Emmanuel, God with us

Scripture Text: Matthew 1: 18-23 

1. Joseph and Mary had to travel all the way to Bethlehem even though Mary was already heavy in pregnancy. They had to pay their taxes as Joseph was of the linkage of David and Bethlehem is the city of David. This was God’s way that prophecy must be fulfilled for Jesus to be born in Bethlehem. 

2. Jesus was born in a manger which was really a box in which the food of animals was kept. The manger was a place of dirt and Jesus was born there to show His humility for us. 

3. The Bible tells us very clearly that Mary was with child from the Holy Spirit. She is the only virgin in this world that could conceive – one and only one. The power is of the Holy Spirit. There never was and it will never happen again. Again, this was prophecy fulfilled from prophet Isaiah about 700 years before Jesus Christ was even born in this world that a virgin shall conceive a son. God knows the end from the beginning. 

4. The meaning of Jesus is Saviour for He came to save His people from their sins. Jesus is also called Emmanuel which means God with us. God has come into the company of men. Jesus is God and He proves it by His words and miracles. Jesus came to live with sinful men and then to die on the cross for the sins of mankind. 

5. Christmas is only meaningful when we receive Jesus Christ, the only Saviour, in our hearts to have eternal life.