Skip HeitzigSkip Heitzig

Skip's Teachings > 40 Matthew - 2011 > Matthew 1:1-18

Message:

SHORT URL: http://SkipHeitzig.com/959 Copy to Clipboard
BUY: Buy CD

Matthew 1:1-18

Taught on | Topic: Genealogy of Jesus | Keywords: genealogy, ancestors, 400 silent years, time between the testaments

As we turn our attention to the New Testament, Pastor Skip explains what transpired during the 400 years of silence since the Old Testament. Our firm grasp of the political setting, language, and Matthew's purpose and perspective establishes a solid foundation for understanding his gospel. In Matthew 1, we see Jesus revealed as the royal Heir to the throne of David—the Messiah, Immanuel: God with us.

Date Title   WatchListenNotes Share SaveBuy
9/7/2011
completed
resume  
Matthew 1:1-18
Matthew 1:1-18
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
As we turn our attention to the New Testament, Pastor Skip explains what transpired during the 400 years of silence since the Old Testament. Our firm grasp of the political setting, language, and Matthew's purpose and perspective establishes a solid foundation for understanding his gospel. In Matthew 1, we see Jesus revealed as the royal Heir to the throne of David—the Messiah, Immanuel: God with us.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study Guide
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD

Series Description

Show expand

40 Matthew - 2011

40 Matthew - 2011

From its opening genealogy through its careful record of Old Testament prophecies fulfilled, Matthew's gospel forms a bridge between the Old Testament and the New Testament. In this in-depth study by Pastor Skip Heitzig we'll consider Jesus' ancestry, birth, public ministry, death, and resurrection, and we'll gain a clearer understanding of Jesus as both Messiah and King.

FREE - Download Entire Series (MP3) (Help) | Buy series | Buy audiobook

Study Guide

    Open as Word Doc Open as Word Doc    Copy Copy to Clipboard    Print icon    Show expand

Matthew 1

PRAY: Father, please teach me through the miracles you performed in Matthew 1 as you brought forth Jesus my Savior to this earth. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Journal your prayer here:


PREVIEW: In Matthew 1 we learn of Jesus as the racial and royal Heir to the throne of David as Matthew paints a picture of Jesus as the Messiah, who is Immanuel, God with us.

Matthew 1 Outline:
Genealogy of Christ – Read Matthew 1:1-17
Birth of Christ - Read Matthew 1:18-25

Introduction to Matthew

Matthew's gospel was written in Greek; his reader's were Greek speaking and seemed to have been Jews. His primary purpose in writing is to prove that Jesus is the Christ (The Messiah). He refers to more Old Testament quotes than the writers of the other gospels to drive home his point that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament predictions of the Messiah.
Matthew's name means, "Gift of the Lord." Who was Matthew? What was his job and what other name was he known by? See Matthew 9:9, Mark 2:14, Luke 5:27-28.





Genealogy of Christ – Read Matthew 1:1-17
The book of Matthew begins with a genealogy of Jesus (v.1). He begins by stating that Jesus is the Heir to the throne of Israel both racially, by being a son of Abraham and royally by being a son of David the king. What term is Jesus referred to by Paul the Apostle in Romans 1:3 and Galatians 3:16?



When God established the Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7:1-17), He promised David a son whose kingdom God would establish forever (2 Samuel 7:13). Therefore the phrase in Matthew 1:1, "the Son of David," is a title of the Messiah and proof of His royal right to the throne. This would have been important proof to Matthew's Jewish readers. See also Luke 1:32-33, John 7:42, Acts 2:30, Romans 1:3. In Revelation 5:5 and 22:16 what term did Jesus use to refer to Himself in regards to King David?



PRODUCE: Explain why it was so important for Matthew to clearly spell out the genealogy of Jesus as the Son of David and Son of Abraham.



Women were not typically included in genealogical lists. Matthew included four Old Testament women in the genealogy of Jesus. Name them and recount who they were.



PROCEED: Share with the group why you think Matthew included four women in the genealogy of Jesus.


The term, "begot" means, "to procreate as the father, to sire." It is used all down the genealogical line until Joseph. Joseph is referred to as, "the husband of Mary," (v.16). Why?




Birth of Christ - Read Matthew 1:18-25
Mary was betrothed to Joseph (v. 18). The term betrothed means, "promised to be married." The only way out of a betrothal was divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1). A betrothed woman is called a wife, Matthew uses the terms husband and wife when referring to Joseph and Mary even before they were married. When was Mary found with child (v. 18).


To read a detailed account of Mary's experience, read Luke 1:26-56.

Joseph is described as an upright, righteous or "just" man (v. 19), not wanting to make a public example of Mary because she was pregnant and they had not been married yet. What did "public example" refer to? See Deuteronomy 22:23-24, 24:1; John 8:4-5.



PRACTICE: The angel asked Joseph to do something that was difficult and likely had lifelong effects for him and his family. How was Joseph described in Matthew 1 and why is it important for us to have the same character trait?



Although Joseph is referred to as Mary's husband, they have not been married yet and thus not consummated their marriage. How was it that Mary was with child (v. 18, 20)? See also Luke 1:35, 2:4-5.




An angel appears to Joseph in a dream (v. 20). What does the angel tell him not to be afraid of? Why would he have been afraid of this?
PROCLAIM: Share with the group what was going on in Joseph's mind when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream.




The angel also promised Joseph that Mary would have a Son. What was the name Joseph was to call him and why (v. 21)? What does that name mean?



Isaiah 7:14 is quoted (v. 23) as being fulfilled through Mary and Joseph. Although the verse says "...they shall call His name Immanuel," Jesus is never called Immanuel in scripture. Jesus was His human name, Christ was His official title, Immanuel was a name that described His earthly ministry. What does the name Immanuel mean (v. 23)?


PROTECT: Meditate upon the meaning of the name given to Jesus in the Isaiah 7:14 prophecy mentioned in Matthew 1:23. How is it true in your life?



PROMOTE: Share with the group what names or titles are given for Jesus in Matthew 1. What do they mean to you personally?


Some falsely teach that Mary was a virgin all her life. How does verse 25 clearly refute that teaching? See also Mark 6:3.

PROCESS: What did you learn about Jesus as the Son of David and Abraham, the Seed, Root and Offspring of David, Savior and Immanuel.


PRAY: Father, thank you for sending Jesus, born of a virgin, to be my Savior and Lord!
Journal your prayer here:


PROPOUND: What is the significance of the titles, "Son of David," and "Son of Abraham," found in Matthew 1:1?


PROPOUND: What was the profession of the first two women mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1?


PROPOUND: What is pronounced upon Jeconiah (Mt. 1:11) in Jer 22:28-30? What miracle in Matthew 1 is required because of this?

PROPOUND: In Matthew 1:16, by what title was Jesus to be called? What is the meaning of that title?

PROPOUND: Joseph and Mary weren't married when she was found with child, why then were they referred to as husband and wife?

PROPOUND: What was Joseph doing when the angel appeared to him?

PROPOUND: What name is Joseph instructed to give to Mary's firstborn Son, what does the name mean?

