Emmanuel, God With Us

A Sermon Preached by

Eddie Smart

December 24, 2006

Early First United Methodist Church

Zephyr United Methodist Church

Matthew 1:18-25

¹⁸Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. ²⁰But just when he had resolved to do 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 as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." ²²All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

²³"Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us." ²⁴When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, ²⁵but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

Matthew’s story about the birth of Jesus is the story of God's intervention--intervention in history to accomplish the salvation of humanity and intervention in life of Joseph & Mary. With the story of Jesus’ conception, Matthew clearly tell us that at a particular time in a particular place in a particular way in the life of a particular person God intervened in history in order to accomplish the salvation of humanity. This story is about God's intervention through Jesus and Jesus' place in God's work for saving world. How do we know that this is God's doing?

Matthew is giving his evidence of God's intervention.

William Barclay points out that Matthew is clear about this intervention. In vs 18 he states the fact: "she was found to be with child by the H.S." Then again in vs 20 the angel tells Joseph "for that which has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit."

Fred Craddock lets us know that Matthew describes Joseph as a "righteous man." To Matthew's Jewish audience, righteous meant much more than good. Joseph was a man who could stand before God. Craddock also tells us that Matthew points to divine revelation. Angels came from God to tell Joseph. This is just the first of several times that Matthew records angels visiting Joseph. These were not ordinary circumstances or happening. This story is about God coming in the lives of God's creation.

Prior to today's scripture reading, Matthew give the genealogy of Joseph. His purpose is more than just ancestry. Matthew wants to show that this is not just a chronological ramble but rather the hand of God at work over centuries. Matthew points to this birth being the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy:

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which means God with Us.”

God is intervening in the history of humanity. In verse 21 we read, "you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins." Matthew wants us to know the purpose of God’s intervention.

Joseph is given a command by the angel, “Name this baby -- Jesus.” Jesus is the Greek form of the Jewish name Joshua. Joshua means Jehovah is salvation. The Hebrew and Aramaic forms of Jesus and "he will save" are similar. "You shall call his name 'Savior' because he will save."

Matthew's story declares the gracious love of God that reaches into the context of human existence in an unprecedented fashion through Jesus Christ to do for us humans what we cannot do for ourselves. The saving work of God in Jesus is divine intervention!

This story is a story of God's intervention into the lives of Joseph and Mary. Matthew more than anyone else emphasizes this intervention in the life of Joseph. Joseph is engaged to Mary. He discovers that she is with child. The child is not Joseph's. Joseph is ready to divorce her quietly. God then send the angel to Joseph to explain. Matthew tells us that Joseph believes the angel and follows the angel's instructions.

Can't you see it. Joseph and Mary are to be married. They have plans. They will live in Nazareth. He will support them as a carpenter. They will have sons who will join their father in the business. They have their lives all planned out. They know what they want in life. They expect to live happily ever after. They have things under control.

Then all of a sudden this happens. God has stepped into their lives and they will never be the same. They could have been bitter and resentful. Joseph could have said, "No thanks & left Mary." Joseph & Mary were obedient.

Just like Noah, Abraham, Samuel, David, Isaiah, they were obedient to God. Because of this obedience God was able to intervene in human history through Joseph, Mary, & Jesus. Just as God intervened in the comfortable lives of Joseph and Mary, God intervenes in our comfortable lives.

God comes to us with all our plans and calls us beyond those plans

God calls us:

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