April 3, 2011
Scripture:
Scripture:
Ministry:
I’m looking at Romans 3:10; “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.” I want to also compare that verse “For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not” (Ecclesiates 7:20). I want to connect that with Luke 23:41: “this man hath done nothing amiss.” The human race has not a just man upon the earth; but this Man hath done nothing amiss.
Hymn 120 - The Father sent the Son
Prayer
Genesis 37:12-28
We’ve been talking about Joseph, the last of the six men we are looking at in Genesis. Last time, Joseph told his dreams to his father and his brothers. However, they didn’t like his dreams very much.
Joseph’s brothers had gone to feed their flocks in Shechem, Israel was wondering how the brothers were doing, so he called Joseph and sent him to check on his brothers and see how things were going.
When Joseph got to Shechem, he couldn’t find the brothers anywhere. As he was looking, a man asked him what he was looking for. Joseph said that he was looking for his brothers and their sheep. The man told Joseph that he had heard them saying that they were going to go to Dothan.
Joseph continued on to Dothan and found them there. As Joseph’s brothers were watching their flocks, they saw him coming and plotted among themselves to slay him. They said, “If we kill him, then what will become of his dreams.”
But Reuben didn’t like the idea. He suggested that they cast him into a pit nearby. His idea was that a little while later, he would come to the pit and send Joseph back to their father.
When Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his coat of many colours and threw him into the dry pit. A little while later, a band of Ishmaelites were passing by. These Ishmaelites were merchantmen, people that buy and sell things. Judah piped up and said, “What profit is it for us to kill our brother; why don’t we sell him to these Ishmaelites?” The other brothers agreed and they sold him to the Ismaelites.
We’ve seen five events involving Joseph in this chapter: sent him, saw him, slay him, stripped him, sold him. These are pictures of the Lord Jesus. For each of the events, we could find verses about the Lord Jesus. The story of Joseph is the most perfect picture of the Lord Jesus in the Bible.
Luke 3:23-38
One of our writers, Turpin, has an interesting insight on verse 22. He compares the two voices in this chapter. First we have the voice of John the Baptist, the voice crying in the wilderness (V.4). Then in verse 22 we have the Voice from Heaven. John’s voice was one of rebuke, while the other said, “You are my beloved Son, in you I am well pleased.” God looked down from heaven, and this was the only sinless person He saw. His statement wasn’t directed to the bystanders, but to His Son. He said, “Thou”, not “this”. He addressed the Word made flesh; the man—and claimed Him as His Son.
The Holy Spirit descended like a dove. What does the dove represent? The dove was the bird that brought back signs of life to Noah. It’s a picture of resurrection. We know that baptism speaks of death, but we must remember that it is not without resurrection. We don’t leave people under the water.
But didn’t Jesus, as God, already have the Spirit? Why did He need Him? This was a special filling, because He was just about to start His ministry.
Verse 23 says that Jesus was about thirty. Numbers 4:1-4. As a Levite , you had to be at least thirty years old to serve in the tabernacle. This is probably why Jesus started His ministry at thirty. This isn’t a principle for us today; we don’t tell people that they can’t take part until they’re thirty.
Hand-out # 1: The genealogy of Jesus Christ in Matthew 1: 1-17 establishes indisputably the fact that He is the true Son of David. There are many interesting and solemn features connected with the genealogy, but its main interest for our study is that it shows the descent from David the king (v. 6), to Joseph the son of David (vv. 16 and 20), and thence to Jesus Christ. The King has arrived as a little Babe and the Spirit of God in accurate and legal precision shows that the Babe is none other than the promised Seed of David (Isa. 9: 6-7 and Isa. 11: 1-10). Long centuries have elapsed since God made a covenant with David, a covenant which could not possibly be fulfilled in a mortal failing man, but the One has arrived in whom God’s purposes and covenant with David will eventually be fulfilled (2 Sam. 7). David is long since dead but his name is to be perpetuated in Jesus Christ, the Son of David. Note how the oft repeated term “begat” is dropped in verse 16 and is substituted with “of whom.” The change is to show that Jesus was not born of human generation. He was conceived in Mary’s womb by the power of the Holy Spirit of God (vv. 18-23).
**Hand-out # 2: **
Christ’s genealogy in Luke; the Last Adam.
It will be remarked that the genealogy of Christ is here traced, not to Abraham and David, that He should be the heir of the promises after the flesh, but to Adam; in order to exhibit the true Son of God a man on earth, where the first Adam lost his title, such as it was. The last Adam, the Son of God, was there, accepted of the Father, and preparing to take upon Himself the difficulties into which the sin and fall of the first Adam had brought those of his race who drew nigh to God under the influence of His grace.
The enemy was through sin in possession of the first Adam; and Jesus must gain the victory over Satan, if He would deliver those who are under his power. He must bind the strong man. To conquer him practically is the second part of the christian life. Joy in God, conflict with the enemy, make up the life of the redeemed, sealed with the Holy Ghost and walking by His power. In both these things the believer is with Jesus, and Jesus with him.
Each of the Gospels shows a different aspect of our Lord. Mark portrays Him as a servant, and therefore doesn’t need to include a genealogy. This is also the case with John, who shows Him as the Son of Gods. On the other hand, Matthew and Luke need to include a genealogy, because they represent the Lord as the King, the Son of David; and the Son of Man (respectively). In Matthew, there are forty-two generations, and in Luke there are seventy-five. Matthew only goes from Abraham to Jesus; while Luke goes from Jesus all the way back to Adam. The two records go in opposite directions, and Luke’s is Mary’s genealogy (Heli, or Eli, was apparently Mary’s father).
In Matthew’s genealogy; we have three women recorded, and each has something against her. Ruth was a Moabitess, and Rahab and Tamar were harlots. Then we also have the record of David’s sin. This shows us that there was grace all the way through; that’s the only way these things could be met. In spite of the low condition of man because of Adam’s sin, the second Adam came.
The fact that this whole genealogy - spanning almost four thousand years - is preserved from a historical time of poor records is amazing; but to the Jewish people, records were very important. It’s the genealogy of the only sinless Man that ever walked this earth; all the people from Adam to Joseph were sinners.
As we move on, we’ll start at the beginning of Christ’s ministry: His temptation.
Hymn 186 - One day
Prayer