Detailed Notes

    Open as Word Doc Open as Word Doc    Copy Copy to Clipboard    Print icon    Hide contract

  1. Introduction
    1. Old Testament/New Testament
      1. Old Testament
        1. 39 books (Genesis - Malachi)
        2. Written over 1000 plus years
        3. Anticipates, looks forward to, predicts the New Testament
      2. New Testament
        1. Covers the events of a single lifetime
        2. Promises explained and fulfilled
      3. The New is in the Old contained; the Old is in the New explained.
      4. 16 times in Matthew: "…that it might be fulfilled what was spoken of by the prophets"
      5. 400 years between the Old Testament and the New Testament
        1. 400 silent years
          1. God didn't say anything
          2. No divine revelation
        2. Pause anticipates the forerunner: John the Baptist
    2. What happened during those 400 years?
      1. New authority
        1. Old Testament: Medo-Persia
        2. New Testament: Rome
      2. New language
        1. Old Testament: Aramaic
        2. New Testament: Greek
      3. How changes were established
        1. Daniels interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream (succession of world kingdoms)
          1. Head of gold: Babylon
          2. Chest and arms of silver: Medo-Persia
          3. Stomach and thighs of bronze: Rome
          4. Feet of iron and clay
        2. Medo-Persia allowed Jews to return from their captivity
        3. Philip of Macedon united Greece and Macedonia
          1. Rival empire of Medo-Persia
          2. Philip was assassinated (probably by the Medo-Persians)
          3. Father of Alexander the Great
        4. Alexander the Great
          1. Tutored by Aristotle
          2. Philip assassinated; wanted vengeance
          3. Spread Greek culture around the world (beginning with Medo-Persia)
          4. Within 10 years, controlled the entire known world
          5. At 29 became bored (no more to conquer)
          6. Died in Babylon of drunken stupor
          7. His kingdom to go "to the strong"
        5. Alexander's kingdom divided among his four strong generals
          1. Cassander: Macedonia and Greece
          2. Lysimachus: Asia Minor and Thrace
          3. Ptolemy: Egypt
          4. Seleucus: Asia (including Syria)
        6. Rivals in the split kingdom
          1. Seleucid kings of the North (Syrian kings)
          2. Ptolemaic kings of the South (Egyptian kings)
          3. Israel in the center geographically (caught in crossfire)
        7. Antiochus IV
          1. Theos Antiocus, Theos Epiphanes: "I am God manifest in human flesh"
          2. Coins minted inscribed "Victorious illustrious one god who came down to the earth"
          3. Hated the Jews: subject of his attacks
            1. Marched on them several times
            2. Stopped sacrifices in the Temple
            3. Abomination of desolation (referred to by Jews), commanded a pig be killed on the Altar of Sacrifice in the outer court of the Temple
            4. Loved and worshiped Zeus
            5. Commanded their Temple be desecrated
            6. All holy vessels were seized
            7. Circumcision stopped
            8. Commanded all to worship Zeus
        8. Maccabean revolt
          1. 165 BC , south of Jerusalem in Modin
          2. Hasmonean priests under Mattathias
          3. Refused to worship Zeus
          4. Continued under Judas Maccabeus (Mattathias' son)
          5. Pushed Syrians out of Jerusalem
          6. Rid the Temple of false worship
          7. Oil for one day miraculously lasted eight: Hannucha
        9. 63 BC, Pompeii takes over: Roman Rule
          1. Jews again under foreign occupation
          2. Greek spoken
            1. Exact and complete language
            2. Tenses and cases allow for communication in an exact way
            3. Lingua Franca-all spoke Greek; trade language
            4. 285 BC: Septuagint version of the Law
              1. Translated by 72 Hebrew scholars in Alexandria
              2. The version most often quoted
          3. Temple
            1. Herod guild a grand temple in Jerusalem
            2. Synagogues established (necessity for Jews in captivity to meet to go over the Law)
              1. בית כנסת, Beit K'nesset: house of assembly
              2. Gathered to read and make comments and application
    3. Gospels
      1. From Anglo-Saxon word "godspell" means "good news"
        1. εὐαγγέλιον; euangelion-gospel
        2. Primarily the good news about Jesus Christ
      2. Four gospels provide four different angles
      3. Fourfold picture of Christ
        1. Matthew: Jesus as Sovereign
        2. Mark: Jesus as Servant
        3. Luke: Son of Man
        4. John: Son of God
      4. Audience
        1. Matthew: Jews
          1. Jesus the prophesied King
          2. "Fulfilled"
        2. Mark: Romans
          1. Jesus the perfect Servant
          2. "Immediately"
        3. Luke: Greeks
          1. Jesus the perfect Man
          2. "Son of Man"
        4. John: the whole world in mind
          1. "For God so loved the world" (John 3:16)
          2. "Believe"
      5. Emphasis
        1. Matthew: what Jesus said
        2. Mark: what Jesus did
        3. Luke: what Jesus felt
        4. John: who Jesus was
    4. Matthew
      1. Levi the tax collector
        1. Worked for "the enemy"
        2. Scum of the earth (like a prostitute)
        3. "Tax collectors and sinners"
        4. Tax Farming
          1. Senators and wealthy purchased the right to collect taxes
          2. Whatever they collected above what Rome required, they could keep
        5. Ostracized: out of the Temple and synagogues
      2. Jesus called him, "Follow Me" (Matthew 9:9)
        1. No one, especially a rabbi, spoke to him
        2. Jesus invited and paid attention to those no one gave regard to
      3. Jewish (probably of the tribe of Levi)
  2. Matthew 1
    1. Book of Genealogy: Βίβλος γενέσεως: book of genesis or origin
    2. Lineage paramount to the Jews
      1. For the sale of Land
        1. Land must stay within the tribe
        2. גָּאַל; gaal; redeem  goel: kinsman redeemer
      2. Priesthood
        1. Prove unbroken genealogy back to Aaron
        2. Wives of priests prove genealogy 5 generations back
        3. Ezra disbarred some from serving, because their genealogies were not found
      3. Messiah
        1. Where from
        2. Tribe
        3. Prophecies to be fulfilled
    3. Son of David
      1. Anticipated Messiah
      2. "Could this be the Son of David?" (Matthew 12:23)
      3. "Son of David, have mercy on us!" (Matthew 9:27)
      4. "I am the Root and the Offspring of David," (Revelation 22:16)
    4. Format of the Genealogy
      1. 42 generations
      2. 3 sections of 14 generations (mnemonically for ease of memorization)
        1. Patriarchy of Abraham - Monarchy of David
        2. The Monarchy of David - Captivity of Israel
        3. Captivity of Israel - Nativity of Messiah
    5. Appeals
      1. To History
        1. Not subjective
        2. Has context
        3. Not mythological
        4. Jesus is the focal point of history
      2. To Prophecy
        1. Matthew emphasizes how Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies
        2. Jesus uniquely fulfills 330 Old Testament prophecies
          1. To Abraham: "And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." (Genesis 12:3)
          2. To David: "And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever." (2 Samuel 7:16)
          3. "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever." (Isaiah 9:6-7)
          4. Odds of Jesus Christ fulfilling the predictions made (according to Science Speaks, by Peter Stoner)
            1. 8 prophecies: 1 in 1017
            2. 16 prophecies: 1 in 1045
            3. 48 prophecies: 1 in 10157
    6. Highlighted figures
      1. Abraham
        1. Man of faith
        2. Unbelief: twice lied about his wife being his sister
      2. David
        1. Greatest king
        2. Man after God's own heart
        3. Adulterer
        4. Murderer
        5. Cover-up artist
      3. Jacob - cheat
      4. Judah - womanizer
    7. Women in the genealogy (not normally mentioned, considered property)
      1. Tamar
        1. Dressed up as prostitute
        2. Twins born of incest
      2. Rahab
        1. Hid spies in Jericho
        2. "Rahab the harlot"
        3. Converted
      3. Ruth
        1. Moabitess
          1. Moab: race result of incest between Lot and his daughters
          2. "An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter the assembly of the Lord; even to the tenth generation none of his descendants shall enter the assembly of the Lord forever" (Deuteronomy 23:3)
        2. Converted
        3. "For wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God, my God."  (Ruth 1:16)
      4. Bathsheba (her who had been the wife of Uriah)
        1. On rooftop bathing, caught David's eye
        2. Adultery
        3. Husband killed
        4. Second son was Solomon (third king of Israel)
    8. Hall of Shame: Jesus Friend of Sinners
    9. The birth of Jesus Christ
      1. Christ
        1. Title
        2. Χριστός; Christos-anointed, the Messiah, the Christ
        3. מָשִׁ֣יחַ; ma·shi·ach- Messiah
          1. To rub or to smear
          2. They would pour and run olive oil on a person anointing them
      2. Virgin birth
        1. Sexual purity was considered the highest gift
        2. Impurity could result in being stoned to death
          1. Engagement began at birth
          2. Pre-arranged marriage (too important to leave to the dictates of one's own heart)
          3. Betrothal: legal contract; no sexual relations whatsoever.
          4. Bound; only way out of betrothal was divorce
        3. Joseph thought another must be the father of Mary's baby
          1. Heartbroken
          2. Loves Mary
          3. Decides to divorce her privately to avoid public shame, scorn, and possibly stoning
        4. Angel visited and said, "Don't be afraid"
        5. Parthenogenesis: virgin birth
        6. Without virgin birth mankind would be doomed forever

