As much of the world prepares once again to celebrate the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, I am awestruck by the wonderful record He has left us in the gospel of Matthew, called by some the most important document in the universe.

Matthew’s is the gospel which presents the Lord Jesus as the King, the legitimate ruler of Israel and the world.

It just occurred to me this morning how Matthew attests to this in so many ways just in his opening few chapters.  

He is like an expert attorney presenting evidence in court,  setting out the facts and giving us the history and the credentials of the Messiah, the promised Savior, future King of Israel and all the world.

But incredibly, he begins by presenting Joseph’s genealogy - which would actually disqualify Jesus from being the King!

Joseph’s genealogy puts him in David’s kingly line, but goes through David’s son Solomon and his descendant Jeconiah.  The bad king Jeconiah was so offensive that he was put under a curse that none of his descendants would sit on the throne (Jeremiah 22:30). 

So Joseph’s descendants would be disqualified!  Jesus could never be King of Israel if Joseph were His biological father.

But the end of the genealogy contains the words ‘ Joseph was the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ (Anointed One).’

And then Matthew goes on to present the virgin birth, fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 that a virgin would conceive and bear a son who would be called Immanuel, God With Us.

So the expert attorney, Matthew, gives us at the outset a fact –the Jeconiah connection - that every Jew would immediately seize on which would disqualify Jesus from ever being King.

And then Matthew proceeds to show how in fact Jesus actually is the true Messiah, entitled to the kingship,  the promised ‘seed of a woman’ prophesied in Genesis 3:15, the first prophecy of the virgin birth.   For God, not Joseph, is Jesus’ Father.

For the genealogy of Mary you have to go to Luke’s gospel chapter 3, and you will not find Jeconiah listed there, but you will find King David.

So Mary is also in the kingly line, and her family tree goes not through Solomon, but another of David’s sons – Nathan.  This avoids the curse on Solomon’s descendant, Jeconiah, and gives the Lord Jesus full entitlement to David’s throne.

Do you accept the virgin birth, dear reader?  The Bible teaches it, but many who call themselves Christians today do not believe it and apparently some seminaries and colleges  actually teach against it!

A friend of mine was once a member of a Baptist church and she was very upset at things there.  At one church meeting she asked the pastor publically:  ‘Do you believe in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ?’ 

He had to admit he did not.  He is no longer there.

Oh dear friends.  Jesus was born of a virgin, just as prophesied.  His birth was supernatural.  We have a supernatural Savior! 

And He wants all people everywhere to know Him.  Just imagine- the King of the whole universe has issued an open invitation to YOU to come to Him! 

Will you reply?  Will you accept His amazing grace in noticing each one of us?  Romans 10:13 tells us that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved (from Hell).  What a stupendous offer - free salvation, eternal life, forgiveness of all our sins!

And the Book of Revelation chapter 22:17 says that whoever desires, let him take of the water of life freely.

And the Lord Jesus Himself in the gospel of John chapter 6 verse 47 tells us the very simple fact that if we believe in Him, we HAVE eternal life!

How can anyone fail to put their trust in the Lord Jesus, Son of God, born of a virgin, executed in our place on the cross of Calvary? 

A prayer to consider carefully:  Lord Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God, born of a virgin, executed in my place to pay the penalty of all my sins. 

I believe You were buried and rose again on the third day.  I put my trust in You.  Please make me one of Your people.  Amen.

If you choose to churlishly reject King Jesus, you have lots of company.  Jesus told us that the way to Hell is broad and many choose to take that broad way (Matthew 7:13).

Note:  If you want to study (and we are all supposed to be studying the scriptures if we are followers of the Lord Jesus), you could try listening to Dr J. Vernon McGee’s ‘Through the Bible’ teaching, which is free to download, as is Chuck Smith’s Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa 2000 Bible teaching.  

• Alan adds: Our book, Cults and Isms; True or False? is packed with information to guide all believers through the labyrinth of lies which distract and divert all seekers after truth. For there is just ONE truth, ONE way to God and ONE Lord of all - The Lord Jesus Christ! The book is available in bulk for churches or from our webshop.