05-29-22 “Now Recruiting: The Holy Resistance”

Scripture   Ephesians 6:10-18

 

Ephesians 6:10-18
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
 
As a pastor, Attacks against me or my position have rarely, if ever come from external sources. Most attacks against the church and/or its leadership come from within. Satan uses those on the inside which is far easier and more effective than attacking the church or pastors with weapons outside the church.
          As a person, though, I can point to external forces that have affected my spiritual growth; still, the majority of my spiritual battle is from within…myself!
 
          With Paul, I preach Jesus crucified and risen from the dead. No sermon have I ever preached that is not based on scripture. Sometimes, contemporary stories or a drama best illustrate the scripture and its application to life. Sometimes, straight exegesis of the text is best. Today, let us just settle in with the text and see what it is saying to help us know Jesus crucified and risen from the dead.

 

Ephesians 6:10-18
Finally, (Paul gave a clear understanding of the gospel – what it means to believe in Jesus crucified and risen from the dead. He prayed for the believers. He gave instructions on how to live as a Christian, as the church and within our personal households. If we practice those things, he knows for a fact that we will be attacked and tells us what to do to be ready for those attacks.) be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. (Our power [mental, physical, or spiritual] is not enough to fight off the forces that will come against us. We can only be strong if we access the Lord Jesus and His mighty power – that is the power of creation, the power over disease, the power over the elements, the power over Satan.) 11 Put on the full armor of God (This may be the most important sentence in this entire passage of scripture. First, the armor of God does us no good if it sits on a shelf – the bible, prayer, worship, fellowship do no good if they are merely ideas instead of actions, if they are just platitudes instead of practices. Likewise, God’s armor does us no good if we don’t wear it. Secondly, wearing or using only parts of the armor do us little good as well. Paul is clear – put on the FULL ARMOUR OF GOD! Every part and piece is important and all parts work together to provide complete protection. Remove one part and you become vulnerable to the enemies attack! – WHY do we put on the full armor of God?...) so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. (Now we know who we are fighting – the Devil, and that he is always scheming against us. He is making plans to keep us as far away from God and his ways in our life as possible. WHY? Because he is the unequal but opposing force toward God. This world is where he is given permission to reign. At every point God enters the world, the Devil loses property and authority – He become less of an owner and less of a king. Wherever God finds entrance into a human being, Satan will doing everything and anything to stop God’s progress.) 12 For our struggle (the Greek for struggle refers to hand to hand combat – wrestling where there is trickery, cunningness, and strategy) is not against flesh and blood, (remember how I said that ‘few’ spiritual attacks are from external sources – the majority are from within) but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (the heavenly realms is not the best translation because it does not mean heaven – it means the expanse of the spiritual realm which is also within us! It is the reality where life encompasses our relation to God – and to the Devil) 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, (Notice the repeating emphasis for us to put on what part of the armor of God? The FULL armor of God! WHY?) so that when the day of evil comes, (WHEN that day comes – not IF) you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (Twice in this sentence and once earlier we have been told the goal of all this armor – so that we can stand. The person who has fallen, who is on the ground, is the person who has lost. Think of the boxer who gets knocked down, what is there sole desire at that point? To stand! If they don’t stand, the match is over and the one standing is proclaimed the victor! God wants us to be able to stand against the attacks of the Devil but also wants us to stand in victory to His glory! Here is that word again…) 14 Stand firm then, (we are now given the instructions of what each piece of armor is to put on so that we continue to stand firm.)
1)    with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, (The center piece that holds all the other pieces together. Without the belt everything else falls off. It is both God’s Truth in the Gospel = Jesus, and the soldiers resolve to live by the truth. Isaiah 11:5 Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.)
2)    with the breastplate of righteousness in place, (The breastplate rightly covers and protects the heart from which spring the actions of right living – or God’s righteousness living through us.)
3)    and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. (Undoubtably Paul had in mind Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!" It is our feet that moves our speech and actions through the world proclaiming the gospel of peace.)
4)    In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. (The Roman infantry shield protected the whole body – 4’x2.5’ constructed of leather stretched over wood reinforced with metal at the top and bottom. When soaked in water they were effective at stopping flaming arrows. When standing side by side with other soldiers, it became an impenetrable moving wall of defense.)
5)    Take the helmet of salvation (Again Paul draws from Isaiah 59:17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head. Salvation protects the brain – the seat of thought where we profess Jesus as Lord and receive salvation – the ultimate protection from any foreign invader. Salvation is a battle already won and is present both now and in the future.)
6)    and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Excalliber has nothing on this sword, for this sword is powered by the Holy Spirit of God! )
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
 
