WEBVTT 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:02.319 Welcome to the Awakening Church podcast. 00:00:02.479 --> 00:00:07.040 We pray this message encourages you and provides the hope and light of Jesus Christ. 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:08.640 Thanks for tuning in. 00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:27.120 So I think it was 11 years ago, and I'm pretty sure it was on this very weekend. 00:00:27.199 --> 00:00:32.079 And when I tell you what it was, you'll realize what I remember it was 11 years ago and on this weekend. 00:00:32.479 --> 00:00:35.840 My wife asked me to go down and get some lights for the house. 00:00:35.920 --> 00:00:43.520 If you've been to Woodland, you know we do lights on the outside, and she wanted these nice white lights, you know, that would trim. 00:00:43.679 --> 00:00:49.439 And I got there and I was like, look at these multicolored lights that change. 00:00:49.679 --> 00:00:53.439 Um and you can, you know, it can kind of move with music or something. 00:00:53.520 --> 00:00:54.719 I thought that was fun. 00:00:54.960 --> 00:00:55.840 She did not. 00:00:57.280 --> 00:01:00.240 But that wasn't the reason I remember this weekend. 00:01:00.399 --> 00:01:02.159 Um she remembered it. 00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:03.840 I didn't even I forgot about the lights. 00:01:03.920 --> 00:01:05.359 She reminded me about the lights. 00:01:05.519 --> 00:01:10.239 Uh is because I had Ryder and Ella 11 years ago, just think about this. 00:01:10.480 --> 00:01:17.519 Ella was eight, Ryder was five, and we're walking downtown, and the pet store was doing a pet adoption. 00:01:18.480 --> 00:01:19.680 Those jerks. 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:25.760 I mean, we stop, there's kittens, there's dogs, it's amazing. 00:01:25.920 --> 00:01:29.359 And Ella says, Dad, can we get a dog? 00:01:30.400 --> 00:01:34.159 And I did what any responsible parent does. 00:01:34.560 --> 00:01:35.920 I said, Yes. 00:01:37.040 --> 00:01:37.760 Absolutely. 00:01:37.920 --> 00:01:43.439 Now, I to be fair, I grew up, um, my dad brought home dogs. 00:01:43.680 --> 00:01:44.560 I don't know why. 00:01:44.719 --> 00:01:46.079 My mom was in the first service. 00:01:46.159 --> 00:01:46.959 I confirmed it with him. 00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:51.040 I was like, I because I'm like, I don't remember him asking or checking. 00:01:51.200 --> 00:01:56.079 I remember one time he just came home from golf with like a lab, you know? 00:01:56.159 --> 00:01:58.239 And I'm like, whose lab was this? 00:01:58.400 --> 00:01:59.439 Who's been searching? 00:01:59.599 --> 00:02:02.079 But he would just bring home these stray dogs. 00:02:02.159 --> 00:02:04.799 And so this is the way I'm thinking about it. 00:02:04.959 --> 00:02:06.000 And I'm like, yeah. 00:02:06.159 --> 00:02:10.879 And I come home, and my wife, who never grew up with pets, says, no. 00:02:11.759 --> 00:02:13.759 And there's some really good no's, by the way. 00:02:13.840 --> 00:02:17.759 I mean, we had a two-year-old, a five-year-old, we just planted a church. 00:02:17.840 --> 00:02:21.840 I mean, life was chaotic, so there's plenty of really good no's. 00:02:22.000 --> 00:02:23.759 But then we I had a problem. 00:02:24.879 --> 00:02:29.520 And my kids reminded me of this problem constantly. 00:02:30.639 --> 00:02:34.719 Dad, you promised. 00:02:36.400 --> 00:02:38.000 You promised. 00:02:38.800 --> 00:02:41.919 And by the way, this is this is free parenting advice. 00:02:42.080 --> 00:02:44.240 Um, kids are lawyers. 00:02:44.879 --> 00:02:46.479 Kids are lawyers. 00:02:46.639 --> 00:02:48.319 You have to be very careful. 00:02:48.479 --> 00:02:55.439 Make sure you construct your sentences so there's an airtight arguments, they they will call you out on it. 00:02:55.599 --> 00:02:59.840 And so, so I they said, Dad, you promised, but here's the beautiful part. 00:03:00.000 --> 00:03:01.360 I never said when. 00:03:01.840 --> 00:03:03.599 You know, I never gave it time. 00:03:04.879 --> 00:03:09.360 And so, literally, for years, writer's shaking his head in disgust. 00:03:09.599 --> 00:03:15.759 Um, for years, Dad, when are we going to get a dog? 00:03:16.560 --> 00:03:18.560 Dad, you promised. 00:03:19.039 --> 00:03:26.879 Thankfully, about four years from that time, uh, my neighbor Jerry, and we'd searched, trying to find the perfect dog, we couldn't quite find it. 00:03:26.960 --> 00:03:48.400 It was kind of the goal of the back story, except we never found the perfect dog, until my neighbor Jerry, who's uh like kind of like a nominal Catholic New Jersey guy, rough and tough, cool, like he's like, I mean, and he had my my best friend Brian, who's a police officer, and me, who's like a pastor, but he called me a priest, and so he loved it. 00:03:48.479 --> 00:03:50.080 He's like, I got a pastor and a priest. 