Merry Christmas from the Burkholder Family

The Genetics of Christmas, Part 3

Matthew 1:1-17

Do you like a good mystery? Whether it is a book that you are reading or a movie that you are watching, there is something intriguing about trying to solve a mystery. All of us have been amazed by a shocking conclusion. Or better yet, proud of ourselves if we are able to figure it out!

The Bible is full of mysteries. I am not referring to a mystery as in an "Agatha Christie" sort of way. Rather, a biblical mystery is a truth that is impossible for us to fully comprehend. The only way to truly accept it is by faith.

Matthew chapter one, the passage that is the basis for our studies, shed light on a biblical mystery: that of the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. Simply stated, the virgin birth of Christ refers tot he fact that Mary was a virgin when Jesus Christ was born. She had never had physical relations with Joseph or with any other man. This truth, though clearly stated in the latter part of this chapter (vs. 18, 23) is alluded to in the genealogical section.

Beginning in verse two, you notice a similar pattern repeated throughout the verses. Time after time in the NKJV we find the word "begat" For example verse states that "Abraham began Isaac" The meaning is that Isaac is was the son of Abraham. He was from his seed. He was his physical son.

As you arrive at verse 16, you see something completely different. Jesus was not begotten of Joseph. As a matter of fact, physically, Joseph had nothing to do with Jesus' birth. The Greet text indicates that something out of the ordinary, something different, even supernatural took place with Christ's birth. What happened?

Verse 18 - "... Mary was found with child by the Holy Spirit."

God, in a pure, mysterious, supernatural way what we cannot fully comprehend planted the divine seed within Mary's womb. At birth, He truly became one of us, yet He was different from us. He was 100% God and 100% man.

Take just a moment and meditate on the ramifications of such a truth. As a man, He understands us. As God, He saved us. Now that is the greatest mystery of them all!

The Genetics of Christmas, Part 2

Matthew 1:1-17

Does God ever make a mistake? It is easy for us to answer that question with a resounding "NO" as long as our life is flowing smoothly We must admit, though, that it is difficult to see God's purpose in the difficulties of life.

In the good times as well as in the bad, we need to believe and rest in the sovereignty of God. That might be a term that you do not recognize or it might even scare you Don't be intimidated by it though. It simply means that God supernaturally controls or permits everything that happens on the Earth. Nothing is a mistake. Nothing is an accident. Nothing happens outside of His control.

As we look at the events surrounding the birth of Christ someone might comment, "what a coincidence," or "what a stroke of luck, everything turned out perfect." Of course it did. God planned it that way!

One of the purposes of Matthew's Gospel is to establish Jesus' right to the throne of Israel:

Matthew - Presents Christ as King

Mark - Presents Christ as the Servant

Luke - Presents Christ as the Son of Man

John - Presents Christ as the Son of God

According to Jewish law, if Jesus is to be King, there must be proof that He comes from the recognized royal family. Matthew chapter one and Luke chapter three give the necessary proof. Matthew begins with Abraham and David and goes forward towards Christ. Luke begins with Christ and goes backward to Adam.

Luke's record in the physical genealogy traces Mary's ancestry. Matthew's record validates Christ's royal claim to the throne of Israel by showing His legal descent from David through Joseph - Jesus' legal father.

Jesus was therefore the blood descendant of David through Mary, and the legal descendant of David through Joseph. What is the point?

• Jesus is perfectly qualified to assume the Throne of David.
• Jesus is the only one qualified to assume the Throne of David

Take heart, just as God sovereignly and supernaturally controlled the events of Jesus' birth, He is controlling your life. Trust Him with all of your heart and follow His direction.

The Genetics of Christmas, Part 1

Matthew 1:1-17

If you are like me, reading through the genealogies is not an easy task. Sometimes it is quite difficult to pronounce the names. In addition, it can be quite boring to read a long list of individuals whose names mean very little if anything to us. I have to admit that I have been known to skip those long lists and jump onto the next passage that seems to be a little more interesting. One of my fears, though, is that I will meet Amminadab, Nahshon or Salmon in Heaven and not remember that their names were listed in Matthew chapter one.

Believe it or not though, there are valuable truths that are hid within the unpronounceable names of the biblical genealogies. With a little more diligence and study we can uncover principles that can dramatically impact our lives. It just takes a little work.

A great example is the prayer of Jabez found in I Chronicles 4:9, 10. The first twelve chapters of I Chronicles give list after list of Israelite tribes, families and leaders. As I am sure you have experienced, it can be somewhat tedious to try to wade through each of those names. Nevertheless, right in the middle of he genealogical section, we find a tremendous prayer that gave Jabez the faith to overcome the tragedy that is illustrated by his name.

My point is that there are some wonderful truths that are buried deep within the genealogical lists. With that in mind, throughout the next few days we will take an exciting ride through Matthew chapter one. Let me encourage you to make a commitment to read through this chapter during the coming days. I promise that you will experience the excitement and the blessing of uncovering truths that you have never seen before!