THE THREAT OF DANGER EXISTS
The moment you receive salvation you are fit for heaven but you are not fit for abundant life in this world – you are given a storehouse of weapons with instructions on how to use them, but unless you show up to exercises, field trials, and classroom instruction, you will never win your battles in this world – and that cannot be blamed on God who has already won the victory and not only given you His own weapons, but has given you himself to live in you and fight with you!
          The Devil, demons and evil are real. However, do not give them more credit than they are due. They bow to the smallest word spoken from God. Evil is a rebellion against God and the boundaries and values He has designed and designated for our lives. The Bible’s ethical teachings, like the 10 commandments mark those boundaries and values placed on parents, property, life itself, the use of our bodies, facts, and other people. Evil entices us to change those boundaries, however – Satan makes his ways look very similar to the ways of God. He entices us just slightly out of bounds so we barely realize that is where we are and then he redraws the boundary line and entices us just a little further until where we are and what we are doing looks nothing like God intended.

ILLUSTRATION
R. Scott Richards, in his book, “Myths the World Taught Me,”  describes a deadly example of misplaced sincerity.  In November of 1987, fooled by the wiles of a witch doctor, Alice Lakwena, a mob of some 700 anti-government rebels attempted to overtake a Ugandan army post and airstrip.  The attackers were armed with little more than their passion, and were bare-chested and covered in oil. Calling themselves the “Holy Spirit Movement,” they marched into a hail storm of bullets fired by the defending government forces. 
When all was said and done, some 200 rebels were dead and most of the rest were taken prisoner.  The witch doctor had convinced them that the oil they smeared on their bodies was a magical concoction that would protect them from bullets.  “The battle was lost before it had begun.  No one could fault the ‘Holy Spirit Movement’ for a lack of sincerity.  One must be a true believer to face live bullets half naked.  Sincere? Yes.  But wrong, dead wrong.”
 
          That is why we must pray and be alert wearing the full armor of God. The weapons are not designed to go after the devil. They are designed to resist him. The Devil has very little patience. When we stand firm in Christ and resist him – he runs away from us! James 4:7-8 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
 
SERMON TITLE: “Now Recruiting: The Holy Resistance”
RESISTANCE = the refusal to accept or comply with something; the attempt to prevent something by action or argument.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
 
Altar Call – “In Christ Alone”
No power of hell, no scheme of man / Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home / Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

05-22-22 “Graduation Friendships”

Scripture  Ecclesiastes 4:8-12
DRAMA: Eugene Buttrix – Graduation
 
In Elementary, Jr. High. And Sr. High School, I was a horrible academician. The fact that I can say, spell, and know the definition of academician suggests that at some point I determined to learn some stuff & such. My mother was a high school teacher in a different school district from where I went to school. The fact that I NEVER came home with home work or asked for help just didn’t seem to bother her all that much. My oldest brother Rick was very smart and got great grades. My other brother Phil did ok in school. But I was that kid who got passed on from year to year, but shouldn’t have.
As an adult I learned something about my mother’s view of education and life in general. She was a teacher who did not believe in giving homework, so she wasn’t worried about me not having much. More importantly, as an adult she told me that she never worried about me not doing well in school because I was able to get along with people. She figured anyone who can get along with people can always get a job. Most employers prefer the ability to work as a team over raw talent for the job. If a person is willing to learn and gets along with others, that is way more valuable than the most talented person who doesn’t try or doesn’t get along well with others.
 
Also, I discovered that an overwhelming majority of us have fewer friends (esp. close friends) as adults than we did when we were in school. That is one of the reasons I will enjoy my 45^th class reunion in a few weeks – it will be a time to connect again with friends from high school. As we get older we are so involved with work and raising a family that we have less time, energy and or interest in developing friendships.
 
