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Matthew 1:18-25

¹⁸ Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way.

When his mother Mary had been betrothed 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.

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

If you have a nativity set, it is based on Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth. It has the stable, the manger, the shepherds, the animals. It has a Mary and Joseph bowing reverently toward the peaceful infant Christ. Your nativity set is not based on our text from Matthew 1 because nativity sets based on Matthew wouldn’t sell very well. A Matthew nativity set would have a Joseph figure wringing his hands over the divorce papers sitting on his table.

Joseph is in a mess. His legally-bound fiancé is pregnant, and Joseph knows that he is not the father. Joseph is a just man, a respectable man, an honorable man. It is very possible that Joseph had paid several years’ savings to become engaged to Mary. Legally, Joseph could have taken Mary into court and gotten his money back. Instead, Joseph resolves to quietly divorce her so she doesn’t get stoned for her apparent adultery. Joseph knows that this will bring him public shame and disgrace, but he is willing to do it anyway. Joseph is not willing to put Mary to shame.

Into that mess, God sends His angel to Joseph saying, “Do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She shall bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus for He will save His people from their sins.”

Notice two things about these words from the angel. First, God doesn’t command Joseph to marry her. God simply says, “Do not fear to take her as your wife.” Joseph could still have gone through with his plan of quietly divorcing Mary. God simply reassures Joseph that Mary had not been unfaithful – no matter what the gossips of Nazareth said. This means that Joseph willingly takes up the cross of caring for the Son of God and His mother.

Second, the Child Mary is carrying is a Son. His name shall be Jesus, which means Yahweh saves. This Baby will save God’s people from their sins. Matthew tells us that this is all to fulfill what was spoken in Isaiah, “Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means God with us). Those two names together are so beautiful. Immanuel = God with us. And Jesus = Yahweh saves. God with us not to condemn, destroy, or punish us. God with us to save us from our sins. This beautiful name is God’s wonderful promise to which Joseph will cling for the rest of his life.

So Joseph does take Mary to be his wife. He becomes the guardian and provider of Mary and of Jesus. And in doing so, Joseph lived a life filled with suffering.

Unfortunately, the truth doesn’t stop the gossips. When Joseph brought his desperately pregnant wife to Bethlehem for the census, none of his relatives or friends were willing to take them in for fear that they would share their shame. From there, Joseph and his family were forced into exile in Egypt. But even when they returned home, Joseph probably heard people whispering about him and his wife and their Son the rest of his life. The rumor mill is always running.

Yet Joseph endured all of that suffering and shame because of God’s promise. And Joseph clung to that promise that this Child, entrusted into his care, would save him from his sins.

Whatever suffering, whatever pain, whatever hardship comes your way, endure it. Take strength in God’s promise that He is with you in Jesus to save you from your sins. That is the central truth of the Incarnation. That is the meaning of Christmas.

Jesus. Immanuel. God is with you to save you from your sins. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.