The Promise Fulfilled

Session 2: "The Promise Fulfilled: Christmas and the Faithfulness of God"

Guiding Verse:
“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.”
—Matthew 1:17

Introduction: The Long-Awaited Promise

• Begin by asking: What’s the longest you’ve ever waited for something you deeply desired?
• Highlight the story of Christmas as not just a moment in time but the culmination of centuries of waiting.
• God’s faithfulness through generations
• How many of you “faithfully” pray for your family (kids)
• How many of you had praying mommas, dads, g-ma’s, etc
• There are many verses that say this: Deut 7:9; Ps 100:5; Lam 3:22-23; Gal 4:4-5
• Gal 4:4-5 ⁴ But when the fullness of the time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under ^[f]the Law, ⁵ so that He might redeem those who were under ^[g]the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons and daughters.
• Discussion on how the birth of Jesus was to get you (saved and unsaved, vs 1) away from the “law”
• What law?
• Religion
• We should move from religion to relation (vs 5-7)
• Guiding Idea: God’s plan for salvation didn’t start with the manger; it was in motion long before, beginning with promises made to Abraham and continuing through generations, even through today.

1. God’s Promise to Abraham: A Blessing to All Nations

• Scripture: Genesis 12:2-3
  “And I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you… and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”
• You are all destined to be blessed
• God promised Abraham that through his descendants, the world would be blessed. This promise pointed to the coming of Jesus (birth).
• Key Point: Jesus, the Messiah, is the ultimate fulfillment of this promise, bringing salvation to all people, not just Israel.
• This was promised long before there was “Isreal” or even 12 tribes.
• Application: Just as God remained faithful to His promise to Abraham, He remains faithful to His promises to us today.

2. The Faithfulness of God Through Generations

• Scripture: Matthew 1:1-16 (summarized)
• The genealogy of Jesus shows how God worked through flawed individuals (e.g., Rahab, Ruth, and David) to bring about His perfect plan.
• Key Point: Even when humanity failed or wandered, God’s faithfulness never wavered. The promise endured through exile, hardship, and silence.
• Illustration: Thomas Edison and His Mother’s Faith
• When I was a boy, I struggled greatly in school. My teachers labeled me as “addled” and incapable of learning. One day, I came home with a letter from my teacher. My mother read it silently, tears welling up in her eyes. When I asked what it said, my mom replied, “The school says you are a genius, and they cannot teach you anymore. I will teach you at home.”

From that moment, my mom became my teacher, nurturing my curiosity and encouraging my love for tinkering and experimentation. She believed in me when no one else did, sacrificing time and resources to give me the education I needed.

The road wasn’t easy. I faced failure after failure in my experiments—thousands of attempts to invent something before I succeeded. But through it all, my mother’s unwavering faith in my potential remained a cornerstone of my confidence.

Later in life, I found the letter my teacher had written all those years ago. It didn’t say what my mother had told me. Instead, it said, “Your son is mentally ill and cannot be taught at this school.”

Thomas Edison reportedly wept when he realized the depth of his mother’s faith in him. She never gave up, and because of her belief, the world was changed forever.

Excerpt from the article “How my mother, Nancy Edison, invented the light bulb”.

Connection to God's Faithfulness:
Just as Nancy Edison never gave up on her son despite the world doubting his worth, God never gives up on His promises to us. He works through every setback, disappointment, and delay to bring His plans to fruition. His faith in His plan—and in us—is perfect and unwavering.

Takeaway for the Audience:
If human faithfulness can inspire someone to light up the world, imagine what God’s divine faithfulness can do in your life. Trust that His promises will come to pass, no matter how long or difficult the journey may seem.

• Application: When life feels uncertain, remember that God’s timing is perfect, and His promises will never fail. The birth of Christ, in part, is a reminder of this “promise fulfilled”.
• Fun filled facts
• Why does Matthew start with the lineage?
• Matthew’s Genealogy Summarizes the Story of the Bible

• The first 16 words in English (eight in Greek and Aramaic) summarize the entire story of the Bible so far. The story of the Bible can be understood by looking to key characters who carry the story along: Adam, Abraham, David, and Jesus.

• Matthew’s Genealogy reminds us that it is a true story from the “beginning of time”
• “Genealogy or Generation” in verse one is “ghen`-es-is” in Greek and “Bereshit” (beginning) in Aramaic
• A list of names. It’s an odd way to begin. But the list shows readers this isn’t a fairytale, but a true story. The New Testament doesn’t begin with “once upon a time,” but with a family tree.