Speaking of friendships and school; congratulations to all of those who have achieved academic success and graduated from an educational institution. It seems like many who achieve degrees beyond high school, often look at that high school graduation as most special. For those who are about to graduate high school, a fascinating thing is about to happen – you have been with people for the past 4 years up to the past 12 years and more if you add in kindergarten and preschool. Many of these people you consider friends. Except for social media, the day after you graduate, you will never see a majority of them again during the rest of your life.
          What does that say about friendship? At your 10-year reunion you will have forgotten the names and even faces of some of them. Others whom you have not seen for 10 years, it will be like you were with them just yesterday. A few may be your friends for life even if you no longer live in the same city. Bryan Hitch and I have not lived near each other for decades, but I know, and he knows, if some major life event happens and we want or need each other, we will be on the next flight to be there for each other.  Proverbs 17:17   A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

 

A DESCRIPTION OF FRIENDSHIP
                     We all need a cheerleader in our lives – someone who encourages us in our triumphs and lifts us up in our failures. Someone who will point us to Jesus!
1 Thessalonians 5:11 & 15
                     Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.
There was a cartoon in a newspaper once, and the first frame showed a thief that was wearing a mask, and his weapon was pointed toward a frightened victim. The next scene the robber is holding out a sack and saying, ''Give me all of your valuables!'' In the next scene the victim begins stuffing into the sack all of his friends.
How To Make Friends
Solomon said, Proverbs 18:24 ''A man who has friends must himself be friendly.'' The friendliest people do make the most friends. “I went out to find a friend, but could not find one there. I went out to be a friend, and there were friends everywhere!”
                     On this Graduation Sunday, let’s look at one person who learned the lesson about being a friend to others.
 
DRAMA: VIDEO  “Graduation 2022 Pledge and Anthem”
 
                     The following text is our about having friends in this physical material world. Listen to this description: Ecclesiastes 4:8-12
                     There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. "For whom am I toiling," he asked, "and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?" This too is meaningless — a miserable business!
                     9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: 10 If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
                     There is a spiritual realm that is of far greater importance and we make a choice there as to who our friend will be – Satan or God!  Consider what each has done for you. One is a deceiver and a liar and one is faithful and true. In fact listen to this description of what a great friend Jesus is.  John 15:13   Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.  Jesus has laid down his life for you.  And, John 15:15   I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

05-15-22 “From all out to all in”

Mark 10:31  But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

          Pastor Jeff will pray at the firemen’s memorial service this afternoon because he currently serves as the Oregon Fire Department Chaplain.
WHICH OF THESE IS TRUE ABOUT PASTOR JEFF?
1)    I used to serve as a hospital chaplain
2)    I used to serve as a horse race chaplain
3)    I used to serve as a police department chaplain
4)    I used to serve as a Coast Guard Reserves chaplain

 

SLIDE 2
Race Track Chaplain – tell that story as a lead in to the Kentucky Derby Video.
 
VIDEO: Rich Strike 1 (I will give obvious cue to start) 
 
PRAYER
EXAMPLES OF ‘From ALL OUT to ALL IN’
 
Gideon versus the Midianites
Can you identify with Gideon?  He would seem to be the least likely to be chosen by God to lead Israel out of their afflictions with the Midianites.  The Midianites would wait till the very moment the harvest was ripe and come down out of the mountains and steal all Israel’s harvest food!  It was devastating to the nation because the Midianites looted many of the livestock too so they were often hungry and living in constant fear of being invaded.  It was under these circumstances where God spoke to Gideon, “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor” (Judge 6:12).  You have to wonder if Gideon looked over his shoulder and thought, “Who me?”  I say this because later Gideon says to God, “how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house” (Judges 6:15) but God reassures Gideon, “I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man” (Judges 6:16).  That’s the whole idea of God using the underdog; He receives the glory.  This was the reason that Gideon’s 300, composed of inexperienced and untrained farmers and ranchers were able to overcome the thousands of skilled, trained veteran armed forces of the Midianites.
          Gideon was a military “ALL OUT” about whom trained soldiers would have laughed. Yet, with God working through him, he won one of history’s most amazing battles ever. 32,000 down to 10,000 down to 300. (3 groups of 100 = 300 jars smashed, 300 trumpets sounded, 300 torches raised – the Midianites were so confused that they began to kill each other) All Out Gideon flew to the head of the line as one who became all in.
David versus Goliath
Everyone thought David was insane to fight Goliath.  David was a kid, a shepherd, a musician. It must have seemed incredible to those who were watching David take on a giant of man; a seasoned warrior who was as fully equipped as they lined-up for battle that day because the Philistines had the ability to make ironworks like, iron shields, armor, and spears and Goliath the Giant had them all.  The Philistine forces that observed David taking on Goliath must have thought, “It’s over…Goliath can’t lose.”  Perhaps even King Saul thought that too as well as most of the Israelite forces, however, little ALL OUT David seemed to know something the others didn’t. He knew God was with him and would fight for him.  David pleaded with King Saul and said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine” so “Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you” (1 Sam 17:37). When the time came, “David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.  This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head” (1 Sam 17:45-46a).  God did deliver Goliath into David’s hand but He also delivered Israel out of the Philistines.
 
