Read: Matthew 1:18-25
Additional verses:
The essential meaning of Christmas is this: "Immanuel.â
Many years before Bethlehem, the prophet Isaiah received a word from the Lord, âA virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means âGod with usâ).â When the time came for that son to be born to Mary and Joseph, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph with this encouragementâthe child would be of divine origin, from the Holy Spirit, and Joseph was to name the baby Jesus, âthe LORD saves.â âImmanuel,â God with us, would be the âOne who saves.â On the night of his birth, God entered a stable, and the Good News was delivered. Our Creator would become our Redeemer.
For generations, God promised a Redeemer who would pay the price that we couldnât pay for our sins. With this great sacrifice in mind, we can celebrate the joy of Christmas every day, not just once a year! We can walk each day through heartache, illness, and hard times with this assurance: Immanuel â God is with us.