In the opening verses of Matthew’s Gospel we find a genealogy that begins with the patriarch Abraham and runs through King David down to Joseph the legal father of Jesus. Matthew intends to show his Jewish readers that Jesus is indeed the royal heir to the throne of David. He is true pedigree. from the royal blood line. So humanly speaking, Jesus is clearly the Son of David. However, Matthew ls more concerned to show that Jesus is also the Son of God, the rightful heir to the throne over all things. It the genealogy were all that could he said about Christ then He may have had the legal right to be the King of Israel, but He could have never redeemed men. Notice how Matthew reveals Jesus. not just as David’s son, but as He truly is God’s Son.
Jesus is revealed the Son of God by the names given to Him!
Jesus – Joshua, “Jehovah is Salvation” (Matthew 1:1, Matthew 1:21)
Christ – “The anointed Messiah” (Matthew 1:1, Matthew 1:16)
Immanuel – “God with us!” (Matthew 1:23)
Jesus ls revealed the Son of God by the sign that accompanied Him, He ls born of a virgin!Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:18 NKJV)
By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. (1 John 4:2-3a NKJV)
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14 NKJV)And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel. (Genesis 3:15b NKJV)
Jesus ls revealed by those who obey God and step out of the shadows Into His purpose!
But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 1:20 NKJV)
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Why did the entire French village of Le Chambon shelter 5,000 Jews from the Nazis?
Scripture: Philippians 2:6-8 – “who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (English Bible Version)
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The Book of Proverbs is intensely practical and altogether relevant for today’s Christian. One of the great themes throughout Scripture and in particular the Book of Proverbs is the “heart.” Depending on the translation you read, the word ‘heart’ is mentioned at least 900 times and in Proverbs it is used over 50 times
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The Gift of the word of knowledge / Definition
The gift of the Word of Knowledge is divine revelation of certain facts in the mind of God that He imparts to believers so that we can know what God knows and respond accordingly.
General make up of the gift
These people have a thirst for the knowledge of God’s truth and it motivates them to studying and prayer to understand the Scriptures. However, more than just wanting head knowledge they desire God’s revelational knowledge of certain divine facts that when shared, imparts a clear sense of God’s will in to the situation.
Examples from the Bible
The prophet Elisha (2 Kings 6:12; 5:21)
The ministry of Jesus (John 1:47-48)
The apostle Peter (Acts 5; Acts 10)
Do you have the gift?
Do you have desire for the knowledge of God’s Word that motivates you to pray and study the Scriptures continually?
In studying God’s word have you found new insights and understanding, even when it comes to difficult subjects?
Do you have a strong prayer life and often sense God speaking to you during times of devotion and communion?
Do you desire to see people set free from sin and bondage and long for people to have a strong God-awareness in their life.
The Gift of discerning of spirits / Definition
The spiritual gift of discerning of spirits is the ability to perceive whether such things as people, events or beliefs are from God or Satan.
General make up of the gift
Those with the gift of discerning of spirits are acutely aware that there are two forces at work in the world today.. .the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness. They understand that Satan and his demons love to disguise themselves as angels of light and often use copies and counterfeits of God’s work to deceive people.
Examples from the Bible
Jesus (Matthew 4:1; Mark 1:5; 5:1-9)
Peter (Acts 5:1-10; 10:19)
Do you have the gift?
Do you feel a special responsibility to protect the truth of God’s Word by exposing error?
Do you love righteousness and hate sin?
Do you have a strong sense that if you yield to temptation it could open the door to Satan’s influence?
Do you often make a careful evaluation of someone or something that was said, that others did not see, but yet proved to be correct?
Scripture: I Corinthians 12:9-10 “…to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles..”
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The Gift of Faith / Definition
The gift of faith is the ability to envision what needs to be done and then to trust God to accomplish it even though it seems impossible to most people.
Different from…
Saving faith & the fruit of faith
Mark 11:22-23 – So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
General make up of people with the gift of faith
They believe the impossible is possible
They are convinced that God performs His Word
Great encouragement to the Body of Christ
People always borrow their faith
Examples from the Bible
The life of Jesus (Luke 22:42; 23:46)
The heroes of faith (Hebrews 11)
The life of Paul (Acts 27)
The gift of faith is given…
For the faithful not the faithless
At the moment we need it
In connection with God’s purpose
For others to borrow
Do you have the gift of faith?
Do you view obstacles as opportunities and trust God for the impossible?
Do you love to boast about the power of God?
Are you motivated by new ministries?
Do you get frustrated with people who say something can’t be done?
Do other believers come to you to borrow your faith?
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John 17:1-5 – Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should[a] give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.
Isaiah 53:10-12 – Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul,[a]and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.
Reproach has broken my heart and I am so sick. And I looked for sympathy, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none.
Isaiah 61:1 – The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners;
1. The People Who Knew Rejection
Jesus Luke 22:59-61 – After about an hour had passed, another man began to insist, saying, “Certainly this man also was with Him, for he is a Galilean too.” But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, “Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.”
Joseph Genesis 37:23-28 – So it came about, when Joseph reached his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the varicolored tunic that was on him; and they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, without any water in it. Then they sat down to eat a meal. And as they raised their eyes and looked, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing aromatic gum and balm and myrrh, on their way to bring them down to Egypt. Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it for us to kill our brother and cover up his blood? “Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. Then some Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled him up and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. Thus they brought Joseph into Egypt.
David 1Samuel 17:28-29 – Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger burned against David and he said, “Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your insolence and the wickedness of your heart; for you have come down in order to see the battle.” But David said, “What have I done now? Was it not just a question?”
1Samuel 18:6 – It happened as they were coming, when David returned from killing the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy and with musical instruments.
1Samuel 18:7-11 – The women sang as they played, and said, “Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands.” Then Saul became very angry, for this saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but to me they have ascribed thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?” Saul looked at David with suspicion from that day on. Now it came about on the next day that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he raved in the midst of the house, while David was playing the harp with his hand, as usual; and a spear was in Saul’s hand. Saul hurled the spear for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David escaped from his presence twice.
Psalms 142:4 – Look to the right and see; for there is no one who regards me; there is no escape for me; No one cares for my soul.
Psalms 6:6-7 – I am weary with my sighing; every night I make my bed swim, I dissolve my couch with my tears. My eye has wasted away with grief; it has become old because of all my adversaries.
2Samuel 19:4 – The king covered his face and cried out with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!”
Psalms 55:12-14 – For it is not an enemy who reproaches me, Then I could bear it; nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me, and then I could hide myself from him. But it is you, a man my equal, my companion and my familiar friend; we who had sweet fellowship together Walked in the house of God in the throng.
2. The Problem with Rejection
Psalms 55:4-7 – My heart is in anguish within me, And the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fear and trembling come upon me, And horror has overwhelmed me. I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. “Behold, I would wander far away, I would lodge in the wilderness. Selah.
3. The Pit of Rejection
1Samuel 30:6 – And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.
Psalms 3:1-6 – LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.
Psalms 55:22 – Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
Jeremiah 30:17 – For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.
Genesis 45:1-4 – Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried, “Have everyone go out from me.” So there was no man with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. He wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard of it. Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence. Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come closer to me.” And they came closer. And he said, “I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt.
Genesis 50:20 – “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.
Isaiah 53:3-5 – He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.
re: Psalms 69:20
