18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about[d]: 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[e] 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,[f] because he will save his people from their sins.”
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”[g] (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.
Matthew also tells the story of Jesus’ birth. Matthew focuses on the angel appearing to Joseph before the birth of Jesus. The angel explains that Jesus is the one who has come to save people from their sins!
Question 1
The Hebrew name ‘Jesus’ means ‘to save’. How Jesus is going to save his people of their sins? Why do we need to be saved from our sins?
Question 2
Why does Matthew quote Isaiah 7:14 in verse 23? What does this say about Jesus’ birth?
Pray:
Thank you, Lord, for sending Jesus into the world to rid us of our sin by dying on the cross in our place. Thank you that forgiveness of sins is available to all who believe in Jesus!
