Matthew 1:18-25 (New International Version)
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.”
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.
I. A crisis (vv. 18-19)
• The reality of life is that
• Intimate relationship means the “
•
• Righteousness offers others
• Righteousness offers God the gifts of
II. A dream (vv. 20-21)
• Believers make decisions with
• Believers interpret dreams as from
• The promise of peace at Christmas is not due to less
• The promise of peace in Christmas is to have less
• The angel reminds us that our decisions can
• God speaks in dreams because our
III. A response (vv. 22-25)
• To “
• “
• Christmas offers peace with
• The Christmas story is the basis for all other stories about going
• There are two kinds of people here today: 1. Some people are pursuing peace without