Matthew 1:1-17   The Two Most Important Things About Christmas!

¹ “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. ²  Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, ³ and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, ⁴ and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, ⁵ and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, ⁶ and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, ⁷ and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, ⁸ and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, ⁹ and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, ¹⁰ and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, ¹¹ and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. ¹² And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, ¹³ and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, ¹⁴ and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, ¹⁵ and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, ¹⁶ and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. ¹⁷ So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.”

“Christmas!” This is one of those words that immediately brings up visions, memories, and emotions in everyone who hears it. And – to be sure – those visions, memories, and emotions are very different for different people. When people hear “Christmas” some immediately smile while others immediately cringe!

Lots of surveys have been done to find out what people believe is the most important thing about Christmas. Of course, most answers depend on who you ask:

For many Seniors, the word Christmas brings up melancholy memories of days gone by and joyful thoughts of kids and grandkids coming home for the Holiday…

For young couples, the word Christmas brings up hopeful thoughts of happy times with friends and family.

For business people, the Word Christmas brings up mixed feelings about how sales will be; end of year work; and, tax time being just around the corner!

An internet survey at Quibblo.com currently shows the following results to that question:

Celebrating the Birth of Jesus   43%

Spending time with family          18%

Giving                                               7%

Receiving                                         7%

All of the above                            23%

For Bible-believing Christians, this is an easy question! The most important thing about Christmas is what the Bible says is the most important thing about Christmas!

Actually, our focal passage in Matthew shows us the two most important things about Christmas:

#1: There is a Gospel that must be Believed!

#2: There is a Gift that must be Received!

As we study through the first seventeen verses of Matthew 1, God reminds us of the fact that HE most always works through people! HE does not have to work through people; but, HE usually does.

Three things grab out attention as we consider the first point.. “There is a Gospel that must be Believed.”

First, we see THE MEN!

Second, we see THE WOMEN! Of course, all of the gospel is about grace; but, in these verses we clearly see the grace of God at work. Of the five women named in the genealogy of Jesus, three were sexually immoral in their past and one was a Moabite!

Third, we see THE CHRIST! Christmas is about the miraculous incarnation of God in human flesh. He is indeed “God with us!” These verses reveal four miraculous things about HIS birth!

Secondly, these verses reveal that “There is a Gift that must be Received.”

It has well and often been pointed out that God gave HIS SON, people gave HIM gifts, and, people around the world have been giving one another gifts ever since!

This coming Christmas Sunday morning, as the Lord allows, I will read and teach these verses and focus on what really matters in our life and what are the two most important things about Christmas!

REMEMBER! Christmas is one of two Sundays that non-church attending people will come to church with you. I hope you will work hard (and creatively) to invite family and friends to attend with you this Sunday!

I hope to see you Sunday with a smile on your face, your Bible in your hand, and your family and friends by your side!