Jesus’ family lineage reveals the…(1. Great Anticipation 2. Unmet Expectations 3. Better Ending)

       1. Great Anticipation (v. 6a)

“…and Jesse the father of David the king.”

       2. Unmet Expectations (v. 6b-10)

“And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah…” — Matthew 1:6-10

“There is, in other words, no pattern of righteousness in the lineage of Jesus. Adulterers, prostitutes, heroes, and Gentiles are all found in the genealogy from Abraham to David. We see that wicked kings fathered good kings, and good kings fathered wicked kings. Wicked Rehoboam (cf. 1 Kings 14: 21–31) and his wicked son Abijah (cf. 15: 1–7) had offspring who were good kings—Asa (cf. 15: 10–11) and Jehoshaphat cf. 22: 41–44). Their offspring was the wicked king Joram (cf. 2 Kings 8: 16–19).”  — Michael Wilkins

          3. Better Ending (v. 11)

“…and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.”  — Matthew 1:11

“And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?” — Matthew 12:23

“Good or evil (kings), they were part of the Messiah’s line; for though grace does not run in the blood, God’s providence cannot be deceived or outmaneuvered.” — D.A. Carson

TAKEAWAYS: What can we apply from today’s text?

* Does our anticipation line up with God’s heart?

“And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you.” — 1 Samuel 8:7-8

* Do we see the greater lesson in unmet expectations?

* Do we trust God to fulfill our deepest needs?

“There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.” – Isaiah 11:10