The Ultimate New Normal
Matthew 1:1-17
December 6, 2020
Abraham Hong
Sermon Script
Many people are looking forward to the end of the coronavirus pandemic. And many people wonder what life will look like when we return to a new normal. Will we go back to school or back to work like before? Will people treat one another better or worse? Will there be movie theaters? Will Highland be able to resume summer volleyball? So many things changed this year. And so many things will be forever changed after this year.
But those of us who are in Christ are not too focused or worried about the new normal that may come in 2021. And the reason why is because we are already living with and we are already preparing for the ultimate new normal.
The book of Matthew begins with a genealogy of Jesus Christ. And the Holy Spirit uses this genealogy in a mind-blowing way to show us that the ultimate new normal has arrived. Look at the way that Matthew begins. It says, “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ….” This is very special and unique language. This language appears in the book of Genesis and God’s creation of Adam. Genesis 5:1 reads, “This is the book of the generations of Adam.” The Holy Spirit makes this connection to show us that the incarnation of Jesus Christ is the beginning of a new creation. It is as if Matthew is indirectly saying to us that something similar to what took place in the beginning of creation is now occurring, something massive and jaw-dropping, something that has never happened since the beginning of time, something new. Adam was a big deal. Jesus is the ultimate big deal. The arrival of Jesus changes everything in history. He is the start of an ultimate new normal. He is the start of a new creation.
There’s more. Look also at how Matthew accents the fact that there are fourteen generations in each of the three sections of the genealogy. It says, “So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.” This is very meaningful and theological math. If you think of every chunk of fourteen generations as two chunks of seven generations, then the entire genealogy turns out to be six chunks of seven generations. And this should remind us again about Genesis and how God created everything in the space of six days how he rested on the seventh day. The Holy Spirit again makes this connection to show us that the incarnation of Jesus Christ is the beginning of a new creation. It is as if Matthew is indirectly saying to us that just as the Lord created everything in six days and then rested on the seventh day, the Lord prepared for his arrival in six times seven generations and then he came perfectly in the fullness of time to mark a new generation and provide eschatological rest from sin and from death. The first creation of Jesus was a big deal. The new creation of Jesus is the ultimate big deal. Jesus completes everything by turning six sevens into seven sevens. All of redemptive history culminates to him. The arrival of Jesus changes everything in history. He is the start of an ultimate new normal. He is the start of a new creation.
And there’s even more. Look also at how Matthew tells us who Jesus is. It says, “…and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.” This is a very majestic and glorious title. The title “Christ” means “anointed one.” In the Old Testament, when kings were chosen to serve, they would be marked with the pouring of oil upon them. That was what it meant to be anointed. Jesus is the ultimate king who was anointed to do the work of salvation. And he came to accomplish a mission. Jesus did not come to be a king. He already is the king. Jesus is God. Jesus did not come to be a king. Jesus came to obey the commands of his law for us. Jesus came to suffer and be crucified on a cross for us. Jesus came to die for our sins on our behalf. Jesus came to resurrect from the dead and conquer death for us. You see, new creation required hard work. Jesus is the Christ who came to save us with his work of salvation. And he did his work with great love. Jesus was marked for you. You were his mission. He came to serve you. And so, with his perfect obedience and with his humiliation and death, Jesus is the start of an ultimate new normal. With his body and his blood and with his love, Jesus is the start of a new creation.
All of this means that the arrival of Jesus is really exciting. And by “arrival” I mean everything about Jesus: his incarnation, his life, his death, his resurrection, his ascension, his return. All of this is in one sense a singular super-event of the arrival of Christ Jesus. The arrival of Jesus is really exciting. He is the one that we have all been waiting for. He is the one who was promised. He is the one who was foreshadowed. He is the one who was hoped for and longed for.
Consider the names and the stories that are a part of this epic genealogy.
There is Abraham, the first name that marks the first section. The Lord promised to Abraham that an offspring would come from his family and that this offspring would become a blessing to all the nations. The cool thing is that the offspring would be the Lord himself. This is why Matthew calls Jesus Christ the son of Abraham. And so when the Lord tested Abraham and when Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son, when Abraham, in offering up his one and only son Isaac, considered that the Lord was able even to raise him from the dead, Abraham had faith and hope and love in the promise of the Lord of resurrection. Abraham believed in the ultimate new normal that was to come. Abraham believed in the new creation that would come from Christ Jesus.
There is David, the first name that marks the second section of this epic genealogy. The Lord promised to David that an offspring would come from his family and that this offspring would become an everlasting King of kings upon his throne. The cool thing is that the offspring would be the Lord himself. This is why Matthew calls Jesus Christ the son of David. And so when the Lord anointed David and when David responded to the blasphemous taunting of the champion of the Philistines, when David enforced the Word of God and executed the Law of God and maintained the honor of God, when David opened his mouth and declared that the promise of Genesis 3:15 cannot be broken and that the covenant of grace was still on, David had faith and hope and love in the promise of the Lord who reigns forever. David believed in the ultimate new normal that was to come. David believed in the new creation that would come from Christ Jesus.
There is everyone after the deportation to Babylon, everyone who remembered the fall and exile of Jerusalem, the first that marks the third section of this epic genealogy. The Lord promised to the exiles that an offspring would come from the royal family line of Abraham and David and that this offspring would suffer and die in order to save sinners from sin and eternal death. The cool thing is that the offspring would be the Lord himself. Jesus is the son of David, the son of Abraham. And so the babies and infants and children who lost their parents and grew up as orphans - they were called to remember that the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. The women who were raped and the men who were enslaved were called to remember that the mercies of the Lord never come to an end, that they are new every morning, that his faithfulness is great. The elderly who remembered the glorious first temple and wept before the lesser restored temple were called to remember that the Lord is their portion and called to hope in him. And so as they waited, the saints of old had faith and hope and love in the promise of the Lord. The saints of old believed in the ultimate new normal that was to come. The saints of old believed in the new creation that would come from Christ Jesus.
Abraham, David, the saints of old after the deportation to Babylon, and many, many more - they knew how exciting the covenant of grace really is. It is exciting to be able to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4). It is exciting for you to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:24). It is exciting to hear the one who is seated on the throne say, “Behold, I am making all things new” (Revelation 21:5).
Dear Highland, what are you looking forward to? What excites you the most?
It is easy to get excited about things that are new or game-changing. It is exciting to see the rise of new and promising technologies such as electric vehicles and messenger RNA treatments. It is exciting to wait for your star fantasy football or basketball player come back from injury and make a difference again in your lineup. It is exciting to get married and have kids. It is exciting to buy and receive gifts for Christmas. In other words, it is easy to get excited about the small new normal things or moments in our earthly lives.
But dear Highland, remember the ultimate new normal that you have now. Remember the ultimate new normal that you will have soon. We the church are most excited about Jesus. His salvation. His love. His story. His kingdom that is coming. No amount of impact from Tesla or Moderna can compare with Jesus. No amount of threes from James Harden or triple doubles from Luka Doncic or blocks from Alex Caruso can compare with Jesus. No amount of love from your spouse or joy from you kids can compare with Jesus. No amount of Christmas gifts can compare with Jesus. Wake up, Highland. You already have the ultimate new normal. You possess the new heavens and the new earth. You have victory over sin and death. You are loved by the one who matters the most in this entire universe. You are a new creation in Christ Jesus. There is nothing better than this new normal.
Nobody knows exactly what life will look like after this coronavirus pandemic. But we who are in Christ know what life will look like after Jesus comes back. So many things will be forever changed. As we get through this month of December, let us remember the ultimate new normal that we have in Christ.
Soli Deo Gloria