The Marvelous Birth of the King

A king is a king not only because of his royal lineage but because of his character and you see as you look even at the genealogy that Jesus will be the king of grace is no question about it. He will be a king to whom centers didn't go forgiveness in favor a record of your ancestry can be fascinating.

It probably has little impact on your social status. Not so when Jesus was born. His genealogy determined where he lived and who his friends would be where he paid taxes and the synagogue. He belonged to. What's more, Jesus ancestry shows that when he was born in Bethlehem. It was a royal birth. John MacArthur explains why today on grace to you as he continues his series the best of Christmas. Now with the lesson.

Here's John Watson. Open your Bible to the first two chapters of the Gospel of Matthew the first two chapters in the New Testament. They introduce us to the birth of the king. It never ceases to be a story of wonder. A story of blessedness a story of supernatural intervention. No matter how many times we go over the birth of Christ. It still captures our fascination fills our hearts with joy.

I like us to focus along with Matthew on the birth of the king, emphasizing the king leanness the royalty of Jesus Christ.

That is Matthew's great intent. So in the first two chapters, he focuses on the royal aspects of the birth of Christ and that's what I'd like you to look at. First of all, in chapter 1 verses one through 17.

We have the genealogy of Jesus, that is, we have the line of descendents from Abraham down to the birth of Christ.

This Matthew wants us to understand is his royal heritage. Anyone it was a king must have a royal heritage. The king has to have an authentic lineage. He must possess royal blood in order to be fit to take the throne. He has to have been descendent from a long line of royalty and in fact that is precisely true. Jesus, Israel, the racial line of Jews came from Abraham.

Abraham was the father of the Jewish people so racially he would need to be a descendent of Abraham within the descendents of Abraham, the royal line began with David and so in order to have the pedigree of the king in order to possess royal lineage, one would need to be a son of Abraham and the son of David, the racial line was promised through Abraham in Genesis 12 the royal line was promised through David and second Samuel chapter 7 and so to qualify Jesus needs to be son of Abraham son of David and the genealogy begins with these words. Verse one the book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham, the most important two names in the genealogy are given first Abraham for racial lineage and David for royal lineage and then from verse two, we have a more detailed presentation of that genealogy starting with Abraham and moving right on down through David in verse six, ultimately to Christ in verse 16 and so the Lord Jesus is son of Abraham son of David. He fits the royal requirement in order to ascend to the throne he needed to have that royal lineage another royal line here is the royal line that comes through to Christ. It is interesting that Matthew gives us his lineage through his father, Joseph, Luke gives us his lineage through his mother, Mary, you will be interested to know that Mary also was descendent from David she came through David son Nathan who never reigned but nonetheless was royal blood. So from David through Nathan all the way down to Mary. There is royal blood. Mary is a descendent of David through his son Nathan not to be confused with the prophet Nathan is then through Mary Mark this that Jesus is the real son of David or Mary was his mother.

He was born of a virgin.

Joseph had no part in his birth. Joseph planted no seed in Mary's body was planted by the spirit of God. Mary alone was the source of his human birth. Therefore, it was essential that she also be out of the line of David or he would've borne no royal blood. On the other hand, Joseph's line is the line of the legal right to the throne. It always comes through. The father so he had to have a father who also was a son of David, and not only a son of David, but a son of David through David's son Solomon, for it was through Solomon that the reigning line came in.

So Jesus received his royal blood from Mary and the legal right to the throne from Joseph even though Joseph had no part in his birth because he was born to Joseph's wife Mary.

He then is the son of Joseph legally and therefore bore the right to reign as king that has been said that had there been a king, a rightful king in Israel in Palestine at the time of Joseph it would have been Joseph. Joseph was the legal heir so that the Matthew genealogy comes down through Joseph, because there is the legal right to the throne. It comes from the father. Luke brings it through Mary so that we know he has not only a legal right, but a real right because he bears the blood of David.

Notice in verse 16. The emphasis to Jacob was born Joseph this being a Jacob other than the familiar patriarch in the Old Testament. It's a common Jewish name. We don't know anything about this man, but the Jacob was born Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom. That's in the feminine form in the Greek referring only to Mary by whom was born Jesus who is called Christ. Joseph is never in the Scripture called anything other then the husband of Mary never is. Joseph called the father of Jesus of whom is feminine. It refers only to Mary and emphasizes the virgin birth, I want you to see something that's absolutely essential to understand. You will notice in verse 10 and 11. We have the flow of names as you come to verse 11 it says into Josiah's were born Jack Anaya and his brothers at the time of the deportation to Babylon goes on from there. Now here in the middle of this lineage.

