God With Us: Nothing Is Impossible

Welcome to week two of our Hidden Christmas series! Last Sunday, we explored how the Light of Christ has dawned in our darkness—that piercing, transformative Light our weary world desperately needs. Today, we shift our focus to examine what actually happened when that eternal Light chose to step into our messy, broken, beautiful world.

Have you ever noticed how the Christmas story hits differently depending on where you're standing in life? The young mother treasuring God's promises sees Mary's wonder and relates to her mixture of fear and faith. The father trying to protect his family in uncertain times resonates with Joseph's silent courage and costly obedience. The overlooked and forgotten connect with shepherds receiving heaven's first invitation. Today, we're going to look at the Christmas story through multiple angles that each angle show us something the others might miss. Because here's what I've discovered: Christmas isn't just one story. It's God's multifaceted intervention into human history, and every angle reveals the same stunning truth: The birth of Jesus shows us that God keeps His promises and nothing is impossible for Him. Whether you're in a season of confusion like Joseph, wonder like Mary, or somewhere in between, God has a vantage point that speaks directly to where you are today.

Text: Matthew 1:18–25 + Isaiah 7–9 + Luke 1

INTRODUCTION — TWO ANGLES OF THE SAME STORY

Last week, we opened our series Hidden Christmas by talking about the Light that has dawned — the Light our world desperately needs. Today we turn a corner, and we look at what happened when that Light stepped into our world.

Here is the central idea for today:

The birth of Jesus shows us that God keeps His promises and nothing is impossible for Him.

The Same Divine Moment, Multiple Angles

One of the beautiful things about Christmas is that we get two different angles on the same story.

In the 2008 film "Vantage Point," we witness the same 23 minutes — a presidential assassination attempt — through eight different perspectives. Each viewpoint reveals crucial details the others miss. What seems clear from one angle becomes complex from another. The truth only emerges when all perspectives converge.

Just as "Vantage Point" shows us that no single perspective captures the whole truth, the Gospels give us the Christmas story through different lenses:

I like how N. T. Wright says it — it’s like watching a two-part film where each half shows the same events from different perspectives:

Luke gives us the story through Mary’s eyes 

Emotional, personal, full of wonder.

2. Matthew gives us the story through Joseph’s eyes

Grounded, sober, wrestling with reality.

And when you put those two perspectives together, you get a fuller, richer, deeper understanding of what God is doing.

Because Christmas is not just a heart story — it’s a history story. It’s not just sentimental — it’s supernatural. It’s not just beautiful — it’s impossible… without God.

Over the next several minutes I am going to share with you eight different angles to the same story. Angles that share only one part of the entire story, but when all put together create a much fuller perspective on the story of Christmas.

Prayer

ANGLE #1 THE PROBLEM

A CRISIS IN BETHLEHEM (Matthew 1:18–19)

Let’s start with

Matthew 1:18–19 NLT

This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.

Before Christmas was beautiful, it was messy. Before Christmas was comforting, it was confusing.

Joseph is in a crisis.

Mary — the woman he loves, the woman he is committed to, the woman he has honored — is pregnant. And Joseph knows the child is not his.

Imagine the emotional storm inside this man:

heartbreak

betrayal

disbelief

confusion

shame

anger

disappointment

This is where the Christmas story begins — not with twinkle lights and warm fires, but with a man whose world feels like it just ended.

Keller says it this way:

“Christmas is not sentimental. It is the story of God breaking in where the world is breaking apart.”

Tim Keller

And Joseph is living in that break.

ANGLE #2 THE REVELATION

GOD SPEAKS INTO THE IMPOSSIBLE (Matthew 1:20–21)

Verse 20:

Matthew 1:20 NLT

As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.

This is important: God doesn’t speak to Joseph until after Joseph has reached the end of himself.

Isn’t that how God often works?

As soon as Joseph realizes his plan isn’t enough… As soon as Joseph admits he doesn't have answers… As soon as Joseph stops trying to fix things in his own strength… As soon as Jospeh enters into a place of deep anger…

A Greek-English Lexicon (ἐνθῡμέομαι) ἐνθῡμέομαι - anger, confusion, deep thoughts

God steps in.

And what God says changes everything:

“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.”

In other words:

“Joseph, this is not your crisis — it’s My calling.” “This is not a scandal — it’s a sign.” “This is not chaos — it’s fulfillment.”

