In the presentation of Jesus Christ’s birth to the world the four Gospel writers penned it differently from each other. In two of the Gospels we find the genealogy of Jesus. Each gospel writer presents to us the beginning of his life in a different form.
Matthew presented Jesus as the King; therefore, he wrote a genealogy of his human lineage to show the beginning because a king must have the proper pedigree in order to lay claim to the throne.
Mark presented Christ as a servant, and since no one cares about the lineage of a servant there was no need to write of the genealogies or the beginnings of a servant.
Luke presents Jesus as the son of man because it is helpful to know where a man comes from. Luke tells us emphatically that Jesus was the only man in history to have been able to claim without equivocation that He had a right to the throne of Israel.
Both Joseph and Mary could trace their roots back to David, therefore the lines of genealogy are similar except from verses 23-31 of Luke 3.
It is there that the line changes in Luke’s account. Matthew traced the line of Joseph and Luke is tracing the line of Mary. Instead of tracing it through Solomon where there was a curse (Jeremiah 22:28-30) he traced the lineage back through Solomon’s brother Nathan, the un-cursed line! So, either way they traced it Jesus Christ was the rightful heir to the throne of Israel, if there was to be a throne given!
Jesus of Nazareth was the only person in history that could have been the king of Israel legally or spiritually! His origin that Luke traced out proved that he really was the King!
Luke presented him as the son of man and produced the genealogy of Mary, but John didn’t present him that way! John presented him as the Son of God!
When we open the Gospel of John we find these words…
John 1:1
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
His beginning was long before the event in Bethlehem. The birth in Bethlehem was the beginning of a new day, but it also was the ending. Remember, God is not just a God of beginnings, God is a finisher!
The Birth was the beginning of the redemptive plan of God. Until Jesus accomplished what He was sent to accomplish, which was to take away the sins of the world, there wasn’t anything or anyone that was going to stop it!
That’s why Paul wrote and said in Philippians 1:6
6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
The Writer of Hebrews wrote it like this in Hebrews 12:2
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.
The purpose of the birth was not just about the beginning, the birth of Jesus, but the whole thing was all about the finish. It was about fulfilling the purpose, and that purpose was the Cross!
Jesus said in John 12:27 – “this is the purpose for which I came.” I came to go to the Cross. My purpose in being born and the life I live is to die for the sins of the world.
Everything that Jesus did was to fulfill the purpose of Heaven. The purpose of Heaven was for Jesus to be offered up for you and for me.
When Jesus declared on the Cross that it was finished. It was finished. The sin of the world had forever been erased and cleansed by the blood of the Lamb. The bible tells us; “by one man we were brought into sin, and by one man and his sacrifice we were brought out of sin!” His beginning was as a baby, but His purpose was to finish the work that the law could not do. His purpose was seeking and saving that which was lost! The scripture tells us the he perfected us! Jesus finished the work, He fulfilled His purpose so that we can live out our purpose!
One man fulfilling His purpose, changed the world.
Whose world can you change by fulfilling yours?