This is a slide telling the story of a tax collector - Matthew. Who was called, undeserving, to follow Christ and start anew.
Why We Need Christmas - PPT By Sean Si
4. This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of
David, the son of Abraham:
Abraham was the father of Isaac,
Isaac the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,
Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was
Tamar,
Perez the father of Hezron,
Hezron the father of Ram,
Ram the father of Amminadab,
Amminadab the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon,
Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,
Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth,
Obed the father of Jesse,
and Jesse the father of King David.
David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been
Uriah’s wife,
- Matthew 1:1-6
5. It includes 4 very unpopular women:
Tamar
Rahab
Ruth
Solomon’s Mother
6. Two categories of unclean people:
"While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's
house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came
and ate with him and his disciples."
- Matthew 9:10
"Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all
gathering around to hear him."
- Luke 15:1
"When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his
disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax
collectors and 'sinners'?"
- Matthew 9:11
7. Two categories of unclean people:
"While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's
house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came
and ate with him and his disciples."
- Matthew 9:10
"Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all
gathering around to hear him."
- Luke 15:1
"When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his
disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax
collectors and 'sinners'?"
- Matthew 9:11
10. Why We Need Christmas
"As Jesus went on from there, he saw
a man named Matthew sitting at the
tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he
told him, and Matthew got up and
followed him. "
- Matthew 9:9
23. Why We Need Christmas
"And when he had given thanks, he
broke it and said, "This is my
body, which is for you; do this in
remembrance of me."
- 1 Corinthians 11:24
24. Why We Need Christmas
"In the same way, after supper he
took the cup, saying, "This cup is the
new covenant in my blood; do
this, whenever you drink it, in
remembrance of me."
- 1 Corinthians 11:25
Good evening everyone, I’m here tonight to speak to you about why we needed Christmas. This messaged was derived from Andy Stanley’s series “an unexpected Christmas” entitled “Guest list”I have a question for you guys tonight: Who among you here is an IT professional – raise your hands.Who is an accountant?Howbout a manager? Any managers in the house?Who’s a businessman/woman?Howbout a Tax collector? None? No tax collectors? That’s sad…
In history, the ones who recorded events and dates and wrote the stories altogether were mostly people who were hired to write about it. They were called Scribes.
They were employed by generals, kings, queens -powerful people. Because they were the only ones who had the excess money to afford them. Of course, hiring a scribe to write your history comes with a special perk. And the perk is: You can SUGGEST things. You can suggest that they downplay your defeats and shameful moments or erase it altogether. You can also suggest to exaggerate and heroize specific moments of triumph and greatness.Of course, if the Scribe believes in his or her employer, the scribe would have no qualms in writing his employer’s ‘history’.Let's look at Jesus' history as written by Matthew.
Notice in this Chapter, in this part of the genealogy of Jesus,
Tamar – the daughter-in law of Judah who bore him sons. She was a deceiverRahab – the HarlotRuth – the MoabiteSolomon’s mother who HAD BEEN Uriah’s wifeNow why did Matthew had to write about them? Wouldn't you be writing all the good stuff when you want someone to look good? I mean, this is the Savior and Messiah Jesus Christ we're talking about!
Sinners and Tax collectors - that's how bad tax collectors were. They had their own category. They were considered traitors to their own nation because they were collecting tax for Rome. And as long as the Romans were happy with the tax, they can add any amount of surcharge they wanted for their tax collecting.Knowing this, obviously, Tax collectors have no other friendsAnd from that, we can conclude that Tax collectors know the extent of their 'sinfulness' in people's eyes.
Was a Tax Collector.Just a disclaimer, for those who don’t know me: I'm not a tax collector okay? I'm not with the BIR.
"As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. " - Matthew 9:9
"Repent you... tax collector?“No. Jesus looked him in the eye, smiled kindly at him perhaps and told him two simple words:
"Follow me.“Without any second thought, Matthew got up and followed him.Matthew did not deserve to be even in the presence of God and yet God went to him, looked him in the eye and told him point blank 'Follow me'Let me ask you something: Have you Ever had that experience? Maybe you didn't see God in the flesh asking you to follow Him. But He has. Someway, somehow He told it to you in a different light - that's why you're here. That’s why we’re all hereAnd that, for Matthew is what Christmas is all about. Being found in sin and being called to a new life of following Christ – undeserving.We will never be good enough but His grace covers all that up.
Christmas is the story of grace. It's the story of sinners, of tax collectors, of redemption, of sacrifice and of love. Christmas is the story of God in its best. This is why we needed Christmas. We need a story that can help us remember– God - and what He did in this Earth 2,000 years ago for tax collectors and sinners. For guys like Matthew and girls like Rahab and mothers like Bathsheba. For people like me and people like you.
Remember Christ. Because you and I are the likes of Matthew. We are called, undeserving as we are, to follow Him. That is what Christmas is all about.Let’s pray.