00:03:50.159 --> 00:03:52.240 It sounded like the beginning of a joke, really. 00:03:52.479 --> 00:03:55.360 Um, and we like walked on water for him. 00:03:55.439 --> 00:03:59.360 And he says, Ryan, I don't know why I tried a New Jersey accent, by the way. 00:03:59.439 --> 00:04:03.199 I don't, I that I apologize to all of you from New Jersey. 00:04:03.280 --> 00:04:04.240 That was offensive. 00:04:04.400 --> 00:04:12.000 Um, but he goes, Ryan, we just we just bred labradoodles and you get the first pick. 00:04:12.879 --> 00:04:13.840 I know. 00:04:14.560 --> 00:04:16.160 This is amazing. 00:04:16.560 --> 00:04:21.839 I mean, it never in my conscience would it ever come across my mind to ever pay for a dog. 00:04:21.920 --> 00:04:23.279 I just didn't grow up that way. 00:04:23.439 --> 00:04:32.240 Um, and now I get a free labradoodle, and so we go over and like he has this litter, and there's all these dogs. 00:04:32.319 --> 00:04:45.199 They're just you know puppies, they're so cute, and there was one that caught my wife's eye, and her name was Tank, because she was the biggest in the litter. 00:04:45.360 --> 00:04:48.319 I know, isn't she cute? 00:04:48.560 --> 00:04:55.839 And and so like she just cuddled up to Jenny, won her over, and so we called a family meeting. 00:04:55.920 --> 00:05:01.680 We're gonna be getting Tank, our new puppy, but we're not gonna name her Tank, you know? 00:05:01.920 --> 00:05:10.480 And so we sat, and as you can imagine, how this went with an eight, a five, and a two-year-old to figure out the name for our new dog. 00:05:10.800 --> 00:05:14.480 And we worked on, you know, some of the regular ones, Rex or whatever. 00:05:14.560 --> 00:05:15.279 I don't remember. 00:05:15.519 --> 00:05:16.720 My vote was Jehosaphat. 00:05:17.040 --> 00:05:21.279 I thought it like JFT would be kind of a cool biblical, you know, I'm a pastor. 00:05:21.519 --> 00:05:24.560 Um I thought, JFAT, that'd be fun. 00:05:24.800 --> 00:05:30.879 I mean, like, anyways, here's here's what we ended up calling our dog. 00:05:31.680 --> 00:05:32.639 Finley. 00:05:33.759 --> 00:05:37.120 Because mom finally let us get a dog. 00:05:38.879 --> 00:05:41.439 There's something in a name, isn't there? 00:05:42.079 --> 00:05:43.199 Something in a name. 00:05:43.279 --> 00:05:45.279 Like, names matter. 00:05:45.600 --> 00:05:53.439 Names have meaning, and often, isn't it true that a name represents so much more than just that name? 00:05:54.480 --> 00:06:00.399 And today, as we kick off Advent, we're beginning a series called The Name. 00:06:01.199 --> 00:06:05.360 As we begin to look at the name of Jesus afresh. 00:06:05.519 --> 00:06:06.800 I mean, do you ever think about it? 00:06:06.879 --> 00:06:13.680 Why is it 2,000 years later, he's still a part of our cultural dialogue? 00:06:14.319 --> 00:06:19.759 Politicians are using his name, invoking him for votes. 00:06:20.959 --> 00:06:27.759 If you're, even if you're irreligious, you use his name when you hit your finger with a hammer. 00:06:29.360 --> 00:06:32.240 And every person, and it's so interesting. 00:06:32.399 --> 00:06:39.279 So many people, whether they have faith or not, when they're going through a crisis, call out his name. 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:42.560 What is it about the name of Jesus? 00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:46.800 What is it about the name of Jesus? 00:06:47.839 --> 00:06:50.480 That is so powerful and profound. 00:06:50.720 --> 00:06:55.920 Why and what significance does his name have for us today? 00:06:56.319 --> 00:07:04.959 We're actually going to spend the next few weeks in uh the lesser-known um narrative of Jesus' uh birth story. 00:07:05.199 --> 00:07:08.240 Most of us know the birth story out of the Gospel of Luke. 00:07:08.319 --> 00:07:12.240 That's where the um Charlie Brown Christmas story is written, read. 00:07:12.319 --> 00:07:13.680 You know, remember Linus? 00:07:13.759 --> 00:07:14.800 And the birth of Jesus. 00:07:15.040 --> 00:07:16.079 I can't, anyways. 00:07:16.240 --> 00:07:20.160 Why am I trying to do other people's just talk like you, Ryan? 00:07:22.000 --> 00:07:31.120 Matthew then gives us and begins to unpack the power and was so profound about the name of Jesus. 00:07:31.199 --> 00:07:34.160 We're going to spend the next four weeks in the Gospel of Matthew. 00:07:34.240 --> 00:07:38.560 And so, since we're going to do that, let me give you just an overview of the Gospel of Matthew. 00:07:38.639 --> 00:07:46.480 If you don't know, there's actually four accounts of the life of Jesus as recorded in the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. 00:07:46.959 --> 00:07:50.720 Uh, these four accounts, Matthew was a disciple. 00:07:50.879 --> 00:07:53.759 Uh, Mark was one of the early followers there. 00:07:53.920 --> 00:07:55.759 He wasn't a disciple, but he's right there. 00:07:55.920 --> 00:07:57.839 Uh, Luke was a historian. 