Christmas Season 2023 - Matthew 1 and Luke 1 - "The Sacred Lineage, and Gabriel"

The momentous intervention of God into human affairs (especially after such a long period of prophetic silence) should cause awe, amazement, and rejoicing. The events surrounding the coming of the Messiah (who will bring Redemption and Salvation and Everlasting Life) are anything but ordinary and typical. But what we easily forget is that God’s intervention in our own lives to draw us to Himself in saving faith is no less an awe-inspiring wonder of His mercy and grace. His visitation rescues us out of the domain of darkness into His glorious light, and we serve Him in that glorious light of holiness, righteousness and truth. When the Lord “visits” his people, that means he comes down and gets personally involved in their welfare. And when he “redeems” his people, that means he takes action to set them free. That the Lord has visited and redeemed his people is certainly something to praise God for. As we look at Matthew 1 this morning, the genealogy, or what we call a descending record leading through Joseph to Jesus. It comes right on down from Abraham and David, descending down through Joseph to Jesus. Now, as we go through the lineage in Matthew's account, this would be the lineage of Joseph, we find some in the royal bloodline whose wickedness not only disqualified them from the being seated on the throne of David, but God commanded that they should not enter into the congregation of God's people for 10 generations.  This curse included their offspring for 10 generations.  So, from Phares on down to Boaz (10 generations), and Jechonias down to Jacob (10 generations). God in His sovereignty devised a plan, which was fulfilled perfectly.  Not only that, but is able to use our sordid history and sinful past as part of his seamless plan.  With all the sinful failures in Joseph's family tree, these 10-generation punishments did not interfere with God's timeline.  In fact, the virgin birth carried the royal right to reign through the bloodline of Mary.  God has every aspect covered. In Luke 1 beginning at verse 26, Gabriel is sent by God to pronounce the most important birth announcement in the history of mankind -