But from everlasting to everlasting
the LORD's love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children's children —
with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.
(Psalm 103:17-18)

I love the beautiful way Matthew tells the story of Jesus' conception and birth (Matthew 1:18-25). Matthew's words are few but beautifully chosen and graciously delivered with a sense of holy fear — humility before God, reverence for God, and delight in God. Matthew invites us into the emotional and spiritual conflict raging in Joseph's heart as a devout follower of YHWH, the Eternal God. While Matthew tells this whole story with an economy of words, they are rich in emotion and significance. Joseph did what God called on him to do. He believed in the impossible and then stepped into a kind of fatherhood no other person has ever experienced.

As beautiful as this story is, Matthew framed it with two demonstrations of God's faithfulness against great odds. Matthew wanted us to recognize that God chose to act in human history to keep his covenant promise to bring the Messiah through the line of Abraham and David. God's faithfulness to his Davidic promise is something Matthew emphasized twice in his genealogy (Matthew 1:1, 17).

So, what are these demonstrations of God's everlasting love and faithfulness to his covenant in the events that surround Jesus' birth?

First, Matthew's genealogy powerfully reminds us of God's repeated intervention in history to preserve his people, the line of King David, and his promise of a Messiah. God protected the line of David as he promised: He kept a descendent of David on the throne (2 Samuel 7:16, 27-29; Isaiah 11:1-10; Jeremiah 33:14-17). Phil's message today reminds us of Jehosheba's brave intervention in the genocide ordered by Queen Athaliah. The evil queen attempted to kill every heir of King David to consolidate her power. She was so wicked and brutal, she executed her own children and grandchildren. Her plan, however, failed because of Jehosheba's courage and faithfulness. And, this is just one of the many ways God intervened in history, using faithful people to protect the Messiah's unbroken lineage from Abraham to David and David to Jesus. God proved his faithfulness to his covenant with his people again and again through the brutal ravages of Israel's history!

Second, God demonstrated his faithfulness to his covenant through his deliverance of the child, Jesus, from Herod. The Magi were foreigners from the east who did not fully believe in Israel's God. However, God led them to worship Jesus as King of Israel through an astounding star (Matthew 2:1-2). These Magi made their long journey, gave their precious gifts, and partnered with God to keep Jesus safe from Herod. God warned them in a dream not to return to Herod (Matthew 2:12), so the Magi did not give Herod information that would have led to Jesus' death. God also used one of his heavenly messengers to warn Joseph in a dream (Matthew 2:13) and preserved Jesus' life once again by delivering the Son of David from the hands of evil men.

Matthew wrapped the beautiful story of Jesus' conception and birth in the dangers of our violent world and its evil powers. Matthew wanted us to realize we can trust in God and his covenant of love with us because of this rich history of God's love and God's power in human history! The God of Israel was faithful to his promises and his covenant of love. No matter how Satan attempted to destroy God's people, he could not break God's promise or discredit God's faithfulness. Satan failed. God prevailed. Jesus, the Son of David, came and is King of Kings!

Unless you are somehow involved in the legal profession, you may not think of present-day covenants very much. Sometimes reference is made to marriage covenants, but as disciples of Jesus, we all are part of his new covenant established by grace through the shedding of his blood.

As believers, we choose to renew our part in God's covenant of love as we share in the Lord's Supper (Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25). On the first day of the week, Sunday, believers worldwide gather to share in the Lord's Supper and celebrate the gracious love of God. He saved us when we were unworthy (Romans 5:6-11). Through this holy yet simple meal, we are pledging to obey what Jesus has called us to do and live out the mission Jesus has for us as his bodily presence in this world (1 Corinthians 10:16-17, 12:12, 27; Ephesians 4:7, 12-16). We make this commitment to Jesus and his new covenant in anticipation of his return in glory for us (1 Corinthians 11:26-27; Colossians 3:1-4).

Let's celebrate our God as we share in ToGather! God invited us into his covenant of love through the sacrifice of Jesus. We respond to that grace with thanksgiving. Our thanksgiving leads us to obey what Jesus has taught and shown us. Our God is faithful. He keeps his covenant of love forever.

Phil based his message, and Demetrius chose his songs based on God's everlasting faithfulness to his covenant of love based on our Verse of the Day from Psalm 103:17-18:

But from everlasting to everlasting
the LORD's love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children's children —
with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.

Let's worship our wonderful, faithful, loving God, in ToGather!

You will find Phil's video message on today's theme, and then after that video, you will find the whole ToGather.church worship video — with songs, prayer, blessing, Phil's lesson, and a Communion reflection — below it. We pray you are blessed!

Matthew reminds us of God's repeated interventions in history to keep his promises and preserve his covenant of love!

Content Warning:
Phil's message contains the story of Joash's rescue from evil Queen Athaliah and her genocide — see 2 Kings 11:1-21 for details. Some of the details are violent, as they are in Scripture. Please use discretion with young hearts that might overhear this story. However, this is a great story of deliverance, with a brave woman and her husband as heroes in God's preservation of his promise about the coming Messiah!
 

Phil's Message for This Week

Full ToGather Worship Video

Special thanks for the use of images related to Jesus' ministry from The Lumo Project and Free Bible Images for use in both ToGather videos.