21 December 2025 - Peter van Breda - Born the King

Devotional

Day 1: Jesus, the Authentic King with Impeccable Credentials

Matthew’s genealogy and Luke’s lineage together reveal a breathtaking precision: through Mary, Jesus carries the real blood of David; through Joseph, He receives the legal right to David’s throne. Even the curse on Jeconiah is overcome by the virgin birth—Jesus is in the royal line without being a blood descendant of the cursed branch. None of this is accidental; every thread is woven by God’s wise hand. The King who arrived at Bethlehem did so with credentials no challenger could match. If God orders history with such care, He can certainly order the details of your life today. You can rest in the One whom nothing surprises, and who reigns with purpose over your story [03:42].

Matthew 1:18–25
Before Mary and Joseph lived together, Mary was found to be carrying a child by the Holy Spirit. Joseph, a just man, planned a quiet divorce, but an angel appeared in a dream: “Joseph, son of David, don’t fear taking Mary as your wife; what’s conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son; name Him Jesus, for He will rescue His people from their sins.” All this fulfilled what God promised: a virgin would bear a son called Immanuel—God with us. Joseph woke, obeyed, took Mary as his wife, and kept her a virgin until the child was born, and he named Him Jesus.

Reflection: What detail in your life currently feels precarious or “out of order,” and how might entrusting that specific detail to Jesus’ kingship shape the next decision you make this week?

Day 2: Grace Thrives in a Messy Family Tree

The royal line of Jesus is full of faltering men and unlikely women—Abraham’s fear, David’s failures, Solomon’s folly, Tamar’s scandal, Rahab’s past, Ruth’s outsider status, and Bathsheba’s sorrow. Even Mary rejoiced in “God my Savior,” admitting her need like ours. This is not a pristine pedigree; it’s a portrait of grace. The King who came through such a line extends the same compassionate welcome to you. Your history does not disqualify you; it becomes the place where His mercy shines brightest. Come to the gracious King who delights to redeem family stories and personal chapters that feel beyond repair [04:18].

Matthew 1:3–6
Judah fathered Perez and Zerah by Tamar; Salmon fathered Boaz by Rahab; Boaz fathered Obed by Ruth; David fathered Solomon by the wife of Uriah. In the very lineage of the Messiah stand an incest story, a former prostitute, a Moabite outsider, and a marriage marked by adultery—yet through them the royal line marches forward by God’s choosing and mercy.

Reflection: Where do you feel most disqualified in your story, and what is one concrete way you can welcome Jesus’ grace into that very place this week?

Day 3: Obedience in Confusion: Joseph’s Quiet Courage

Joseph faced heartbreak and public scandal, yet he chose mercy over exposure and listened for God in the night. The angel’s words—“son of David… do not be afraid”—called him to trust a plan he could not fully understand. He obeyed promptly, protected Mary, and named the child Jesus, aligning his life with heaven’s decree. Sometimes faithful obedience is both quiet and costly, especially when explanations are scarce. The King still meets His people in disorienting moments and leads them step by step. Take courage: the next faithful step is often clearer than the whole path [02:56].

Matthew 1:19–25
Joseph, a righteous man, decided not to shame Mary but to end the betrothal quietly. As he considered this, an angel appeared in a dream, calling him “son of David” and urging him not to fear taking Mary as his wife, since her child was conceived by the Holy Spirit. The child would be named Jesus, because He would save His people from their sins, fulfilling God’s promise of “God with us.” Joseph awoke, did what he was told, took Mary as his wife, and kept her a virgin until she gave birth; he named the boy Jesus.

Reflection: In a specific situation that currently confuses you, what is the smallest faithful action you can take in the next 24 hours rather than waiting for full clarity?

Day 4: Wise Worship: Offering Our Best to the King

The Magi crossed borders and expectations because the true King had come, and they would not miss Him. They did not find Him in a palace but in a house, and they bowed low, offering gold (allegiance), frankincense (devotion), and myrrh (surrender amid suffering). Herod trembled and schemed, but the wise chose worship over fear. The King still invites hearts to adore rather than grasp for control. Draw near with your best—your loyalty, your prayer, your pain—and lay it before Him. He is worthy of costly worship that reshapes our priorities and our paths [03:21].