00:07:58.000 --> 00:07:59.519 He interviewed eyewitnesses. 00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:01.120 John was one of the first disciples. 00:08:01.199 --> 00:08:06.160 These are all eyewitnesses who are writing early and often about. 00:08:06.399 --> 00:08:08.720 And so the Gospel of Matthew is first written. 00:08:08.800 --> 00:08:11.680 It's uh the author is Matthew the tax collector. 00:08:11.839 --> 00:08:15.680 We know this from the earliest of uh Christian tradition. 00:08:15.839 --> 00:08:21.199 Uh I'll unpack not only later in the sermon, but next week especially, why that's so profound. 00:08:21.439 --> 00:08:31.839 He's one of the 12 disciples, is written somewhere between 80 60 and 80 70, somewhere in the 60s, most likely, because some of the internal evidence we see in the gospel. 00:08:32.240 --> 00:08:38.720 Uh now, if we think about this, Jesus was crucified somewhere around AD 28 and AD 33. 00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:51.919 The uh a disciple or people uh under a rabbi, they would have memorized all of Jesus' teaching and sermon, have been teaching other people, and then eventually put it down in writing. 00:08:52.080 --> 00:08:56.240 Now, who he's writing to is predominantly a Jewish audience. 00:08:56.480 --> 00:08:59.360 Luke, he's writing predominantly to a Greek audience. 00:08:59.600 --> 00:09:08.399 Mark, he's writing to, and that's the earliest gospel that we have, by the way, is the gospel of Mark, is he's writing to predominantly a Roman audience. 00:09:08.559 --> 00:09:13.360 And Rome liked action, and so in Mark's gospel, it's like immediately, immediately, immediately. 00:09:13.440 --> 00:09:14.159 It's the shortest one. 00:09:14.240 --> 00:09:14.879 You can get through it. 00:09:15.039 --> 00:09:17.039 If you're like, hey, which gospel should I start with? 00:09:17.120 --> 00:09:19.679 And I don't have a whole lot of time, read Mark. 00:09:19.919 --> 00:09:32.000 Uh uh and John is written for both the Jewish believers and Gentile believers alike, and so the audience is this Jewish audience, and I I want to go back because I forgot it. 00:09:32.159 --> 00:09:33.919 Why do we call it a gospel? 00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:35.279 You ever think about that? 00:09:35.360 --> 00:09:36.960 Why do we call it a gospel? 00:09:37.279 --> 00:09:41.039 And the gospel, that word literally means just good news. 00:09:42.159 --> 00:09:53.679 And so what the early followers of Jesus said was the birth, the life, the death, and then the resurrection of Jesus is good news. 00:09:54.159 --> 00:09:55.679 Like all of it is. 00:09:56.000 --> 00:10:01.919 The birth, the very life, the death, and the resurrection is fundamentally good news. 00:10:02.159 --> 00:10:09.600 News is something that has happened, and someone stepped onto the scene upon which the world is a different place. 00:10:09.759 --> 00:10:14.480 And so we have four gospels telling this good news. 00:10:14.639 --> 00:10:20.639 And he's writing to this Jewish audience, and the major theme is the promise and fulfillment. 00:10:21.279 --> 00:10:28.480 That Jesus is the one long-awaited promise that the Jewish people have been hoping for. 00:10:28.639 --> 00:10:31.840 He's the ultimate fulfillment of the Hebrew scriptures. 00:10:31.919 --> 00:10:36.639 In fact, Matthew writes to explain that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah. 00:10:36.879 --> 00:10:40.799 God's promises and prophecies to the Jewish people have come to pass in him. 00:10:41.279 --> 00:10:46.320 Jesus is the fulfillment and the continuation of the Hebrew Scriptures. 00:10:46.480 --> 00:10:53.600 And so he begins his gospel, his writing of the life of Jesus this way. 00:10:54.320 --> 00:10:55.200 You ready for it? 00:10:56.960 --> 00:10:57.679 Okay, good. 00:10:57.759 --> 00:10:59.120 I'm glad we're all on the same page. 00:11:00.080 --> 00:11:00.799 You ready for it? 00:11:00.960 --> 00:11:01.039 Yeah. 00:11:01.440 --> 00:11:02.720 Okay, thank you, thank you. 00:11:02.960 --> 00:11:09.919 Uh the book of genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 00:11:10.399 --> 00:11:11.679 I know what you're thinking. 00:11:11.919 --> 00:11:18.720 You woke up this morning, Christmas spirit in your heart, and you're like, I hope he teaches on this verse. 00:11:19.279 --> 00:11:19.919 Right? 00:11:20.399 --> 00:11:27.519 The book of genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 00:11:27.759 --> 00:11:34.639 In fact, what Matthew wants to do, he wants to help show us how Jesus is the son of promise. 00:11:35.120 --> 00:11:37.039 That he is this long-awaited one. 00:11:37.120 --> 00:11:51.759 And right from the outside, outset, we actually see Matthew unpacking the very theme of the entire book, the reason that he's writing, the book of genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 00:11:52.000 --> 00:12:02.480 And so, to guide our time, I wanted to give us three words that will uh lead us through and understand how Jesus is this son of promise and what it means for us today. 