Sermons

Intro: We are in an election year, right now, more than ever, people are looking for leadership. 

• You can predict who the winner in November will be.
• Whoever steps up and leads.

 

Even so, whoever wins the election will still not solve our world’s problems. 

• Ideological problems. Political problems.  Societal problems.  World health problems. 
• No one will solve our world’s problems until Someone solves the real problem.

 

Only One Leader can solve the real problem and that is the Sin problem. 

 

We need the King who solves for sin!     

 

 1. Relevant as King

 

Jesus is a relevant King – the most relevant King there ever could be. 

• This is Matthew’s point.  
• The King anticipated and revealed in his Gospel.

 

The King is Christ Jesus. 

• The King of the Jews.
• Long anticipated Messiah.
• King of kings.

 

Matthew 1:1.

• Matthew’s Gospel begins with a Genealogy.
• “Biblos, gevesews” – “Bible/Book” – “birth/orgin” (v. 1)
• This proves Christ’s legitimacy as this King.
• History traced timeline – a family tree – lineage.

 

Jesus is the “Son of David, the son of Abraham” (v. 1)

• Jesus is called the second David.
• David being a type of Christ.
• Jesus being the anti-type.

 

This is the fulfillment of Christ as the Ultimate King.

 

 

King Jesus will take the literal throne of God in the Millennial Kingdom.

• Inside of literal Jerusalem.
• Christ will rule over ethnic Israel, believing Israel, understood as the remnant.

 

Jesus is “the son of Abraham” (v. 1), connecting Christ with the Father of Faith and the one whom the Abrahamic Covenant was made with.

• Promise for the Nations.
• Jesus is King of the Jews and King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
• For everyone who believes, every nation.

 

Nevertheless, Matthew’s Gospel is a Jewish book.

• David is the king referring Christ.
• Not Saul who was an unbelieving king (Israel’s first king).
• David, a man after God’s own heart.

 

Christ’s line traced through the fathers, through the story of Ruth.

• “Salmon the father of Boaz – Boaz married to Ruth – Obed – Jesse – Jesse to David (vv. 5-6).
• David is father of Solomon etc. and the line of Israel’s kings follow.

 

The “time of deportation” v. 11 and verse 12 brings up “after the deportation of Babylon.”

• Meaning Israel’s return.

 

Verse 16 zero’s in on “Jacob” – “the father of Joseph the husband of Mary.”

• This line is traced through to Joseph, “the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ” (v. 16).
• The line of Christ to David and as the legitimate King.

 

The bloodline of Jesus to Mary is genealogically proven or traced through the Gospel of Luke.

• It is equally important to prove beyond doubt that the line of Christ was traceable even to Joseph, Jesus father-by-law, not being Jesus’ blood father.
• Mary who conceived Jesus by the Holy Spirit.

 

Verse 17 recaps “all the generations” meaning the generations of chapter 1 “from Abraham to David.”

• “Fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations.”
• “Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.”
• Generation could be understood as counting for 25 years.

 

Proving Jesus is King – with over 2,000 years B.C. of history.

 

All of this documentation and proving out with precision – our need for a King –

“We need this King!”

 

Going back to the story of Babel.

 

^ESV  Genesis 11:4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower ^awith its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.”

The Tower of Babel (Hebrew: מִגְדַּל בָּבֶל‎, Migdal Bavel) narrative from Genesis 11:1–9 explaining why the world’s peoples speak different languages.^[1][2][3][4]

A united human race in the generations following the Great Flood, speaking a single language and migrating eastward to the land of Shinar (שִׁנְעָר).

There they agree to build a city and a tower tall enough to reach heaven.

God, observing their city and tower, confounds their speech so that they can no longer understand each other, and scatters them around the world.

• Pride desired prominence.

 

^ESV  Genesis 11:6 And the LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.

 

• The tower built to heaven trying to take over the position of God.
• God’s intervention – confusing their languages.

 

Then you have the story of the book of Judges.

 

^ESV  Judges 21:25 ^aIn those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

 

• Judges were not following God.
• Society filled murder, rape, and chaos.

 

Israel under Samuel (rejecting him) demanded a “king.”  

 

^ESV  1 Samuel 8:19-20 But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, “No! But there shall be a king over us,

^{20 a}that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”

 

They chose “King Saul” based on externals.