 

Hebrew terms: בית כנסת, Beit K'nesset: house of assembly; גָּאַל; gaal; redeem  goel: kinsman redeemer; מָשִׁ֣יחַ; ma·shi·ach- Messiah

Greek terms: εὐαγγέλιον; euangelion-gospel; Βίβλος γενέσεως: book of genesis or origin; Χριστός; Christos-anointed, the Messiah, the Christ

Publications Referenced: Science Speaks, by Peter Stoner

Cross References: Genesis 12:3; Deuteronomy 23:3; 2 Samuel 7:16; Ruth 1:16; Isaiah 9:6-7; Matthew 9:9; Matthew 9:27; Matthew 12:23; John 3:16; Revelation 22:16

Transcript

Open as Word Doc Open as Word Doc    Copy Copy to Clipboard    Print icon    Show expand

Turn to Matthew Chapter 1, maybe you're probably already there, let's pray together.  Father, we are so grateful having been able to study through Genesis and through Exodus to now bounce into the New Testament, and to read a New Testament book before going back into the Old and seeing how it all ties together.  Lord, I pray that you would help our minds to retain the information, but help our hearts to rejoice in the transformation that will occur because of it.  Father, I especially am so thankful for a body that has been conditioned to loving scripture and to loving the depth of scripture, and studying it in-depth.  Lord, I pray that as we grow together as a body on the same page literally, as well as figuratively, that we would, because of our nourishment, be good representatives of Jesus Christ in this community.  It's in His name, we pray.  Amen.

From the Old Testament to the New Testament, here is something that is helpful, just to frame a timeline.  The Old Testament, the Old Covenant, the 39 books from Genesis to Malachi, were written over a period of over a thousand years, a thousand years plus.  More history than that is included in the those 39 books, but it was written in about or over a 1,000 year period.  Whereas, the New Testament the events that happened in a single lifetime.  It's a much shorter period of time than the Old Testament.  And yet, the Old Testament is what anticipates, looks forward to and predicts the New Testament.  The Old Testament is waiting for the fulfillment of all of the promises that it is made, especially concerning Jesus Christ.  So to get into the New Testament in the first book, we can't wait to piece those things together.

Now, here is a little formula that I found is very helpful in the relationship of the Old Testament and the New Testament.  The New is in the Old contained, the Old is in the New explained. Once again, the New Testament is in the Old Testament, it's anticipated, it's spoken about.  The New is in the Old contained, but the Old Testament is in the New explained.  All that was promised is explained.  And you're going to read especially in Matthew, this was written that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken of by the Prophet.  That's a phrase that is mentioned 16 times in the Gospel of Matthew as the Old Testament is being fulfilled in the New Testament.

Now, between the Old and the New Testament are 400 years.  400 years often called 400 silent years.  Not because nothing happened during those 400 years.  In fact, what I would like to do for just a few moments is tell you what happened to bring you up to speed, because a lot has changed.  But between the closing of the Old Testament book of Malachi and the opening of the first chapter of the Book of Matthew, 400 years, 400 silent years, they're called that because simply, God didn't say anything during those 400 years.  There was no divine revelation given.  After Malachi, there was a pause; God pushed the pause button, anticipating the forerunner.  That was one of the last predictions that someone who would represent the Messiah would come on the same pointing the way to the Messiah, and that is John the Baptist.

So here is the deal.  When we're in the Old Testament, we find out that Medo-Persia is in charge of the world when we closed the Old Testament.  We opened the New Testament, and suddenly Rome is in charge.  Not only that but the people are speaking a new language, the language of the captivity Aramaic, the language though that most people in the world are speaking and reading is Greek.

So a lot has changed.  How do we get to that point?  Well, if you will remember, and you don't have to turn though.  You remember that Daniel was able to translate for Nebuchadnezzar a vision that he saw.  Remember King Nebuchadnezzar saw that huge metallic image that had a head of gold and had chest and arms of silver, and it had a stomach and thighs of bronze, and then legs of iron and feet partly of iron and partly of clay.

And Daniel comes in, he goes, "I know what that's about.  What you saw, Nebuchadnezzar, is a succession of world governing empires, kingdoms, beginning with you, Babylon, you're the head of gold, but after you, an inferior kingdom.  The Medo-Persian Empire will come and take over," and they did.  And then, that's where the Old Testament leaves off, the Medo-Persian Empire allowed the Jews to return back from their captivity.  There was sort of a lagged time as people didn't want to build a temple, but they were into building their own homes until a couple of prophets come along and say, "Hey, is it time for you to build your own homes instead of building the Kingdom, building God's home in Jerusalem?"

And more or less, that's where the Old Testament stopped.  But Daniel predicts two more kingdoms that will rule the Earth.  The third kingdom is the kingdom of Greece, as history pans out from the New Testament perspective looking back, Greece ruled the world under Alexander the Great, and then eventually Rome.  How did that happen?  Well, while the Medo-Persian Empire enjoyed their newly found victory over the Babylonians, there was a man over in the west who was able to unite two countries, Greece and Macedonia.  His name was Philip, Philip of Macedon.  He was very successful, but he was now the rival empire in the west against Medo-Persia in the east.  To make a long story short, Philip was assassinated, most believe by Medo-Persians.

But Philip had a young son named Alex, we know him as Alexander the Great.  When he was growing up, his dad Philip didn't really see much hope for him because Alexander was a bookworm, he like to read a lot, and he was a kid indoors and not much outdoors.  So to help him, he decided, "I better give him a tutor."  And so, a tutor by the name of Aristotle helped young Alexander to become great.

Well, when Alexander was 19-years-old, his dad was assassinated.  This did something inside of young Alex, he decided, "I'm going to take vengeance upon my enemies."  And Alexander the Great took the banner of spreading Greek culture and Greek victory around the world, beginning with the Medo-Persian Empire, and he conquered them.  In fact, so swift were his victories that even he himself was surprised.  Within 10 years, Alexander the Great controlled the entire known world, all of it, from Egypt, to Syria, Asia Minor, Asia all the way to India, he was in charge of.  When he was 29 years of age, he ruled the world and he was bored because there were no more worlds for him to conquer.  Two years later, he died in Babylon of a drunken stupor.  He died as a washed up drunk.  Owned the world, controlled the world, not happy, miserable.

While he was dying, they asked him, "To whom shall your kingdom go?"  And Alexander said, "Give it to the strong."  Now, Alexander had four strong generals.  One named Cassander, one named Lysimachus, one named Ptolemy and one named Seleucus.  The kingdom was divided into four sections under those four generals.  Cassander got Macedonia and Greece.  Lysimachus took Asia Minor and Thrace.  Seleucus took Asia, including Syria and Ptolemy took Egypt.  For many years, there were rivals within that split kingdom as to who would be in charge, and the main rivalry took place between the kings of the north, that's the Seleucid Kings, the Syrian Kings, and the kings of the south, the Ptolemaic Kings, the Egyptian Kings.

Now, if you have a map, you now understand the dynamic because sandwiched in between the north of Syria and the South of Egypt is a little country known as Israel so always in their disputes with each other, Israel will get the brunt of it.  They're the ones who are going to be in the crossfire.  And that's exactly what happened.  For years and years and years, Israel was in the crossfire.

However, there was one notable king of Syria named Antiochus IV, remember that, Antiochus IV.  Antiochus IV gave himself the illustrious name Antiochus or Theos Antiochus, Theos Epiphanes, which is, "I am god manifest in human flesh."  He had a pride issue.  He even had coins minted that said he was the victorious illustrious one, god who came down to the earth.  He so hated the Jewish people that they became the subject of his attack.  He marched on them several times, he stopped the sacrifices in the temple at one time, it was so dramatic that the Jews called this the abomination of desolation.  He loved and worshipped the god Zeus.  He commanded that a pig be killed on the altar of sacrifice in the outer court of the temple, that the temple be desecrated, that all of its holy vessels be taken and ceased, that circumcision would be stopped and that everyone would worship Zeus.

