St Marcus Mke Sermons

Pastor Jeske's Advent series, "What a Magnificent Plan", kicks off with a study on the "Meticulous Genealogy" in Matthew 1:1-17 and Luke 3:23-37.  Jews kept extensive genealogies as records of family descendants to establish a person’s heritage, inheritance, legitimacy, and rights. Matthew gives Jesus’ ancestry through Joseph’s line to demonstrate that Jesus is the legal heir to the covenant promises linked to David’s throne and the legal heir to the covenant promises linked to Abraham’s heirs and land.  Comparing Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew (Mt 1:1–16) with the one found in Luke, Matthew begins with Abraham and works forward to David and then to Jesus, whereas Luke works back from Jesus beyond Abraham to Adam as the son of God.  Each connection allows a point to be made about who Jesus is and whom he is qualified to serve. The connection to David establishes his rights as regal heir; Jesus can be king of Israel. “Son of God” in this sense involves the right to rule as the Promised One, the Son of David.  It