1 Corinthians 1:26-31
Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things — and the things that are not — to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God — that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.   Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." Like David, like Gideon, and like Paul.
 
Before we look at him, hear what God does for those who know they are all out and those who believe they are all in by their own merit. Luke 18:9-14 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men — robbers, evildoers, adulterers — or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
 
The Apostle Paul understood going from all out to all in    (TELL HIS STORY)
2 Corinthians 12:9-10  But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
 
The great Apostle Paul, the mighty warrior David, the superior military commander Gideon – all who started out at the back of the pack with the least odds of winning ended up crossing the finish line enveloped in the power and glory of God.
 
Hebrews 11:32-40
And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
 
2 Timothy 4:7-8  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day — and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
 
Hebrews 12:1-3  Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
 
CONCLUSION
2 Kings 6:11-17
The king of Aram was furious with Israel and with the prophet Elisha. He surrounded the city of Dothan where Elisha was and was ready to take them all by force…Elisha’s servant came to him in fear when he saw they were outnumbered. When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. "Oh, my lord, what shall we do?" the servant asked. "Don't be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." And Elisha prayed, "O Lord, open his eyes so he may see." Then the Lord opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
 
SCRIPTURE ABOUT THE CONFIDENT HORSE
Job 39:19-25
19 Do you give the horse his strength or clothe his neck with a flowing mane?
20 Do you make him leap like a locust, striking terror with his proud snorting?
21 He paws fiercely, rejoicing in his strength, and charges into the fray.
22 He laughs at fear, afraid of nothing; he does not shy away from the sword.
23 The quiver rattles against his side, along with the flashing spear and lance.
24 In frenzied excitement he eats up the ground; he cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds.
25 At the blast of the trumpet he snorts, 'Aha!'
     He catches the scent of battle from afar, the shout of commanders and the battle cry.
Watch this battle from a better view point and the way this horse moves is sometimes the way God works in us weaving us through the world to accomplish his purpose and end up victorious for him when no one thought we could do it!
VIDEO – Rich Strike 2
 
THE WHITE HORSE
Revelation 19:11-16
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war.   His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
 
SONG: “Whom Shal I Fear?” (God of Angel Armies)

05-08-22 “Jesus is ‘all in’ for mothers.”

Scripture   John 19:25-27

Stuff Jesus said to his mother:
1)     Luke 2:48-52     [At age 12 – Parents left Jesus in Jerusalem]   Mary said to Jesus, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you." "Why were you searching for me? Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?"   But they did not understand what he was saying to them. Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.
          At age 12 is when kids begin to know everything and parents become annoying to kids. Though Jesus likely didn’t mean it that way, it would appear to the onlooker like this is a typical parent/child relationship with a 12 year old. The strong will child stays behind even when he knows his parents are leaving – then he gives them an excuse as to why he did it.
          Each of these 3 conversations with his mother reveal a change in their relationship just like we all have. When I was a child of a single mom, she was the provider and care giver and authority. When I was a teenager she was the one who provided shelter but whom I spent little time with. As an adult I loved going golfing, boating and to going to starbucks  - I loved spending time with my mom at that age.
          No different for Jesus – at 12 he was asserting his independence. Let’s see how that relationship changed when he had become a man.
 
