Advent | The Birth of the King: God With Us

Well, good morning. It's good to see everybody.

I want to say a big thank you to all the ladies who came up this

week and decorated. If y'all didn't give them a

round of applause earlier, let's do that now.

A lot of work. Christmas tree needles are like

sand from the beach. You'll just see them forever,

right? They'll they'll be here forever.

So if you see them on the ground, praise God, it's

Christmas time. So big thanks to them.

We are starting Advent this week.

So I mentioned to you last week that Matthew might look a little

different than some of the books we've studied because he's got

different movements, if you will, throughout the book.

And so with each of those, we'll kind of enter into what we might

call a miniseries within the larger series just to help us

see those movements, help us kind of break up the book a

little bit. So we're entering into Advent

here, and we've just titled this portion of the Matthew series

Advent, the King Has Come. This first message is titled the

birth of the King, God with us, the birth of the King, God with

us. And so if you're taking notes,

there will be opportunities for you to write some things down

this morning. I do encourage that even from

you kids, you know, you've got to worship God.

Grab that, fill it out as we go. But Advent might be familiar to

you if you've been around for a while, You know we do an Advent

series every year. If you haven't been around for a

while, you may not be familiar with what Advent is.

Advent is simply a season that's shaped by waiting, right?

It's a season shaped by waiting. But when we say waiting, we

don't mean like a passive waiting in the line at a store,

right? We're just kind of waiting with

toe tapping waiting on your turn.

When we talk about Advent and we talk about waiting, we're

talking about a hopeful waiting like it's, it's a waiting that's

anchored in God doing all that he's promised.

So you might be, you might imagine, like leaning forward

and waiting, right? There's this eager expectation

that God is going to do what he said he's going to do.

Now when we go through an Advent Series, A lot of times what

we're doing is we're looking back at a time of waiting that

God's people had in which they were anticipating the arrival of

the King, right? And that's what we're going to

look at this morning. We're going to see, we're going

to see the arrival of Christ as an infant's, the incarnation,

and as his people. Now we await a second Advent,

right? The arrival of the King of

kings, the Lord of Lords, the one who will descend from the

heaven, gather his people into his Kingdom for an everlasting

time with him, right, and which will be in the new heaven and

new earth. And so, but ever since Adam and

Eve, as we kind of look back to this first advent, ever since

Adam and Eve were driven out of Eden, the people of God have

lived with this longing in their hearts, wondering when will God

come to rescue us? Right?

When will he send the one who will crush the serpent's head,

as he promised in Genesis 315? So last week Matthew began his

gospel by showing us the genealogy of Jesus.

All right, he just showed us there's a list of names.

But we saw there the family line that demonstrates not only

Christ's rightful claim to David's throne, but also

demonstrates for us the grace of God woven through every

generation. All right, the, the, the line,

the family that Jesus came from anticipates the kind of people

he came for, right? Broken sinners in need of a

Savior. And so last week we began by

looking at that genealogy. But now Matthew moves from the

King's lineage, from his genealogy to his arrival.

Matthew wants to show us how he came.

And what he wants us to see is that the birth of Jesus is not

simply a sweet Christmas story, right?

It's not, it's not simply that. It is that, but it's not simply

that. Rather, the birth of Jesus is

the sovereign intervention of God to bring hopes to sinners

through the birth of the Savior. It's the sovereign intervention

of God in the history of humanity to bring hope to

sinners through the birth of the Savior.

So as we think along those lines, let's stand now and hear

the word of the Lord. If you're able to stand, please

stand as we hear the word of the Lord.

Matthew 118. I'm going to read through verse

25 this morning. Now the birth of Jesus Christ

took place in this way when his mother Mary had been betrothed

to Joseph. Before they came together, she

was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit and her husband

Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame,

resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these

things, behold, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream,

saying, Joseph, son of David. Do not fear to take Mary as your

wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the

Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you

shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from

their sins. And all this took place to

fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet.

