4. A Genuine Faith Matthew 1: (p )

Significance & Meaning ▲ On the world stage: ■ Copenhagen Climate Conference. ■ Economic indicators – will 2010 be... ok,... better,... worse ? ■ Conflicts and posturing on parliament hill. ▲ In our daily lives – careers, finances, responsibilities, hopes,... ▲ The Ultimate issues of Life – God, our lives, eternity.

1. Jesus ▲ The Culmination of a Long Story ■ Messiah (v 18) ● The “Anointed One” - tied him to the expectations from of old ■ Son of David (v 20) ● The great Davidic king (Ps 89:3; 1 Chr 17:11-14; Isa 11:1-5; Jer 23:5- 6) ● The son of Abraham (v 1) (Gen 12:1-3; 22:17-18) ■ The Son who saves from sin (v 21) ● God enacted liberation from the greatest oppressor of all – sin ■ The Son called “God with us” – Immanuel (v 23) ● The return of spiritual intimacy

2. Joseph ▲ A righteous man (v 19) ■ Betrayed and dishonoured by his betrothed wife (she was pregnant) ■ He had decided to divorce her quietly ▲ Instructions from the Lord (v 20) ■ Take Mary as your wife ■ Name the boy ● Naming the boy confirmed acceptance of him as a son ● The boy attains legal adoption into the line of David.

3. Genuine Faith ▲ When Joseph woke up he did what the angel commanded (v 24) ▲ This faithfulness has always been the basis of Intimacy with God ■ The women in Jesus’ genealogy: ● Tamar, a young Aramean widow, denied levirate marriage rights (Gen 38) ● Rahab, a Canaanite prostitute in Jericho (Josh 2) ● Ruth, a Moabite (cf. Deut 23:3] ● “Uriah’s wife” – a Hittite (?), commits adultery with David (2 Sam 11) ■ Not based on always doing/being right

3. Genuine Faith … ▲ No-one is barred from the presence of God – ■ “He will save his people from their sins” (v 21) ▲ All are invited... Each of us must choose to come