December 16, 2020
God Is with Us!
Matthew 1:18-25
Danielle Bjorkman
Central Truth
We have a God who is near to us and who loves us. God is not distant or unfeeling. He loved us enough to send His Son Jesus to live among us. Jesus was the long-awaited and promised Messiah sent by God to become the perfect sacrifice for our sins.
Key Verse | Matthew 1:23
"Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel"
(which means, God with us).
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.
Dive Deeper | Matthew 1:18-25
I am so amazed by how Joseph responded to the visit from the angel. After thinking Mary was unfaithful to him and deciding to quietly divorce her, the things this angel said probably sounded outrageous! "The child was conceived by the Holy Spirit!" "Take Mary as your wife!" "Name this baby Jesus!" Joseph could have chosen to reject what he heard or say "no." But he immediately and faithfully said "yes" to what God asked of him—at great personal cost, no doubt. We know from the story Mary conceived from the Holy Spirit, but there were likely onlookers who did not think this is how things happened.
This caused me to ask: Why did God choose to bring Jesus about in such a controversial way? Why choose a virgin to carry Jesus and allow the chance of ridicule from onlookers? Why not have baby Jesus born in the palace of a king?
First, it was to fulfill the prophesies from Scripture (Isaiah 7:14). Second, I think it reflects the faith required for salvation. Salvation has always been by grace through faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9). And the way He came into the world reflected that principle—it required faith. There were those who did not believe this child was conceived by the Holy Spirit or that He was the promised Savior of the world!
Jesus was born in a humble stable, and Scripture states that "his own people did not receive him." (John 1:11) Jesus knows what it's like to be rejected and an outcast. He can empathize with us in such a real way (Isaiah 53:3; Hebrews 4:15).
The angel instructed Joseph to name the baby Immanuel, which means "God with us." Our God is not distant, but so very near. He loved us enough to come into this world as a baby and live among us. Isn't the name Immanuel so fitting and so encouraging? As we celebrate this Christmas season, let's rejoice that we put our faith in Immanuel—the God who is with us!
Discussion Questions
1. Have you ever spent time thinking about how Jesus lived on this earth? Have you ever thought about how He understands what it’s like to be hungry, to be ridiculed, to have bug bites? Can you believe the God of the universe can understand us in such a real way? How does that make you feel?
2. Reflect on the meaning of Immanuel—God with us. Do you approach God as someone who is near to you or far away? If you struggle with thinking God is far-off or doesn't care, see what Scripture has to say about how God cares. Read Psalm 139:1-6; Matthew 7:9-11; Romans 5:8; Hebrews 4:15-16; 1 Peter 5:7.
3. Have you put your faith in the God of this story? If you have put your faith in God, read through these verses and reflect on the joy of your salvation! If not, read these Scriptures about how God made a way for you to have a relationship with Him though His Son Jesus! Read and reflect on Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Romans 10:9, John 3:16, and 1 John 1:9.