The Love of God - December 13

Play man takes a methinks troll. What are in Bible College and then Seminary would go to churches and we'd visit and it asked me to preach always ask her to sing and then we get invited back. I don't think it's cuz my preaching I think was always cuz of the singing but unless I'm sure Amy a pastor's daughter. This is just you know, your every time we go home dads. Like hey, I'm going to preach this Sunday. You're going to sing. Right? What's on the scrambling last minute? Right? But thanks Bill preciate that last-minute learning the song and playing with Amy. So what am I saying? So, good morning. My name is Carson jump and I am glad to see you here at Chapel. I'm glad that you're joining us online and that you are connected with us this morning and opportunity for us to come to worship together with singing and to hear God's word as well. And it's a privilege has to be alongside of you each week. And then this morning specifically we're going to talk as as a brand is already said about love. I'm going to look specifically at the lineage of or genealogy of Jesus from Matthew 1. I'm going to spare you of reading the entire genealogy not because you don't need to hear the words, but because I would fumble over the names and probably make many mistakes. But I have a question for you this morning as we begin. How was your Advent readings gone as a family, you know, if you have any kind of dead dedicated a time of the day or at night before you go to bed or in the morning or whatever your schedule may be especially if you're not you're doing school from home if you're if you got kids or maybe do it during lunch for school during work, but either way, how's it going for you? I just want to give you a short glimpse into the jumps household. We enjoy Advent reading we enjoy doing our devotions at night before we go to bed. And as we kind of got into the admin see what we've added the lighting the candles and as you can imagine everybody wants an opportunity to light a candle. And I have a few young ones rights. And so we get one of those matches. I don't know which one you were the lighters that you were using Brad this morning, but it's got like the extra safety on it. It's a child safety like seriously kitchen be using lighters, right? So like that's why it's on there anyway, so I might younger kids they're adamant and persistent that they want to light the candles. Every night that we do this and for the older ones, it's easy. They got it, right the younger way. It ones. It just becomes a frustrating moment for Dad because you're stealing my joy and you're taking away the piece right and we're getting frustrated and at some point I just leave them with the lighter and I go sit down frustrated as a dad thinking I'm done. Let's just read so you can go to bed. And then the lights they figure it out, right and then they light the candle and I'm thinking come on and you're like 5, you're like 6 you shouldn't be playing with lighters and and they're able to do it.

Besides at the frustration that we get as a as a Earthly father. But I hope that that story will connect this to is the characters were going to look at this morning. I titled this message love came down and did the messy we're going to look at some very messy situations from the Old Testament and parents seem to be very careful with the words that I use so you don't have to explain too much when you go home later, but I have to leave here. I went I want you to I want to start first with looking at some prophecies that are specifically going to talk about why we're looking at love and how we're focusing on Jesus the king who is coming to be the savior of the World by Emmanuel who's come with us so we can looking at Advent Through The Eyes Of The Shepherd right and do in some ways were going to see what would it be like for him seeing the genealogy from Matthew which look different than the genealogy recorded in Luke. My prayers that will become quite clear that as a Shepherd read the lineage of Jesus. He recognized the Jeep God sent his son to reach the lowest the outcasts. And those who are often overlooked, but God doesn't Overlook. He's all inclusive. Not that doesn't mean I mean, you know, you know, everybody's going to get saved but he's all inclusive that the message can go to all and those that receive it can receive salvation from God the coming Messiah and king of Israel lineage includes many outcasts of society this impacted Shoots for the shepherd to understand when these five women we're going to look at in the genealogy and how they were included specifically into the lineage of Jesus. Jesus the baby humbly came into the world as a through the Virgin birth that we find that in Isaiah 7:14 Ross to see that if he specifically going to be born in to Bethlehem in Micah 5, and then decide is the descendant of Abraham and they specifically Matthew poet points that he's a descendant of David that we can also see a descendant of Jesse and David. And so the two prophecies that I wanted to highlight this week is the first one is that is born in Bethlehem.

So we see and Micah chapter 5 verse 2, but you o Bethlehem of ephrath who are too little to be among the clans of Judah from you. Shall come forth for me for me one who is to be a ruler and Israel. Who's coming forth is from old from ancient days there we see in the Old Testament the prophecy that the king the Messiah is going to come and he's going to be born in Bethlehem. It's interesting that even in Matthews account and we'll get to it eventually all the Wii won't read this verse in chapter 1 is that he specifically points out that Jesus is the son of David. He is the heir of David and then we see here that Bethlehem that which is called the city of David is prophesied that Jesus would be born there in that time. Two things had to happen when you had to have an influence of a world leader, right? So that should help us in our time when we're looking at world leaders and questioning who's going to be in leadership across the world is that God still is in control and he directs the orders in the things that rulers do so seizure. It said that everybody was supposed to go to their Hometown at the specific times to pick a specific place and it found it made Joseph and Mary to come back to Bethlehem. So that prophecy could be foretold and he could be born there.

