Matthew 1:18-25 (ESV) "The Covenant Salvation of Christmas"

Introduction:

Even before Advent we have been on an Old Testament journey through the covenants.

We have seen God’s promises being upheld in spite of the moral failures of God’s people.

It would have been a discouraging journey for us if all the Scriptures declared was only telling us about man’s inability and utter hopelessness.

But even though the Scriptures make that clear they also keep focusing on the faithfulness of the Lord in keeping His promises to His people.

At every step along the way through the covenants we have seen man’s failure but we have also seen the covenant faithfulness of the Lord being declared.

It should by this time it should be apparent to you that this covenant journey leads us to a place called Bethlehem to a stable.

This is the place of the revealing of the Son of God being born of a virgin. Just as the prophets foretold and the angel of the Lord announced to Mary and Joseph prior to Messiah’s birth.

There are many observations that we could make this evening from this text. But there are just two that I want to point out that help us understand the fulfillment of the covenant promises of God, and how that fulfillment is related to Christmas.

Both are reflected in the names that are associated with this baby in a manger. The first name is seen in verse 21:

I. The Name Jesus (21).

We learn here that His name will be called Jesus because He will save His people from their sins.

Remember the name Jesus is derived from the Old Testament name Joshua.

Joshua was the leader of the conquest and God used him to destroy the enemies of Israel.

But remember this didn’t happen completely because Joshua was tricked into entering into a covenant agreement with the Gibeonites.

And the people who came after Joshua didn’t finish the Job as the Lord had commanded.

But Joseph is told that this second Joshua would save His people from their sins.

It wouldn’t be salvation from another people group but salvation from something that was internal and of a spiritual nature.

Jesus would carry out the conquest of the greatest enemy that the covenant people of God ever had.

This is what this baby would come into the world to do and it is reflected in His name.

But there is another name that is associated with His identity that is given in verse 23 as Matthew references from Isaiah the prophet in Isaiah 7:14. It is the name Immanuel.

II. The Name Immanuel (23).

The name Immanuel simply means God with us as the text says.

But what is going on here because we see the name Jesus and His title being the Christ being talked about through the life of Christ but this name Emmanuel didn’t seem to stick.

Was this like a nick name for Jesus of something? No it wasn’t it was a prophetic declaration of identity by the prophet Isaiah that was revealing the essence of His divine nature.

In other words this is not just a kid being born with a heavenly purpose to work salvation but it is a kid that will be God manifest as being with us and in our midst.

Christian do you remember all those “I will” references that Yahweh made that undergirded all the absolute certainty of His covenant fulfillment? God with us is not the idea that the Lord is hanging out with His people when Christ came into the world; but that He actually came down into the nitty gritty places of human existence to do the heavy lifting on our behalf.

Immanuel, God with us us the prophetic declaration of the “I wills” of the Lord coming to accomplish what we never could for the glory of God. That is how the covenant glory of salvation is on display is in that original Christmas.

It is interesting to me how our covenant journey has lead us to the person and work of Christ. And it is our joy to celebrate Him on this Christmas eve and to declare the truth of the gospel that sinners can be redeemed through faith in Jesus Christ for He is no mere man but God in flesh Trust in Him and in His finished work on the Cross for your salvation. Let’s Pray!