CONFIRMING IMMANUEL

SEPTEMBER 16-20, 2009 WEDNESDAY-SUNDAY SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 1

TEXT Just1Word http://www.just1word.com/view/the-family-history-of-jesus-(matthew)

PARAPHRASE

“Of Royal Sinners”

Matthew begins the writing of his Gospel by reviewing how Jesus Christ, as the son of David and son of Abraham, stands in the family line as fulfillment of the covenants God made with David (who was promised his kingdom would never end) and Abraham (who was promised he’d be a blessing to all peoples of the earth). Matthew does this by organizing his review of Jesus’ family line into three fourteen generational periods from the time of Abraham to David, from the time of David to the Babylonian exile, and from the time of the exile to Christ’s coming . Described in predominantly Jewish male terms, Matthew introduces four key women in Jesus’ family history (Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, & Bathsheba) - three of whom were gentiles who had engaged in sexual sin.

"Angelic Counseling"

Next, Matthew tells his readers about how the conception of Jesus Christ fulfilled prophecy as well. Pledged to Joseph, but before they were married, Mary found herself with child through the power of the Holy Spirit. Not wanting to publically disgrace Mary, Joseph planned to discreetly divorce her, but while he was contemplating how to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him while he was dreaming, telling him to not fear taking Mary as his wife because she was with child because of the Holy Spirit. The angel informed Joseph, Mary would give birth to a boy and that he was to name him Jesus meaning he would save his people from their sins.

Matthew goes on to tell how all of this happened to fulfill a prophecy of Isaiah’s about a virgin being with a child, giving birth to him and his being called Immanuel – God with us. When Joseph woke up from his dream he obeyed the angel by taking Mary as his wife. He waited to consummate the marriage after she had given birth to a son, whom he named Jesus.

PRINCIPLES

The Gospel writer, Matthew, tells his first century readers (and us)that when Jesus came he fulfilled prophecies that confirmed he was the Christ.

When Jesus came, what prophecies did Matthew tell his first century readers (and us) confirmed he was the Christ?

- He fulfilled the covenantal promise God made to David that his reign would
never end. (2 Samuel 7:16)

- He fulfilled the covenantal promise God made to Abraham that he would be a
blessing to all peoples on earth. (Genesis 12:3)

- He fulfilled the promised of a virgin birth and of Immanuel – God with us!
(Isaiah 7:14)

PRAYER

Our Father, We praise Your Name above everything else. We praise You as faithful to Your Word.

Our Father, We thank You for Your promise to Abraham that he would be a blessing to all peoples of the earth and that by raising up the people of Israel through him, we can see through the generations that Matthew records Your Son as being the One through whom all peoples are blessed.

Our Father, We thank You for Your promise to David so that there would be a King to rule eternally on his throne, not in earthly Jerusalem, but in heavenly Jerusalem by Your side, made possible by the power of Your Holy Spirit who raised Your Son from the grave to live and rule forever.

Our Father, We thank You for the virgin birth that made it possible for Your Son to suffer “death so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone” and through this be our Immanuel – God with us – healing us at the deepest level possible; rather than going on in broken relationship with You, in lives not reconciled to You, in lives that are otherwise spiritually dead.

Our Father, We thank You for women in Your Son’s family line – several of whom were outsiders and some who were exploited by the family. We thank You for their suffering, perseverance, and faith as examples for us in the midst of sufferings in our families.

Our Father, We ask that Your Holy Spirit assure us of any doubts we might have of Your Son’s authenticity based on his prophecy fulfilling descent. And in removing any doubts, strengthen out faith so that when we pray we do so expectantly, that Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. And help us with strengthened faith to pray persistently for those we know of who are suffering of mind, body and soul – for their healing by the power of Your Holy Spirit. We pray for anyone we know who has been bound and unable to get well to be released from whatever is holding them hostage, from whatever is keeping them ill. We pray if their medications are ineffective that more effective medications will be found. We pray that if their counseling is stagnant that there will be a breakthrough that will move them forward. We pray that if there is an unresolved spiritual issue that by the power of the Holy Spirit this will be overcome this weekend. And that by one or more of these means there will be a liberation of mind, body and/or soul.

Our Father, We thank You for Immanuel. We thank You as the source of all healing.

And, we pray all of this in the Name of Jesus Christ, AMEN.

PRAISE Listening to 'Immanuel (Card)' by Michael Card @imeem http://x.imeem.com/I7UdVtG64Q