Because he is the lineage of King David coming as the king that was going to save his people as as promised by God. The second prophecy want to look at is the Virgin birth. So we play at 7:14. Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Emmanuel for the Messiah for the king to be one-hundred-percent. Perfect. He had to be 100% God and 100% man so that he could become the Fulfillment of the Savior to go to the world or go to the Cross to save the world.

So we see Jesus born as a humble baby with the magnitude of God's love scene constant throughout the lineage of Jesus time and time again. God's love has come down as a baby. We can see that in John Ford 114 that he's coming to be awhile with us does wildin to save his people while our Focus this morning is not on the cross Easter on the Easter story, but it's the focus of of the time in the cradle and the time that he is at the manger. I think it's important that we ensure that we see the cross from his humble beginnings. So here's the question. How do we see this? Love Through The Eyes Of The Shepherd. I have two things first. I think that Matthew is a inclusion of the women in the lineage of Jesus point stick to a guy who works outside the bounds of culture or the customs of the day. Second Matthew clearly points out how God included those who were foreigners or actions, which we would have excluded them from Jewish lineage of for their King. You know it for this is kind of a minor detail that maybe that females are included in the lineage, but for this time for custom and culture would have been a huge thing.

however the shepherd You would find the story of love. One that would be only told by God who wants to reconcile his creation to himself. So today we're going to look at five specific characters highlighting gone to action toward love toward them of whom he chose to include in the lineage of Jesus and those five or Tamar Rahab Ruth the wife of Uriah which is basheba and then marry someone start off with Tamar. If you go back to Genesis chapter 38 sin verse 26, and I'm going to take a verse from each passage. You really have to go back for more context. I'm going to try to get as much as we can hear but hopefully you'll get the piece of the messiness and how God's love is constant even in that Messi. But here tame are the daughter of daughter-in-law of Judah. She had been married or in the let's read the first and then we'll move on and then Judah identified them and said she is more righteous than I sensed. I did not give her to my son say Shayla and and he did not know her again. This is at the end. Okay, so I'm going to I'm going to fill you in real quick. They're so that you can get the capture hear. Hey Marv was married to judah's son who was a wicked man and all that Bible. The Bible tells us is that he was a wicked man and then God took them so probably a short life for him, but he he was doing some bad things and I took him it was part of the custom of the day that the brothers of that man that died would take her in and would give her an air with wood would provide for her for the rest of your life. Right? That was how they took care of their widows and then ensure that there was an error. I want a specific point out that there was two brothers that refused to do that and you can read about it in Genesis 3 It on your own time. But it's important that you see that they refuse to be part of that and it brought Taymar to a place where that she had to deceive her father-in-law in the dark alley of some street in the Nets winning. We get to this verse of she's more righteous than I because he had not done the actions that God would have called them to in scripture to fulfil for team are to be part of the lineage. Can you imagine why would Matthew include Tamar this story right? I may be reading this and I'm like, I want to guard my children's ears if I reach after 38 of Genesis. What is included in the lineage of this King Jesus who's coming to the Misty the Messiah of the world of the Messiah of the Jews and in the end was Tamar's accused of the immoral acts in June is going to say hey, let's go out and burn her. We're going to get rid of her cuz she's a bad person. It comes back that wait a second. You were the one that was with her until But you know what's sad about that today? And I don't want to go too deep in this cuz we could spend a whole hour on this at today in the church. There's a lot of a more relaxed and things going on that we just kind of glass over right and Judah it was doing a good job with that lady looks pointed out about Tamar. And then when he gets pointed back at us are we willing to say wow. God is due to seem like you're there was a irregular recognition of his sin and moving on. Okay. So we see God's love towards Tamar and her being part of the lineage of Jesus. The second woman is one of Rahab probably a more common story in the Old Testament. We find this in Joshua. This is when Jericho right that the Israelites have crossed over the Jordan or they're going to and they're going to come into the promised land and they go to Jericho the first city that's fortified. What are they going to do? How they going to get through until Joshua sens in the spies and they go in they talk to to a woman Rahab who is a harlot and there she hides them she takes care of him. She gives them information and that she carries her their story without sharing to others that they had been there. And Joshua 2:9 she says to the men. I know the Lord has given you the land and that the fear of you has fallen upon us and that all the inhabitants of the land will melt away before you three have right. She realizes the god of Israel. She she knows that other people in Jericho is having a fear but not a fear of wanting to turn toward that God. Can we see a difference in her heart? There's one where she's wanting to turn towards guy, but it was out of fear of her own life or for her family. I don't know but she's mentioned in Hebrews chapter 11 of having great faith. So I must have been a place where she was turning towards God. And hear another woman that we would have not only just because of her lifestyle but also because she's a foreigner we would be begin to wonder why he would she would be included in this Matthew story in the lineage of Jesus. But again, it's God taking the messy and making sense out of it. Did you hear that guy on taking the messy and miss it make making sense out of this times in our lives, but there's the messy we don't know what's going on. But if we wait long enough we can see if that guy is going to take that and he's going to make sense out of it because we're going to see God's love that. It is constant. It is for us in all things.

