January 4, 2016

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESUS!

Matthew 1:18–25

Daniel Crawford
Monday's Devo

January 4, 2016

Monday's Devo

January 4, 2016

Central Truth

The God who created the heavens and the earth has pursued us to the point of entering into our own time and space! Now all who trust in Jesus may experience personal salvation—and not just life after death, but fullness of life here and now!

Key Verse | Matthew 1:21

"She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)

Matthew 1:18–25

The Birth of Jesus Christ

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ 1 1:18 Some manuscripts of the Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed 2 1:18 That is, legally pledged to be married to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

23  “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
    and they shall call his name Immanuel”

(which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

Footnotes

[1] 1:18 Some manuscripts of the Christ
[2] 1:18 That is, legally pledged to be married

Dive Deeper | Matthew 1:18–25

The passage reflects two names by which this extraordinary child would be known: Jesus and Immanuel.

Each title is pregnant with significance (see what I did there?) to both the first-century Jew and the 21st-century Christian. The names look back to God’s redemptive program with Israel and ahead to God’s redemptive program for His church.

1. "Jesus" comes from the Hebrew name "Yeshua" (yeho, a short form of “Yahweh” + shua', “salvation”), which means “God is salvation.”

• We can recall another Yeshua (called Joshua), the courageous commander-in-chief who defeated wicked nations in battle and led Israel to reclaim and settle the Promised Land. But Joseph's boy would be much more than a national political hero.

• The actions of this Yeshua (Jesus) wouldn’t deliver people from outward armies. He would deliver people from inward sin! Rather than a military salvation, it is an eternal salvation that God now offers by grace through faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9).

2. "Immanuel" (immanu, “with us” + 'ēl, “God”) means “God is with us.”

• This title would set off alarms in the mind of every Jew who had memorized and placed his hope in Isaiah 7:14, which Matthew appropriates and applies to the miraculous nature of this virgin birth.

• As God had once dwelled among the Israelites in the tabernacle and later the temple, the fullness of God was now pleased to dwell in the body of a Nazarene boy (Colossians 1:19) and today in the heart of every Christian (1 Corinthians 3:16)!

Put both names together, and we should pause to revel in the amazing truth of the gospel before we jump into the remaining narrative of Christ’s words and works. This moment is the pivot point of all eternity! The God who created the heavens and the earth has pursued us to the point of entering into our own time and space, so that all who trust in Jesus may experience personal salvation—and not just life after death, but fullness of life here and now!

May we daily celebrate the Savior. Happy Birthday, Jesus!

Discussion Questions

1. In what ways are you tempted to think you had/have a hand in your own salvation, rather than acknowledging that Christ alone has redeemed you ("God is salvation")?

2. How has the truth that "God (is) with us" been a game changer in your walk with Jesus?

3. With whom have you shared this incredible news this week?