Matthew 2:1–12
In Herod’s days, scholars from the east arrived, asking for the newborn King of the Jews, having seen His star. Herod, disturbed, sent them to Bethlehem, pretending he too wished to worship. The star led them to the child; seeing Him with Mary, they fell down in worship and offered gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Warned in a dream, they returned home by another route, honoring God rather than Herod’s schemes.

Reflection: What “gift” of allegiance, devotion, or surrender will you practically bring to Jesus this week, and when will you bring it?

Day 5: His Kingdom Within You, His Hand Upon You

Jesus rules a kingdom not measured by borders but by hearts yielded to Him; it is not of this world, yet it transforms this world from the inside out. Entering His reign means moving out of darkness and bowing to His good authority in the everyday. He holds your name inscribed on His hand; He sends you on purpose, and He walks with you in trial. One day the whole earth will acknowledge His rule, but today you can welcome it in your home, your work, and your relationships. Say yes to the King who is near, who leads, comforts, and commissions you. Let His presence govern your steps and His promise steady your heart [04:07].

Luke 17:20–21
When asked when God’s kingdom would arrive, Jesus said it doesn’t come with visible pageantry or obvious signs people can point to. Instead, the kingdom of God is already among you—present in your midst as He reigns wherever people welcome Him.

Reflection: Where are you looking for outward signs while overlooking Jesus’ quiet reign in a specific corner of your life, and what practice could help you notice and yield to Him there this week?

Sermon Summary

Matthew wants us to see that Jesus did not just arrive; He arrived as King. In the first chapters of Matthew, the royal line is front and center because kingship requires both legitimacy and lineage. Through Joseph, Jesus receives the legal right to David’s throne via Solomon’s line. Through Mary, He bears David’s blood through Nathan’s line. With the temple records destroyed in 70 A.D., Jesus stands as the last verifiable claimant to Israel’s promised throne—a claim Scripture grounds in history, covenant, and careful providence.

God’s precision shines brightest in the problem of Jeconiah. Jeremiah pronounced a curse on that royal line, so no physical descendant could sit on David’s throne. The virgin birth is not an ornament; it is the answer. Jesus is legally David’s heir through Joseph, yet not biologically from the cursed line, while truly David’s son through Mary. Nothing surprises God; even our detours become the road by which He keeps His promises.

This King’s character is grace. The genealogy refuses to airbrush its people: Abraham’s fear, David’s violence and adultery, Solomon’s folly; Tamar’s scandal, Rahab’s prostitution, Ruth’s Moabite origin, Bathsheba’s brokenness. Kings of earth hide their blemishes; our King announces His grace by weaving sinners into His story. That should both humble and steady us: your past is not the ceiling on God’s future.

Joseph’s quiet righteousness meets a holy disruption. Betrothed to a pregnant virgin, he chooses mercy, then obeys a dream that outruns his understanding. He names the Child Jesus. He keeps Mary a virgin until the birth. He shelters the Messiah under threat. Obedience is not blind; it is trust when your math no longer balances.

Finally, the Magi—kingmakers from the East—read the Scriptures and the sky, bow in a house (not a stable), and bring gifts that preach: gold for a King, frankincense for God, myrrh for a suffering Man. Herod trembles; they worship. And the prophecies stack up: virgin birth, Bethlehem, out of Egypt, weeping in Ramah, Nazarene. This King’s reign is not of this world; it is within and among us now, and one day it will cover the earth. It is not enough to admire Him; His royalty calls for our allegiance.