Horrible period of time, and this continued until 165 B.C.  When a group of people down south of Jerusalem, in a little tiny village named Modin.  This group of Hasmonean priests said, "We're not going to worship Zeus."  And when one of the legates, one of the representatives of the Syrian Empire was there commanding the people of his village to worship Zeus, there was pushback by Mattathias, and he revolted, and it staged a Maccabean revolt that continued with him and his sons under the leadership of his most famous son Judas Maccabees.  You probably heard of the Maccabean revolt, if you haven't heard of that, at least of you've heard of Hanukkah, right, the Jewish holiday, that's how it developed.

Eventually, they were able in 165 B.C. to push out the Syrians completely from Jerusalem and start temple worship once again to Yahweh, raving the temple of the false worship to Zeus.  And as legend says, there was only one cruise of oil that would light that Golden Menorah for one day.  But miraculously, it lasted eight days, and that's where Hanukkah or the festival of lights was born.

So, Hasmonean Jewish revolt, they got control back of their city of Jerusalem.  They had control of Judah once again.  And this continues until 63 B.C. when the Roman Emperor Pompeii takes over everything, and the Romans marched throughout the known world, including Israel, including Jerusalem.  And now, once again, Judea, Jerusalem, the Jews are under foreign occupation.  This time, not Medo-Persia, not Greece but Rome.  Just like Daniel predicted, the Roman Empire took over the world.

Now, something else to fill in the gap, the Greek language as proposed by Alexander and then his four generals, had become a language that took over the entire world.  Because it was so exact, it was so complete with its tenses and its cases and the ability to communicate in such an exact way, it became the lingua franca of the world, everybody spoke it, it was the trade language everywhere.  It was so important that 72 Hebrew scholars in 285 B.C in Alexandria Egypt took the Hebrew Scriptures and translate it into the Greek text, it became known as the Septuagint Version of the Old Testament.  And it is that version that is quoted most often in the Old Testament.  Everybody is speaking Greek in the exact language; the Greek language becomes what most speaks.

There is something else.  The temple that had been rebuilt from the Old Testament times, it fallen because of the Babylonian captivity, it was rebuilt under Ezra and the Nehemiah and Zerubbabel.  Herod the Great, when he is in charge of the area of Judea decides to sort of build a temple on steroids.  That's the best way I can describe.  I mean, he took what Solomon did and made it even more grand huge.  It makes the tabernacle look like you don't even want to mention it.  Huge.

So now, you have this enormous temple in Jerusalem and you have an office in Judaism that has never been anywhere in the Old Testament you never read of a synagogue in the Old Testament, never once.  Suddenly, you come to the New Testament and it's the synagogue of the Jews or this synagogue here and you have multiple synagogues in the city of Jerusalem along with the temple.  The synagogue we believe came from the necessity of the Jews in foreign captivity, since they had no temple there, to device a way to go through the laws of the Old Testament and meet together.  So in Babylon, they developed a synagogue in Hebrew, synagogue, the gathering together, the place where you gather together.  And they would gather together, read the scriptures and make comments.  The rabies would say, "This is what Moses meant and this how we apply to our lives."

So now, we opened the pages of the New Testament, Romans in charge and we know why.  A temple and a synagogue are present and active, and now we know why.  People are speaking Greek as well as Aramaic, and now, we know why so all of that brings us up to speed historically for the New Testament.

Now, we have the first four books known as Gospels.  Gospel is an English word, it's an Anglo-Saxon word, it originally is called "God's Spell" and God's Spell means good news.  The Greek word "Euangelion" is translated gospel, but it means the good, and principally, it's the good news about Jesus Christ.  There are Four Gospels.  These bother some people.  I don't know why.  It delights me, because -- I'll put it to you this way.  Remember the old movies, the old black and white.  Have you ever sit down and watch an old black and white movie and it's like, "Man, this camera angle has been on this actor for like 10 minutes now, could they like switch to another angle because this is getting like really boring?"  And you compare an old movie with very few rapid technical changes to a new movie where it's like--and it's like--keeps you going.  And for people like me with attention deficit disorder, that's what I've been told that I have by a few good friends.  The newer forms of communication are good for me.

So when you look at the Four Gospels, it's as if the Holy Spirit is the producer of the film of the life of Jesus, and he has four different camera angles, the authors of which have a different agenda, materially selected and placed in those Gospels specifically to tell a different side of the story of Jesus Christ.  Now the first three Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke, are called Synoptic Gospels, because they follow a synopsis, the same material, the same outline, the same approach.  John departing that approach and writes it completely different.  But all four of them, the three synoptics as well as the Gospel of John, all have a particular emphasis.  Matthew is emphasizing Jesus as the sovereign, the King, the Lord, the one predicted by the Old Testament.  Mark portrays Jesus as the Servant, the one doing, going out immediately and accomplishing the will of God.  Luke portrays Jesus as the Son of Man, relating to mankind, one of us, compassionate, showing emotions, give the title and often repeated in Luke, the Son of Man.

The Fourth Gospel speaks about the Son of God.  All Four Gospels have an audience in mind.  Matthew was written by a Jew for the Jews.  That's why I mentioned 16 times in this book, he will say, "This was done so that it might be fulfilled what was written by Isaiah or Jeremiah or whatever prophet."  He is showing the Jewish people, "This man Jesus, fulfilled prophecy."  It was written to the Jew.  The Gospel of Mark was written to the Romans, to show that Jesus was the perfect servant, completely, immediately doing the will of his master, something a Roman would respect.

And that's why you read so often in the Gospel of Mark, the word "immediately", and, and, and then Jesus -- it's just it's like a script of somebody busy working, fulfilling his master's will.  Luke was written for the Greeks, the Greeks emphasize the perfect man, Jesus is seen as the perfect man, the son of man.  John was written really for the whole world, for God so love the world, John 3:16.  And the idea is that we might believe in him.  These things were written that we might believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

Now, besides having those emphases, they have another kind of emphasis.  Matthew emphasizes what Jesus said.  That's why in the Gospel of Matthew, don't be surprised when you read about these great discourses that are covered in-depth like the Sermon on the Mount and other ones by Jesus.  What Jesus spoke is important to Matthew.  What Jesus did was important to Mark.  So it's a shorter Gospel and it's rapidly moving in its phase.  Luke is emphasizing how Jesus felt.  He is the Son of Man, He related to us, He shows compassion, He has a love for people, He reaches out as seen what he says, what he does, the miracles he performs.  But John, as we have been studying on Sunday morning is not really about what Jesus said or about what Jesus did or about how Jesus felt, it's really about who Jesus was, and that's why he is given a lofty place.  So that's sort of in summary fashion, introductory fashion.  We haven't even gotten to first one.  It helps us understand the Gospels.

Now, the title says the Gospel according to Matthew -- who is Matthew?  Tax collector, he works for the IRS, which means everybody hated him.  In those days, people hated the IRS even more -- can you believe it -- than they do today.  Here is why.  Rome occupied the land, anybody that would work for the enemy and any kind of social service, including collecting their taxes was seen as a sworn enemy, considered scum of the earth, as low as a prostitute.  And so, you would often have couple the phrase "tax collectors and sinners" in the same sentence, because they didn't see a difference.  One was as bad as the other.  One was the other.

Let me tell you how taxes work.  They were much less fair than they are today.  there was such a thing in those days called tax farming, and senators or wealthy citizens get this, purchased the ability to collect taxes for five years from the central government of Rome, over an area.  So a senator or a wealthy citizen would fork up the money, buy the right to farm the taxes and would collect the taxes from the people, and whatever more beyond what was required by Rome, they could keep for themselves.  That's why they were so hated, because they knew these tax collectors were stiffing them or telling them really what was owed and making a profit off the backs of the working person.  Hence, tax collectors were ostracized.  If not legally, officially, certainly, practically, they were kept out of temples, they were kept of synagogues.  And no wonder, I believe, when we get to Matthew 9, if that's before the lord comes back at this rate.  No wonder in Matthew 9 when Jesus just what's up to Matthew, just what's up to him and says, "Matthew, follow me."  That was enough.  I mean, I used to read and go, "And he like dropped everything and followed him?"  Nobody had spoken a nice word to him in like 10 years, let alone a religious person like a Rabi saying, "I am choosing you to follow me."  It's like, "I'm dropping everything, I'm with this guy."  Because Jesus invited and pay attention to somebody that no one had any regard for at all.