00:12:02.639 --> 00:12:04.240 Uh, the first word is Genesis. 00:12:04.320 --> 00:12:05.600 Go ahead and say that with me. 00:12:06.639 --> 00:12:08.000 The next word is David. 00:12:08.159 --> 00:12:08.639 Go ahead. 00:12:09.759 --> 00:12:11.279 And then Abraham. 00:12:11.600 --> 00:12:12.000 Abraham. 00:12:12.480 --> 00:12:15.440 Genesis, David, Abraham. 00:12:15.600 --> 00:12:16.240 There we go. 00:12:16.480 --> 00:12:18.879 Genesis, David, Abraham. 00:12:19.039 --> 00:12:22.399 Matthew and his writing to show that Jesus is the son of Providence. 00:12:22.639 --> 00:12:24.399 Let's begin with Genesis. 00:12:24.559 --> 00:12:26.480 And here's what we'll see. 00:12:26.879 --> 00:12:31.200 Genesis goes all the way back to the promise of the curse reversed. 00:12:31.279 --> 00:12:37.679 That one day the curse that all of humanity sits under, that we live in this broken world, this fallen. 00:12:38.399 --> 00:12:47.200 We don't have to look very far to recognize the hurting and brokenness in our own world, let alone around the world. 00:12:47.519 --> 00:12:50.480 In Genesis, we see this promise of the curse reversed. 00:12:50.559 --> 00:12:52.559 Now, what Ryan, where do you get Genesis? 00:12:53.120 --> 00:13:01.279 In the Greek, when Matthew begins his gospel, this is how it begins: Biblas Geniseas. 00:13:01.759 --> 00:13:09.519 Biblas Geneseis, or lysis of Jesus Messiah, son of David, son of Abraham. 00:13:09.840 --> 00:13:16.320 This is the book of Genesis, of Jesus Messiah, son of David, son of Abraham. 00:13:16.399 --> 00:13:19.120 This is what Matthew is saying from the outside. 00:13:19.360 --> 00:13:21.519 Like, what is it about the name of Jesus? 00:13:21.679 --> 00:13:25.600 The coming of Jesus is more significant than the very founding of the world. 00:13:26.879 --> 00:13:37.120 That the birth of the world, in Matthew's mind, the deepest beginning in history is not the birth of the world, but the birth of the Savior of the world. 00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:44.240 And he connects it all the way back to Genesis and what would come into a Jewish person's mind. 00:13:44.480 --> 00:13:48.320 In fact, all three of those words, they act like hyperlinks. 00:13:48.639 --> 00:13:56.559 It's like you know a hyperlink is when you're on a webpage and you see that little blue and you click on it, it takes you, gives you more information. 00:13:56.960 --> 00:13:59.440 All three of these act as a hyperlink. 00:13:59.600 --> 00:14:03.759 Every Jewish person would completely understand what Matthew is saying. 00:14:03.840 --> 00:14:04.799 It's very good. 00:14:05.120 --> 00:14:10.240 He places humanity, Adam and Eve, in the center of a garden in paradise. 00:14:11.279 --> 00:14:17.120 To be with him forever in his presence, enjoying the goodness that is God. 00:14:17.440 --> 00:14:29.600 And he gives one prohibition don't put a tree at the center of the garden, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and says, Don't eat from that, but everything else, everything else is for your delight. 00:14:30.320 --> 00:14:36.639 And then if you read it, you'll recognize and go, like, man, there's it's a little strange, but a serpent shows up on the scene. 00:14:36.720 --> 00:14:40.879 We're not exactly sure where he comes from, at least at this point in the story. 00:14:41.120 --> 00:14:50.559 But here's what we know is that he is fundamentally out and against God himself and wants to undermine his goodness and destroy everything that is good. 00:14:50.639 --> 00:14:54.159 And he tempts Adam and Eve and says, Did God really say? 00:14:54.399 --> 00:15:00.559 In fact, the serpent ultimately wants to question and undermine God's goodness and God's word in your life. 00:15:00.720 --> 00:15:04.080 Did God really say you must not eat or touch from it? 00:15:04.320 --> 00:15:11.279 And eventually, as you know the story, Adam and Eve do grab, they do eat, and their eyes are opened. 00:15:12.080 --> 00:15:17.360 This text says they are naked and ashamed, and they go into hiding. 00:15:18.000 --> 00:15:30.720 And the goodness of God's creation has tragically been lost, and evil and destruction enters the world in this moment, and we fall under a curse. 00:15:31.200 --> 00:15:43.120 And there's this line where God comes to unpack the ramifications of those decisions, what's happening, and what the curse that we live under. 00:15:43.200 --> 00:15:47.279 And he talks to the serpent, and then he talks to Adam and Eve. 00:15:47.600 --> 00:16:08.399 And when he's talking to the serpent, and he he's unpacking the consequences, we see this promise all the way from the very beginning, when brokenness and pain and evil entered the world, when the shadow of death fell upon the person, the son of promise, one to come, will crush your head. 00:16:08.639 --> 00:16:13.039 Meaning he will finally and fully destroy evil at its source. 