2)     John 2:3-5     [Wedding in Cana]   When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine." Jesus replied, "Dear woman, why do you involve me? My time has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." – Jesus then turned water into wine – Not only did Jesus do what she asked – it was the type of miracle he never did again. Other miracles were for healing or hunger – not for luxuries such as wine. By the way she says it, it doesn’t sound like she was thinking he could go down to the 7/11 and get a box of wine but she knew he could do something miraculous. What miracles had he been doing that are not recorded? Possibly, Mary may be the only one capable of answering that question because of how close they were and Jesus checking His identity with the person he is closest to in the world – his mother, Mary! – And just like leaving with his mother at age 12 – he leaves with her this time as well - John 2:12  After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples.
          This is now that relationship between mother and child where she knows what he can do and encourages him to be his very best and even though Jesus doesn’t think it is the right time, for his mom, he does it anyway.  The third conversation will show another sign of change and growth in their relationship. Before we get to that conversation and observation, let’s look at some other unique mom’s in scripture. They hold a very special place in history that no other women share. They are in the list of the genealogy of Jesus Christ.
 
          How many women should be listed in Jesus genealogy? -0-
Listing women in a genealogy was unheard of in the Greco-Roman culture of the first century.  Women were not to be treated with such respect and honor.  Their names should have been left off entirely.  After all, in a patriarchal society like theirs, women were seen to be so untrustworthy that they would not have even been allowed to testify in a court of law!  Therefore, to list women on a public document like a genealogy would have been a disgrace……….But not for Jesus!  
          How many women are listed in Jesus genealogy? -5-
These 5 are the only 5 listed and are therefore, unique, but each is unique in their own right.
 
5 Mothers in the genealogy of Jesus Christ:
In Matthew 1:1-17 there are five women that are listed.  All five of them are mothers.
The first is a woman named Tamar, followed a few generations down with Rahab, followed by Ruth, next is Bathsheba, and of course the Mother of Jesus, Mary. The first 4 are Old testament moms and only Mary makes the list from the New testament period.
 
Consider their being listed in Christ’s genealogy at all.  This would have been radical to the original readers of Matthew’s Gospel! 
This simple mention is an undeniable demonstration of the honor that women (in this case - mothers) were (and are!) given by Christ.  This shouldn’t be a complete surprise because Jesus aways honored women in the midst of this very patriarchal society. Women were listed as the first to know that Jesus was risen from the dead.  
The genealogical record becomes even more radical in nature when considering who these women were.  Two of these mothers, Ruth and Rahab, were from pagan religions and seen as religious outsiders in their culture.  Tamar was an incest survivor, Rahab a prostitute, and Bathsheba committed adultery with David—all moral outsiders.  Even Jesus’ own mother Mary would have been ostracized as a pregnant unwed mother.  She was a social outsider.
 