 

^ESV  1 Samuel 9:1-2 There was a man of Benjamin whose name was ^aKish, the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth.² And he had a son whose name was Saul, ^aa handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. ^bFrom his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.

 

• He was tall and handsome.
• Idolatrous heart, craving power.
  • Taking matters into his own hands.
  • Offering sacrifices for war.
  • Should have waited for Samuel.

 

• Saul lost his privilege to be king.
• He divided the kingdom.

 

Saul became jealous of future King David.

• The history of Kings chronicles the path to Christ the Messiah.
• Israel needed the right King.
• We need the right King.

 

Americans should rejoice in our history and government.

• Kings are imperfect but we need a true King who is Christ.
• The King who is Christ is the perfect King.

 

Christians, reaffirm – you have this King – you are part of His kingdom.

• A kingdom not of this world.
• Citizenship is in heaven.
• Kingdom of God is righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
• Aliens and strangers.

 

Kingdom of God:

Past in terms of theocracy.

Present in our hearts at conversion.

Future millennial kingdom – when Christ returns.

 

 2. Sovereign as King

 

The entire emphasis of Matthew is God’s Kingdom.

• “The kingdom of heaven” stated 32 times.
• “Kingdom” [Basilea]
• In the other 3 Gospels this phrase is only used 5 times.

 

Matthew also includes: “the kingdom of their Father” and “the kingdom of my Father.”

• Also, Matthew’s own designation “the gospel of the kingdom.”

 

“Son of man” 10 times.

• Parables introducing what “the kingdom of heaven is like” are central to Jesus’ teaching.

 

“Kingdom of heaven” sometimes taught as future and sometimes has come with Christ’s coming.

 

“For Matthew it is important that God is sovereign over-all and that his rule will one day be brought to a glorious consummation. Present and future aspects of the kingdom underlie a great deal of what is written in the Gospel.” [MacArthur]

.

Sovereign over Israel:

• “Son of David” – title for Jesus as the Messianic king.
• Christ from David’s lineage.
• The One who will rule Israel.

 

Sovereign over the Universe:

• The title “Son of Man” points to Christ as the exalted human who will be ushered into God’s presence to receive universal authority other the peoples of the earth (Dan. 7:13-15). [D.A. Carson]

 

• Also “Son of God” in Jewish circles meant Messiah and in Matthew this carries large overtones of Christ’s divinity.

 

Jesus’ personal Lordship is highlighted in Matthew.

• Jesus is Master and God.
• He is called “wisdom” and “Immanuel.”
• Matthew emphasized following Jesus as “Lord” – discipleship – all building toward the church!

 

Matthew makes the central personality of all Old Testament prophecy – Jesus!

• God is to rule in God’s promised kingdom.
• King wielded the power to bruise Satan’s head.
• He will establish His kingdom on earth to extend into eternity.

 

^ESV  Genesis 49:10 The ^ascepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff ^bfrom between his feet, until tribute comes to him;¹ and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.

 

^ESV  2 Samuel 7:16 ^aAnd your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me.^{1 a}Your throne shall be established forever.’”

 

^ESV  Psalm 2:1-4 ^aWhy do ^bthe nations rage¹ and the peoples plot in vain?² The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his ^aAnointed, saying,

³ “Let us ^aburst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”⁴ He who ^asits in the heavens ^blaughs; the Lord holds them in derision.

 

^ESV  Psalm 24:10 Who is this King of glory? ^aThe LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory! Selah

 

^ESV  Psalm 110:1-2 A Psalm of David. ^aThe LORD says to my Lord: ^b“Sit at my right hand, ^cuntil I make your enemies your ^dfootstool.”² The LORD sends forth ^afrom Zion ^byour mighty scepter. ^cRule in the midst of your enemies!

 

^ESV  Isaiah 7:13 And he¹ said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you ^aweary my God also?

