Matthew 9:9-13 key verse
How do we get to Matthew
1400 years Old Testament
the single life of the New Testament
Formula:
The New is in the Old contained – The Old is in the New Explained
What happened in 400 Years?
Judaism worships in a Temple
Gospel means “Good News”
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John 4 testimonies 4 different angles
Matthew, Mark, Luke are Synoptic Gospels
Matthew: Sovereign
Mark: Servant
Luke: Son of Man
John: Son of God
Matthew written to the Jews
Matthew the spoken word
Matthew: Known as “Levi” a tax collector
So what do we learn from this listing of names and generations? We
learn something important about God.
1. He is the God of different personalities.
Each of us in this room is different from each others. Just as no
snowflake is the same, so neither are we. We bring different talents and
gifts to the table and God uses them all for His creative purposes if we
allow Him. Some are introverted, others extraverted, some with high IQ, and others need the questions repeated. Some of you are moody,
others expressive, some bubbling over and others bubbling in. That is
what this list contains, people with different personalities, all people used
by God.
Lesson: You are unique and wonderfully made, and your personality can
be used by God if you will let him. God used these different personalities
because they were available, let God use your availability as well.
2. He is the God of varying circumstances.
And what a collection of circumstances. Abused by life’s circumstances,
an abuser of circumstances, high society, and no society. Some did
the right thing, and others did the wrong. From royal births to a barnyard birth
and places in-between.
Lesson: Your circumstances are not an obstacle to God’s purpose in your
life. Allow God to use where you are right now, be part of His miracle as
you see where He will take you when you focus on Him, not on yourself.
3. He is the God of succeeding generations.
We have learned in worship, it is for God, to God, and about God. This
also holds true for all of eternity. God is a generational God. His truths
unfold from one generation to the next. From Abraham to David to Jesus
and all stops along the way, God had worked to do something awesome
in the life of each generation. Some generations were more willing to
receive than others, all had opportunities to be used as the genealogy
demonstrates.
I want to conclude with some thoughts about each of us. Someone had
outlined this genealogy as a faith listing.
a. Faith rooted in history
b. Faith expressing God’s grace
c. Faith recognizing divine providence
d. Faith focused on the Messiah
In so many cases, faith sees what the natural cannot. For generations,
faith saw the coming Messiah, and when Jesus came, those living in the
natural missed the event. What was true then, is true today. Some here
are missing what God is doing because of your focus, it is everywhere
but on Christ, the Messiah. You let other people’s personalities keep you
off track. You focus on the circumstances of your life instead of the one
who can elevate you above the circumstances and do something new.
And you have looked to your generation for answers and come up short
instead of looking to the author of all generations, God.
As we begin this Christmas/holiday (yes I said Christmas � ) season,
let’s get our focus right, our faith in the proper direction, let’s make Jesus
Christ the object of our affection.
