Lisa Sheffler, author
Through Scripture, we are traveling with the angels this week. As we prepare our hearts for Christmas, we are considering the stunning announcements the angelic hosts made as they prepared the way for the Lord’s arrival. We are taking note of the responses they received.
Not only did God announce his intentions to Zechariah and Mary, God sent an angel to Joseph. Let’s turn to the Gospel of Matthew and Joseph’s encounter with the angel.
Read
Matthew 1:18-21
18 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. 19 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. 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, because he will save his people from their sins.”
Reflect
There are lots of reasons for picking a particular name for your child. People may name a child after a family member, or maybe they just liked the way it sounds. In the Bible, a name can sometimes tell us something significant about a person. In the Hebrew language, the term “name” probably meant “sign” or “distinctive mark” A name may indicate “the essential character of that which the name has been given.”[1]
The name “Jesus,” is Greek and the equivalent to the Hebrew name, Yeshua, which means “Yahweh is Savior.” Jesus’s name revealed something essential about his character that the people in his day found hard to accept. How could a poor carpenter’s son of questionable parentage be the Savior of the Jewish people? Yet Jesus would be the Savior of not just the Jews, but of everyone who puts their faith in him. “Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).
After giving us an account of Joseph’s encounter with the angel, Matthew goes on to explain that Jesus’ birth was a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, and reminds his readers of another name that is associated with Jesus — Immanuel.
Matthew 1:22-25
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” (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.
Jesus was and is Immanuel, “God with us.” Through Jesus, the God of the universe invites us into an intimate relationship with him. He comes to us and lives in the midst of our world rather than ask the impossible, that we go to him instead. Jesus does not magically snatch us out of the suffering of this world, rather he walks with us in the midst of it. He is God-with-us.
Jesus invites us to experience God-with-us today and forever. He cares about whether or not his presence is part of our daily awareness. Cultivating any intimate relationship requires awareness and time. This is especially true of our relationship with God. Time spent with God in prayer and meditating on Scripture is part of the way the Holy Spirit instructs, transforms and attunes us to God’s presence. Fasting, singing praises, spending time in nature, and worshipping God through serving are other practices you might want to consider. During this busy holiday season, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to practices that will help you experience Jesus — your Savior and Immanuel.
Be sure to set aside time during the Christmas season to spend with Jesus. As you consider how you will spend that time, make a plan that you can stick to. Ask yourself, what do you most need from Immanuel during this season? How can you show him your love and gratitude?
[1] Walter A. Elwell and Barry J. Beitzel. Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), 880.