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and

they shall call his name Emmanuel, which means God with

us. When Joseph woke from sleep, he

did as the Angel of the Lord commanded him.

He took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to

a son and he called his name Jesus.

This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you

for your word. We thank you that by it we see

Christ your Son, that we see him clearly in the Scriptures, and

having seen him, we see the Father.

And so Father, we ask now that you would open our hearts and

minds by your spirits, that you would illuminate this text for

us, that we might rightly discern it, that we might

rightly understand it. But more than understanding,

Lord, let it deepen our affections for Jesus.

This week, my Lord, let it be a help to us in seasons of of hope

and seasons where we need a stronger hope, we need our hope

strengthened. God, we ask that you would

minister this text to our hearts, that you would help us

to see Christ, the Savior of sinners born for us, that you,

God, have come down to us and we praise you for this truth of

God. We ask that you be with us now

as we walk through this text. It's in the name of Christ, I

pray. Amen.

Command. You may be seated.

So when we come to a passage like Matthew 118 through 25,

it's really easy to let familiarity dull our sense of

wonder. All right?

It's a story that many of you have heard dozens, hundreds,

thousands of times, all right? Many of us have heard it since

childhood even. We know the Angel.

We know the the dilemma that Joseph is in.

We know the name Jesus, We know the title Emmanuel.

These things are familiar to us, but if we're honest, sometimes

the truths that should take us and shake us to the core really

just become background noise during the busyness of December.

All right. Yet Matthew doesn't write this

account for sentimental reasons. He doesn't write it just so that

we'll get goosies and warm fuzzies.

He writes it to wake us up. He writes it to shake us.

He wants us to see that the most important moment in human

history has just arrived. God himself has stepped into the

world. The Creator has entered

creation. The the the hands that formed

the woman have entered the woman's womb.

All right, What God has done is nothing short of amazing.

It's a right use of the word awesome here.

It's all inspiring to see it right.

The Holy One has taken on humanity.

He's in the form of a child in the womb of his mother.

And he's done it to give hope to to sinners, to give hope to

hopeless sinners, You might say. Now, some of you this morning

need that hope. All right, Maybe all of us do.

Some of you might carry regrets that you don't know what to do

with. All right, you carry those as

burdens on your back. Even as Christians, you just

still have these regrets that pop into your mind, that plague

gear. Some of you might be walking

into the season with a heart full of grief, wondering what

could have been, what should have been.

Some of you may be battling uncertainty during this season.

Some of you are just plain exhausted.

All right, Christmas, it didn't hear yet and you're wishing it

away, all right. And some of you simply need to

be reminded that the God who made the universe is not distant

from you. He's not set himself high in

heaven, where he's as far as far away from you as he can be.

No, the God of heaven has come down to you.

He's he's entered into your world.

He's drawn near to you in his son.

All right, Matthew wants us to feel the weight of this.

That's why he moves from genealogy to the birth of a

savior. Right.

He, he wants to show us that the promises of God have finally

arrived in flesh and blood. What I wasn't able to do last

week with the genealogy was walk through every single story

that's represented there. But what you have represented

there is a history of sins, tyranny on man.

You, you have a history of people who did not follow God.

Well, you have a history of people who did follow God.

Well, you have a history of, of, of sin ravaging humanity.

But you have a history of hope. Hope and a savior coming, the

preservation of a seed from the woman in the garden.

And here we see the seed taking on life.

And so he tells the story in a way that leaves no doubt.

Jesus is not merely born. He is sent by God.

He's sent by God. He is God's faithful

intervention into human history. He's the fulfillment of every

promise of the Old Testament. He's the embodiment of hope.

Do you understand that for Christ to be the Savior, for

Christ to be the Messiah, that some 300 plus prophecies have to

be fulfilled? And they are.

And part of Matthew's intent in writing this gospel is to show

us prophecy being fulfilled. He's going to say over and over

again as it is written or as the prophet said, right?

So Jesus Christ is the embodiment of hope.