ANGLE #3 THE PROPHECY

GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES (Matthew 1:22–23, Isaiah 7:14)

Matthew interrupts the story to make sure we don’t miss the bigger picture.

Matthew 1:22–23 NLT

All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’ ”

700 years earlier — Seven. Hundred. Years. — Isaiah prophesied this moment:

Isaiah 7:14 NLT

All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).

Immanuel means “God with us.”

Matthew is telling us:

This moment is not an accident.

Joseph’s pain is not random.

Mary’s calling is not unexpected.

This crisis is actually the fulfillment of God’s plan from the beginning.

And here’s the deeper truth:

Christmas is God proving He is faithful even when it feels like everything is falling apart.

ANGLE #4 THE SIGNIFICANCE

JESUS SAVES (Matthew 1:21)

Then the angel gives Joseph the name:

Matthew 1:21 NLT

And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

“Jesus” means Yahweh saves.

Not “Jesus will inspire.” Not “Jesus will uplift.” Not “Jesus will encourage.” Not “Jesus will clarify.”

Jesus will save.

Meaning:

We couldn’t save ourselves.

We couldn't rescue ourselves.

We couldn't fix ourselves.

We couldn't climb our way up to God.

So God came down to us.

Christmas is not good advice; it is good news. It is not about what we do; it is about what God has done.

ANGLE #5 THE IMPOSSIBLE

NOTHING IS TOO HARD FOR GOD

The birth of Jesus is surrounded by the impossible:

a virgin conceives

prophecies are fulfilled

angels appear

God becomes human

the Creator enters creation

eternity steps into time

the infinite becomes an infant

Christmas is God declaring:

“Nothing is impossible for Me.”

This is what Mary said in…

Luke 1:37 NLT

“…For the word of God will never fail.”

This is what the angel told Joseph in Matthew 1:20-21

Matthew 1:20–21 NLT

“…the angel said, ‘do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife…’”

This is what Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah 7:14

Isaiah 7:14 NLT

All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).

and

Isaiah 9:6–7 NLT

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!

This is what the shepherds witnessed in…

Luke 2:11 NLT

The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!

Every detail of Christmas shouts:

“Where you see barriers, God sees beginnings.” “Where you see endings, God sees new creation.” “Where you see impossible, God sees Immanuel.”

Angle #6 JOSEPH’S RESPONSE

OBEDIENCE, COURAGE, AND HUMILITY (Matthew 1:24–25)

Matthew 1:24–25 NLT

When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

Matthew 1:24–25 NLT

he did as the angel of the Lord commanded

Joseph obeyed. Immediately. Quietly. Humbly. Courageously.

Think about this:

Joseph obeys God… even though it will cost him his reputation. even though people will whisper. even though he will be misunderstood. even though his life will not look like he planned.

But Joseph obeys anyway.

Why?

Because once you understand who Jesus is… Once you understand what God is doing… Once you realize God is with you…

There is only one response: Surrender.

Angle #7 OUR LIFE APPLICATION

WHAT CHRISTMAS CALLS US TO DO

1. Trust God when life doesn’t make sense.

Joseph teaches us that obedience is not always convenient — but it is always worth it.

2. Believe that God’s timing is perfect.

God fulfilled His promise after seven centuries. You can trust Him with your next seven days.

3. Surrender to God’s call even when you don’t have all the details.

Joseph obeyed without knowing how the story would play out. You don’t need clarity to be faithful — only courage.

4. Remember that God is with you.

Immanuel is not a seasonal name — it is eternal reality.

ANGLE #8 GOSPEL INVITATION

GOD WITH US

The heart of Christmas is that God didn’t wait for us to come to Him — He came to us.

God with us. God for us. God in us.

God with the broken. God with the hurting. God with the confused. God with the sinner. God with the fearful. God with the wandering.

And God is with you today.

CONCLUSION — THE GOD WHO STILL DOES THE IMPOSSIBLE

Church, if Christmas tells us anything, it is this:

God is still doing impossible things.

In your family. In your marriage. In your calling. In your children. In your wounds. In your waiting. In our church. And in 2026.

And the God who kept His promise for 700 years will keep His promises to you today.

PRAYER

“Lord, thank You that You are Immanuel. Thank You for breaking into our darkness with Your light. Help us trust You when life feels confusing. Help us obey even when we don’t have all the answers. And help us remember that nothing is impossible for You. In Jesus’ name, amen.”