 
Rahab was the prostitute from Jericho who hid the Israelite spies. Look at who she was and what she did. She was a known prostitute, the Israelite men went to her apartment for housing in Jericho. But when authorities came looking for them, she hid them on the roof, then she lied to the authorities, then she told the spies the history of Israel, then she gave them intelligence about her own people, then she told them how to escape and helped them do that, she brokered a deal for her and her family’s safety and she proclaimed that their God was the true God of heaven. When Israel came to take Jericho, the sign in her window to protect her family from death and save them was a scarlet cord. Neither she nor the spies knew that they were symbolizing a foreshadowing of the protection and saving grace of Jesus Christ. She and her family integrated as part of the Israelite people and she married an Israelite named Salmon. That could have been the end of her story but it was not. She gave birth to a son named Boaz who became a farmer and was related to a woman named Naomi. And so, Rahab, the most unlikely of all women, is the 2^nd woman/mother to be listed in the genealogy of Jesus.
Naomi leaves Israel during a famine and her sons marry foreign women in Moab. Her husband and both sons die and she returns home to Israel encouraging her daughter’s in law to stay in their land, but Ruth insists on going back with her and making Naomi’s people and God her people and God. So that these single-jobless women will have food, Ruth goes to gather leftovers in the fields of none-other…than Boaz; son of Rahab. Boaz falls in love and marries Ruth and she gives birth to Obed who will become the father of Jesse, grandfather of King David and be listed as the 3^rd woman/mother in the genealogy of Jesus.
Speaking of David, he notices a married woman, Bathsheba, bathing on her roof and they have an affair and she gets pregnant. Unable to cover it up by trying to convince her husband to be intimate with her and therefore believe the child is his, David ends up having him killed in battle then they get married, and the child is born but soon dies. Later, Bathsheba gives birth to Solomon who would follow David on the throne of Israel. Therefore, Solomon’s mother, Bathsheba is the 4^th woman/mother listed in the genealogy of Jesus.
We listed numbers 2, 3, and 4 who were all within a few generations of each other. It would be more than 900 years before the next and final mother is listed in Jesus genealogy. But what about the first one mentioned. Judah (a son of Jacob) had 3 sons and had his first son marry a woman named Tamar. That son was wicked and died so Judah told his second son to get Tamar pregnant and he was wicked as well and died. Judah’s 3^rd son would have to grow up before he could take his brother’s place with Tamar and she went home to wait til he was old enough. Impatient, she heard that Judah, her father-in-law, was coming to town so she dressed up as a prostitute, Judah took the bait and was intimate with her. For a pledge of payment he gave her some of his belongings. She became pregnant by Judah and several months later when he heard that Tamar acted as a prostitute and got pregnant he summoned her to be killed and she said the man who did this gave me these as a pledge. Judah realized he was the father and didn’t have her killed. She gave birth to twins and during birth, one stuck out his hand so the midwife tied a cord on his hand and the other son was born first but the one with the cord would be considered the first born. The color of that cord tied around his wrist showing he had rights of a first born – SCARLET. This woman who pretended to be a prostitute to get pregnant by her father-in-law is the very first – of 5 – woman/mother to be listed in the genealogy of Jesus.
That brings us to the 5^th, final and only New Testament woman/mother listed in Jesus genealogy. Comparing her to the first two, she had never even been intimate with a man when she gave birth to her first child. Her name was Mary. In fact, the other 4 are listed by who they are a mother of after the Father is listed first. In this case it says: “Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus” Not only is this woman/mother mentioned in this list, she is given  a preferential listing which makes since in that Joseph is not the actual father of Jesus. She is the mother who would be witness to what the scarlet cord symbolism pointed too when her son would be crucified on a cross for the sins of the world.
 
That brings us back to our 3^rd conversation Jesus had with Mary. It takes place as he is dying on that cross.
 
3)     John 19:25-27     Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister (his aunt), Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, John took Mary into his own home.
 
          The world attacked the son of man and Satan attacked the son of God with his full might. The son of God was allowing Satan’s attack through mocking, whipping, beating, spitting, a crown of thorns, being nailed to the cross and being crucified. Receiving all that wicked punishment as he was dying for all people who would ever be born, in the midst of that, he was still the son of man, taking care of the one person who meant more to him than any other in this world – his mother Mary. Jesus can barely breath or speak through the pain, yet he utters those tender words to make sure his mother is cared for once he is gone.
 
          Is God, is the Holy Spirit, is Jesus ALL IN for mothers? Just look how Jesus honors his mother in all 3 conversations and add to that the astounding list of mothers in the genealogy of Jesus, and there is no doubt that God has an immense amount of love, mercy and grace He desires to pour out on women, and particularly to mothers.
          Moms - Have you recently been knocked down by your own short comings or that of those around you – then realize today that you can sing: Taking my sin, my cross, my shame - Rising again I bless Your name - You are my all in all. When I fall down, You pick me up - When I am dry You fill my cup - You are my all in all!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Matthew 1:1-17
A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ 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
Jesse the father of King David.
 
David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah's wife (Bathsheba)
Solomon the father of Rehoboam
Rehoboam the father of Abijah
Abijah the father of Asa
Asa the father of Jehoshaphat
Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram
Jehoram the father of Uzziah
Uzziah the father of Jotham
Jotham the father of Ahaz
Ahaz the father of Hezekiah
Hezekiah the father of Manasseh
Manasseh the father of Amon
Amon the father of Josiah,
Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.
 
After the exile to Babylon:
Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel
Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel
Zerubbabel the father of Abiud
Abiud the father of Eliakim
Eliakim the father of Azor
Azor the father of Zadok
Zadok the father of Akim
Akim the father of Eliud
Eliud the father of Eleazar
Eleazar the father of Matthan
Matthan the father of Jacob
Jacob the father of Joseph
Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
 
Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David
 fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon,
and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.