Sunday’s advent message was called Everyone Has a Past, taken from Matthew 1:1-17. Here is a brief outline of the message:

I. Jesus’ birth is rooted in history
   A. The importance of genealogies (1 Chronicles 1-9)
   B. Establishes Jesus’ true humanity (Matt 1:1-16)

II. Jesus’ birth is rooted in God’s sovereignty
   A. The use of selective genealogies (cf. Genesis 5 & 11; Matthew 1:1,8,11)
   B. Three groups of fourteen generations (Matthew 1:17)

III. Jesus’ birth is rooted in God’s promises
   A. God’s promise to Abraham:
      – all nations will be blessed (Genesis 22:18; Gal 3:16)
   B. God’s promise to David:
      – a king will rule forever (2 Samuel 7:12-16)
   C. God’s promise to the exiles:
      – a child will be born (Isaiah 7:14, 9:6-9)

IV. Jesus’ birth is rooted in God’s grace
   A. Tamar: incest (Genesis 38:1-30)
   B. Rahab: prostitution (Joshua 2:1-24, 6:22-25)
   C. Ruth: from Moab (Deuteronomy 23:3-6; Ruth 1:1-7)
   D. Bathsheba: adultery and murder (1 Samuel 11:1-27)

Application: Everyone has a past. Your life is also rooted:
   – in history (Psalm 51:5; Romans 5:12)
   – in God’s sovereignty (Psalm 139:16; Acts 17:26)
   – in God’s promises (John 6:37; Acts 2:38-39)
   – in God’s grace (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:4-5)

Note: Click on the Sermons tab at the top of the blog for this and other messages.