A Savior Born
December 2, 2008
Matthew 1:18-25
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do 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 as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: ‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel’, which means, ‘God is with us.’ When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.
Christmas is just around the corner. The excitement of the holidays is in the air. People are making Christmas plans with family and friends, writing Christmas lists, mailing Christmas cards and shopping a lot. It’s a wonderful time of year, but I must admit that I have trouble during this season to connect what my Christmas list has to do with Jesus being born in a manger in Bethlehem.
The scripture from Matthew shows an encounter between a man named Joseph and angel sent by God to deliver him a message. The angel instructs Joseph to not break his engagement with Mary, but that the child she is bearing is a special child, sent from God. The angel tells Joseph to name the baby Jesus "for he will save his people from their sins." Joseph follows the angel’s instructions.
Jesus has come to save. Naming a child was serious business in Jewish culture. A name reflected the person. Many of Jesus’ early followers believed that his saving power was meant to save Israel from their national enemies and set up a political empire. We learn in this passage that the angel had something else in mind. Jesus was not a political savior, delivering people from the threat of outside forces; Jesus was to save people from themselves. Sin was, and continues to be, the root problem of the human race. It is from sin that Jesus came to save.
Jesus is God with us. Emmanuel. God chose to deliver us up close and personal. Isn’t it comforting to know that we have a God who loves us so much that He would reach out to us in such a profound way? People throughout history have cried out for God to be with them, for God to make God’s presence known in their lives.
The saving grace of Jesus happens on various levels. On a cosmic scale, Jesus has come to save us and to bring us back to God for all eternity. On a personal scale, Jesus has come to save you and I from ourselves daily. This Christmas may we be mindful that what happened all those years ago in Bethlehem also happens in our hearts today. May Jesus be born in us again. This Christmas ask yourself: what do I need to be saved from? What sins have entrapped me? What does it mean for God to be with me?
Prayer: Thank you for sending your son into the world to save me. I know that I have wandered from you. Forgive me of my sins. This Christmas, may Jesus be born in my heart again. Amen.
For more information
Rev. Leigh Martin
College Chaplain
Hasty Student Life Center, Room 308
lsm@reinhardt.edu
O: 770.720.5634
F: 770.720.9105