And here's the main point that anchors this entire passage, the

entire sermon this morning. It's this The virgin birth

reveals God's faithful intervention to bring hope and

salvation to sinners through Jesus, Emmanuel.

The virgin birth reveals God's faithful intervention to bring

hope and salvation to sinners through Jesus Emmanuel.

And so hopefully to help us see that, we're going to walk

through this text under 3 headings.

The first will be that the birth of Jesus reveals God's faithful

plan in verses 18 and 19. We'll see there that God is

working even when his people don't understand it.

Secondly, we'll see the birth of Jesus reveals God's saving

purpose in verses 20 through 23. We'll see there that God is

sending a Savior who will deal with our deepest problem, our

sin. And then finally, we'll see that

the birth of Jesus calls for trusting obedience.

In verses 24 and 25, Joseph shows us the proper response to

God's revelation. So these three movements lead us

to the same conclusion. Our hope is is not found in what

we do, brothers and sisters. Our hope is found in what God

has done in Christ. So let's begin where Matthew

begins, with Joseph, a confused and righteous man standing at a

crossroads and with a surprising faithful plan of God breaking

into his life. Look again at verses 18 and 19.

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way.

When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph before they

came together, she was found to be with child from the Holy

Spirit and her husband Joseph being a just man and unwilling

to put her to shame, resolve to divorce her quietly.

So here we see the birth of Jesus reveals God's faithful

plan. Matthew begins the story of

Jesus's birth with this stunning interruption.

Verse 18 states Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this

way. The word birth, just Genesis

intentionally echoes the opening of Matthew, but he's echoing

everything he's just laid out for us in the genealogy that

Jesus Christ is the son of David, the son of Abraham.

And what we see here is there is a new beginning, that we see the

moment that every generation in the genealogy had been

anticipated. The birth of Jesus Christ took

place in this way. The way this moment unfolds is

jarring to us. Before Mary and Joseph come

together as husband and wife, Mary is found to be with child.

Now Joseph knows that the child is not his.

And so from any human perspective, this looks like

betrayal. All right?

This looks like a problem. This looks like unfaithfulness

on Mary's part. And yet Matthew immediately adds

this divine explanation that she was with child from the Holy

Spirit. So Matthew's letting us know

right out of the gate that God is acting.

God is intervening in the brokenness of our world.

He's accomplishing what no human could ever achieve.

And this is not an ordinary conception.

This is divine creation within the womb of a virgin, the Son of

God, entering into human history by the power of God's Spirit.

And I want you to notice Joseph's character here.

Joseph is just and compassionate.

Matthew draws our attention to Joseph.

He describes him as a just man. When he describes him as a just

man, he's saying that he's a righteous man.

He's the kind of man who's committed to God's law.

He's the kind of man that's concerned for holiness.

He's the kind of man that's desires of obedience, and yet

his righteousness is not cold or harsh.

It says that he is unwilling to expose Mary to shame, though the

law permitted it. Matthew Henry says this.

He said Joseph was tender though he was just.

True justice is always attended with mercy.

Henry notes that Joseph seeks to obey God without destroying

another's reputation. It shows that righteousness and

compassion are not enemies. Rather they are companions.

Right. Joseph demonstrates the kind of

obedience that reflects God's hearts.

It's not only right and principle, but it's kind in its

practice. We should all strive to be just

in this way. I want you to see also the

dilemma that Joseph has right. There's human limitation meeting

divine Providence. Joseph's struggle is real.

He he's trying to make a wise and godly decision based on what

he sees, right? And what he sees seems to

contradict everything that he knows of Mary's character.

So he is doing the best he can with limited knowledge.

There's human limitation here, but I want you to understand

that Joseph's confusion is not a sign of God's absence in the

same way that often our confusion is not a sign of God's

absence, right? It's actually the setting for

God's greatest work. Matthew Henry, again, he says

this. Providence sometimes seems to

run counter to promise, but it is only seeming.

Providence sometimes seems to run counter to promise, but it

is only seeming. You see, Joseph sees a scandal,

the woman that I'm engaged to has been unfaithful and what God

sees is fulfilment. Right.

