God with Us

CONSECRATION Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.  Jesus, I belong to you. I lift up my heart to you. I set my mind on you. I fix my eyes on you. I offer my body to you as a living sacrifice. Jesus, we belong to you.  Praying in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen.  SCRIPTURE Matthew 1:18–25 NIV This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: 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. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 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. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. CONSIDER THIS In Scripture, names are never random. They carry meaning, signal identity, and point to purpose. This passage gives us two names for the baby Mary carried: Jesus and Immanuel. The angel told Joseph and Mary to name the child Jesus. What does Jesus’s name actually mean? The name Jesus is translated “The Lord is salvation.” Pay attention to the phrasing. It’s not just “The Lord saves,” as if salvation were something God does from a distance. It’s part of who God is; salvation is related to His very nature. When we talk about salvation, we sometimes reduce it to only refer to the forgiveness of sins. While this is certainly part of it, salvation also offers so much more. In theological terms, salvation encompasses justification, reconciliation, and sanctification. Justification—Salvation means we are rescued from the curse of sin and destruction. Reconciliation—Salvation means we are reconciled to God, to creation, and to one another. Sanctification—Salvation means we are transformed. In other words, we aren’t just saved from something but saved for something: to become more like Jesus. Joseph and Mary were told what to name the baby, but I love the detail that Joseph gets to actually name Him Jesus. God could have spoken the name, declared it from the heavens upon Jesus’s birth. Instead, He invites Joseph to participate. Even in sending the Messiah to the world, God involves His people. Joseph and Mary were some of the first carriers and co-partners with God in bringing about the Messiah to the world. Joseph trusted what God was doing and demonstrated love toward God and Mary. As a result, he was likely the first one to officially declare Jesus’s name, “the Lord is salvation.” The second name in this passage is Immanuel, meaning “God with us” (v. 23). The angel is quoting a prophecy in Isaiah 7:14. Think about that for a moment. From the very beginning, God’s desire has been to dwell with His people. In Genesis, He walked with Adam and Eve in the garden. Even after sin disrupted that intimacy, His goal has always been to be with His people. God is not a remote worker, managing things from far away—He is present, active, and near. I notice the plural “they will call him” (v. 23) in Isaiah’s words. This isn’t just a private revelation or an individual experience—it’s a collective reality. Immanuel is a truth shared and experienced within a community. God’s presence isn’t confined to a single moment or person. Instead, it’s a promise that spans generations, inviting all of God’s people to know and declare Him as the God who is with us. These two names—Jesus and Immanuel—hold the heart of Advent and the hope we celebrate: the God who is salvation is also the God who is with us. RESPONSE PROMPTS When you hear the name Jesus, what comes to mind first? How might understanding His name as “The Lord is salvation” deepen that picture? How does the name Immanuel challenge or deepen your perception of God’s proximity to you? PRAYER Jesus, Immanuel, thank You that You are salvation and that You are God with us. I pray for those who will be preaching the good news of Your arrival today. Fill them with words, power, and wisdom to boldly declare the truth of who You are. May their message ring out with clarity and conviction. I also pray for all those walking into churches around the world to celebrate Christmas Eve. I particularly pray for those who have not been in church in a while—perhaps all year, or in many years, or maybe never at all. Holy Spirit, surprise them with Your presence. Open their eyes to the reality of Jesus and draw them into a life-changing encounter with You. I pray also for those whose hearts have grown lukewarm to this good news. I ask You to reignite their passion and awaken fresh wonder in them. Stir our hearts with the truth that You are salvation and that You are Immanuel, God with us. Amen.