Key Takeaways

1. Royal lineage: legal and blood right Jesus holds the legal right to David’s throne through Joseph and the true bloodline through Mary. Matthew and Luke are not in tension; they’re two sides of a single royal credential. With the loss of Jewish records, Jesus remains the final verifiable heir promised to David. This invites a faith that honors both revelation and historical particularity. [68:58]
2. Virgin birth answers Jeconiah’s curse Jeremiah’s curse on Jeconiah barred any physical son from David’s throne through that line. The virgin birth bypasses the curse while preserving the legal claim—astonishing moral and theological coherence. God’s holiness and faithfulness meet in a single birth. Precision is not pedantry here; it is salvation history. [72:31]
3. Grace woven through flawed ancestors Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba stand in the royal list beside Abraham, David, and Solomon. The story refuses to sanitize sin, and it refuses to center sin. Grace is the loudest voice. Your failures do not end God’s purposes; they become places where His mercy speaks most clearly. [79:42]
4. True worship recognizes the true King The Magi—astute, powerful “kingmakers”—bow before a Child in a house and offer gifts that confess His identity. Revelation and reason, Scripture and star, move them to costly allegiance. Herod’s fear kills; their worship yields. Real worship is not sentiment; it is surrender to the rightful King. [92:48]
5. His kingdom is present and personal Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world; it rules hearts now and will fill the world later. This resists the urge to measure His reign by headlines or polls. The truest marker is obedience in ordinary places, where His Spirit forms a people of hope. Await the fullness; live as citizens now. [96:02]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[60:37] - Holiday bustle and offering reminder
[60:51] - Series recap: Born the King
[62:06] - Carols and a different King
[64:40] - Genealogy and royal succession
[67:48] - Lost records; Jesus’ unique claim
[71:43] - Jeconiah’s curse and virgin birth
[74:43] - Mary’s humility and true discipleship
[79:42] - Four women, scandal and grace
[82:03] - Joseph’s dilemma and angelic dream
[87:49] - Meet the Magi, kingmakers of the East
[92:48] - A house, worship, and three gifts
[94:03] - Prophecies fulfilled in precise detail
[96:02] - A kingdom not of this world
[112:43] - Christmas Eve service invitation

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
- Matthew 1–2

Observation questions

In Matthew 1:1, which two titles does Matthew lead with for Jesus, and how do those titles frame the rest of the chapter?
Which four women are named in Matthew’s genealogy (Matthew 1:3, 5–6), and what is unusual about their stories in Israel’s history?
In Matthew 1:18–25, what did Joseph plan to do at first, and what did he actually do after the dream? List the actions you see in the text.
Jeconiah appears in Matthew 1:11. What Old Testament judgment is connected to him, and why does that raise a problem for a son of David to reign? ([01:11:43])

Interpretation questions

How does the virgin birth resolve the Jeconiah problem—preserving Jesus’ legal right through Joseph while avoiding the cursed bloodline—and what does that say about God’s precision in keeping promises? ([01:12:31])
Why does Matthew highlight deeply flawed ancestors (including Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and “the wife of Uriah”), and what message about grace is he pressing into the foundation of Jesus’ story? ([01:19:42])
Joseph obeys instructions that outrun normal understanding. What does this teach about the nature of obedience and trust when circumstances don’t add up? ([01:25:28])
Matthew stacks specific prophecies (virgin birth, Bethlehem, out of Egypt, weeping in Ramah, Nazarene). What should that do in a person’s heart regarding the reliability of Scripture and the Lord’s rule over details? ([01:34:03])

Application questions

Jesus’ claim to David’s throne rests on real lineage and real history. What is one practical way you can strengthen your confidence in Scripture this month—reading, notes in your Bible, a resource to explore—so your faith rests on revelation and history, not just feelings? ([01:07:48])
Where are you facing a situation that doesn’t “balance” on your spreadsheet—like Joseph before the dream—and what specific act of obedience could you take this week even before you understand everything? ([01:25:28])
Grace is louder than our failures. Which part of your past most tries to set a ceiling over your future, and how would bringing that into the light with trusted believers help you walk in God’s steadiness instead of shame? ([01:19:42])
The Magi offered costly worship that confessed who Jesus is (gold for a King, frankincense for God, myrrh for a suffering Man). What would “costly worship” look like for you right now—time, treasure, confession, reconciliation, a yes to God’s call? Name one step. ([01:33:22])
“My kingdom is not of this world.” Where do headlines, polls, or workplace pressures tend to shape your peace more than the King’s present rule in you? What would it look like this week to live as a calm, obedient citizen of His kingdom in that exact place? ([01:36:02])
Nothing takes God by surprise. Identify one detour you’re on (or just took). If God is precise in fulfilling every promise, how might He be weaving this detour into His good purposes, and what is one way you can cooperate with Him in it? ([01:13:15])
One day the kingdom of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord, but His reign has started in hearts now. What is one area of your life that needs fresh allegiance to Jesus’ kingship—habits, speech, money, relationships—and what is one concrete change you will make this week? ([01:36:45])