Joseph sees broken expectations. This was supposed to be a

matrimony of bliss. Her character is strong.

God has brought her into my life.

She's going to be a crown on my head.

I have found a treasure, right? But God sees perfect timing.

Joseph sees a crisis. What am I going to do?

But God sees the coming of the Messiah.

Here we also see the necessity of the virgin birth.

This is kind of the theological weight of this passage.

It's it's something we must understand.

It's good and right for us to understand the necessity of the

virgin birth. You see, the virgin birth is not

a spiritual garnish on the Christmas story.

It's not a nice little thing laid on the plates of the birth

of our Savior just to add some beauty to it.

No, the the virgin birth is essential to the gospel.

The the virgin birth is. Essential.

To the Gospel. Jesus is.

Conceived of the Holy Spirit in the womb of his mother Mary, to

ensure a few different things. One, his true humanity, he's

born of Mary. It's also to ensure his true

deity that he's conceived by God.

And it's also to. Ensure his sinlessness because

he is not inheriting Adam's guilt.

If Jesus had been. Conceived by a man, he would

share in Adam's fallen nature, right?

We see this in Genesis. Chapter 5 and verse one we get

Genesis 5 · chapter mention

the genealogy or in chapter 5 we get this genealogy of Adam.

And it starts in verse. One where it says when God

created man he made him in the likeness of God and it says male

and female he made them. It's essentially repeating

Genesis 127 and 28. But then in Genesis 5.

Verse 3 just two verses later we see Adam fathering a son and it

says that Adam fathered a son in his own likeness after his

image. And So what we see is.

The inheritance of guilt. The inheritance of a sin nature.

But here being conceived by the. Holy Spirit means that Jesus is

fully man and yet utterly without sin.

This qualifies. Him to be our Savior.

This qualifies him to be the spotless Lamb who takes away the

sin of the world. And in other words, the hope of

the gospel begins in the womb of the woman.

Isaiah 714 promised that a virgin would conceive and bear a

son. And in this moment God is

fulfilling His word exactly as he said.

The Virgin has conceived, and she's burying a son.

God's plan is. Unfolding with absolute

faithfulness, even when Joseph cannot yet understand it now.

I think that. Joseph's experience speaks

powerfully into our lives. Some of you feel.

Like you're standing where Joseph stood.

You're you're faced with. Circumstances you didn't choose.

With outcomes. You didn't foresee with

questions you cannot answer. You're trying to do.

What's right? But the path ahead is confusing

to say the least. And this bit about.

Joseph reminds us of something really important.

God is faithful even when the situation feels impossible.

He's always faithful. Your confusion is.

Not a sign that God has left you.

Your uncertainty does. Not mean that God's plan has

stalled. Your questions do not cancel

God's promises. Right the same.

God, who formed the Savior in Mary's womb, is sovereign over

the details of your life. Joseph is wrestling with what he

can see, but God is accomplishing something far

greater than Joseph imagines. And it's into this moment.

Of uncertainty that God speaks not only to what is happening,

but also to why it is happening. That leads us to the.

Saving purpose behind the birth of Christ The birth of Jesus

reveals God's saving purpose point #2.

Look at verses 20 through. 23 But as he considered these

things, behold, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream,

saying, Joseph, son of David. Do not fear to take Mary as your

wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the

Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you

shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from

their sins. All this took place.

To fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, Behold,

the Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and they shall call

his name Emmanuel, which means God with us.

So Joseph has. Resolved to quietly divorce his

wife or to divorce Mary to break off the engagements.

Doing what seems. Righteous and merciful, He

doesn't want to bring shame to her.

But before he can. Act God intervenes through an

angelic messenger. And verse 20 remind.

Tells us that as he considered these things.

In other words, God steps in precisely when Joseph needs

clarity. He's considering these things.

What shall I do? And he's resolved.

To divorce her quietly. And then God steps.

In Through the voice of an Angel, the Angel calls Joseph by

a title that is loaded with significance.