 

^ESV  Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the ^aLord himself will give you a sign. ^bBehold, the ^cvirgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name ^dImmanuel.¹

 

^ESV  Micah 5:1-5 ¹ Now muster your troops, O daughter² of troops; siege is laid against us; with a rod ^athey strike the judge of Israel on the cheek.^{2 1 a}But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of ^bJudah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ^cruler in Israel, ^dwhose coming forth is ^efrom of old, from ancient days.³ Therefore he shall give them up ^auntil the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then ^bthe rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel.⁴ And he shall stand ^aand shepherd his flock ^bin the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now ^che shall be great to the ends of the earth.⁵ And he shall be ^atheir peace. ^bWhen the Assyrian comes into our land and treads in our palaces, then we will raise against him seven ^cshepherds and eight princes of men;

 

None of those ancient writers comprehended the full nature of the One of whom they prophesied (cf. 1 Peter 1:10-11). 

 

“Matthew’s divine spotlight on Jesus carries throughout one event after another show him to be the only One who fulfills all the requirements of those prophesies [MacArthur]

 

• All imposters unmasked by inability to fit the predictions.
• Entire New Testament acknowledges Jesus as promised King.

 

Basileia for kingdom used 144 times throughout 27 books.

• Of Jesus specifically [basileuo] “to reign” 10 times.

 

There are four Gospels all giving the same gospel account but from distinct perspectives.

The message is the same with different emphases.

• Matthew presents Jesus as sovereign.
• Mark presents the extreme opposite, Jesus’ role as a servant.
• Luke presents Jesus as Son of Man.
• John presents Jesus as Son of God.

 

Jesus is both Sovereign and Servant.  Fully man and fully God.

 

 

“Who was Matthew?”  “How do you get your head around this Gospel?”

 

Matthew means, “Gift of the Lord.”

• Matthew was one of the 12 apostles.
• In his list of the 12 apostles, he explicitly calls himself “tax collector.”
• His former name was Levi.
• The other gospels use his former name when speaking – sinful past/former life.

 

Matthew wrote this gospel prior to destruction of the temple in A.D. 70.

• D. 50?

 

• Obvious Jewish flavor – tracing genealogy back to Abraham.

 

• Luke’s emphasis of Christ as Redeemer of humanity back to Adam.

 

• Matthew demonstrates Christ as Messiah quoting more than 60 Old Testament prophetic passages – Christ fulfills them all.

 

Jewish customs are throughout.

 

Christ as the “Son of David” fills Matthew’s gospel with Messianic expectations.

• This demonstrates Jesus is the Jewish nation’s long-awaited Messiah.

 

• Jesus preaches five major sermons!
  • Sermon on the mount.
  • Missionary discourse.
  • He opens us parables about the kingdom.
  • He exposes the conflict between Himself and Phariseeism.
  • Olivet discourse – end times.

 

Israel’s rejection of this Messiah as their King is a constant theme.

 

• No other gospel reveals attacks against Jesus as strongly as in Matthew.
  • To protect Jesus’ birth, Jesus’ parents have to flee into Egypt.
  • Dogged and doubted by Pharisees.
  • Rejected by the masses.
  • Abandoned at the Cross.

 

• Only the Thief on the cross repents.
• Jesus is forsaken by his Father.
• Only the Centurion professes Christ in his death! “Truly this is the Son of God.”

 

Ultimately Christ is portrayed as a victorious King.

 

^ESV  Matthew 24:21-31 For then there will be ^agreat tribulation, ^bsuch as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. ²² And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for ^athe sake of the elect those days will be cut short.^{23 a}Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it.²⁴ For ^afalse christs and ^bfalse prophets will arise and ^cperform great signs and wonders, ^bso as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.²⁵ See, ^aI have told you beforehand.²⁶ So, if they say to you, ‘Look, ^ahe is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.^{27 a}For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be ^bthe coming of the Son of Man.^{28 a}Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.²⁹ “Immediately after ^athe tribulation of those days ^bthe sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and ^cthe stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.³⁰ Then ^awill appear in heaven ^bthe sign of the Son of Man, and then ^call the tribes of the earth will mourn, and ^dthey will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven ^ewith power and great glory.

³¹ And ^ahe will send out his angels with a loud ^btrumpet call, and they will ^cgather ^dhis elect from ^ethe four winds, ^ffrom one end of heaven to the other.

 

For perspective on the both dangerous times when Matthew was writing you need to understand the historical context. 

 

It is important to grasp the timeliness of Jesus’ – this King’s arrival.

 

Times were turbulent.

• Christ was born while Israel was under Roman domination.
• Had been this way for 60 years.
• Roman oppression came through their system of taxation.
• It was methodical and relentless and ruthless.

