Matthew 1:18-25
The Fourth Sunday of Advent, 21 December 2025 | A Sermon on Matthew 1:18-25 | by The Rev. Beth A. Schlegel, STS
text English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles (or other version)
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ[a] took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed[b] to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 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. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel”
(which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Pastor, If the virgin was told by God to call her son Emmanuel, why was Mary’s son named Jesus?
What a great question!
There are all kinds of biblical weeds we can get into, but let’s begin with a –perhaps over-simplification. When you roast a turkey, and you put a bread mixture inside it, what do you call that mixture? Not everyone uses the same word – some call it filling, some call it stuffing, some call it dressing – I call it yummy. But all those different words are referring to the same thing.
When it comes to names in the Bible, it was understood that a name conveyed not only a label for a person, but the very essence and being of a person. To the Hebrew hearers of Isaiah’s prophecy, “Immanuel”, meaning “God is with us” signified that the bearer of that name would be the presence of God, particularly to deliver his people in battle.
But Immanuel is not the only name that signifies the presence of God.
When Moses sinned and could not complete the journey to lead God’s people into the promised land, God chose Joshua – Yeshua in Hebrew, Yesus in Greek, Jesus in English – to lead the people across the Jordan river and take possession of the land.
In the time between the Old Testament and the New Testament, the book of Sirach says this:
Joshua …was mighty in war,
and was the successor of Moses in the prophetic office.
He became, as his name implies,
a great savior of God’s elect,
to take vengeance on the enemies that rose against them,
so that he might give Israel its inheritance. Sirach 46:1
This was a familiar scripture in the time of John the Baptizer, Mary, and Joseph and it was understood not only as a piece of historical data, but as a description of God’s promised Messiah, or Christ. Thus, it was not surprising that the angel told Joseph to give Mary’s son the name Jesus meaning “God saves”. But more than that, the name Jesus implies God with us, Emmanuel.
So, to say that the child born to Mary is the Savior, Jesus, is already to say he is Emmanuel, God with us. Jesus is a name that both Jewish believers and Gentile or non-Jewish believers use to call upon God. to worship the Son of God who accomplished their salvation and deliverance from sin and death. It is the name all believers use to recognize the Savior who leads us into the Promised Land of eternal life, peace, justice, and healing.
Jesus is God with humanity, born of the Virgin Mary as the fulfillment of the Old Testament and raised from the dead in the power of the Holy Spirit to give new life to all who trust him.
Jesus is the Second Person of the Trinity; Jesus is Son of the Father with the authority over all creation. Jesus is God’s salvation of humanity.
Now, getting back to that turkey dinner– if you like that seasoned bread mixture as much as I do –regardless of whether you call it filling, stuffing, or dressing – it makes no sense not to eat it.
The same is true of Jesus.
It makes no sense simply to know his name, but not to call out to him when we are in need.
It makes no sense not to trust him to forgive our sins, lead us away from temptation, and deliver us from evil.
It makes no sense that we do not eat and drink the feast of life that Jesus invites all the baptized to share, his own body and blood.
It makes no sense to pray in Jesus’ name and not confidently trust that our prayers are heard, even when we do not see results or understand God’s answer.
This is why St. Paul wrote as he did to the Romans: that his mission as apostle was to proclaim the gospel of God concerning Jesus Christ, “… to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name,6including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.” Romans 1:5ff. emphasis mine
For the sake of his name – because of who Jesus is as the Savior of the nations.
For the name Jesus is not simply a label, it is who he is and what he does. The name Jesus is the powerful presence of God at work in our lives.
Perhaps some of you remember this ancient hymn:
Jesus, Name all names above; Jesus best and dearest;
Jesus fount of perfect love, holiest, tenderest, nearest;
Thou the source of grace completest, Thou the purest, thou the sweetest.
Thou the well of power divine. Make me, keep me, seal me thine.
–Theoktistus ho Stoudites (AD 749-826) tr. John Mason Neale
When we celebrate Christmas, the birth of Jesus, we celebrate not just a story, not just a sentiment, not just a call to love and welcome others, but we celebrate the coming into our lives of God’s very self; We celebrate the presence of God at work saving us; We celebrate the reality of our being delivered from the power of sin and death by God’s chosen Redeemer, Jesus, Emmanuel.
This is what we are preparing for in this Advent season. We are preparing to receive into our lives and into our hearts and into our decisions and relationships the God with us who forgives and sacrifices and heals and loves in order that we might trust in him.
Jesus — God saves.
Jesus — God saves you
Jesus — God saves me.
Jesus — God saves all who believe.
But to all who received him, who believed in his name,[ Jesus] gave power to become children of God… John 1:12
I invite us to do two things this week:
- Don’t take the name of Jesus lightly
- Whenever you speak the name of Jesus, look for how he is present in that moment with saving grace for you and for others.
In the name of the Father, and of the +Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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©Beth A. Schlegel
pastorschlegel@live.com
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, York PA, USA
Christ Lutheran Church, Manchester, PA, USA