TITLE: Design, Not Despair TEXT: Text: Matthew 1:1-17 THEME: The orderliness of Matthew's genealogy shows that God is in control and can use anybody for his purposes.

Matthew 1: This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham: 2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram,

Matthew 1: Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse,

Matthew 1: and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, 7 Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, 8 Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah,

Matthew 1: Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah,

Matthew 1: and Josiah the father of Jeconiah[c] and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. 12 After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 Zerubbabel the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor,

Matthew 1: Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Elihud, 15 Elihud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob,

Matthew 1: and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah. 17 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 Messiah.

Truth 1: God moves history forward in an orderly and purposeful way.

A. Matthew's point: God is in control; the genealogy is perfectly planned.

Genesis 17 God said to Abraham, ''I'm going to give you a son, and that son will have a son. And that son will have another son until someday far down the line the Savior of the world will be born, the Savior of all who believe in him."

Isaiah's 6 "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord."

Truth 1: God moves history forward in an orderly and purposeful way. A. Matthew's point: God is in control; the genealogy is perfectly planned. B. The genealogy is a demonstration of God's order and movement toward Christ.

Truth 2: God uses flawed humans as he carries history forward.

A. A List of some people He used.

Truth 2: God uses flawed humans as he carries history forward. A. A List of some people He used. B. Why did God use these people?

Truth 2: God uses flawed humans as he carries history forward. A. A List of some people He used. B. Why did God use these people? 1. He knew we'd be worriers, and he wants us to know he's in total control.

Truth 2: God uses flawed humans as he carries history forward. A. A List of some people He used. B. Why did God use these people? 1. He knew we'd be worriers, and he wants us to know he's in total control. 2. The proof is in the last name on the genealogy list: Jesus, the Christ.

Truth 2: God uses flawed humans as he carries history forward. A. A List of some people He used. B. Why did God use these people? C. How do we apply this to our own despair?

Truth 2: God uses flawed humans as he carries history forward. A. A List of some people He used. B. Why did God use these people? C. How do we apply this to our own despair? 1. The train may seem out of control, but the Engineer hasn't abandoned it.

Truth 2: God uses flawed humans as he carries history forward. A. A List of some people He used. B. Why did God use these people? C. How do we apply this to our own despair? 1. The train may seem out of control, but the Engineer hasn't abandoned it. 2. When we feel things are falling apart, we must remember this genealogy.

III. There are two comings of Christ, and God uses sinners to accomplish both. A. The Old Testament generations leading to his first coming were full of sinners.

III. There are two comings of Christ, and God uses sinners to accomplish both. A. The Old Testament generations leading to his first coming were full of sinners. B. Our present generation, leading to his second coming, is also full of sinners.

III. There are two comings of Christ, and God uses sinners to accomplish both. A. The Old Testament generations leading to his first coming were full of sinners. B. Our present generation, leading to his second coming, is also full of sinners. C. Christians hold a linear view of history in which God is working out a plan.

APPLICATION 1. No one when Jesus was going to be born knew it was happening, but in the perfection of God's timing, three by fourteen generations from Abraham, God did the job. In a similar way, no one knows when the second coming of Christ is coming. But is most certainly is coming in God's perfect time.

APPLICATION 2. If you are a child of God, never live in pessimism and despair. God knows where he's taking your life. God knows where he's taking your children's lives. God has a design.

APPLICATION 3. He knows what he's doing in your life, and he knows where he is taking you.