By the way, we know Matthew is Jewish because his original name was Levi, probably from that tribe.  Now, we have verse one.  The book of the Genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham the book begins with two words in Greek, "Biblos Geneseos", the Book of the Genesis or the origin or it says here genealogy, but it's the Book of the Genesis of Jesus Christ, the Origin of Jesus Christ.

Now, what follows are probably not your favorite verses, in fact, probably most of you don't have any of the genealogy or the names underlined.  You probably don't say, "My life verse is like Matthew 1:4."  Because Matthew 1:4 has all those names and like, "I don't even know how to say that name.  Who cares about that name?"  Why are genealogies so important and why do we begin the greatest story ever told with a genealogy?  It sounds so boring.  Not to a Jewish person, it was paramount.  Let me explain that.  If you had land and you are in a tribe, you would want to know your genealogy and pass the genealogy on because if you ever had to sell that land, and that land could ever be purchased again by a kinsman redeemer, a "Goel", you had to prove the genealogy to get the land back.  And so that the land could stay within the tribal allotment, so genealogy is really important, number one.

Number two, if you were a priest, get this.  You had to prove your genealogical ladder all the way back to Aaron unbroken, unbroken, you had to show every single generation from where you are all the way back to Aaron unbroken or you couldn't service a priest.  If a priest were to marry a woman, a Levi, she had to prove her genealogy for at least five generations.  When we come to the book of Ezra and the Nehemiah when they come back from the captivity, the priest Ezra described Ezra, looks for the genealogical records of some people who come back Babylon and go, "I'm a priest, I want to serve in the temple," but they were disbarred from serving because it says their genealogical records were not found.  If you can't find the record, you can't prove that you're all the way back to Aaron, you do not serve.

So it was important for land transaction, it was important for the priesthood, but that makes it all important for the Messiah.  If you're going to say, "This guy is the Messiah."  The first question is, "Prove it.  Where was he born?  What tribe does he come from?"  There are predictions made in the Bible of what tribe he used to come from and where he used to be born.  "If you're telling me this one is the Messiah as fulfilled by all of the prophets of the Old Testament, I want some genealogical records."  Several years ago, a man walked into my office and told me he was Jesus.  I looked up at him and I said -- and first of all, I was disappointed, but I didn't tell him that.  I looked at him and I said, "Okay, what tribe are you from?"  That was my first question, "What's your tribal allotment?"  And he looked at me like I was from the moon.  I don't think he even answered the question.  And then I said, "Okay, let me ask you this question.  Where were you born?"  And he said, "I was born in Pittsburgh."  That's when I asked him to leave my office and never come back.  It wasn't Bethlehem, it wasn't the tribe of Judah, I knew right of the back, this can't be the Messiah, this can't be Jesus.

Interestingly, two weeks ago, I get a postcard from Jesus.  Well, at least he said he was Jesus and he gave me a website and he said, "It's not everyday that you get a postcard from the returned resurrected Christ."  And it was handwritten.  And also, it was from the Pennsylvania area, I don't know if it was the same guy or not.

So, this is the book of the genealogy or the genealogical record of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham.  The Son of David is a messianic term.  When you read the Son of David, it means more than just a descendant of David, but it is used in a special term to refer to the anticipated Messiah that was to come.  That is why when Jesus was out healing people -- you read it in the Gospels -- the question was, "Could this be the Son of David?"

Now, they knew he was a descendant of David but in using the term "Could this be the son of David", unmistakably they meant the one predicted that would rule and reign and bring in the kingdom that son of David because this, "Could this be the son of David?"

When Jesus is going Jerusalem on their way to Jericho, the beggar says, "Son of David, have mercy on me."  The Bible closes in Revelation 22 with Jesus saying, "I am the root and the offspring of David."  So the son of David, when you read that, it's a messianic term.  It's the son of David or descendent of David and son or descendent of Abraham.

Now, we'll read all the way through the verse 17.  We're going to read three sections of 14 generations, 42 generations are listed from Adam to Christ.  They're broken up mnemonically.  That is in three sections of 14 so there is literary as well as genealogical symmetry.  Now, why would they do that?  I'm glad you ask.  They employed this kind of mnemonic devices, so you could memorize this.  You go memorize this.  Yeah, people memorize their genealogical records.  In fact today, it is very common among African tribes for them to be able to trace their lineage all the way back generation after generation, names, names, names.

This is before computers.  This is before typewriters.  This is before the printing press.  Everything was written by hand on scrolls and so people memorize things and genealogical records especially this important of a messiah would have been memorized.  So, it's placed on an easy format.

Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;  And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;  And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon;  And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;  And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;  And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa;  And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias;  And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias;  And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias;  And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon:  And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;  And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;  And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud;  And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;  And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

So, all the generations from Abraham to David are 14 generations.  From David until the captivity in Babylon are 14 generations from the captivity in Babylon until Christ are 14 generations.  So, we have that symmetry.  And we deal with here the three major stages of Jewish history.  From the patriarchy of Abraham to the monarchy of David, that's stage one.  From the monarchy of David to the captivity of Israel, that's stage two.  From the captivity of Israel to the nativity of the messiah, that's stage three.  So, all three major stages are covered.

Now, what's cool about this and we'll mention a few names, there's some pretty great names in this genealogy but there are some surprises in the genealogical record.  Have you ever had a relative or maybe you have one, maybe there's a relative somewhere in your family and it's the one you don't mention that often.  Is that weird uncle maybe was imprisoned for most of his life or just went off the deep edge and you just don't bring him up much.  Jesus had a lot of them in his family tree.  This is the family tree and there are nuts on the family tree, some great ones like Abraham and David but some not so great ones as we have seen.  So, some of them were just surprised to read.

Let me give you a few things because I do believe we have time.  Here is the deal.  Either way we're going to end on time.  It's just a matter of how much we're going to cover.

As I read through this, there is just something that it comes to the forefront of my mind, it's going to be very obvious but it needs to be underscored.  The Bible always makes an appeal to history.  The Bible isn't just a spiritual book apart from the historical record and documentation in which it resides as a context.  It has a literary.  It has a historical context.  The Bible is history.  The Bible appeals to the facts of history.  It's not some weird methodological book like the Greeks have about winged-horses flying up and things that never existed or don't make sense.  It appeals to history.

In fact when it comes to Jesus Christ, we're dealing with someone to whom every time we write a check or leave a single day, we pay tribute to the fact that he divided time from B.C. to A.D.  No check is valid.  Now document is considered valid unless it bears testimony at the top or at the bottom of the birth of Jesus.  As soon as you write the date, you've attested to the fact that in our calendar, we are recording the fact that Jesus split time.  It appeals to history.  It also appeals to prophesy.  Matthew will demonstrate that Jesus was predicted over and over and over again throughout the Old Testament and will appeal to prophecy.  This was written that it might be fulfilled by the prophet.

When I was born, nobody predicted my birth.  There was never a family meeting they'll say it's Uncle Fred.  Lou and Agnes will have a son.  His name shall be Skip.  No predictions were made.  It was just another birth.  But Jesus uniquely three-hundred and thirty times was predicted in the Old Testament.  Think about that number over 300.  We think about three-hundred and thirty times.

Now, I will say that when my son was born, I had people coming up and make predictions.  They would say, "The Lord spoke to me and told me you're going to have a girl."  Others came up and said, "The Lord spoke to me and told me you're going to have a boy."  Well, there's only a fifty-fifty chance here, right?  It's not like, "Wow, big margins!" 50-50 and some were right and the others we stoned because they were false prophets.  No, I'm just kidding.

What makes Jesus so unique is the number of predictions that he fulfilled from the Old Testament.  And some of those predictions were made by or two.  Some of the ones listed in the genealogical record.  To Abraham for example mentioned in verse one, God said, "In you all the families of the earth will be blessed."  All the families in the earth will be blessed.  I believe that ultimately.  It's not about the fact that the Jewish people had a lot of Nobel prizes in their history though they did, but ultimately the world would be blessed by bringing forth the most important Jewish person ever and that is the messiah, Jesus.  That's how the world gets blessed.  One day, he will rule and reign overall.

To David also mentioned in the genealogical record for you and for your house, you will have a kingdom that will endure forever.  Isaiah said, "Unto us a child is born.  Unto us a son is given."  The government will be upon his shoulders.  His name will be called wonderful councilor, mighty God, prince of peace, everlasting father, upon the throne of David and over his kingdom to order it and establish it from this time forth even forever more.  Those are just three.  There are three-hundred and thirty predictions that are made.