I hope you saw it. Joseph, son of David.

He's been reminded. Of his royal lineage, Joseph is

not a king. He's not a Prince.

He doesn't have any real great standing among the people of his

day. Joseph is a humble Carpenter.

He's committed to woodworking. And yet God is.

Positioning him in the stream of divine promise, the Messiah will

come through David's line, and Joseph is the chosen legal

father who will bring Jesus into that line.

Then the Angel. Addresses Joseph's fear, right?

Do not fear to take Mary as your wife.

How often does? Fear stand between US and

obedience Pretty often. Pretty often, but God reassures

Joseph even before the command comes.

Do not fear to do. This.

Here we have what you. Might call the divine

explanation. The Angel reveals the mystery of

what is happening. Mary has not.

Been unfaithful. This is not a.

Scandal, Joseph. This is sovereignty at work.

The child. Conceived in her is from the

Holy Spirit. Matthew Henry writes.

This, he says, when we are at most at law, at a loss.

God has ways to bring light into our darkness.

God sent the Angel not merely to clear Mary's name, but to

confirm Joseph's faith. Amen.

For the divine explanation lifts the entire situation above human

understanding. God Himself has entered into the

womb of a virgin to bring forth the promised Redeemer.

And so there's more. Things you have to notice right?

You need to notice the naming of Jesus.

In the naming of Jesus, the mission of Christ is defined.

Joseph is commanded to name the child Jesus, the Greek form of

Yeshua, which means Yahweh saves.

You see names in. Scripture are not sentimental

they're often theological the Angel is telling Joseph the

baby's identity and his mission he will save his people from

their sins he's. Not going to save them.

From Rome. He's not going to save.

Them from poverty, He's not going to save them from

oppression. He's not going to save them from

difficult circumstances. He's going to save them from

their sins. The greatest?

Problem. Is going to be.

Removed in Christ the deepest, most destructive, most universal

human problem. That's what Jesus has come to

solve. Amen.

Matthew Henry. Says this.

He says it is sin that has made all of our sorrows, and if sin

be pardoned then all is well. This is why Jesus.

Came He came to deal with the source of our brokenness, not

just the brokenness. The source of it?

The birth of Jesus is not ultimately about a Manger.

It's not ultimately about shepherds or wise men.

It is the opening chapter in the story of redemption.

It's a story that leads to a cross.

It leads to an empty tomb. It leads to a victorious king.

Jesus was born so that he may die for sinners.

We should note also. That this is the fulfillment of

prophecy. Jesus is.

Emmanuel, God with us. Matthew prophesied that some 700

years before the birth of Christ.

So Matthew draws. Our eyes to Isaiah 714 Behold,

the Virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call

his name Emmanuel. If Christmas has a.

Heartbeat, so to speak. This is it.

This is the theological heartbeat of Christmas.

God with us, not God against us any longer, not God above us,

not God distant from us, but God come down to be with us in our

flesh and our suffering and our temptation and our need.

God is with us. The incarnation.

Is God's declaration that He refuses to remain far off?

He has come near to save. God becoming a man.

Is not optional doctrine, brothers and sisters.

Jesus taking on. Flesh is essential for

salvation. Jesus had to be.

Fully human to represent us. He had to be fully divine to

save us. He had to be sinless to be our

substitute. He had to be God with us to

reconcile us to God. If Jesus is.

Not Emmanuel. Then you and I who have placed

our faith in Christ would still be in our sins.

We would still be destined. For hell.

But because Jesus is Emmanuel, sinners can have hope, and our

hope is rooted in the presence of God.

So here's where this lands. For us.

I have good news. For you today, hope is not based

on your ability to figure out life.

All that worrying you? Do all that anxiety you have,

all that perplexion you endure. These things are not where your

hope is found. Hope is not based on.

Your ability to figure out your life.

Hope is based. On God's unwavering commitment

to be with His people. In the darkness of.