Sermon Clips

Now, if you remember, and we'll get to that in a little while, when the angel appears to Joseph, what does he say to Joseph? He says this to Joseph. He addresses him as the son of David. In other words, heaven recognized Joseph's right because he was part of the royal line. So that the Matthew genealogy comes down through Joseph because there's the legal right. Luke brings it through Mary so that he not only had a legal right, but a real right because he bears the blood of David. [01:09:44] (49 seconds) #SonOfDavidLineage

And yet, Abraham, Isaac, David, and Solomon are in the royal line. It speaks of the grace of the king. It speaks of the grace that is extended to you and I. Even although we are fallible, we fall, we stumble, we sin, God's grace is there. And so, one thing we see in these lists is that these were all sinful men and yet they were chosen to be part of the messianic line. So all of them are shown his grace for those who are his ancestors. [01:18:56] (33 seconds) #GraceDespiteFailure

Joseph was given information far beyond his understanding. Think about it. You're betrothed, you're beloved, suddenly you find she's pregnant. Guys, put yourself in that position. What would you think? You're told by an angel during a supernatural dream that this pregnancy is a result of the Holy Spirit to produce a son whose name will be Jesus and he will save his people from their sins. Your betrothed carries in a womb the Savior of the world, conceived by God. [01:25:18] (33 seconds) #HolySpiritConceived

And so he was also a king by decree. Chapter 1 verse 23, Behold a virgin shall be of child, shall bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel. Translated means God with us. God said the king would come born of a virgin and it happened. And so he would be born in Bethlehem. Now I just want to quickly run through a few scriptures. The Bible tells us in the Old Testament that he would be born in Bethlehem. The Bible tells us that he would come out of Egypt. [01:33:50] (32 seconds) #EmmanuelGodWithUs

And so God is saying that when the king comes he'll be born a virgin, he'll be born in Bethlehem, he'll come out of Egypt and when the massacre happens, the woman across Israel will be weeping. When he comes back he'll take from Egypt he takes place, he takes residence in Nazareth. Jesus fulfilled every element of the royal decree. He's a king in every sense, by birth, by decree, by lineage, by character, by worship. [01:35:25] (34 seconds) #FulfilledProphecy

He's a king like no other king. That's why Pilate couldn't understand him. Pilate couldn't understand if you were a king, where are your people? They're going to rise up. Pilate couldn't understand him because where is his property? What does he own? He's a king that rules over the hearts of those who love him and serve him and give their lives. [01:36:24] (20 seconds) #KingOfHearts

Everything was being validated by scripture. And just think about that. If that is true for Jesus, what about you? Isaiah 49, 16 says he's got your name written in the palm of his hand. He's promised that he would never leave you nor forsake you. That should give us comfort. Especially when we're going through trials and things are happening in our lives that we don't understand. [01:38:42] (38 seconds) #NeverForsaken

God never made a mistake with you. Your parents might think you're a mistake. Your parents or somebody might have said you're a fool or whatever. But God never made a mistake with any of us. Isn't that the most amazing thought to have? Doesn't matter what an ex-husband cursed you and said about you or an ex-wife or a father. Doesn't matter. I want you to go away with this thought in your mind, in your heart today that you were created in his image. My God doesn't make a mistake with any of us. [01:47:36] (44 seconds) #YouAreNotAMistake

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