00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:17.519 And then something interesting, and you will strike his heel. 00:16:17.679 --> 00:16:25.120 The promised one would somehow take in the full effect of humanity's evil into himself. 00:16:25.679 --> 00:16:31.039 The promised one, the son of promise, would suffer a fatal blow. 00:16:32.639 --> 00:16:34.799 What is it about the name of Jesus? 00:16:35.200 --> 00:16:44.480 Well, the first thing Matthew wants us to understand the promise of the curse reverse, that Jesus is the new creation breaking forth into the world. 00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:51.279 Like Jesus, the genesis of Jesus, it's new creation. 00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:57.039 It's him bringing new creation into the world. 00:16:57.200 --> 00:17:07.599 That's why the Apostle Paul would say, therefore, if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation, is the solution for the brokenness of our world. 00:17:08.400 --> 00:17:11.759 And he's the solution for the brokenness in your world. 00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:20.160 The pain and the heartache, the addiction, the struggle, the loneliness, the isolation, the anxiety. 00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:28.559 Jesus doesn't want to just come and dust up your old life. 00:17:30.240 --> 00:17:37.759 He wants to give you brand new life through the power of the Holy Spirit living and dwelling in you. 00:17:37.920 --> 00:17:45.920 The first word, Genesis, when we think about the name of Jesus, the son of promise, the promise of the curse reversed. 00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:51.519 The second word, David, the son of David, and this is the promise of an everlasting king. 00:17:51.599 --> 00:17:56.799 The hyperlink for the Jewish people, the minute they see son of David, they would think, Messiah. 00:17:56.960 --> 00:17:59.519 And you remember, I almost said that like Mufasa. 00:17:59.759 --> 00:18:00.720 That was a little weird. 00:18:02.240 --> 00:18:03.200 Messiah. 00:18:03.519 --> 00:18:03.920 Right? 00:18:04.079 --> 00:18:10.480 And and um you notice that it said Jesus, like this is the genealogy of Jesus, what? 00:18:11.039 --> 00:18:12.160 Christ, right? 00:18:12.319 --> 00:18:12.799 You saw that? 00:18:12.960 --> 00:18:14.640 Christ, this means yes, this means no. 00:18:14.799 --> 00:18:15.119 Okay. 00:18:15.440 --> 00:18:17.279 Um Jesus Christ. 00:18:17.839 --> 00:18:21.920 Well, that word Christ, we by the way, Jesus Christ, that's that's not his last name. 00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:24.400 Um, it's not like Ryan Ingram, Jesus Christ. 00:18:24.480 --> 00:18:24.960 Uh, there. 00:18:25.039 --> 00:18:26.079 And it's okay if you thought that. 00:18:26.160 --> 00:18:29.519 This, I mean, it would make sense because you say Jesus Christ all the time. 00:18:29.680 --> 00:18:31.359 It's actually a title. 00:18:31.680 --> 00:18:35.119 Christ is the Greek word for Messiah, the Hebrew word. 00:18:35.279 --> 00:18:36.160 Those are the same words. 00:18:36.240 --> 00:18:39.920 So you see the word Messiah and Christ, they mean exactly the same thing. 00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:42.559 Uh, it literally means anointed one. 00:18:42.720 --> 00:18:44.400 It's a royal title. 00:18:44.640 --> 00:18:46.880 In fact, it's a job description. 00:18:47.119 --> 00:18:56.880 It came to have particular reference to a king whom God would provide from David's line, who would rule over Israel and eventually all nations. 00:18:57.119 --> 00:19:00.880 Now, David, he was Israel's greatest king. 00:19:01.119 --> 00:19:02.400 He was not a perfect king. 00:19:02.559 --> 00:19:07.440 In fact, he had a major type of one who would bring deliverance and freedom and life. 00:19:07.680 --> 00:19:10.640 And so there was this promise that God gave to Abraham. 00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:13.039 We see it in 1 Chronicles 17, 11. 00:19:13.200 --> 00:19:21.519 When your days are fulfilled to walk with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I'll establish his kingdom. 00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:25.359 He will build a house for me, and I'll establish his throne forever. 00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:28.559 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. 00:19:29.119 --> 00:19:42.480 I will take, I will not take my steadfast love from him as I took it from uh who was before you, but I'll confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever. 00:19:42.720 --> 00:19:58.799 This is a thousand years before Jesus, that this promise of an everlasting king, and they have in this mind that what there would one day come someone who would restore Israel and establish Israel as forever. 