Your circumstances, whatever they may be, sickness, death,

financial marriage, parenting. In the darkness of your

circumstances, remember God is with you.

In the weight of your. Guilt.

You recall your? Sins.

You're beaten over the. Head with shame.

Satan wants you to think. That God can't save you, but

that's for somebody else out there.

In the weight of your. Guilt.

Remember, God is with you. In the ache of.

Grief. God is with you in the battle

that you. Have with temptation and sin,

falling to the same schemes of Satan over and over, struggling,

wrestling with your flesh. God is with you.

This is the hope of. Advent, brothers and sisters.

But God came. Near, so that sinners could draw

near to him. Jesus Christ.

Birth, His death, his resurrection.

Those things open. Wide the door of salvation for

all who will come to him through repentance and faith.

If God's saving. Purpose is so clear, then the

question becomes how do we? Respond What?

What does? Hopeful.

Faith look like in real life. Well, Matthew answers.

That through the obedience of Joseph, I think.

Point #3 the birth. Of Jesus calls for trusting

obedience. 24 and 25. When Joseph woke from sleep.

He did as the Angel. Of the Lord commanded him, he

took his wife, but. Knew her.

Not until she had given birth to a son and he called his name

Jesus. You see, Joseph wakes from his

dream with a clarity that he didn't have before.

The Angel has. Spoken God has revealed his plan

to him, and what Joseph does next is one of the clearest

portraits of biblical faith in the New Testament.

Verse 24 states very simply, he did as the Angel of the Lord

commanded him. No hesitation, no bargaining

with God. No demanding.

More Signs. Just simply.

Obedience. First, Joseph.

Takes Mary as his wife. This is significant.

He willingly steps into a situation that's going to bring

misunderstanding. It's going to bring.

Social stigma against him. There's going to be whispers

from the neighbors next door. Joseph.

Accepts public shame for the sake of obedience.

And so often Christians are called to accept public shame

for the sake of obedience. Matthew Henry comments.

Joseph, by obeying God, exposes himself to the reproaches of

men. But it is better.

To have the approval of God. Amen.

Joseph's obedience. Cost him something and.

Again, true. Obedience usually does.

Next, we see Joseph. Refrains from consummating the

marriage until after Jesus's birth.

Matthew includes. This detail to safeguard the

truth of the virgin birth. It's necessary for salvation.

It's essential Joseph's self. Restraint emphasizes that this

child is entirely the work of God.

Thirdly, we see that. Joseph names the child Jesus.

And Jewish culture. Naming a child was an act of

legal adoption. By naming.

Jesus Joseph brings him officially and publicly into the

line of David, which fulfills the Messianic prophecy.

So Joseph's. Joseph's obedience is not like

some minor footnote in Matthew's Gospel.

It's part of God. 'S sovereign plan, His actions

protect the truth of the virgin birth.

They establishes Jesus. They establish Jesus's legal

right to David's throne. They show the proper human

response to divine revelation when.

The word of the Lord. Has said we should obey.

Amen. And they demonstrate.

Faith that acts, not just believes.

The Bible consistently teaches us that true faith obeys.

It's one of the great. Fruits of true faith, Obedience

to God, obedience to His Word. And Joseph models this for us

beautifully. So Joseph's example.

Confronts us with questions that we must consider.

Where is God calling? You to obey him today.

Where is obedience? Costly.

Where are you tempted to? Wait for the perfect conditions

before acting. You see, Joseph reminds us that

obedience is not about convenience, it's about trust.

You trust what? That God's Word is true.

You. You trust that?

God's presence is enough. You trust that God will sustain

you even when obedience is costly.

If Jesus is truly. Emmanuel, God with us, then we

have every reason to trust and obey Him.

Obedience becomes hope in action.

Joseph's obedience completes this picture that Matthew is

painting for us. The faithful plan of God, the

saving purpose of God, the trusting obedience of His

servant, all converge in the birth of the king.

All of it. Points us to the hope that we

find only in Emmanuel. And so Advent teaches our hearts

to hope not in ourselves, not in our circumstances, not in

sentimental things, but in the God who keeps his promises.