• Matthew’s Genealogy Highlights Jesus’s Inclusive Family
  • Matthew’s genealogy also demonstrates that ancient texts deal with modern issues. Notice, for example, the women Matthew includes. In a patriarchal society, it’s surprising to include females at all. Even so, one might expect to see the matriarchs of the faith: Eve, Sarah, Rebekah, or Leah. But instead, Matthew includes less likely females who are (1) Gentiles, (2) have rough sexual pasts, (3) but are tenacious in their loyalty to God.
  • This speaks of the fact that the family of Jesus is not just for a chosen few but for all.
• Matthew’s Genealogy Shows Us God Is Faithful
  • Matthew’s genealogy isn’t primarily about the people in the genealogy, but about God. He carries along this family line despite their failures. He has been and will be faithful to his promises.
• Matthew’s Genealogy Displays Jesus as Our Only Hope
  • Matthew speaks into the darkness. There have been 400 years of silence (from Malachi to Matthew), and so the redemptive-historical context is ongoing exile.
  • In this whole list of names (42, 4 women – gentile or non-Israelite), we find two events: The birth of Jesus and the exile.
  • Matthew is pointing out that the only way out of darkeness/exile {the first event of the two mentioned) is Jesus (the second event mentioned).
  • Why is “14” mentioned in vs 17 three times?
    • Number 14 symbolizes salvation, deliverance, and divine perfection in the Bible. It appears prominently in Jesus' genealogy and the Passover celebration.
    • 14 is often interpreted as a double portion of completeness (2 x 7) – perfection personified

3. Christmas: The Fulfillment of God’s Plan

• Scripture: Luke 2:10-11
  “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
• The birth of Jesus is the fulfillment of the promise made to Abraham, David, and the prophets.
• Key Point: The manger was not just the start of Jesus' story; it was the culmination of God’s eternal plan for redemption.
• Illustration: The Fall of the Berlin Wall
• For nearly three decades, the Berlin Wall stood as a stark symbol of division—separating families, friends, and a nation. Built in 1961, it not only split East and West Berlin but represented the broader divide of the Cold War. Generations grew up under its shadow, longing for freedom and unity but wondering if it would ever come.

Over the years, small cracks of hope began to appear. Speeches like President Reagan’s famous “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” stirred hearts. Protests grew, and whispers of change spread. Still, for many, the idea of the wall coming down seemed like a distant dream.

Then, on November 9, 1989, the impossible happened. Under mounting pressure, the East German government announced that citizens could cross freely into the West. That night, thousands gathered at the wall with sledgehammers, chisels, and bare hands, tearing down the symbol of oppression and celebrating as the barriers crumbled.

Tears of joy, shouts of triumph, and emotional reunions followed. For those who had waited decades, the fulfillment of their hope was almost too incredible to believe. It was a moment of overwhelming joy and liberation that changed history forever.

Connection to God’s Faithfulness:
Like the fall of the Berlin Wall, the birth of Jesus Christ was the culmination of centuries of waiting and longing. Generations of God’s people had clung to the promise of a Savior who would break the barriers of sin and death. On that first Christmas, their hope was fulfilled, and the world was forever changed.

Takeaway for the Audience:
Just as those who lived to see the Berlin Wall fall rejoiced in the fulfillment of their long-held hopes, we can rejoice in the fulfillment of God’s promises. Whether it’s the promise of salvation through Jesus or His ongoing work in our lives, the waiting is never wasted, and the joy of fulfillment is always worth it.

4. What This Means for Us Today

• Guiding Idea: Just as God fulfilled His promises through Jesus, He will fulfill His promises in your life.
• Scripture: 2 Peter 3:9
  “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you.”
• Application:
• Trust that God’s timing is perfect.
• Remember that even when life feels chaotic or delayed, God is working behind the scenes to bring about His plan.
• Let Christmas be a reminder each year of God’s unwavering faithfulness.

Conclusion: A Living Reminder of God’s Faithfulness

• Close by reminding everyone that Christmas is not merely the story of a baby in a manger—
• it is the resounding declaration of a God who never forgets His promises.
• It’s the unfolding of a divine plan written in love, carried across generations, and fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ.
• Christmas is a reminder that the God who spoke to Abraham, David, and the prophets is the same God who is faithful to and will speak to you.
• It is the ultimate proof that His promises aren’t just for a chosen few but for all people—for you, for me, and for a world in desperate need of hope.

• Challenge: Reflect on the areas of your life where you need to trust in God’s timing and plan.

Closing Prayer:

Thank God for His faithfulness through generations and for the fulfillment of His promises in Christ. Ask for trust and patience as we wait for Him to fulfill His purposes in our lives.