THE UNSPEAKABLE FAMILY TREE OF JESUS

(Matthew 1:1-17)Christmas Sermon 2010

INTRODUCTION

1. Alex Haley became a household word and an instant millionaire when he wrote a book tracing his ancestry back to his "Roots".

2. Most of us have some interest in our family tree because somehow it connects us to our ancestors.

3. Most of us also find some ancestors we would rather not be identified with.

4. Jesus had just such ancestors, but he chose to identify himself with them.

5. I would like for us to look at several of them today.

1. TAMAR THE SCHEMER (Genesis 38)

A. Married to the family of Abraham (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, Er).

B. Three brothers; Er, Onan, Shelah.

C. Tamar married to Er, but he was killed.

D. Law required Onan to take her to wife.

E. He refused to give her a child & died.

F. Only Shelah remained and he was too young.

TAMAR THE SCHEMER (Continued…)

G. Judah sent her home to her parents and conveniently forgot about her.

H. Angered, she posed as a prostitute and seduced Judah, requiring guarantee of payment which she hid and kept.

I. Not knowing that the child was his, Judah hypocritically demanded her death.

J. She produced the proof of his sin.

K. Twins were born to her, one of whom was Perez, an ancestor of Jesus.

2. RAHAB THE LYING PROSTITUTE (Joshua 2;6:22-25)

A. Gentile woman who lived in Canaan when Israel first marched into the Promised Land.

B. Joshua sent two spies into Jericho, and they visited the house of a prostitute.

C. Somehow, she discovered that they were spies and arranged to hide them in exchange for the safety of her family.

D. When the king came looking for them, she lied about their whereabouts, and they were able to escape.

E. When Jericho fell, Joshua spared her and her family.

F. She gave birth to Boaz, great grandfather of King David.

3. DAVID THE LUSTFUL MURDERER, (2 Sam 11,12)

A. David was king by God's choice.

B. He had become a great king and his heart was filled with pride and presumption.

C. He saw Bathsheba bathing and wanted her for himself.

D. She became pregnant and David plotted the murder of her husband, Uriah, in order to cover his tracks.

E. He then took her as his wife.

F. Though that child died, Bathsheba later gave birth to Solomon, ancestor of Jesus.

G. David and Bathsheba were equally guilty.

4. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS?

I. Tamar:

A. Life had been cruel, 2 husbands dead, no source of support.

B. She was hurt and vengeful.

C. How many of us here have been the victims of unfairness in life?

D. Jesus was not ashamed of Tamar.

THE IMPLICATIONS (Continued…)

II. Rahab:

A. Rahab had lost her self-respect.

B. She sold her body and soul to the highest bidder.

C. She lied in order to protect herself.

D. Jesus was not ashamed of Rahab and included her in Faith's Hall of fame (Hebrews 11:31).

THE IMPLICATIONS (Continued…)

III. David:

A. No-one mourned more for his sin than David himself did.

B. No-one ever paid more for his sin;

a. The baby died. b. His son raped his own sister. c. Absalom led a rebellion. d. He never achieved the greatness he could

have. e. How many times must he have wished he

could undo what he had done.

C. Jesus was not ashamed of David.

THE IMPLICATIONS (Continued…)

D. You and me!

a. Like Tamar, you have deceived.

b. Like Rahab, you have compromised your moral integrity.

c. Like David, you have sinned.

INVITATION: God forgives, let Him!

Sermon taken from the personal sermon notes collection

of

Dr. Arnold Lastinger

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