00:19:59.440 --> 00:20:08.960 Now, the problem, if you know the history of Israel, is after David, the kings led them and they fell away from God, and the nation of Israel fell apart. 00:20:09.599 --> 00:20:14.559 So much so the disarray that then Babylon came in, conquered them. 00:20:14.720 --> 00:20:18.880 Israel is no longer its own nation, it's now subjugated and ruled over. 00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:22.319 The best and the brightest were taken off into captivity. 00:20:22.559 --> 00:20:33.279 And Israel from that day and that point forward was simply a puppet kingdom and ruled by different occupational forces and nations. 00:20:34.559 --> 00:20:48.720 And then there was these prophets that picked up this theme, this hope, that a king would come, a deliverer would come, a leader would come that would restore us. 00:20:49.599 --> 00:21:03.920 And you can only imagine if you have been occupied, if you have been waiting for a leader to come, there's this what they called a messianic high. 00:21:04.559 --> 00:21:17.440 The prophet Isaiah picks up on this, and he writes some very familiar words for us in the tension of the darkness waiting for this coming king. 00:21:17.680 --> 00:21:20.079 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. 00:21:20.240 --> 00:21:24.799 On those living in the land of deep darkness, a light has dawned. 00:21:25.039 --> 00:21:28.720 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given. 00:21:28.960 --> 00:21:36.960 And the government will be on his shoulders, and he will be called wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 00:21:37.200 --> 00:21:40.799 Of the greatness of his government and peace, there will be no end. 00:21:41.119 --> 00:21:47.279 He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness. 00:21:47.440 --> 00:21:59.759 From that time on and forever, the zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish in the Son of David the promise of an everlasting king, a righteous, a true, good king. 00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:02.559 A king who is a wonderful counselor. 00:22:02.960 --> 00:22:07.599 What our soul All that you face and what you're walking and going through. 00:22:07.839 --> 00:22:12.319 An everlasting Father who loves you with an eternal love. 00:22:12.720 --> 00:22:14.160 The Prince of Peace. 00:22:14.480 --> 00:22:19.039 See, Jesus is the forever king to replace all kings. 00:22:19.440 --> 00:22:28.240 Jesus is the forever king to replace all other kings, all other things that we're looking to lead our lives. 00:22:29.279 --> 00:22:35.119 You know, earlier this year, my wife and I we had the incredible opportunity to go to England for a conference. 00:22:35.200 --> 00:22:36.720 It was the Alpha Conference. 00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:42.640 And it happened to be the very same week of the coronation of King Charles. 00:22:43.359 --> 00:22:45.920 Wow, what a time to go to London. 00:22:46.079 --> 00:22:48.799 We're in London, and this place is amazing. 00:22:48.960 --> 00:23:00.319 I mean, there's flags, British flags everywhere, and I mean we went down to the royal palace and you could barely get there and seeing them prep prepare for this, you know, coronation. 00:23:00.799 --> 00:23:03.279 Now, don't judge me. 00:23:03.359 --> 00:23:07.519 Um, it's been 70 years since a coronation had happened. 00:23:07.759 --> 00:23:17.200 And we would ask all the time, like uh, you know, if it was our Uber driver or we're at uh you know a restaurant or just what do you think about the coronation? 00:23:17.359 --> 00:23:18.720 What do you think about King Charles? 00:23:18.799 --> 00:23:22.160 Now I know nothing about him either, so forgive me there. 00:23:23.359 --> 00:23:29.839 And you know what people their most often response was, now this wasn't a formal survey by any means. 00:23:30.079 --> 00:23:31.599 It was like, yeah. 00:23:32.559 --> 00:23:35.119 Like, like this hasn't happened in 70 years. 00:23:35.359 --> 00:23:37.519 You know what they're most excited for? 00:23:38.160 --> 00:23:39.440 A holiday. 00:23:40.559 --> 00:23:41.519 Seriously. 00:23:41.839 --> 00:23:43.759 They're like, we get a day off. 00:23:44.720 --> 00:23:45.920 Like, no way. 00:23:46.079 --> 00:23:58.079 You get like you don't care that a new king has been installed in your country because you're disconnected from that reality and it has little impact, and you don't really care for him, anyways. 00:23:58.160 --> 00:24:07.440 And so you're apathetic, you're indifferent, but what you really do care for is the holiday that you get because the king gets from him, but we don't actually make him king of our lives. 00:24:07.759 --> 00:24:10.720 And there's an apathy and there's an indifference. 00:24:10.960 --> 00:24:15.759 And Jesus is the forever king to replace all other kings in our lives. 