Messages

Matthew 9:9
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him.

 

In Defense of Matthew’s Authorship
The superscription of the ancient manuscripts
The testimony of the Church Fathers: Papias and Irenaeus

 

Luke’s Prolific Writings
Luke is the longest gospel
Luke, as an author, is our largest N.T. contributor

 

 

Luke (2157 verses)

Paul (2032 verses) 

John (1416 verses) 

Mathew (1071 verses) 

Mark (678 verses)

 

Acts 1:1-2

¹In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach ²until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit.

 

Luke 1:1-4
¹Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. ²They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples. ³Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write an accurate account for you, most honorable Theophilus, ⁴so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.

 

So how do Matthew and Luke tell the story of Jesus’ birth?

 

Matthew 1:1
This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham.

 

In Matthew we see Jesus proceeding from the royal line of his earthly forefathers.

 

Luke 3:38 

Kenan was the son of Enosh. 

Enosh was the son of Seth. Seth was the son of Adam. 

Adam was the son of God.

 

In Luke we see Jesus proceeding from the Father.

 

Matthew 1:2

Abraham was the father of Isaac.

Isaac was the father of Jacob.

Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers.

 

From Judah there would come the Messiah and King.

 

Genesis 49:10
The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants, until the coming of the one to whom it belongs, the one whom all nations will honor.

 

Matthew 1:11 
Josiah was the father of Jehoiachin and his brothers (born at the time of the exile to Babylon).

 

The king did of his own accord go out of this city before it was taken, and did undergo a voluntary captivity with his family, that the sanctuary might not be delivered up to the enemy. 

-Josephus, Wars

 

Matthew 1:3-6

Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (whose mother was Tamar).

Perez was the father of Hezron. Hezron was the father of Ram.

Ram was the father of Amminadab. 

Amminadab was the father of Nahshon. 

Nahshon was the father of Salmon.

Salmon was the father of Boaz (whose mother was Rahab).

Boaz was the father of Obed (whose mother was Ruth).

Obed was the father of Jesse.

Jesse was the father of King David.

David was the father of Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah).

 

Women in Matthew’s Genealogy
The purpose and value of women.
God’s love is also for the Gentiles.
The unexpected and unlikely heroes of this story.

 

Matthew 1:16

Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.

Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah.

 

Matthew 1:17 
All those listed above include fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the Babylonian exile, and fourteen from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah.

 

Why 14?  

 

The angels tell us that Jesus is the Son of God.

 

Luke 1:30-33
³⁰“Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! ³¹You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. ³²He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. ³³And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

 

The angels tell us that Jesus is more than just a name.

 

Matthew 1:20-21
²⁰As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. ²¹And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

 

The angels tell us that Jesus is God.

 

Luke 2:8-12
⁸That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. ⁹Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, ¹⁰but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. ¹¹The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! ¹²And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

 

Luke 2:13-14
¹³Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, ¹⁴“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

 

The angels tell us to come and worship

 

Who are Mary and Joseph?

 

The Character of Mary and Joseph

 

Luke 1: 26-28
²⁶In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, ²⁷to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. ²⁸Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”

1. Mary was honorable

 

Luke 1: 29-30
²⁹Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. ³⁰“Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 

2. Mary was chosen

 

Luke 1: 31-33
³¹You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. ³²He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David.³³And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

3. Mary was encouraged

 

Matthew 1:18-19
¹⁸This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.

1. Joseph was honorable

 

Matthew 1: 20
As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 

2. Joseph was chosen

 

Matthew 1:21
And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

3. Joseph was encouraged

 

The Actions of Mary and Joseph

 

Luke 1:34-35,37
³⁴Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.” ³⁵The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 

³⁷For the word of God will never fail.” – Luke 1:37 (NLT)

³⁷For nothing will be impossible with God.” - Luke 1:37 (NASB)

 

1.Mary was observant  

 

Luke 1:38
Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

2. Mary was objective

 

Observation: Subjective information or analysis is based on personal opinions, personal interpretations, personal points of view, personal emotions and personal judgment.
Objective information or analysis is fact-based, measurable and observable.

 

Luke 1: 42, 45-50
⁴²Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed.  ⁴⁵You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.” ⁴⁶Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. ⁴⁷How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! ⁴⁸ or he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. ⁴⁹For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me. ⁵⁰ He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him.

 

3.Mary was obedient

 

Matthew 1:24a
When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded …

1.Joseph was observant

 

Matthew 1:24b
…and took Mary as his wife. 

2.Joseph was objective 

 

Matthew 1: 25b
… And Joseph named him Jesus.

 

3.Joseph was obedient

 

People see signs of God every day. Sunsets that steal the breath. Newborns that bring tears. But do all who see the signs draw near to God? No. Many are content simply to see the signs. They do not realize that the riches of God are intended to turn us toward him. He has been very kind and patient, waiting for you to change, but you think nothing of his kindness. Perhaps you do not understand that God is kind to you so you will change your hearts and lives. – Romans 2:4
- Max Lucado  - Because of Bethlehem