This kingly line. This royal right to the throne is a king borne by the name of Jack Anaya, Jack Anaya was an evil man, also called call Anaya. He was an evil man, and in Jeremiah's prophecy, chapter 22 in verse 30 the word of the Lord says this about Jack Anaya right this man, childless in what sense Amanda will not prosper in his days for no man of his descendents will prosper sitting on the throne of David, or ruling again in Judah. Now God said no, son of Jack Anaya will ever reign in Palestine Israel willeverbearthethroneofDavid,andyetJackAnayaisinthemessianicline.HowthencanJesusbetheking.IfhedoesnotcomethroughtheroyallineofJackAnayaandhowcanhebetheking.IfthelineofJekyllandIiscursedthatseeminglyhopelessdilemmaisresolvedinthevirginbirththroughthat Jesusreceivedthelegalrighttothethrone,buthewasnobloodchildofJackAnayaforthatlinewascursedandtherecouldneverbeachildofJackAnayaonthethroneofDavid.Therefore,Christwasbornofavirgin.TherewasnochangeofthebloodofJackAnayainhimbecausehehadnobloodfromJosephinhimeither.SoinamarvelousworkingofGod.ThecurseofJackAnayaisbypassedbybypassingJosephandhavingJesusbornofavirginandyetitwasessentialthathebeinthelegallineofJackAnayaforthatwasthelineofDavidthathadtherighttothethrone.Everydetailcarriedoutwithprecision.SoMatthewwantsustounderstandthatJesushasagenealogythatbringsouttherealityofhisroyalty.Heistheauthenticking,borntothekinglyline,bypassingthecurseofJackAnayathroughthevirginbirth,sohehasimpeccablecredentials.Nowthatishisroyalheritage.Secondly,Iwanttotalkabouthisroyalnatureisroyalcharacter.Akingisakingnotonlybecauseofhisroyallineagebutbecauseofhisnature,hischaracter,andyouseeasyoulookevenatthegenealogythatJesuswillbeakingofgrace.There'snoquestionaboutit.Hewillbeakingtowhomsinnerscangoforpardonforgivenessinfavorhewillbeakingtowhomthosewhohaveviolatedisverylawanddespisehisverynamecangotoseekforgiveness.Howdoweknowthatit'sboundupeveninthegenealogy,mayIshowyouwhylookatverse16itsaysthatJesuswasbornofMary,Mary,andhereyouhavethechoiceofonewomanoutofthewholeworldinthelineofDavidtobethemotheroftheKingofKingsandLordoflords,andwhatisremarkableaboutthisisthatMarywasnotwithoutsin.Marywasnotaperfectwomanshewas.Notasinlessperson.Shewasasinner,likeallothermenandwomen.Sheneededsalvationfromdeathandhell,likeallothermenandwomen.ShewasonherwaytoaneternitywithoutGod.IfshedidnottrustGod.BelieveGodandembraceherownson,theSavior,theLordJesusChrist.ItisevidentfromtheNewTestamentrecordthatMaryknewnospecialholinessthatshepossessednouniquesanctificationfromletMary'sownlipsinLuke146fromherownlipsandwhatiscommonlyknownasherMagnificat.Hersongofpraise,shespeakstoGodandthisiswhatshesays.MysoulexaltstheLordthenverse47andmyspirithasrejoicedinGodmySavior.MaryistheSaviorofnobody.MaryneedsaSaviorandshesaysGodismySavior.HeistheonewhodeliversmefromsinandisnotsomethingthattheKingofKingsandLord'sallowedasinnertobehisownearthlymother.Yesheisakingofgraceandevenbeforehe'sborn.Youseehisgraceashearrangesforhismotherandchoosesasinner.Thesecondaspectofhisroyaltythatweseerelatedtohisgraciousness,hischaracter'snaturecomesnotfromonewomanwiththechoiceoftwomenbacktoverseonesonofDavid,sonofAbraham.Now,ifyouknowanythingaboutAbrahamyouknowthatAbrahamwasasinfulman.HewascalledthefriendofGod,andthereweresomemarvelousthingsaboutAbraham.HewasamanofgreatfaitheventuallybelievingGod.ButAbrahamalsowasamanwhowasknownbyhissin.HeliedblatantlyandflagrantlyabouthisownwifewhenhewasinEgypt.HedoubtedthepowerofGod.Hecommittedadulterybecausehedidn'tbelieveGodcouldreallygivethemachild,sohewentinandhadarelationshipwithhisownhandmadeoutofwedlockandproducedIshmaelacursedchildinmanywaysAbrahamwasasinfulman,liar,doubterandadultereraboutDavid.David,thoughhewasamanafterGod'sownheartwasalsoamanwhowaswellknownforhissin.Helivedalifeofappallingsin.Hewasabloodiedman.Manybattlesmanymassacresmanydeaths.Hesowedseedsofdissipationbymarryingmanywomen.Hewasahorrendousexcuseforafatherlosinghischildrenandallowingthemtofallinthedissipationevilandevenrebellion.HewasexceedinglysinfulinhisadulterousaffairwithBathshebaandthemurderofherhusband.HeplayedthefoolonetimebecausehedoubtedGodandactedasifhewasinsanetotrytoescapefromthecircumstancehethoughtGodwasunabletodeliverthemoutofandthennotonlyisthereonewomanandtwomen,buttherearethreeerrorsgivenhere.Thisgenealogyhasthreesectionsof14names.Numberonepatriarchsandjudges.Numbertwo,themonarchy.NumberthreefromthecaptivityinBabylontothecomingofChrist.Allofthesetimestimesofmixedpathosandglorytimesofheroismanddisgracetimesofmenofrenownandmenofobscurity,butonethingweseeinalltheselistsisthesewereallsinfulmanwholivedinsinfultimesandyettheywerechosentobeapartoftheMessiah'sline.Sowhetheryou'retalkingabouttheonewomanwhowashismother.Thetwomenwhostandoutinthegenealogyorthethreeerasofhistory,allofthempointtothegraceofthekingwhoeventhoughhe'snotbornyetshowshisgraceinthechoiceofthosewhoarehisancestor,butitcomesthroughevenmoreclearlyinonefinallookatforoutcastsforoutcastsforsinfulwomenforwhomGodprovidedgrace.Therefore,womeninthegenealogythatarejustremarkablebytheirinclusion.Thefirstoneisinversethreebackintothatpatriarchal.AwomanbythenameofteamareitsaysinversethreetoJudahwereborn.PerezandSarahbycameouryouhavetounderstandfromGenesis38.IfyougetachancetoreadthatreaditcarefullytameourcommittedincestandHarrison'serrorborntotamewerebornoutofincesttheuglygrossviolentevilofincest.Shewasguiltyofharlotryguiltyofincestgavebirthtotwosonsbornoutofincest.Notonlyissheinthelinebutsoarehertwosonsandthat'lltellyousomethingaboutthegraceofGod,thenyouwillnoticeinversefive.Two.Salmonwasborn.BoazbyRahab.AmannamedSolomonmarriedaCanaanitewomanreallypaganwomanbythenameofrehab.RahabwasaprostitutewhoranabrothelinJericho.IfyoureadcarefullytheaccountofJoshuachapter2.YouwillreadaboutRahabwhocametobelieveinthetrueGod,andhidthespieswerespyingonJerichobutshewasaprostitutebyprofession,andyetsheisincludedinthemessianicline.SheisgiventheprivilegeofgivingbirthtoBoazwhoisareallyapatternoftheRedeemerhimself,thenthereis1/3womaninthegenealogyversefiveagain.Ruth,Ruth,again,wasaMoabitess,theMoabitepeoplehadcomeoutofincestasapeople.Thewholepeoplewerecursedandherethiswomanoutofacursedpeoplethispaganwoman.Thisidolatrouswomancomesintotheline.Mary'sthekinsmanredeemerBoazandbecomesthegreat-grandmotherofDavid.SoGodtakestwoprostitutesandapaganidolatrouscursedMoabiteandputstheminthemessianiclineandthenamazinglyversesixandtoJessewasborn.David,thekingandtoDavidwasborn.SolomonbyherwhohadbeenthewifeofUriahwhoisthatBathshebasecondSamuel11.TheadulteroustwoprostitutesaccursedMoabiteandanadulterousyetshe'sthemotherofSolomon,wifeofDavidincrediblethegraceofGodinchoosingonewomaninchoosingthosetwomostsignificantmaninchoosingthepeopleinthosethreeerasandinchoosingthefouroutcasts.Indeed,akingofgraceroyallineageroyalnature.Thirdly,andjustbrieflyonthisoneverse18andfollowinginstructionsregardinghisroyalbirth.Hehadarighttobekingbylineage.Hehadthecharactertobeking.HewasgraciousandnowweseehehasthepowertobekingbecauseoftheuniquebirthofthebirthofJesusChrist.Verse18sayswasasfollows.WhenhismotherMaryhadbeenbetrothedtoJoseph,thatmeanstobeengaged.Butbeforetheycametogether,thatisbeforethecouponouttheceremony.Theconsummationphysicallyoftheirunion.Shewasfoundtobewithchild.Hehadhisworstfearsrealized.Theshockofallshocks.Thisyounggirl,Marymust'vebeenthemostbeautifulofyoungwomenintermsofcharacter.Thiswould'vebeensomethingJosephneverinamillionyearswould'veimaginedcouldbetruebutinhisbetrothal.Beforetheyhavecometogether.Hediscoversthatsheinfactisgoingtohaveachild.ThechildisplacedinherwombbytheHolySpirit,butinitially,Josephdoesnotknowthatsoitsaysinverse19,Joseph,herhusband,beingajustarighteousman,amanofintegrityandnotwantingtodisgraceherdesiretodivorcehersecretlybutbeforehecouldgoaboutdoingit.Verse20sayswhenhehadconsideredthis,behold,anangeloftheLordappearedtohiminadream,saying,Joseph,sonofDavid,thereistheemphasisofMatthewagaintoshowyouthatiftherehadbeenakingandinPalestineatthattimeitwould'vebeenJosephsonofDavid,donotbeafraidtotakeMaryasyourwife,forthatwhichhasbeenconceivedinherisoftheHolySpiritandshewillbearason,andyoushallcallhisnameJesus,foritishewillsavehispeoplefromtheirsins.Josepharosefromhissleep,didastheangeloftheLordcommandedhim,tookherashiswife.Notethisandkeptheravirginuntilshegavebirthtoason,andhecalledhisnameJesus.Hehadnorelationshiptoheratalluntilthatchildwasborn,sothatthatchildwasneverthoughtorassumedtobethechildofJoseph.Shewasavirginuntilthechildwasborn.Bytheway,thatalsosaysafterthechildwasborn.Shewasnolongeravirgin.That'stheintentoftheoriginallanguageandforpeopletoadvocatetheperpetualpermanentvirginityofMaryistodenywhatthattextveryclearlysaidso.Matthewsayshe'sakingbyroyalheritageisakingbyroyalnature.Heisakingbyroyalbirth,fourthly,isakingbyroyalworshipandMatthewgoesintothatinchapter2wedon'thavetimetofullydevelopthisbutIliketogiveyoualittlebitofbackgroundbriefingverseone.Now,afterJesuswasborninBethlehemofJudeainthedaysofHerodthekingandbytheway,wedon'tknowhowlongaftersometimeafterthoughperhapsbythistimetheyoungcoupleandthechildwerelivinginahouseratherthaninthestable.Theyhadfoundaplacetoaccommodatethem.Sometimehaspassed,andbehold,magifromtheeastarrivedinJerusalem.NownoticeversetwowhereishewhohasbeenbornkingoftheJews.It'sasifthey'resayingwe'reonasearchforaking,andwewanttocheckthisoneout.Webelievethistobethekingwerelookingfor.WesawhisstarintheEastandhavecometoworshiphim.Nokingtheyeversawinthepasthadhisownstar.ThiswassomethingwhatIwantyoutonoticeparticularlyisthatwhentheMagiarrivedverse11,theycameintothehouse.Again,weremindourselvesatimeisalapseintherenowinahousenotastablesawthechildwithMaryhismothertheyfelldownandworshipedhim.Nowthereistheindicationthatthesenon-JewishkingmakersfromtheEastacknowledgethatthisisthepromisedMessiahandthepeopleofIsraelmissedwhattheseGentilessaw,theyworshipedandlastly,MatthewwantsustoknowthatheisKingbyroyaldecree,notjustthesethings,buthewasdecreedtobethekingbyGodhimself.God,whoishisroyalfatherhassodecreedGodsaidwhenthekingcomes,hewillbebornofavirginwhenhecomes,hewillbeborninBethlehemwhenhecomes,hewillcomeoutofEgypt.Whenhecomes,therewillbeamassacrethatcausesweepingofwomenfortheirkilledchildrenandwhenhecomes,hewilltakeuphisresidenceinaplacecalledNazarethinordertobecalledaNazareneJesusfulfilledeveryelementoftheroyaldecreeofGod.HeisKing,ineverysenseheisKingbybirthiskingbydecree.Heiskingbylineage.HeiskingbycharacteriskingbyhomageandworshipJennyHusseymanyyearsagointhehimsofamiliartous,wrotethesewords,whichgiveustheproperresponse,kingofmylifebycrowningthenotimeshalltheglorybe.ThisisgracetoyouwithJohnMacArthur.Thanksforbeingwithustoday.JohnlookedattheRoyalheritageoftheLordJesusChrist.It'spartofJohn'scurrentstudycalledthebestofChristmas,aseriesthatcanhelpyoufocusyourthoughtsonChristasthebusynessoftheholidayseasonsetsinthatwhileitmightseemunusualtohearJohntalkingaboutChristmaswhenwerebarelyendedNovember.Thereisagoodreasonforthat.Notonlyareweeagertoseetheendof2020.John,you'veoftensaidthereisaheightenedreceptivitytospiritualthingsatChristmas,whichtranslatesintoagreatopportunityforlistenersbetweennowandDecember25.Yeahthere'snoquestionaboutthefactthatthisisaGodgiventhatgovernmentauthorizedopportunityforevangelismbecauseeventhemostpaganpersoninourcultureisfacedwiththebirthofChrist.TherealityofChrist,soit'snotasifyou'reintroducingsomethingalientothemomentandthisjustgivesusagreatopportunitytobegospelwitnessesthatChristmas,sowealsowantyoutoberemindedthatweprovidealotofresourcesthatyoucanuse.Youmayfeellikeyouyouhavesomethingstosay.Butyou'dlikelittlemorehelptobeabletocommunicatethegospeltosomeoneatthistimeandwehavethoseresourcesavailableandtodayIwanttomentiononeofthem,whichwouldbeidealforyoutogetthetitleofitisGod'sgiftofChristmas.It'sabooktitledGod'sgiftofChristmas.Beautiful,beautifulkindofgiftbookV.TheimportantissueofChristmasisn'tsomuchthatJesuscame,butwhyhecamehecametodeliversinnersfromtheirsinanddeathandjudgment.ThatisthegiftofChristmas,andthisbookexaminesthatgreatgospeltruththatJesusistheonlySavior,theonlyRedeemer,theonlyhopeofsalvationfromhellandeternalsuffering.Soit'sakindofbookthatyoucangive.Youcanbecomeapartoffamilytradition.YoucanreaditinthedaysleadinguptoChristmasandyoucanpassthemoutatChristmasasagift.YoucanevenusethemaskindofanAdventcalendarreadingasectionofthebookeachdayleadinguptoChristmas.Soit'sait'saresourcetouseinyourfamilytogivetounbelievershardcoverhundred20pagesavailablefromGracetoyouandandforalimitedtime25%offtheregularprice.Ifyou'dliketogetsomeoftheseyoucanorderthembycontactingusandaskingforGod'sgiftofChristmasandtakeadvantageofthereducedprice.Yes,dofriendgetthisbookwhileit'sstillonsaleandmakesureyouareequippedtotellyourlovedonesaboutthetruesignificanceofChristmastoorderGod'sgiftofcontactustodayduringthesaleGod'sgiftofcostninedollarsandshippingisstillfreetoorderacopyforyourselfandafewextrastogiveaway.Call855GraceorvisitourwebsiteTTY.organdGod'sgiftofisnottheonlyBiblestudytoolcurrentlyavailablefor25%offtheregularpricethatdiscountappliestoallofJohn'sbooksincludingthepopulartrioofcharacterstudies,title12ordinarymen.12extraordinarywomenand12unlikelyheroaswellastheMacArthurstudyBible,theMacArthurdailyBibleandtheMacArthurtopicalBible.ThisisanidealtimeforyoutostartyourChristmasshoppingandgiveyourlovedonesgiftsthatwillspirituallyencouragethemallyearlongtotakeadvantageofthesale.VisitourwebsiteTTY.orgorcallourhelpfulcustomerservicestaffat805fiveGrace.Thatnumbertranslatesto800-554-7223nowforJohnMacArthuronPhilJohnsonremindingyouwatchGracetoyoutelevisionthisSundayonDirecTVchannel378orcheckyourlocallistingsforchannelingtimesandbeheretomorrowforanotherhalfhourofunleashingGod'struthoneverseatatimeongracetoyou