Okay number 3 roofs. God's actions of Love towards Ruth has a little bit of a different story than the first two and even the next one is that there's not really necessarily sin that we would identify with their lifestyle or who she was but I don't identify her as a foreigner and Ruth chapter 1 verse 16 when she is she is told by Naomi you could go back to your people. You're welcome to go home. This is how she responds she says do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you for where you go. I will go and where you Lodge I will Lodge your people will be my people and your God will be my God Ruth in contrast to the other girl that was married to Naomi's other son. Oprah who chose to go back to her people bruise was Faith full and stayed with Naomi going back to to Israel and in establishing a home and helping Naomi. And through these actions she finds herself being married to Boaz who redeems not only Ruth and Naomi and that name. And now becomes part of the lineage of Jesus. You see here. Again. The Messi is like understanding like how and why is God continue to bring these foreigners in why is he allowing the outside to be included why I tell you this I'm thankful that God. It allowed others such as myself as an outsider from the Jewish custom to be able to know Jesus. Cuz he's included Us in that salvation as well. Mini entire Book of Ruth that s*** it provides. It's a beautiful story of God's love and redemption in Matthews inclusion in chapter. 1 shows God constant love the only disciple decisive point for God's love is our reception. We'll get to that when we get to the application. She was a foreigner a moabite not from Israel, but she became a follower of God and her experience of God's love is experienced by us in the world as well today. Until we have came are we have Rahab from Joshua? And then we have Ruth who's in The Book of Ruth and we already looked at that verse the last one we're going to look at is the love of of that scene in God's actions is towards the wife of Uriah the Matthew in chapter 1 verses 6 chooses to use instead of the use the word mass. Sheba is the wife of Uriah and I think it's highlighting right because in some ways Matthew has been intentional to ensure that Jesus is seen as the the the heir of King David he is the chosen one to come in to be the savior of the world.

But in some ways not some ways. I think Matthew was identifying King David was flawed. But the one that is coming, right there's a virgin birth is 100% man. 100% God is capable of coming to take away the sins of the world. He is fulfilling what King David and others could not do he was coming as that fulfillment. And so here we have the wife of Uriah Bathsheba the one that David lusted after and then they they had a relationship and then take a step beyond that David had her husband killed. again the messy And yet in the messy we see that God's love is constant and it shows up and it delivers and it provides. She's not mention by name. She's just mentioned by as the the mother of Solomon. And is the wife of Uriah?

Alright, let's look at the V lady and this one again is married. So it's our last one and and this comes to our versus if you go to Matthew chapter 1 verses.

18 through 25

So now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph before they came together. She was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit and her husband Joseph being an adjustment and unwilling to put her to shame resolve to divorce her quietly, but has he considered these things behold the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream Saint Joseph son of David do not fear to take Mary as your wife. So that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. Here we see that the actions of Jesus or actions of God towards Mary as the chosen one is kind of seeing through how Joseph treats her.

Mary the chosen one that's going to bring in the Messiah and the King was going to be put away by her soon-to-be husband because he thought that she had been unfaithful or that she had done wrong. Thankfully the Lord reveals to to Joseph in a dream that no, this is not this is part of my plan. This is it may look messy from a human perspective. But in the reality is that I am working here and I need you to trust me and be there in Joseph does then he shows love towards Mary by not putting her aside by nuts, you know getting rid of her but taking care of her all the way to the bird.

The king of Israel is clearly a descendant of David the greatest King of the Jews and she is it cuz she experiences to do this Divine experience as the Virgin who gets the Carrie Jesus the savior of the world is God's love that is extended by Joseph and that is the unexpected it in the messy. God is constant through that love. So this kind of brings us to our application. And I want to really hold in hopefully with just three different elements of how we can see God's love and how it came down in the midst of the Messi. So how does God actions of Love affect us today? We find ourselves in the shoes of of one of those characters discuss then we find love offered to us. We who are no more centers or Outcast than those individuals that we looked at in this in the Matthews account. The shepherd's sees this offering of love a gift which only God can offer. It's important for us to realize that God's love is just as constant for us today as it was for the unexpected women who were included in Jesus's genealogy from Matthew.

