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Sermon Notes

The Genesis of the Messiah

Sunday 10 August 2025 Pastor Craig Ledbetter Genesis 5
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I. Introduction (2 Timothy 3:16)

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” - 2 Timothy 3:16

A. To many people, the most boring thing about the Bible is its lists of names… genealogies

  1. People will carefully read through pages of stock quotations or lists of sports players and their averages, and yet will not read the names of people in the Bible!
  2. They skip over them – especially in 2nd Chronicles!
  3. Yet these names are in the Bible and are part of God’s revelation of truth to us
  4. They are Scripture – the very words of God!

B. Names are important to God

  1. Your name – my name means something!
  2. Governments record names – birth registries, cemeteries
  3. But God also records names both in heaven, and in this Bible!
  4. If names are in the Bible, they are important to know!
  5. They were real people, living in their time and culture
  6. If YOUR name was in here, YOU would want people to know it!
  7. Ever see the list of thousands of names at the end of a film? What if your son or daughter or husband or wife, or uncle or aunt worked hard on making that film? You would read through all the names just to find theirs
  8. In Washington DC are some walls and monuments with the names of tens of thousands of people who died in the Vietnam War and the Korean war. People read through them to find their relative’s name that bravely fought and died!

C. In Genesis chapter 5, we see the beginning of a list of names

Not just of men, but godly men – good men – redeemed men – forgiven by the blood of the lamb like Adam had been in Genesis 3:21.

“Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.” - Genesis 3:21

D. A line of names pointing to the Messiah

If you pay attention, you will see a line of names of people being drawn through history all the way to a single man, a Son not of Adam, but of God, who will fulfil the promise God made in Genesis 3:15.

“And I will put enmity between thee [THE DEVIL] and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed [MESSIAH]; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt [ONLY] bruise his heel.” - Genesis 3:15

II. Message

A. The Book of the Generations of Adam (Genesis 5:1)

“This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him.” - Genesis 5:1

  1. A special Genealogy

  2. What we’re about to see in Genesis chapter 5 is a list of some rare people throughout history who form a line…

    • People who believe God
    • Stay true to God
    • And pass on godliness and their walk with God to the next generations

  3. They form a line of the promised seed

    • It began in Genesis chapter three, where God made a promise that the seed of the woman would one day defeat the seed of the serpent
    • They did not have the New Testament, but they had a promise – and according to Hebrews 11, that was enough!

  4. These names are important

    • I think genealogy is fascinating
    • God wanted us to know where we came from
    • It’s part of our identity
    • The world gives you a messed-up identity

    “A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.” - Proverbs 18:2

    • But you are the product of God’s hand in the lives of the people that were before you – both good and bad
    • They do not determine what you do, but they do affect you
    • Knowing this helps you make decisions and choose the right path, not just your own path

  5. Compare this book of the generations of Adam with the generations of Jesus Christ in Matthew chapter one

    “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren.” - Matthew 1:1,2

    • It is interesting that Matthew starts with a list of NAMES!
    • When you read Matthew 1, you are reading the fulfilment of the promises of Genesis
    • Jesus Christ IS the SEED promised to Eve, to save the world, and defeat the devil!

    “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners!” - 1 Timothy 1:15

    “The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” - Luke 19:10

    • The Messiah has come! AMEN!

B. God Started the Line (Genesis 5:1,2)

“This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.” - Genesis 5:1,2

  1. God created Adam
    • We are marvellously designed, not accidental
    • If only you would look a little deeper at human life! You will discover…
    • We are NOT evolved, but designed
    • Not a product of millions and millions of years, and slow, tiny changes

III. Conclusion

A. The genealogies in Genesis are not boring – they are the roadmap to the Messiah

B. Every name represents a real person who trusted God and passed on their faith

C. This line leads directly to Jesus Christ, the promised Seed

D. Have you trusted in the Messiah that Genesis points to?

For more information, contact Bible Baptist Church of Ballincollig at www.biblebc.com

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