 

This was hard coercion and forced submission to Rome!

 

There were two basic taxes.

• The toll tax (income) and ground tax (property).
• Roman officials at public auction bought the right to collect the toll taxes in a given country.
  • This was a fixed rate for five years.
  • Introducing a key incentive for extortion because whatever was collected above that amount was kept for profit.

 

Matthew wielded that taxing right.

• He was a Jew titled, “publican.”

 

• A publican hired to tax, regularly extorted for their own personal profit, backed by the military of Rome!

 

• These tax-collectors were extortionists were known traitors.

 

• Hated by their own people and ranked as sinners and prostitutes and Gentiles.

 

Jesus called “Levi” the tax-collector to follow him.

• Tax-gatherers were ostracized from synagogues and often the Temple.
• Matthew immediately responded to Jesus’ invitation as did other tax-gatherers!

 

^ESV  Matthew 9:9-10 ^abAs Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called ^bMatthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. ¹⁰ And as Jesus¹ reclined at table in the house, behold, many ^atax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples.

 

^ESV  Matthew 11:19 The Son of Man came ^aeating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, ^ba friend of ^ctax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”¹

 

^ESV  Luke 15:1 Now ^athe tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.

 

 

It was rare for a Jew to befriend a “tax collector” but Jesus, Messiah, rabbi, and King did! 

• Matthew was a modest follower of Jesus.
• Always referring to himself in third person.
• This is understanding grace!

 

Matthew knew all this would be viewed as a sham if Christ as the definite King was unproven.

• Everything to the finest detail has to check out about him.

 

• With our crazy world, we need to know beyond any doubt that this King is foolproof.

 

“Our Proof and by necessity – will be built from Matthew 1, Next time! 

 3. Credible as King

 

Presenting sovereignty of Jesus – Matt beings gospel with Gen. of Lord – back to Abraham father of Hebrew people – through King David – I’s model king – Mark gives no geneology at all – servant’s lineage — Jesus as Son of Man – Luke – back to first man – Adam — John – X as Son of God divine – no human gen. or birth of childhood narratives – Jesus’ divine gen. John 1:1.

 

Message of book of Matthew centers on the theme of Jesus kingship – virtually every paragraph points to Jesus’ kingship (i.e. John ev. Par. Jesus’ deity)

 

Matt pres’s Messiah as King revealed – King rejected  – King will return – Jesus painted in royal colors in gospel – ancestry traced from royal line of I’ – birth dreaded by jealous earthly king; magi brought royal gifts from east; John the Bap heralds King and proclaims kingdom is at hand.  Temptations in wilderness climax with Satan offering kingdoms of the world.  Sermon on the mount — Sermon on the mount is the manifesto of the King – the miracles are His royal credentials – many parables portray the mystery of the kingdom – Jesus declares himself as God’s Son and makes his Royal entry – facing the cross predicts future reign – claims dominion over angels and last words are authoritative – given to Him in both heaven and earth (28:18).

 

Rejection is major theme – Jesus as King – no Gospel brings documents attacks against Jesus character – Mary was in danger rejected by Joseph – Herod threatened His life – parents had to flee to Egypt  – John the Bap – put to death beheaded – jesus had no place to lay his head call home – “Only a Gentile centurion speaks “Truly this was the Son of God!” (27:54).

 

Jesus was King shown as King – ultimately will return to judge and rule (earth will see Son of Man coming in the clouds – 24:30 – coming “at an hour when you do not think He will” (v. 44) – come in glory and judgement (25:31:-33) – No reader can full immerse himself in this gospel without emerging with a compelling sense of both eternal majesty of X and strong power that sin and Satan held over apostate Israel that rejected X – no gospel is more instructive to those who are the Lord’s discipels and who are called to represent Him in the world – lessons on discipleship are life-changing to the committed reader as were for the eleven who were with Jesus first followers — themes of X’s majesty, glory, rejection and apostasy – Matthew does not lack practicality. 

 

First 2 chapters vindicate Jesus’ claim before Pilate: “You say correctly that I am king.  For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world” (jn 18”37).  Matthew begins his gospel showing Jesus’ lineage from the royal line of Israel – If Jesus is to be heralded and proclaimed king, there must be proof that He comes from the recognized royal family.  Messiah’s royal line began with David …God promised that it would be David’s descendants though whom He would bring the great King – to reign over I’ and establish his eternal Kingdom (2 Sam 7:12-16).

