To convince his readers that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of David and the Son of Abraham, Matthew starts his Gospel with a genealogy. As Son of Abraham Jesus would fulfill the promise God made to Abraham that 'in his seed all the families of the earth would be blessed and be a blessing to the nations. As Son of David Jesus' throne and his kingdom would be established for ever before the Lord. Matthew doesn't just show us Jesus truly existed. By revealing from the outside his identity, Matthew sets Jesus in the context of what God had been doing for His people from the earliest days. This list then reveals to us some of the character of God.  In the length of time 'generations' we see God's patient faithfulness. In the inclusion of 5 women some of scandalous reputation we see God's gracious forgiving love. The Gospel is for sinners.

Many believe this Psalm to have been written in response or to commemorate the return of the Ark of the Covenant under king David. The Psalm praises the one who arrives as Elohim and Yhwh, the supreme deity as well as the personal God of Israel. This King of Glory, of surpassing beauty and importance once again dwells through the ark amongst His people. If that is not astonishing enough the Psalm also proclaims that those with clean hands and a pure heart may ascend and enjoy the presence of this awesome God. And with the blessing to be found in His presence who wouldn't want to ascend. Of course this Psalm foreshadows the events of Christmas when God once again arrived as the King of Glory into our world. This time though without any crowds or dancing. Instead only a few shepherds and some foreign magi were witnesses of the Saviour's birth. This King Jesus would one day ascend the hill, not of the Lord but of Calvary to make it possible for us to receive the pure heart and clean hand necessary to enter into God's presence and receive all His blessings to us in Christ.

John doesn’t start his gospel at Bethlehem.  He starts ‘in the beginning’.  When we consider the greatness of the one John describes as ‘The Word’ , we can only be amazed when we read in John 1 v 14 that ‘The Word became flesh’.  'God with us' is a remarkable display of God’s love towards us.  In the Old Testament, people could say God for us.  When Jesus came, we could say God with us.  When the Holy Spirit was given, the Christian can say God in us, and as we meet together, we claim the promise of God among us.