Rev. Dr. Mark Birkholz, pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in Oak Lawn, IL, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 1:1.
St. Matthew, a tax collector and one of the Twelve, wrote the Gospel account that bears his name. He writes concerning Jesus, the Christ, to tell us of His death and resurrection for our salvation. He particularly emphasizes Jesus as the fulfillment of the Old Testament and the bringer of God’s kingdom. This is seen already in the very first verse of the Gospel. Matthew begins by marking his account as a continuation of the history of God’s work for salvation as it is recorded in the Old Testament. The main actor in this account is Jesus, whose name means, “the LORD saves.” This Jesus is the Christ, the anointed one God had long promised to send. He is the son of David, the King who will reign over Israel and over all forever. He is the son of Abraham, the Offspring who will bring the blessing of salvation to all families on the earth. This is Jesus, the center of Matthew’s Gospel account.
“All Righteousness Fulfilled” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that digs into the Gospel according to St. Matthew. The first evangelist proclaims Jesus to Jews and Gentiles alike as the fulfillment of God’s saving words and acts throughout the Old Testament. As the Christ in the line of David and Abraham, Jesus is the promised King who comes to bring sinners from every nation to live under His gracious reign.