 

Barclay:  Matthew extraordinary way to begin gospel – daunting long list of names to wade through – but to a Jew this was the most natural and interesting – essential way to being story of any man’s life – Jews interested in genealogies – “the generations” – of Jesus Christ – record of man’s lineage – with few explanatory sentences – OT refs – G. 5:1;10:1; 11:10; 11:27 – If any man there was the slightest admixture of foreign blood – lost right to be called a Jew – member of people of God – priest had to have unbroken pedigree stretching back to Aaron. 

 

Ezra 2:62 – Ezra reorganizing worship of God – returning from exile – priesthood to function – children of Habaiah – Koz and Barzillai debarred from office – labelled polluted bc/ “sought their registration among those enrolled in genealogies – but they were not found there” (Ez 2:62).

 

Kept by Sanhedrin – Herod the Great despised by pure-blooded Jews – half Edomite – – Herod destroyed official registers – so no one could prove purer pedigree than his own – to a Jew most impressive matter that the pedigree of Jesus be traced back to Abraham.

 

Pedigree carefully arranged – three groups of fourteen people each – technically known as a mnemonic – easy to memorize – few people could own them – written hundreds of years before there was a printed book – — meant to be memorized – “It is meant to prove that Jesus was the son of David, and it so arranged as to make it easy for people to carry it in their memories.”

 

Something symbolic of whole of human life in the way in which this pedigree arrainged –  arranged in three sections – three sections based on three stages of Jewish history. 

 

The first section takes the history down to David.  David man who wielded Israel into a nation – made Jews a power in the world.  First section takes the story down to the rise of Israel’s greatest king.  Second section takes story down to the exile of Babylon – tells of nations shame, tragedy, and disaster.  Third section takes story to Jesus Christ – the person liberated men from their slavery, rescued them from their disaster, and in whom tragedy was turned into triumph. 

 

Three stages stand for three stages in the spiritual history of mankind.

 

Man born for greatness – image of God

Man lost his greatness – instead of servant of God – slave to sin

Man can regain his greatness – end of story not left to tragedy

 

In his genealogy Matthew shows royalty of kingship gained – freedom lost – glory restored – mercy.

 

2 special things about Jesus

Stresses the fact that Jesus truly was the Son of David

[cffs. Acts 2/ Rom1/ 2 Tim 2:8/ Rev 22:16]

 

Common people addressed Jesus as son of David – Jews waiting people – never forgot destiny – dream of common people — Jesus is the fulfillment of prophecy.

 

Not righteous but sinners in genealogy.

 

Most amazing thing about pedigree is names of women who appear in it. – not normal to find names of women in Jewish pedigrees – women no legal rights – not a person but thing – possession father or husband – “Jew thanked God – not made a Gentile – slave – woman — existence of names in any pedigree extraordinary phenomenon —- Rahab harlot of Jericho – Ruth not Jewess – Moabitess – Law: “Not Ammonite Moabite shall ender the assembly of the Lord;… Dt 23:3 – Ruth belonged to alien people – Tamar deliberate seducer and an adulteress – Bathsheba mother of Solomon – “David seduced from Uriah, her husband, with an unforgivable cuelty —- “If Matthew had ransacked the pages of the Old Testament for improbable candidates he could not have discovered four more incredible ancestors for Jesus Christ.  “there is something lovely here at the very beginning Matthew shows us symbol of essence of gospel of God in Jesus Christ – shows barriers going down.— Barrier betwn Jew and Gentile – Rahab (woman of Jericho – Ruth woman of Moab find their pace within the pedigree of Jesus Christ.  – in X there is neither Jew nor Greek – “universalism of the gospel and the love of God”

 

Barriers between male and female are down – no ordinary pedigree would name any woman – “the old contempt is gone; and men and women stand equally dear to God, and equally important to his purposes.”

 

Barrier between sinner and saint is down – God can use for his purposes and fit into his scheme of things those who have sinned greatly – Mt. 9:13

 

Here at the very beginning gospel – hint of all-embracing width of the love of God – God can find his servants amongst those from whom the respectable orthodox would shudder away in horror.