Hope in the God who keeps his promises.

In Matthew chapter one, we learn that God's plan is faithful.

That God's purpose is. Saving that God's presence is

with us. In the heart of it all is

Emmanuel, God with us. And so if you are.

A believer in Jesus Christ, you're walking with the Lord.

I will encourage you to. Trust the promises of God this

morning. I will encourage you to.

Walk in obedience to God. I will encourage you to.

Rest in the presence of God in your life.

Jesus came to be near you. Jesus came to save you.

Jesus came that he might hold you fast in his hand.

And so let his. Nearness, strengthen your hope

today. If you're not a believer, you

haven't placed your. Faith in Christ yet?

I want you to know. That the king has come.

Hope has. A name now.

Jesus. Christ.

And he will save his. People from their sins.

And if you'll call. Upon his name.

If you repent of your. Sin and call upon him.

And you will find. Salvation because He has come to

save sinners like you and me. Remember the Virgin?

Birth reveals God's faithful intervention to bring hope and

salvation to sinners through Jesus, Emmanuel, let's.

Pray Heavenly Father, we. Thank you.

For this morning, God, we thank you.

For this word about Jesus Emmanuel.

You God coming to be. With us.

We thank you that we. See that Christ has put on

flesh. That he's fully.

Human. And that he's fully God, and

that qualifies. Him to be our Savior, that

qualifies him to be the Lamb that is slain.

As as beautiful as this is, we know.

That it. Results in a cross.

We know that it results. In Christ, bearing our shame,

taking our sin on Himself, and dying on a cross.

But God we also. Know as we looked at in First

Corinthians 15 just weeks ago. That it ends in a.

Resurrection. Christ has defeated.

The grave. He sits in heaven as the

victorious king over sin. He's the Lord of Lords.

And everyone. Who calls on His name will be

saved, since, Father, we thank You that You have granted us

salvation in Christ alone. By your great.

Grace, by your mercy, by your love for us.

You have given your. Son, that we might be reconciled

to You once again, and Father, we know that He is able to save

to the uttermost all who draw near to you through Him.

Many of us here. Today, sit here as believers

because we have drawn near through Christ.

You have saved us by your marvelous grace.

And we praise you. For it.

Father, would you let this? Word fill us with hope today.

We would see that you. Are with us in every

circumstance. You're with us in every grief.

You're with us in every pain and every loss and every temptation.

God, you are near to us. Because of Christ.

Because of your spirit within us.

God, let it strengthen. Our hope this morning.

Father, I plead. With you now to save.

Anyone here who? Doesn't know you as Lord.

Would you draw them to? Yourself this morning.

Would you grant them? Salvation in Christ, would you

grant them to be children of God?

Would you save them by? Your Grace.

Heavenly Father again. We thank you for Jesus Christ,

our Lord, our King. I'm.

Going to. Give you a moment now in your

seat to pray and to seek the Lord maybe.

There's something you need to. Confess to God today.

Maybe there's a circumstance. You've been trying to be Lord

over in your own way. You haven't entrusted it to him.

Maybe there's a role you. Need to step into.

There's something the Lord's. Leading you to and you're

fearful. You're worried you don't have it

all. Figured out and so you won't

take the step. Would you trust the Lord this

morning and. Maybe it's you that.

Needs salvation today. You haven't placed your.

Faith in Christ. You haven't repented of your

sins. You're seeking to be your own

God. But you confess your sin,

Confess your faith in Christ this morning, call upon him, and

receive salvation today. Heavenly Father, we thank.

You for your love and your mercy and your grace, we thank you.

For your faithfulness. We thank you that you are good

to every generation, as Psalm 100 tells us.

That you meet us. And our desperation, and our

sin, and our pain and our struggles.

God, would you help? Us to lift our eyes to you.

Would you help us to lift our hearts, our souls to you?

Help us to have faith. To trust, to be hopeful this

morning in. The name of Christ.

I pray. Amen.