Matthew 1:20-24 “ But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife.”
Pastor Herk continues: Joseph loved Mary, not based on some emotional feeling, but takes action that met her needs. The Israelites were expecting their Messiah from God to be born of a virgin ever since Isaiah’s professed 700+ years prior, But in reality, society accepts the natural processes over supernatural miracles, and would believe that Mary broke her cultural betrothed prewedding contract and shamefully become pregnant by natural means with another man, thereby bringing down the wrath and rage of the community on such an immoral act. Joseph, who shared their naturalist belief (until divinely enlightened by the Angel of the Lord that turned his world upside-down), was sheltering Mary from inevitable public ridicule and persecution. Could it possibly be true that this was the promised Messiah of God?
Everything that Mary had told him about Archangel Gabriel’s visitation and her immaculate miraculous concept of the Christ with no infidelity, as inconceivable as it seemed, was confirmed by his own divine visit from the Angel of the Lord. This angel came to Joseph and informed him that this child, conceived supernaturally in Mary’s womb by the power of the Holy Spirit was the Promised Messiah; God’s plan was revealed and what was happening explained. The child’s name was to be Jesus. The Greek word for Jesus” is “Iēsous”, [“yᵊhôšûaʿ” or Joshua in Hebrew], meaning “Jehovah is salvation”, for this child was the Savior of the world who will save His people from their sins.
Both Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:23 proclaim that a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel, which is translated, “God with us.” The Archangel Gabriel informs Mary that she has found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son [ that she was the woman chosen to bear the Promised Messiah], and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” Each independent source collaborates the this child, born of a virgin with no earthly father, was the begotten Son of God, God incarnate [God in the flesh] with His people which He created, the Lamb of God, Savior of the sin-condemned world, and sovereign heir to the throne in the kingdom of Heaven for eternity.
Hebrews 2:17 explains, “Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” God with us, yet without sin. In Romans 6:22-23 the Apostle Paul explains, “But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” To pay the price for the sins of the world would require a sinless Savior, because if Jesus was not sinless then He would have to pay for His owe sin also. 2 Corinthians 5:21 tells us, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Jesus Christ was sent into this world that Christmas morning to live a holy sinless human life and pay a debt He did not owe because we owed a debt we could not pay. On the Cross, He took all repentant born-again Believer’s sins upon Himself and by His blood exchanged His sinless righteousness upon them all that they may be forgiven, have their names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life and receive eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. That is the “Good News” of the gift of God in Jesus Christ.
Merry Christmas! Brian
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