“Skeletons in the Closest”
(Luke 3:23-38)
Dr. Richard S. Koole
Chapel Pointe
August 30, 2009
I. Introduction
A. The death of Ted Kennedy
1. Visiting the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum
2. Crowds to view Teddy’s casket
3. A man of controversy
4. Grew into a respected man
a. But some things are to be admired
b. Family
c. Time and actions
5. Some real rascals in his family tree
a. His father Joseph Kennedy
b. His grandpa on his mother’s side
1. Honey Fitz, mayor of Boston
6. The family dreams of a president
a. Brother Joe killed during WWII
b. The mantle fell on brother John
7. Camelot in 1960
a. When John and Jackie moved in
8. Then tragedy continued…the “Kennedy curse”
a. President Kennedy assassinated in 1963
b. Brother Bobby killed in 1968
9. In 1969……40 years ago
a. Brother Ted and Chappaquiddick
b. Dreams dashed
10. But Ted Kennedy labored on in the Senate
a. Political differences
b. But earned respect for the man he eventually became
11. What a family tree
12. Words spoken at his funeral
a. What people say at funerals
b. Remember personal moments
B. What about your family tree?
1. We like to brag about famous ancestors
a. But what about some of the losers?
2. I used to tremble when the pastor mentioned “genealogies”
a. “Genealogy” is a fancy name for your family tree
b. Pastor seemed to enjoy preaching through OT genealogies
3. The importance of a “genealogy”
a. Mormons seem obsessed with them
b. Royalty
1. Who is next in line?
C. The most important genealogy is in Luke 3
1. Who would give birth to the Messiah?
a. Had to be of just the right family
b. How did Jesus stack up?
2. Matthew and Luke both give genealogies for Jesus
a. Why two genealogies?
b. But why are they so different?
3. Some shocking inclusions
a. You and I never would have chosen them
b. The “skeletons in the closest”
4. The genealogies prove two vital facts
III. Text
A. That Jesus was the legal heir to the throne of David
1. The Messiah had to be through the line of King David (II Sam. 7)
2. The Jews were diligent about knowing which family they belonged to
a. Because of the inheritance of land (Num. 26 & 35)
b. Because of the Levitical priesthood (Ezra 2:63)
c. Because of the registration and taxes
1. Joseph and Mary
d. At least 50 genealogies in the O.T.
3. Jews lost key records after 70 AD
a. When the Temple was destroyed
b. Today, the Jews don’t know
c. But they did during the time of Jesus
4. None disputed the claim that Jesus was qualified
5. The genealogies of Matthew and Luke
a. Both skip a number of generations
b. They look similar….and yet so different
(Matthew) (Luke)
Adam
Abraham
David
Solomon Nathan
Joseph Mary
Jesus
6. Comparison of the two genealogies:
a. Matthew…His “legal right”
1. Matthew was written from a Jewish perspective
2. They considered Joseph to be the father
a. However Matthew never says that Joseph fathered Jesus
“and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.” (Matt. 1:16)
3. Matthew proves that Joseph was in the line of David
a. Through David’s son Solomon
4. Matthew begins with Abraham and moves forward to Jesus
b. Luke…His “actual right”
1. Most consider this to be Mary’s family tree
a. Luke obviously knew what Matthew had written
b. And the readers of his day would have recognized it
2. Luke proves that Mary too is in the line of David
a. Through David’s son Nathan
b. Matthew through David’s son Solomon
1. Important because the line of Solomon was cursed and could not rule (Jeremiah 22:30)
4. Luke starts with Jesus and goes back to Adam/God
(37) The son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jered, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Kenan, (38) the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
c. The key….Matthew and Luke proved that Jesus was qualified to rule by birth
1. Whether through Joseph or Mary
2. People “thought” that Jesus was the son of Joseph
(Luke 3)
(23) Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought of Joseph, the son of Heli,
2. But this is not Joseph’s family….it appears to be Mary’s
3. And all the readers of that day likely understood
***The Genealogies prove:
B. That God uses damaged people
1. Those just baptized
a. Not a perfect one in the bunch
b. If each could have shared their life story
2. Nobody in the genealogies earned the right to be there
a. There are some real rascals and losers
3. God seems to delight in using damaged people
a. And that’s good because we’re all damaged
4. Take King David as an example
(31) the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of David, (32) the son of Jesse the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon
-Luke 3:31-32
a. Arguably the biggest celebrity on the list
1. The one you would have bragged about
2. The King!
3. Wrote most of the Psalms
4. “A man after God’s own heart”
5. Through whom the Messiah would come
b. But consider his sin…David’s “Chappaquiddick”
1. Temptation in the palace
a. Should have been out leading the troops
b. “Surfing the palace internet”
1. Spots Bathsheba on the roof
2. Bathing
c. Every man’s “secret battle”
1. The series
d. Willing to risk it all
2. A story as old as time
a. The day she told him she was pregnant
b. The attempted cover up
1. Makes “Watergate look innocent”
c. Uriah brought home
1. His military honor
d. David takes it further
1. Arranges to have him die in battle
2. Brings others into the scheme
e. David hurt people badly
3. The “Kennedy Curse”…. “The David Curse”
a. The death of the baby
b. The agony with his other children
1. Must have thought God was punishing him
c. And yet God loved David
1. A “man after my own heart”
2. God chose him to head the line of the Christ
3. Broken people appreciate God more
d. Let me show you three quick examples… three women
(Matthew 1:5-6)
(5) Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, (6) and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife.
5. Rahab (Matthew 1:5)
(5) Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,
-Matthew 1:5
a. Her story
b. Two things going against her
1. Not a Jew
2. A prostitute in Jericho
*Rahab the Harlot
c. Hid the two spies
d. Married a Jewish prince named Salmon
1. Had a son (great-great-grandson) named Boaz
2. The great-grandfather of King David
e. It doesn’t matter what you used to do
1. Jesus died for the prostitute in Jericho…and on S. Division
8. Ruth (Matthew 1:5)
(5) Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth,
-Matthew 1:5
a. What a marvelous story
b. A godly woman….from the wrong family
1. From Moab
a. The enemies of the Jews
2. The two daughters of Lot got him drunk and lay with him (incest) (Gen. 18:30-38)
(v.37) “And the first born bore a son and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.”
c. She was the grandmother of King David
d. No racial profiling with God
e. God loves you regardless of your family
9. Bathsheba (Matthew 1:6)
(6) and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife.
-Matthew 1:6
a. Matthew’s rubbing it in!
1. Could have said, “Solomon, whose mother was Bathsheba”
b. She was the babe that got mixed up with King David
1. “Uriah’s wife”
2. The Monica Lewinsky of the story
3. Committed adultery with King David
c. Hot tub on the roof
d. She became the mother of King Solomon
e. It doesn’t matter if you were conceived out of wedlock
1. Jesus died for pregnant teens and fatherless babies
IV. Summary
A. Things I’ve learned as a pastor
1. Wedding in the rain
2. Preaching on genealogies
B. What a genealogy
1. Not a single righteous person in the whole genealogy
2. Jesus came to save sinners
a. Questioned for eating with tax collectors and sinners
b. His answer
(Matthew 9:12-13) “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. (13) But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
c. Each of us is damaged in some way
C. Never too late to start over
1. No sin is too great for God
a. None too dirty
b. “For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
2. Has your salvation grown cold?
a. Don’t put it off
b. Rededication