On this day, when we celebrate your birth, Lord Jesus, thank you for the peace and joy that is mine to enjoy.
Read MATTHEW 1:18–25
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son
18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about[a]: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet[b] did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[c] because he will save his people from their sins.”
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”[d] (which means “God with us”).
24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
Footnotes
- Matthew 1:18 Or The origin of Jesus the Messiah was like this
- Matthew 1:19 Or was a righteous man and
- Matthew 1:21 Jesus is the Greek form of Joshua, which means the Lord saves.
- Matthew 1:23 Isaiah 7:14
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
May we be open to the voice of the Lord today, that the Son may be glorified!
The promise that God is with us in Christ is here in verse 23 and again in the words of the great commission,1 providing the bookends of Matthew’s gospel. That is the true wonder of today.
Whereas Luke asks us to consider the events of the first Christmas from Mary’s viewpoint, Matthew points to the equally poignant experience of her fiancé, Joseph. For him, the news of Mary’s pregnancy must have come as a shock and, with it, an awareness of the public disgrace that would surely follow. There was even a danger that Mary could have been executed by stoning.2 Gritty reality sets in here, grounding the coming of the Messiah in a very real human dilemma.
God speaks, however, and for Joseph, a righteous man, that makes all the difference. Once he receives, in a dream, God’s revelation as to the true nature of the child and his mission, he immediately steps up to obey the Lord and takes Mary to be his wife. In doing so, he accepts the reproach of the community, choosing to respect her virginity until this special Child had been born. We never hear Joseph speak in the New Testament, but his actions speak louder than words. He embraces the mystery of God’s will for his life, choosing to trust when he cannot understand.
The central message of this holy season is summed up in verse 21, ‘because he will save his people from their sins.’ Through all the celebrations and busyness of today, hold on to this vital statement. It’s not about just being together, or even singing carols and feasting: this day is a day of rejoicing as the Almighty has broken into human history for your sake and mine.
Apply
Consider the two names of the Messiah here, Jesus and Immanuel, and think about what each brings into your own story this Christmas. Rejoice and give thanks.
Closing prayer
Jesus, Great Prophet, Priest, and King, Son of God who came among us to save your people from their sins; thank you for humbling yourself and coming to save me. On this day of celebration, help me to share with others the gift of salvation you offer to all who will believe in you.
Last Updated on December 25, 2024 by kingstar
