself which lasts seven decades. You have never lived in exile, nor have I thank God not yet hopefully never will you talk to those who have gone through the exile, or an exile. Go tell your story that'll grip your heart. If I turn quickly. Hold your place and go to Psalm 137 and you will hear the words of the people of the Jews going into exile. It's a heartbreaking song beside the rivers of Babylon. We sat and wept as we thought of Jerusalem overweight week we put away our hearts. The Jews are musical people wherever they go. You will find with their musical instruments. To this day, but here we we quickly hung our hearts on the on the branches of the willow or the poplar trees are our captors demanded a song from us. Look at the sarcasm. Our tormentors insisted on a joyful and say yes one of those songs�. Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine.

Let's hear you saying revive us again. Or how about crown him with many crowns.

Why look at that fourth verse.

How can we sing songs of the Lord patently not only is there no song. Some there was no prophet who writes hello a little bit here and there but nothing to speak of the exile still is no Messiah silly way. And if there was ever a people that long for a deliverer.

It would be the people of the exile, the closest we can get to it as the Holocaust.

You have not read daily. These tools work brief and pungent titled night part of your education is missing as a teenager he went into the Holocaust and when he got out he wrote about. I draw a few excerpts daily visuals book night is not for the faint hearted inter's tightly packed sentences. Vasil describes one of the most horrible chapters ever endured by mankind, the Nazi led Holocaust of the Jews in World War II where he spent his teenage years is only a boy, he saw all the Jews in his village crushed together in a ghetto then loaded into cattle cars for 1/3 of them died before they reach the destination.

He later saw his mother's little sister. And finally, all of his family disappear into an oven fueled with human flesh. He saw baby's pitchfork children hang we can broken men beaten and killed by fellow prisoners for a piece of molded bread. He himself escaping death only by accident. The first night's train pulled up at Birkenau coils of ominous black smoke builds from tall chimneys from massive ovens below. First time in the show and live daily smell the stench of burning human. Never shall I forget that night. He writes that smoke which deprived me for all eternity of the desire to live. Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams into dust.

Never that you and I read through the accounts we come to the word pass it off another ancient term that fits into an uninteresting section, but it is a significant part of the Jewish history still is no Messiah still is no deliverer in Matthew same stylus, perhaps a fresh piece of parchment. He continues the story is there waiting for Messiah and he takes us from the exile in Babylon, where they had hung their hearts on the willow. He takes us through these generations and we hardly know a name. Look at the list look at the output you've ever heard a sermon on any one of them. We know nothing of them. They are nameless faces like those that looked out of the bars when they delivered those dear people from doctrinal and Birkenau and the other places in the Holocaust is Holocaust victims. This is the this is the. Of the dark ages.our jar like a thousand midnights in the Cyprus one person after another after another after another and then along comes Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary nobodies marries a teenage US living in Nazareth ever heard of her, or even of her family. We have made her into something that some religions worship but she she is just a handmade. She called herself in account but Luke writes that Jacob Fotheringham shows if you think of Jacob and here is Joseph was tapped on the shoulder, but the angel says don't put her away to divorce her, the one who is in her womb is of God, Messiah, scope is why, but there is no blare of children. There's no fanfare.

There is no parade even in the streets of Jerusalem is in a backwater town called Bethlehem house of Britain. The outskirts of Jerusalem to the stable of all places from the hollow eyes of the exile, we find them. The faces of these dear young Jews as Joseph looks into the face of God and infant for I think it is worth noting, though it may seem pedantic at this moment. Verse 16.

Look again this should be handled from a literal rendering literally from the Greek, and Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, not the father of Jesus, for he was not the husband of Mary says the original, from whom was born Jesus, the one called Christ Messiah. See the one whom WHO M you pass over it quickly, even even in in in the Greek X case X2 letters meeting out from among Jesus feminine singular nut� Not plural. The infant wasn't born from the two of them, but from her singular feminine, even guarding the virgin birth, the very tiny word pace. Had Jesus been born of both Mary and Joseph.

It would be plural.

It isn't since he comes only from Marietta's for.

Of course, small.

