Matthew 1:1-17 “Jesus Christ, born in The Likeness of us.”
- Human Lineage
- 2) the sinless descendant
The genealogy of the Lord Jesus Christ. If you look at your own genealogy, you may be looking for some royal ancestry, but generally there’s something like a skeleton in the cupboard, something sinful. It reminds us that we’re human. The knowledge and experience of God reminds us we are human. It is a solid truth. We have parents, our parents have parents. Some can trace their genealogy back a few generations. We are all descendants of Adam and Eve. We are told that Adam is the son of God, in Luke’s genealogy. God created Adam.
Matthew begins his Christmas story by tracing the lineage of Jesus Christ. This genealogy shows us that the Lord Jesus Christ had a truly human lineage but also that He is the sinless descendant. Jesus Christ was sent to a sinful, needy, week, last, confused, broken, lawless people like you and I.
1.Human Lineage
The human genealogy of the Lord Jesus Christ shows us a broad spectrum of people from all walks of life including kings and commoners. But oddly for the patriarchal Jews of Matthew’s day, there are women in this list – women who were Gentiles. Some of the women and men who were named were notoriously immoral. This list clearly isn’t fabricated. It is as it is. No religious Jew would have put this list together to impress the community to show this great pedigree of the Lord Jesus Christ. Everyone on this list shares one thing in common – every single one is a sinner, in need of a Saviour, in need of forgiveness, in need of restoration, in need of a new life (Romans 1-3).
Every name is important in this genealogy. Because they are descendants of Adam, they are sinners. All are sinners and fall short of the glory of God. Even Mary acknowledged her need of a Saviour (Luke). Let us look at 2 characters to highlight the fact that Jesus Christ is a descendant who is truly human.
Tamar (v3) illustrates that Jesus is the Saviour of sinners. He deliberately associated with sinners, such as tax collectors who were notorious scoundrels. We may think we are not a sinful as Tamer, a prostitute. All of us are in need of a Saviour. In Tamar we see Christ brings salvation to sinners.
We all know what Rahab was famous for! She is known to us as the harlot. Like Tamar, she was a Canaanite – outside of the covenant people of God, ‘not from round here.’ (Joshua 2). Remarkably, she believed in the God of the Hebrews. She had faith. As uncomfortable as she is as a subject, by faith she did not perish. She is an example of faith and works. James makes the point that salvation is by grace through faith. Rahab had faith and expressed her faith through works. Salvation that Christ brings comes to sinners by faith. Tamar and Rahab teaches us that salvation is received by faith.
2. The sinless descendant.
Christ was sinless, fitting to be our Saviour. Jesus Christ was rich beyond all splendour, but for our sake He became poor. He became us. He is associated with us. Christ’s lineage, from these people and from Adam, is a real, meaningful association. Christ became completely human. He was 100% human. There is humanity continuity seen in this lineage.
However, there is something radically different about Jesus – He was completely sinless. His nature was sinless. Christ’s birth was a virgin birth. He was sinless. The Lord Jesus Christ was not guilty in His human life of any actual sin. Never did He utter a word that transgressed the law. Never did His emotions get the better of Him. We witness this as we study His life, His integrity and His honesty. Our Lord and Saviour is the sinless One who teaches us to ask for forgiveness of sin.
There is no sin inherent in Him. In the Lord Jesus Christ, in His very nature, there was no sin, even though He was 100% human. This Christ is the Lamb without blemish or spot (1 Peter 1). Therefore, He was a fitting sacrifice on the cross. This is why the blood that was shed at Calvary was so gloriously precious; There was no sin in Him. None. Our blood cannot atone because we have inherent sin. Christ has no inherent sin whatsoever. His person is pure and holy (Hebrews 7:26).
God sent forth His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh. Christ was in the likeness of our flesh, but without sin. He did not come with sinful flesh. He was made sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21). He was not made sinful. There is a vital difference. Our sin was transferred to Jesus Christ as the atoning sacrifice. His righteousness was transferred to us.
Christ came, in the likeness of sinful flesh. This means that a just and holy God can now look on Him and pardon me. I can be forgiven, I can be atoned for, I can be saved. Christ has died on the cross. I am justified by His amazing grace as I put my trust in Him (Romans 8:3). He is the sinless Saviour who dies for me.
God sent a Saviour for sinners. Christ associates with sinners. As you begin to contemplate the last year, in your failures, God sent Christ for us. This genealogy invites such as me to come to Jesus and ask for pardon, to be washed and cleansed. Praise His name.
Penuel Baptist Chapel, Roch 