00:24:16.000 --> 00:24:26.400 He is the one true leader that will actually lead your heart to a place of peace and hope in life. 00:24:28.000 --> 00:24:30.559 And where we don't just allow, yeah. 00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:33.680 We sing about it, King of Kings. 00:24:34.799 --> 00:24:36.160 Lord of Lords. 00:24:37.759 --> 00:24:40.319 Oh God, would you be the king in me? 00:24:41.039 --> 00:24:44.079 Because who is the leader of your heart right now? 00:24:44.160 --> 00:24:45.359 Let me ask you. 00:24:47.519 --> 00:24:50.480 For most of it's it's ourselves. 00:24:52.000 --> 00:24:54.000 It's our our desires. 00:24:56.240 --> 00:24:59.680 I like Jesus, but I don't want him to be king. 00:25:00.079 --> 00:25:02.400 I mean, that's even the way you remember the Lord's Prayer. 00:25:02.640 --> 00:25:03.759 Jesus would teach us how to pray. 00:25:03.920 --> 00:25:06.000 We want our will to be done. 00:25:08.960 --> 00:25:13.039 Jesus, you can be king as long as I get my way and I get my holiday. 00:25:16.160 --> 00:25:21.039 And we wonder why we're not experiencing the power and presence and transformation of Jesus. 00:25:22.640 --> 00:25:32.559 Because the name of Jesus is the name above every name, the rightful king and the only true leader for your heart. 00:25:33.839 --> 00:25:35.200 First word, Genesis. 00:25:35.759 --> 00:25:36.720 The promise. 00:25:38.720 --> 00:25:48.640 The promise of the curse reversed, the second word, son of David, it's the promise of the everlasting king, the final word, Abraham, son of Abraham. 00:25:48.799 --> 00:25:52.160 And this is the promise of blessing for all people. 00:25:55.440 --> 00:26:09.839 After the Genesis account and before King David, right in the middle of there, twelve hundred years before David, the Lord said to Abram, Go from your country, your people, and your father's household to the land I'll show you. 00:26:10.160 --> 00:26:13.279 I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you. 00:26:13.359 --> 00:26:16.559 I'll make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 00:26:16.720 --> 00:26:20.079 I'll bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you, I will curse. 00:26:20.319 --> 00:26:26.960 And notice, all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. 00:26:27.759 --> 00:26:30.880 Son of Abraham, the promise of blessing for all people. 00:26:31.039 --> 00:26:38.640 In fact, every reference to Abraham in Matthew's gospel relates to the promises of God to all of humanity. 00:26:39.440 --> 00:26:51.519 That God called out a specific individual, a specific family, not for just their own sake, but he called them out for the sake of the entire world. 00:26:51.839 --> 00:27:06.000 Like I chose you, I called you out, and I'm gonna bless you, and your name is gonna be great, but it's not for your greatness, it's so that you will be a blessing to the entire and become the frozen chosen. 00:27:07.839 --> 00:27:22.000 Where God has chosen me, and I'm just gonna focus on me instead of realize that no, you've pulled me, you plucked me out so that I might be a blessing to everyone else around me. 00:27:22.319 --> 00:27:24.799 This was Israel, this is what they forgot. 00:27:25.119 --> 00:27:38.799 Like God called them out to be a blessing to every single person, to all nations, and yet what so easily happens is when we get called out, get comfortable, we get focused in, isn't it true? 00:27:40.400 --> 00:27:49.359 But God promised that there would be someone, a son of promise, that would be from this line, a blessing to all people. 00:27:49.599 --> 00:27:54.000 Jesus is the blessing through which all people are blessed. 00:27:54.160 --> 00:27:56.720 Now think about who pinned this. 00:27:57.759 --> 00:28:00.880 Matthew, the tax collector. 00:28:02.559 --> 00:28:08.160 He was on people and most likely cheating them and profiting for himself. 00:28:08.400 --> 00:28:12.000 There's good reason people didn't like him. 00:28:12.400 --> 00:28:17.279 And Jesus walked in the middle of what he was doing by his tax booth. 00:28:17.440 --> 00:28:18.640 He hadn't repented yet. 00:28:18.720 --> 00:28:20.480 He hadn't said, no, this is a bad idea. 00:28:20.559 --> 00:28:24.640 You know, I'm better I need to change my ways, and um, Jesus, would you give me a chance? 00:28:24.799 --> 00:28:27.519 He didn't even ask Jesus, Jesus asked him. 00:28:28.559 --> 00:28:35.599 When he was in the middle of it all, sitting, doing taxes, Jesus said, Come follow me. 00:28:36.640 --> 00:28:47.519 Because I'm a blessing for every single person on the planet, not just the right people, not just the people who have it figured out, not the people who put on the pretty face, who fake it at church. 00:28:47.680 --> 00:28:53.920 I'm a blessing for all the messes in the world because we're all a mess without Jesus. 00:28:54.880 --> 00:28:59.359 Jesus is the blessing through which all people will be blessed. 00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:03.599 It is through the salvation available. 