If you can find the book by Peterson or called Science Speaks, I recommend it to you.  Let me tell you who he was.  Peter Stoner was a mathematician and an astronomer.

I had to slow down because I didn't want to say an astrologer.  That wouldn't be good for him.  He was a mathematician and an astronomer and was a professor emeritus at Westmont College in Santa Barbara California.  Stoner was a believer and as a mathematician and understood the Science of Probability Statistic Giving.  He calculated the odds of Jesus Christ fulfilling the predictions made.

I'll just give you a summary form.  It's a short little read but it's filled with statistics.  Peter Stoner said, "The odds of Jesus Christ or for that matter, any person in history fulfilling eight not 300, eight predictions that Jesus fulfilled then he listed several of them."  The odds of anybody fulfilling that eight would be one and ten to the 17th power.  To illustrate it and you're heard me do this before.  Stoner said, "You could take the entire State of Texas or some people in Texas likes to say the sovereign nation of Texas."  And you could fill the state with silver dollars two feet thick.  If you pre-mark the silver dollar and blind-folded a man and sent him throughout the state of Texas to find the silver dollar you marked, the odds would be one and ten to the 17th power, or the odds of one man in history fulfilling only eight predictions.

Then Stoner said, "The odds of Jesus or for that matter, any man in history fulfilling 16 prophecies would be one in 10th to the 45th power.  Using silver dollars, Stoner said, "With that many silver dollars, you could have a ball", and this is how big the ball is, follow me here.  The center of the ball to measure from the center of the ball to the outer edge circumference of the ball would be 30 times the present distance of the earth to the sun.  That's 93 million miles times 30.  That's the measurement from the center to the outside edge.  That's how many silver dollars you'll need.  Paint one.  Send someone in the ball to find the silver dollar.  It's the same odds of Jesus fulfilling 16 of those predictions.  It's a fun little book because then Stoner goes on and he says, "For the odds of Jesus Christ fulfilling that eight", not 16, but I don't know what was it, 48, that was it, 48 prophecies, "would now be one in 10 to the 157th power."  And Stoner, instead of using silver dollars, that's an impossibility to even get that big and visualize it.  He starts using electrons.  And can you imagine selecting and choosing an electron.

So, it's just a fascinating and it's called Science Speaks by Peter Stoner.  It was published years ago.  I have a copy as a mathematician and as somebody who studied probability.  He showed that the Bible always appeals not only to history but also to prophecy and Matthew does as well several times in this book.

Now, go back and notice some of the names.  Abraham, he's mentioned right off the bat.  He's a man of faith, right?  We read about him.  But he was also a man of unbelief, wasn't he?  Twice, he lied about his wife being a sister because he didn't trust God.  David is also mentioned in verse one and other verses.  First King, greatest king of Israel, man after God's own heart, also an adulterer and a murderer and a cover-up artist.  In verse two, Jacob is mentioned.  If you remember your Bible, you know that he was a classic sh--.  Notice what's named after him, Judah.  Judah was a womanizer.  And as you start going through this, I hope you're starting to see a personal connection, a personal application.  Do you ever feel because if you're on failure, "I'm not worthy to be in God's family.  I'm so corrupt.  I recognize my own sin.  I try and I fall and I fail.  I'm just not worthy."  Let me just say you're in great company.  Right here in the genealogical record, notice the ones the Bible includes to place in the genealogical records of Christ.

If you're going out on a verse three, you start noticing something very strange for a genealogical record, the mention of women in it.

That never happened.  Four women are mentioned and they're not the greatest women.  Women were not considered worthy enough in those days to be placed in genealogical records, only men, only males.  And that's simply because women were regarded -- this is not a biblical concept, it was a customary concept that a woman is regarded as the property of her father and eventually the property of her husband.

And so right off the bat, in the gospel of Matthew, we start seeing the door of liberation being opened.  And it wasn't glorious time then who liberated women?  It was Jesus Christ.  Their women are included in his genealogical record.  Let me tell you how bad it was back then.  There was a prayer that some Pius man would pray daily in a way like this, "God I thank you that I'm not a slave, a gentile, or a woman."  It's how bad it was.  They're included here.

And the first one on verse three is Thamar, do you remember from Genesis Chapter 38?  She dressed up like a prostitute and lured her father-in-law and they're having sexual relations incest and twins came from that, because of that relationship.  She is mentioned in the record of Christ.

In verse five, Rahab is mentioned.  Rahab, the woman who lived in Jericho head the two spies also called "Rahab the Harlot".  She was converted to Yahweh.  She believed in God after those two spies came.  And we're saved at the battle of Jericho, next in line chapter five or verse five, Ruth.  Ruth is a great gal but not genealogically.  She was a Moabite.  And Moab was a country that came from an incestuous relationship between lad and his daughters.  In Deuteronomy 23 it says, "No Moabite shall enter the congregation of the Lord up into the 10th generation", but she was the one who was also converted.  She said to her mother-in-law after all men died in that family, "Where you go, I will go.  Where you lodge, I will lodge.  Your people will be my people.  Your God will be my God."  And she becomes a great grandmother of King David.

If you look also in verse six, it says -- they didn't mention her name, David the King begat Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah that's Bathsheba.  She was a gal bathing on the rooftop.  When David looked and looked again and fixed his eyes on her and lost it after her and committed adultery with her and got her husband killed and you know that story.  The first son of that relationship died.  The second son was Solomon.  He is included, son of David, second or third king of Israel.

If you were a historian going through this genealogical record, you'd go through here and you'd mused -- you'd say, "If somebody ransacked the Old Testament and tried to find and make the Hall of Shame rather than the Hall of Fame", but I love this.  Jesus, the friend of sinners, even in this record shows how God throughout history has reached out to different people to make them his friends.

Now, we get to verse 18.  Let's see if we can finish that verse.  Now, the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows.  May I just say in case some of you don't know, Christ is not his last name.  It's his title.  And yet, it would seem some people think it's his last name.  I remember hearing a person, I think it was at the hospital I worked out, yield out, Jesus H. Christ.  And I looked up to him and I said, "Excuse me but I don't know if you know this or not, but Christ wasn't his last name."  He go, "What?"  I guess I got him in mid-rant and he was upset but I corrected him.

It wasn't like the Christ family and there was Joseph Christ and Mary Christ and little Jesus and the mailbox read the Christ's family.  His name was Yeshua ben-Yosef, Jesus the Son of Joseph, of Nazareth, Jesus of Nazareth.

And he had to be distinguished that way because it was a common name.  And a lot of kids were named Joshua.  Jesus is the equivalent of Joshua, Yeshua.  It means salvation.  Christ is the Greek equivalent "Christos" of the Old Testament Mashiach, the Hebrew Mashiach or Messiah.  And by the way, the idea of Messiah, the word means to rub or to smear.  And it comes from the inaugurating process of kings and priests when they would pour, rub, and smear olive oil over a person.  And so Messiah simply means the anointed One of God.  He is the one God anointed to be the savior and ultimately the king.  He's the messiah.  He had been long awaited for generations when he came on the same.

And this is how it happened.  After his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child by the Holy Spirit.  Then Joseph, her husband, being a just man and not wanting to make her a public example was minded to put her away secretly.  But while he thought about these things, behold an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying, Joseph, Son of David, showing the relationship of Joseph and I'll tell you why probably next week because I'm looking at the time, the relationship in the lineage historically, legally of King David because the greater son of Joseph will be his adopted son Jesus.  "Joseph, Son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife.

For that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit and you will bring forth a son.  And we'll call his name Jesus. You will call his name Jesus for he will save these people from their sins."  So, this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet saying, "Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son and they will call his name Emmanuel", which is translated "God with us."  Then Joseph being aroused from sleep that is the angel, the Lord commanded him and took him to his wife and did not know her until she had brought forth her first born son and called his name Jesus.

Now, I wanted to finish the chapter at least technically.  I can say we covered chapter one.  But there's much more to say.  Let me just sort of bring this to a close by saying that in those days, sexual purity was regarded as the highest possible gift a person could give to another person on their wedding day that they had saved themselves for each other.  So to be found pregnant, when she was found pregnant, was at least were they not being ostracized in the very least and in the very most, she could have been stoned to death as well as the man who did it and here's why.

