PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 1:18-25
“They will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). (Matthew 1:23)
When I talk about Jesus, I am not talking about just another human being.
Jesus was fully human, like us, and yet He was more.
Matthew is stressing this uniqueness of Jesus in this paragraph.
He was uniquely conceived in Mary’s womb, without a human father.
Like Adam and Eve, He was not born in the normal human way.
And yet like Adam and Eve, He was fully human, created that way by God.
Jesus also has a unique mission tied to His unique beginnings.
Like Adam and Eve, He is tempted by Satan but the outcome is different.
Unlike Adam and Eve, who plunged humanity into sin, Jesus saves us from sin.
God steps into our sin-cursed world, becoming human, to rescue and restore us.
When people met Jesus, they met God and declared ‘God is with us!’
Jesus is the closest point between God and us, the bridge that connects us.
I walk and talk with Jesus, and focus on Jesus, because He connects me to God.
Is this Who Jesus is for you too; do you sense God with you when you talk with Jesus?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, I can’t see God, but I do see God when I see You in action. You show me that God is love, grace, mercy, peace, good, and this is where I want to be!
Immanuel – God with us! I can live and serve because that is so – where would I be without you? This passage reminds me that I am on a mission too – sure much less strategic or ‘world saving large’ – but still a part of the movement of the ‘way’.
A few things strike me: Joseph wants to do the right thing (divorce Mary), but the angel of the Lord speaks to him in a dream and tells him not to. Joseph doesn’t question that advice. He follows through in obedience. He calls Jesus “Jesus”, as he was directed. Two names are mentioned: “Jesus”–He will save people from their sins and “Immanuel”–God with us. My take away: I. like Joseph, want to do the right thing. I want to be obedient and follow God’s directions (whether that be through a dream or another way). Jesus’ names remind me that He is my Savior and He is always with me. His presence, in particular, is something I am trying to pay more attention to as I go about my daily activities. I am trying to pause more during my day to be aware of His constant presence.