In fact, only to letter part of speech but a detail accurately written by the detail minded Jewish writer Matthew trained in recording detail financial numbers as a tax collector. He is a careful linguist X case from whom. It's the climax of the of the account for this means they no longer wait Messiah has been born. Then he gives a summary is is only a CPA would do as he finishes his last he comes back to summarize all those listed above include 14 generations Abraham to David, the era of the patriarch from David to the exile. The period of the kings and from the exile to Messiah the dark ages that suddenly burst into light is Messiah's board will little hope in all of this because I know some of you are thinking that I know this I could've never been in the list like that five well for whatever it's worth when you say first. Every person in the list was a sinner. Everyone except Jesus. Of course, we can't name each one sin but with David, we certainly can with Abraham. We certainly know he lied more than once with Isaac, who had been mentored in line.

He too lied. Jacob was known as a deceiver and he's in the list, the ornery brothers including Judah, not the kind of kid you want to raise and then along came Solomon 700 wives and 300 concubines along with being busy, stupid and neat. They turn his heart against the Lord and Solomon's in the list of all please in the morning line. You see, God is looking for perfection is looking for those who are redeemed. Five in the list.

Please don't take it the wrong way but in the first century, it would be shocking. Fiber women in that day. A woman never was included in the genealogical list. She is in this these are not your classy ladies table are dressed up like a prostitute to seduce her father-in-law.

Twins came as a result Rahab was in fact a prostitute who lived in Jericho. She was a Canaanite Bathsheba. You don't need her story told. Again during the last you see God's grace excludes no one every person is a center every person listed as unworthy to be listed say Jesus himself including Mary and Joseph. Not one deserved, humanly speaking, a place in the genealogy below wrote them all. Grace wrote the men same is true for everyone of us love the song amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me, you know, there's a people want to change the word rich know why will I looked up the meaning a wicked despicable person I qualify.

So do you. We were sitting at a gathering for the Museum of the Bible. Such a pleasure to be there and there was also present George W. Bush, who had a brief question-and-answer time afterwards. It was marvelous to hear it to her present was vulnerable and one of the well the interviewer said he never would you be if you would not been present be a drunk. I like Ashley you know why because not trying to protect his image.

I'm sick of people protecting their images as if there, something of a stick.

My dad used to say when I asked what that something was. He said don't ask amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved every one of these wretches in this list they all were lost the ball been found there, all in the family. You're there to. If you have come to Christ and allow him to become your righteousness. Otherwise, you still lost, which explains why why list like this is still uninteresting to you to be a part of the family to appreciate a list in this great stuff grateful. Matthew included the genealogical. I wasn't at first. Thank you father for reminding us again and again and again and again, wretches were guilty or sinful, lost the only way we can ever be found taps on the shoulder, shares speak to us in the days ahead as we enter into the world Messiah through the eyes of first century people who never because they would not accept. Give us hearts to accept pre-in the name of the Messiah, Jesus. Everyone's today Chuck Swindoll provided an eye-opening summary of Jesus family tree. He titled his message. The genesis of Jesus you're listening to Insight for living and in the event you missed any program in our brand-new study of Matthew. Remember, you can catch up by streaming the audio directly from our website, you'll find all the information it inside world.org behind the scenes were quite excited about this new series called the king's arrival were praying the thousands, perhaps millions around the world will join us in this exciting introduction to Israel's long-awaited cane in the coming weeks and months. Chuck Swindoll will guide our global audience through Matthew's account of Jesus birth, his entire ministry on earth right through his parting words commonly known as the great commission along with the daily program Insight for living ministries has prepared a number of additional resources for you and each one is designed to help you dig deeper into God's word on your own and to apply the principles to your daily life. For example, the online searching the Scriptures study program will complement each sermon. This gives you a way to explore the passage on your own and to take notes of what you're learning. You can even print out the document and share it with friends to search the Scriptures with Chuck go to insight.or/studies finally in sync with the release of this brand-new series on the program. Chuck has recently completed his verse by verse commentary on the book of Matthew comes into hardbound volumes alongside the verses in Matthew will also gain access to charts, maps, photos, key terms, of course, Chuck's practical insights so to purchase windows living inside commentary on Matthew Collis listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888 that's 1-800-772-8888 or go online to insight.org/store Chuck Swindoll invites us to try standing in Joseph Sando on tomorrow's edition of insight for living. The preceding message. The genesis of Jesus was copyrighted in 2014 and 2021 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2021 by Charles R.

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