00:29:04.000 --> 00:29:06.000 Abraham and David. 00:29:06.160 --> 00:29:12.720 He says, Christ redeemed us or bought us back from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. 00:29:13.200 --> 00:29:30.319 For it is risen, cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole, redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Holy Spirit. 00:29:31.279 --> 00:29:33.279 What is it about the name of Jesus? 00:29:33.440 --> 00:29:34.960 What is so significant? 00:29:35.519 --> 00:29:44.240 He's the Son of promise, and his promise is true to you in this day, in this moment. 00:29:46.160 --> 00:29:50.480 I mean, for years my kids said to me, Dad, you promised. 00:29:51.359 --> 00:29:53.599 And finally, we got a dog. 00:29:54.480 --> 00:29:59.039 When we celebrate Avent, we celebrate the finally. 00:30:00.559 --> 00:30:02.640 We celebrate the finally. 00:30:02.880 --> 00:30:08.400 Like God grew up, and there's no way in and of myself I can make it up to you. 00:30:08.720 --> 00:30:12.960 You promised, and Avent is the finally. 00:30:13.519 --> 00:30:15.359 This is what Matthew's saying. 00:30:16.000 --> 00:30:17.759 He's finally here. 00:30:18.079 --> 00:30:21.920 And the promise is for you and for me. 00:30:23.359 --> 00:30:25.519 One last thing, and we're going to take communion. 00:30:26.559 --> 00:30:30.000 I don't know if you noticed the order that seemed a bit odd. 00:30:30.960 --> 00:30:34.799 Genesis, David, Abraham. 00:30:35.759 --> 00:30:39.039 It's like, Matthew, you went out of order, right? 00:30:39.359 --> 00:30:44.640 Genesis should be Abraham David. 00:30:46.079 --> 00:30:55.359 But Matthew wrote this very intentionally for us to understand how do we experience, how do we receive the Son of Promise? 00:30:55.519 --> 00:30:57.759 Well, Genesis, you have to recognize. 00:30:58.400 --> 00:31:00.640 You have to recognize you need a rescuer. 00:31:01.839 --> 00:31:02.960 That's really hard for us. 00:31:03.039 --> 00:31:06.480 In fact, there's many who's a king, but you have a savior. 00:31:08.880 --> 00:31:11.119 God, I I need rescuing. 00:31:12.079 --> 00:31:14.400 Would you come be the leader of my life? 00:31:14.880 --> 00:31:17.599 The way I've been leading my life is not working. 00:31:17.759 --> 00:31:19.920 Would you come be the leader of my life? 00:31:20.880 --> 00:31:22.799 And then Abraham, the promise. 00:31:23.359 --> 00:31:32.480 The promise of the Holy Spirit is what the Apostle Paul said that's the same spirit that raised Christ from the dead, now lives and dwells inside of every single follower of Jesus. 00:31:32.640 --> 00:31:40.319 Not so that you can have your old life just a little bit better, but you have new creation breaking forth into your life right now. 00:31:43.119 --> 00:31:44.480 That's for all people. 00:31:45.599 --> 00:31:56.079 And so we're going to take communion that just reminds us that our rescuer and our leader has finally come. 00:31:56.240 --> 00:31:57.440 The Son of Promise is here. 00:31:57.519 --> 00:32:06.480 His body broken for us, his blood poured out for us, that we might be healed, that we might have once again be the rescuer and leader of my life. 00:32:07.440 --> 00:32:08.400 I've drifted. 00:32:09.519 --> 00:32:11.839 Would you come be the rescuer and leader of my life? 00:32:13.440 --> 00:32:17.599 I invited you to do that years ago, but I've been doing my own thing now. 00:32:18.400 --> 00:32:21.119 Would you come be the rescuer and leader of my life? 00:32:23.119 --> 00:32:27.359 And then there's others, you've never called upon the name of Jesus. 00:32:28.640 --> 00:32:32.559 The Bible tells us that all who call upon the name of Jesus will be saved. 00:32:33.200 --> 00:32:38.480 You'll experience the Son of Promise and His kindness and His rescuing in your life. 00:32:38.960 --> 00:32:41.680 And I want to invite the band up and we're just going to pray. 00:32:42.000 --> 00:32:50.079 And if you've never received Jesus as your Savior, as your rescuer and leader, I just want to invite you to pray with me. 00:32:52.160 --> 00:32:57.039 Jesus, I need you. 00:32:58.000 --> 00:32:59.920 I've done life on my own. 00:33:02.400 --> 00:33:03.279 And I need you. 00:33:03.759 --> 00:33:05.519 Rose again for me. 00:33:08.559 --> 00:33:12.240 And that you want to bring a new life, a new creation. 00:33:15.680 --> 00:33:20.400 Holy Spirit, would you come into my life and make me new? 00:33:21.119 --> 00:33:22.799 In Jesus' name. 00:33:23.519 --> 00:33:24.160 Amen. 00:33:24.799 --> 00:33:27.519 Let's stand and worship as we partake. 00:33:28.799 --> 00:33:31.119 We hope you are blessed by this message. 00:33:31.279 --> 00:33:35.680 Please subscribe to our podcast for access to every episode as they're uploaded. 00:33:35.839 --> 00:33:37.920 And hey, we'd love to connect with you. 00:33:38.079 --> 00:33:44.079 Take a next step by filling out our virtual connection card at awakeningchurch.com slash card.