Every relationship began with an engagement and then followed with a betrothal, that's what we're dealing with here, the betrothal.  The engagement began when you were a baby, just a little tike, a little lad, or a little lust.  And you may not even know the person you're going to marry.  You will meet them later on; your parents would tell you.  You don't choose them.  Your parents will choose them for you.  Parents have friends that have a nice little girl and you have a beautiful little boy and you'd go, "She's a cute little girl and we are in this tribe and so let's drop engagement papers."

Now, why was that done?  Because it was believed that such a choice as marriage was too important and too delicate to leave to the dictates of ones own heart, that the hardest deceitful and wicked and I know we all want to choose our spouse, but I know a lot of people have had done that and it didn't always work out as well as it perhaps should have.  So, that was the idea.  Let's protect that marriage.

So, engagement started early.  About a year before the marriage ceremony was the second face, the betrothal.  It was a legal contract.  You were legally married during the betrothal, we would call that the engagement.  It's the equivalent of being engaged.  That's where you get to know each other.  You talk and you share background.  There are no sexual relations whatsoever.

The only way to unbind the betrothal is with a legal divorce.  It was still binding that if the husband or the betrothed man before the wedding day died, she was called a virgin who is a widow.  And that's a phrase you'd find in Paul's writings, a virgin who is a widow.  That is she is betrothed but they didn't have the wedding day, he died.

Joseph finds out Mary is pregnant.  He knows he didn't do it.  He can only assume another man did it.  He's heartbroken.  He's crashed.  But he loves Mary and respects her so much.  He doesn't want the public shame, the public scorn or the stoning and decides, "I can do it privately and it will protect her at least for a while until she really shows.  The first several months, I can get her situated."  And then the angel visited and said, "Don't be afraid."

Now, we're out of time and we'll talk next week about something very interesting and very crucial, very cardinal in your faith, it's called "The Virgin Birth".  And even though certain scientists will say, "Well, you know, Virgin Birth, a part in Genesis they call it isn't unusual among some species, some oracles and they will show several organisms that can do it.  It never happened before at a human level.

We will talk a little bit about biblical part in a Genesis Virgin Birth next week.  Also, something else very interesting, there's not one genealogy but there's two genealogies and they're both completely different.  One is found in Matthew and one is found in Luke.  And why that is, it's so crucial because without it, without it, mankind would be absolutely doomed forever just a little teaser until next week.

Let's pray.  Father, we thank you.  We thank you.  I marvel every time I get a chance to read through the Word of God, some new sections, some section to be refreshed on, some portion -- some verses to dig deep into, I marvel at the intricacy of your spirit and super intending the writing of it.  The prophecy is included and that the history that has appealed in the midst of it.  And Lord, we walk away with an even greater respect for the book that we call the Bible, the Scriptures.  Father in heaven, we believe ultimately you, you wrote it and you super intended it.

And you mend us the main object of this book to be your son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  We have sinned just in even snippet form that the Old Testament, the old is in the new or the new is in the old contained and the old is in the new explained.  Thank you Lord that we live in a country where it's not illegal to have a portion, a copy of the Scriptures.  We know there are countries where people are killed and found with one, or if Jesus is mentioned there are people or followers of him.  Lord, I pray that we would take advantage and become intense students of the Word of God that we might go out from here and bless our community and bless our nation, our world, as truth bearers.   In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Additional Messages in this Series

