Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Word of the Lord which engages us this evening comes from the genealogies of Jesus in Matthew 1 (especially v. 16) and Luke 3 (especially v. 23). ����������������
Among the many important elements in the Christmas story, for which we are preparing these weeks, is � believe it or not�the genealogy of Jesus recorded in Matthew and Luke. ����������������
Matthew's Gospel begins: "A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the Son of David, the son of Abraham." ��
The genealogy of Jesus is important is important, more than any other reason, to show that GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES. ����������������
Today's focus is on Joseph, the human father of Jesus. One thing that makes the genealogy of Jesus confusing is the end of it. Matthew's Gospel tells us that Joseph's father is Jacob. Luke's Gospel says that Joseph's father is Heli. So which one is accurate? Which one was the earthly grandfather of Jesus? Actually both of them are true. ����������������
Eusebius, a 3rd century church historian provides us with important information. He quotes Julius Africanus, a historian around 200 A.D., who explains that Heli was the legal father, but Jacob, Heli's half-brother, was Joseph's "natural" or biological father. You see, in the Old Testament there was a law that stated whenever a man died childless, it was his brother's legal responsibility to produce a son so his line would not die. That is exactly what happened in the case of Joseph and his "two" fathers, Heli and Jacob. These two grandfathers of Jesus, half-brothers from the same mother, had different fathers themselves, thus explaining the two different genealogies in Matthew and Luke. ����������������
Church history, then, gives us an accurate answer concerning Jesus' genealogy. And we find that both Luke and Matthew are correct. Luke names the legal father of Joseph � Heli. Matthew names the biological father, the one who was the substitute according to the law � Jacob. ����������������
It is at least somewhat ironic that this is what Christ does for us as our perfect substitute. We are like the 1st husband who dies childless. We are unable to fulfill the Law. As a result, we are under a death sentence. Christ stepped in as our perfect substitute and fulfilled what we were unable to do on our own. Jesus stepped in, much like the living brother in Old Testament law, and fulfilled the Law of God in our place. Because of Jesus' suffering and death on the cross of Calvary, our names are not blotted out of God's book of life. That is the substance of the Gospel � Jesus taking our place and doing what we could not. Our death sentence has been removed because of the cross and resurrection of Jesus. ����������������
Matthew's genealogy begins with Abraham; Luke's begins with Adam. In that context, we receive by faith at least 5 significant promises that God made and kept. The 1st promise was the one God made to Eve in the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve had sinned. He told Satan: "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed" (Genesis 3: 15 NKJV). This is the only time in the Scriptures that the word seed is used in reference to a woman. And in the virgin birth of Christ, the promise was fulfilled. God keeps his promises! ����������������
The 2nd promise was to Abraham (Abram) when he was still childless. God promised him, "in your seed all the nations of the earth will be blessed" (Genesis 12:3). Christ was the fulfillment of that promise, even as St. Paul writes (Galatians 3:16): "The Scripture does not say 'and to seeds,' meaning many people, but 'and to your seed,' meaning one person, who is Christ". God keeps his promises. ����������������
The 3rd promise was made to Israel through Moses. Moses told the Israelites: "The LORD shall raise up for you a prophet like me from your midst. Him you shall hear" (Deuteronomy 18: 15). What kind of prophet was Moses? He was a deliverer! Moses was the one whom God used to lead the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt. Jesus is that next prophet who has delivered us from slavery to sin and death by his cross and resurrection. God keeps his promises! ����������������
The 4th promise was made to King David. God promised David, "When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom" (2 Samuel 7: 12, NKJV). David believed this promise, and wrote the words of Psalm 110: "The LORD says to my Lord: 'Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet'" (v. 1). God kept his promise to David. God keeps his promises! ����������������
And regarding the focus on tonight's sermon � namely Joseph � God also made a promise to this man of faith: "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1: 20-21). ����������������
Because God kept his promise to Eve, to Abraham, to Israel, to David, and to Joseph, we can be assured the Lord will keep his promises to us as well. God hs promised us that because of the cross and resurrection of Jesus, he will forgive our sins. He has promised that through faith in Jesus, we have the right of adoption as his sons and daughters with a full inheritance. God kept his promises to his Old Testament people, and he will keep his promises to us as well. ����������������
"A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the Son of Abraham." These are not words of a useless genealogy with no meaning. These are words of promises fulfilled by God to his people. Looking at the genealogy of Joseph, we see a greater picture of what Jesus did for us by fulfilling the Law as our perfect substitute. GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES! And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4: 7)
Note: The structure and content for this sermon and Advent series come from suggestions made by Rev. Mark Anderson in Concordia Pulpit Resource, December 2003