To hear some questions for us to consider. First one is our love for God or love of God. So, how are we treating this season? I gave you an insight to how we're doing the Advent readings but outside of that. How are we treating the season? How are we looking forward to not only December 25th in the morning or December 24th, and how we kind of celebrate the coming of Jesus. Are we able to remember God right kids or remember are we thinking of gifts or parents or adults are you thinking of guess is that is that what your focus on is it on the fact that we get to four days back to back right now and there's half days that start soon and it's so there's not as much work or maybe you're going on leave. Even if it's just a local cuz you can't go to many places right now.

What is the focus during the season he threw the first commandment or one of the commandments of Jesus gives in the New Testament is Matthew 22:37. You should love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul and with all your mind. If we love God then our priorities are sets. As God has them in the Bible which is putting him first now and I'll be the first one to say that God is not always the priority and my day is not always the priority in my mind and what I am doing my my goal and I I pray that I am and I are going to ask you to encourage me to do that. But I'm I'm there with you as we think through of how are we focusing on God and loving God with a heart mind and soul. Winter stand God's love is showing through his son Jesus Christ. Despite who you are and who does despite who I am or the sin that represents us. As we learned in week 1 Jesus came to offer his peace with God and it is because of that piece that he came to offer that we can come before the father and stand before him in a week to just last week. We talked about Joy it. Is it is it Jesus offers us the greatest Joys that cleanses us from all unrighteousness right does not like the temporary joy that we see and maybe the the shortness of a happiness moment happy moment that we may have but it is a joy because now we are reconciled to God our creator it what Jesus has done at the cross. Second question to consider is receive God's love for you. Have you receive God's love for you? How do you treat yourself?

1st John 4:9 through 12. I'd like to read that it says how were offered love is offered to us in this the love of God was made manifest Among Us that God sent his only son into the world so that we might live through him in. This is love not that we have love God, but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins beloved. If God is so loved us. We also ought to love one another no one has ever seen God. We love one another God abides in us and his love is perfected in US. For me, it's common to be in a counseling session or just ended the conversation with a soldier or a spouse. And to remind them that they need to see themselves not as they picture or see but as what how God sees them.

In receiving God's love we recognize what truly is on for to us. But to see who Carson is going to probably continue to be disgusted and walk away cuz there's a lot of messy. But when I received the love that God has for me and for us then I can see the love that has been offered to Jesus.

And when I accept that who we really are in Christ, we will I will begin to love the person I am in him. Yes. We should always in continue for to pursue Holiness the desire to become more christ-like. Yes, that should always be are going as as we're walking through that.

But it's not by works. It's by faith and is my the face that what Jesus has done and offered is what brings reconciliation to the father not what I can do, but until we see ourselves to the love of God that has been provided in Jesus. We will not understand what it means to love God. Which also brings us to our third point is love others. How do you treat or love others in 1st Corinthians chapter 13 verse 4 through 7 love is patient and kind love does not envy or boast. It is not arrogant.

Or rude, it does not insist on its own way. It is not irritable or resentful. It does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth love bears all things believes all things hopes, all things endures all things. The second portion of that Commandment that we were given earlier in Matthew chapter 22 verse 38. It says love your neighbor as yourself. There's a priority right? I got to love God with all my heart my mind my soul. I've got to receive the love that God has offered to me and then I got to extend that love to others. We can't truly show The Love Love Of Christ to others until we received and believe that love that has been offered to us from God what greater way to show love in this season then to tell others of how God loves them. Hope my end and how Jesus is a humble baby that the Messiah King who is to be born or was born offer salvation to the world? When we love others as Christ loves them it helps us to see ourselves as truly as we truly are sinners saved by grace. I just want to ask the the music theme to come and I want to point you back to a frustrated father a frustrated Earthly dad. Read the story that I was sharing with you about the Advent readings. And how am I family is very keen to wanting to light the candles which is supposed to represent Jesus or God's presence with us when we were reading and and we're doing this during the 7th season. Pleasant Hearth Lee father I walked away. Frustrated with the lack of Love toward the situation that I thought robbed my joy. And the peace in my moment. But the truth is as a Shepherd would experience and he saw even through with his ladies the truth is that when God's love came down that glorious humble night. Jesus is Love was always there. He is. Always there these five women from Jesus's lineage experience God's consistent love with his presence always they're bringing the true peace and joy that comes only from Jesus and the shepherd likewise experiences God's love and wants us to remember that as we wait for the coming of the Lord. God is with us Emmanuel father your merciful in your gracious. We thank you God that the love that you have through Jesus came down to us amid. Our messy lives are messy messy culture and customs of our day today just like it was two thousand years ago. Although it may have looked different God. I thank you for including these women in the lineage so that we can see their stories from the Old Testament that brings a lot of questions of why would God include the Messi? But God I'm thankful. because in my Brokenness and in my messiness Your Love came down as extended to me so your grace thank you for that father I pray that you would work in our hearts and our minds this morning as we reflect on these words in Jesus