Show expand

 
Date Title   Watch Listen Notes Share Save Buy
9/14/2011
completed
resume  
Matthew 1:18-2:23
Matthew 1:18-2:23
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Every year people around the world recognize the birth of a poor Jewish child born in an insignificant city. The birth of Jesus Christ, as recorded in the Scriptures, beckons us to worship and obey the King of the Jews. Let's examine Matthew's account of the miraculous circumstances of the nativity and the prophecies it fulfilled.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
9/21/2011
completed
resume  
Matthew 3
Matthew 3
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Jesus called John the Baptist the greatest man among those born of women. John saw himself in the light of who Jesus is: not even worthy to loose His sandal. From the womb, he was filled with the Spirit, continually pointing people to Christ. Let's consider this powerful prophet, his ministry, and the message he preached.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
9/28/2011
completed
resume  
Matthew 4:1-17
Matthew 4:1-17
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Prior to the start of Jesus' public earthly ministry, He was led up to be tempted by the devil. As we review His encounter with Satan, we uncover important principles of spiritual warfare. We consider not only when and how Jesus was tempted, but also how He fought—and the ministry that began on the heels of the battle.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
10/5/2011
completed
resume  
Matthew 4:18-5:4
Matthew 4:18-5:4
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Leaving life as they knew it, the disciples followed Jesus and became intimate witnesses of Jesus' teaching, preaching, and healing. As we dive into this portion of Matthew, we turn our attention to their calling and listen in as Jesus begins the greatest sermon ever preached.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
10/19/2011
completed
resume  
Matthew 5:5-16
Matthew 5:5-16
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
The economy in God's Kingdom is quite different from that of the world: it's paradoxical; it's progressive. Let's consider the Beatitudes and discover what kingdom living looks like, and how it impacts those around us.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
10/26/2011
completed
resume  
Matthew 5:17-32
Matthew 5:17-32
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
The multitudes listening to Jesus teach were undoubtedly shaken by His powerful statement: "Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:20). How, then, could one be saved? As we continue our study of the Sermon on the Mount, we remember that salvation is not available through human achievement--only by divine accomplishment.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
11/2/2011
completed
resume  
Matthew 5:33-6:8
Matthew 5:33-6:8
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
As we continue our study of the Sermon on the Mount, we'll grow in our understanding of the contrasts between the world and the kingdom of heaven. Followers of Jesus are called to a righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees—a righteousness based on our genuine relationship with Christ, rather than mere outward obedience.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
11/9/2011
completed
resume  
Matthew 6:9-34
Matthew 6:9-34
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Jesus taught His disciples to pray in this manner: "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10). As we continue our study of the Sermon on the Mount, we learn that when we make God's kingdom our focus, He provides everything we need.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
11/16/2011
completed
resume  
Matthew 7
Matthew 7
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Jesus calls His followers to live differently from the world -- to live a kingdom lifestyle. In this study from the Sermon on the Mount, we consider what kingdom living looks like in both our relationships with others and our relationship with God.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
12/7/2011
completed
resume  
Matthew 8:1-26
Matthew 8:1-26
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Throughout his gospel account, Matthew presents Jesus as the Messiah. Building upon the foundation of fulfilled prophecy, Jesus' identity is authenticated by miraculous signs. As we examine Matthew chapter eight, let's consider the compassion and grace Jesus demonstrates.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
1/18/2012
completed
resume  
Matthew 8:23-9:9
Matthew 8:23-9:9
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Matthew carefully crafted his gospel to speak directly to the hearts of his Jewish audience. Through his detailed record of Jesus' genealogy, fulfilled prophecy, Jesus' actions, instructions, and miracles, Matthew proves that Jesus is Messiah. Let's take a close look at several of those miracles, and gain a firm grasp of His Deity.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
1/25/2012
completed
resume  
Matthew 9:10-31
Matthew 9:10-31
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
To the Pharisees, tax collectors and sinners were part of a lower, unpleasant class. But Jesus longed for fellowship with all people. He shared intimate meals with them, ministered to their needs, and reached out to the unlovely. As we study this passage in Matthew 9, we learn how we are also called to be heralds of the good news that brings spiritual health and enduring joy.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
2/1/2012
completed
resume  
Matthew 9:32-10:31
Matthew 9:32-10:31
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
The Lord calls His followers to proclaim His message to the world—we are appointed to carry out a divine purpose. We learn in this study that we, like the apostles, find abundant life only in letting go of our own ambitions, plans, and comfort.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
2/8/2012
completed
resume  
Matthew 10:32-11:19
Matthew 10:32-11:19
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
In His second major discourse of Matthew, Jesus equips and instructs His apostles about going into the world and reaping the spiritual harvest. In this passage, Jesus expounds on the courage needed to complete the mission and warns His followers of certain persecution. He reminds us that while not all who hear will believe, God's wisdom is powerfully demonstrated in changed lives.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
2/15/2012
completed
resume  
Matthew 11:16-30
Matthew 11:16-30
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
In order to truly worship God, you must know Him. Speaking clearly and openly in this passage, Jesus proclaims some of His strongest warnings and makes some of His most intimate promises. He reveals the Father to His followers and assures us that life lived under His rule yields peace and rest.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
2/22/2012
completed
resume  
Matthew 12:1-21
Matthew 12:1-21
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Though God intended the Sabbath to be a day of rest, keeping the Sabbath became difficult work by New Testament times. The oral traditions of the Pharisees had become weighty burdens-burdens the Lord did not mean for His people to bear. In this passage, Jesus demonstrates mercy and the true intent of the Sabbath as He and His disciples meet physical needs in the face of strong opposition.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
2/29/2012
completed
resume  
Matthew 12:22-42
Matthew 12:22-42
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Though our current culture embraces a form of spirituality, the biblical view of God, Satan, and good versus evil has been dismissed by most. Ignorance and indifference cause them to relegate Satan to the stuff of fairy tales and myth. In this study from Matthew 12, Jesus demonstrates His authority over the devil and his minions--giving us a glimpse into the supernatural and a reminder that, "He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4).
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
3/7/2012
completed
resume  
Matthew 12:43-13:17
Matthew 12:43-13:17
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Jesus consistently brought His message of hope to the common man: He spoke in parables to bring revelation to His followers and to conceal heavenly truth from the hard-hearted. In this message, we examine parables of our Master Teacher and Holy Judge, and discover that truth can be a blessing, but also a curse--we must be diligent to understand and apply God's Word to our lives.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
3/14/2012
completed
resume  
Matthew 13:18-52
Matthew 13:18-52
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Jesus often used parables to explain spiritual truth to His followers. In Matthew 13, His seven kingdom parables are recorded--word pictures which explain the beginning, opposition, expansion, and culmination of His kingdom. Let's consider His teachings and apply these lessons, so that we may be fellow workers with Him in spreading the good news.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
3/21/2012
completed
resume  
Matthew 13:53-14:36
Matthew 13:53-14:36
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
In this passage from the gospel of Matthew, we see powerful examples of the results of both faith and the lack of it. Those who might have known Jesus best failed to trust in Him and missed out on His work in their lives, while others were carried through the storm in His care. As we consider our own trials, we should rest in His hands, knowing He has power to change us and use our lives for His glory.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
3/28/2012
completed
resume  
Matthew 15
Matthew 15
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
God is less concerned with the outward appearance than He is with the inward attitude. In this passage, Jesus boldly proclaims truth in a confrontation with the Pharisees, warning his followers to avoid hypocrisy. We also witness His tender response to the persistent faith of a Gentile woman, and His mercy for the multitudes. As we study Matthew 15, let's consider our own approach to Him: Do we recognize that we cannot live without Him?
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
4/11/2012
completed
resume  
Matthew 16:1-20
Matthew 16:1-20
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Through stern rebuke, gentle prodding, and powerful teaching, Jesus instructs those around Him about who He is and how we can know and serve Him. Matthew 16 records several lessons in faith - warnings and wisdom which encourage us in our own spiritual journey.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
4/25/2012
completed
resume  
Matthew 16:21-17:27
Matthew 16:21-17:27
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Jesus calls His followers to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him. From this passage, we gain a clearer understanding of what it means to exalt Him as King in our lives and also get a preview of His future glory, when He will reign over all the earth.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
5/2/2012
completed
resume  
Matthew 18
Matthew 18
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
How should sin be dealt with? As we examine Matthew 18, we learn not only to deal radically with sin in our own lives, but also the steps toward reconciliation with a sinning brother.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
6/13/2012
completed
resume  
Matthew 19
Matthew 19
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
In the U.S., the lifestyle of Christians often mirrors that of unbelievers--divorce, self-indulgence, misaligned priorities. Using God's Word to teach lessons about divorce and eternal life, Jesus exhorts his followers to enter the kingdom of heaven--to live in wholehearted faith and obedience to the Him. Let's consider what Scripture says about godly living and the reward Jesus promises to His faithful followers.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
6/20/2012
completed
resume  
Matthew 20
Matthew 20
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
As followers of Christ, what awaits us in eternity? In this study, we consider not only our eternal home but also our eternal reward. Saved by grace through faith, we must see beyond the circumstances and status of this world, and look toward our future glory.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
7/11/2012
completed
resume  
Matthew 21:1-32
Matthew 21:1-32
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
In this intriguing passage, Jesus enters Jerusalem in a precise fulfillment of prophecy. It's an exciting study, where those who know they need forgiveness find refreshment and hope—and those who rely on their own righteousness receive a stern rebuke.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
7/18/2012
completed
resume  
Matthew 21:33-22:22
Matthew 21:33-22:22
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Jesus taught with complete authority, denouncing the misconceptions of the religious leaders of the day. With skill and precision, Jesus uses parables and their own words to silence their challenges and expose their motives. Let's consider His words, heed His warnings, and remember that He alone is righteous and worthy of praise.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
7/25/2012
completed
resume  
Matthew 22:23-23:39
Matthew 22:23-23:39
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
In dealing with the Pharisees and Sadducees, Jesus speaks wisely, uncompromisingly, and with the authority of heaven—His Words shoot straight to the heart. Though many try to fit Jesus into their pre-conceived mold—to accept Him and His Words only as far as they are comfortable—we learn here danger of that the perilous position.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
8/1/2012
completed
resume  
Matthew 24:1-30
Matthew 24:1-30
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
In this passage—the Olivet Discourse— Jesus provides a summary of end time events: the future of the world. We look forward to the Rapture and the Second Coming of Jesus, but those found outside of Christ face unparalleled suffering and judgment. Let's contemplate the wrath of God that's in store for this world—and share the hope of the gospel with those who don't yet know Him.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
8/8/2012
completed
resume  
Matthew 24:31-25:46
Matthew 24:31-25:46
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
In this section of the Olivet Discourse, we consider Jesus' Warning Parables. As we examine the text, let's remember that while the church escapes judgment, many are left to suffer the Great Tribulation. We must be righteous, be ready, and be responsible.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
8/15/2012
completed
resume  
Matthew 26:1-30
Matthew 26:1-30
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
As Jesus gathered with His disciples to observe the Passover one last time, He brought fresh meaning to a festival which had been celebrated for thousands of years. Rather than a memorial to their physical deliverance from bondage in Egypt, the meal represents His broken body and shed blood—and spiritual deliverance from sin for those who believe.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
8/22/2012
completed
resume  
Matthew 26:31-75
Matthew 26:31-75
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Following the Last Supper, Jesus entered the Garden of Gethsemane and willingly surrendered Himself to the will of the Father: Jesus was crushed for our sin, abandoned to the Cross, so that we might have fellowship with Him. As we study Matthew 26, we consider the spiritual battle before us, the choices we make, and the ultimate victory that is ours through Jesus Christ.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
8/29/2012
completed
resume  
Matthew 27:1-50
Matthew 27:1-50
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
In this message, we see the ultimate demonstration of God's love—the cross. Jesus, the King of the Jews, was betrayed, falsely accused, illegally tried, scourged, and ultimately crucified. As we consider the details of His crucifixion and death, how could we be anything except amazed and humbled?
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
9/19/2012
completed
resume  
Matthew 27:50-66
Matthew 27:50-66
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
As He hung on the cross, betrayed by his friends and separated from His Father, Jesus declared "It is finished!" Victorious, not defeated—He completed the work the Father gave Him to do. In that dark hour, the grave gave up some of her dead, the earth quaked, and in the temple, the curtain that separated men from God was torn from top to bottom. As we study this text, let's consider the price Jesus paid to redeem us and the personal, intimate fellowship with God now available.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
9/26/2012
completed
resume  
Matthew 28
Matthew 28
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Jesus' resurrection: great news for His disciples—troubling news to his enemies. As the chief priests grappled with a cover up, the disciples met with the risen Lord and were commissioned to "Go and make disciples of all the nations." As we consider our text, we discover the good news for ourselves: Jesus is not dead—He's alive and has all authority in heaven and earth.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
There are 36 additional messages in this series.
© Copyright 2024 Connection Communications | 1-800-922-1888