A Birth Story Unlike Any Other (Matthew 1:1-25)

Dear OBC Family,

For the last few Sundays we have considered the birth of Moab and Ben-ammi, Isaac, and the sons of Nahor. In short, we’ve been watching the slow moving train of history some 1800 years before Christ. But this week we will hit warp speed to arrive at the birth of Christ.

In Matthew 1, the tax collector turned evangelist begins with a list of 41–42 names depending on how you count. And one of them is the birth of Isaac. Yet, between the first promised son and the last promised son, we have a line of promise that shows how the kingdom of God is going to come to the earth in the birth of a baby in Bethlehem.

Indeed, Bethlehem is the place where Jesus will be born, not simply because Micah 5:2 says that Bethlehem is the place, but because this village is the city of David. Before him Bethlehem was the city of Jesse, Obed, and Boaz, too. In short, it is the place where righteous sons of Israel are born and where the promised king of Israel would be born.

Yet, his arrival could only come after Israel was exiled for the sins of David’s sons. As the history of Israel tells the story, which is in keeping with God’s covenant with David in 2 Samuel 7, if the sons of David failed to obey the law they would be disciplined with a rod of men. And in time that meant the Babylonians deporting Judah and her kings, which Matthew reports in the third section of his genealogy.

In Matthew 1:1–17, Jesus’s birth is identified first with Abraham’s promise, then David’s kingdom, and finally Israel’s exile. Together, this takes us across 18 centuries of history and an untold number of births. Yet, for as long as God kept a remnant of his people alive, he kept the hope alive too—that one day the Son of God would come and be born of a virgin. That was the promise given to Isaiah, and in Matthew 1:18–25, we find the fulfillment of that prophecy.

This is where we will spend our time on Sunday. Moving from the important births of the past which evidence God’s work in the world, we now come to a birth story unlike any other, where God himself will come and be with us. Indeed, Jesus is Immanuel (God with us), and on Sunday we will consider all that this means.

To prepare for Sunday, take time to read Matthew 1 and Isaiah 7. These are the two key chapters we will consider this Lord’s Day, as we gather for the last Sunday before Christmas Day. Additionally, don’t forget to join us at 6:00pm on Christmas Eve for a special evening service. Pray that God would be glorified and please invite family and friends to join us.

As the Lord allows, I look forward to seeing you on Sunday morning and Wednesday night.

For His Glory and your joy in Christ,
Pastor David