“The Son of David, the Son of Abraham” Matthew 1:1-17

Introduction:  Who’s in your family tree?  Stories we tell at Thanksgiving of crazy relatives.

The story of Jefferson and Sally Hemings

I.        Matthew’s Genealogy

A.     Similarity with Genesis 5, 11

B.     Fourteen generations times three

1.      14 is an artifice, not completely accurate.

2.      Numerical equivalent of the Hebrew letters in David

3.      Three covenants:  Abraham’s, David’s, and a new covenant in Jesus

C.     Five women of questionable standing

1.      Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, the wife of Uriah the Hitite (Bathsheba)

2.      Mary, the one with a suspect pregnancy

II.       The New Covenant

A.     (v1) “Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham”

B.     (3:13) “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for us.”

1.      (v14) “So that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles.”

2.      Isaiah 56:6-8, John 10:16 – The big tent

C.     (v18) “If the inheritance comes by the Law, it no longer comes by promise…”

1.      “…but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.”

2.      The Law was a tool holding us accountable until the Promise came.