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Immanuel, God with us



          
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Matthew 1:16-25 

The Christmas season—particularly the four Sundays before Christmas that we call the Advent season—invites us to reflect on key aspects of our Christian faith: hope, peace, joy, and love. The word Advent means “expectation,” a longing and waiting for something to happen. For us as Christians, that “something” is the coming of the Messiah, the birth of Jesus Christ.

As we celebrate this season, we revisit the stories of Christmas in ways that speak these messages into our lives. Today, we look at the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 1. Matthew is one of the two Gospel writers, along with Luke, who provides a detailed description of the birth of Jesus. Mark and John, on the other hand, begin their narratives by jumping directly into Jesus’ ministry.

The first fifteen verses of Matthew 1 list the genealogy of Jesus. Many readers skip this portion because it is long and repetitive, but Matthew includes it to establish the historical and spiritual significance of Jesus’ birth—especially important for his primarily Jewish audience. He reminds them that from Abraham to David there were fourteen generations, from David to the exile in Babylon another fourteen, and from the exile to the coming of the Messiah yet another fourteen. This genealogy roots Jesus firmly in the story of God’s people.

After the genealogy, Matthew explains how the birth of Jesus came about. Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, yet before they came together she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. We know this part of the story well. But it is important to remember that the world into which Jesus was born was anything but peaceful.

At the time of Jesus’ birth, the Jewish people were under Roman rule. Their taxes were crushing—60 to 70 percent of their income was taken by the government, and tax collectors like Matthew often demanded even more for their own profit. People were frustrated, oppressed, and restless. Chaos and conflict filled the land. They longed for a savior who would deliver them from Roman oppression and restore peace.

Even Mary and Joseph had no peace in their personal lives. Mary was a young, unknown girl living in a remote village when an angel suddenly appeared and told her she would bear the Savior. Her life was turned upside down. Joseph faced his own turmoil when he learned that Mary was pregnant. He struggled with confusion, disappointment, and fear—until an angel assured him that God was working out a divine plan.

It was in the midst of this world of turmoil that the Prince of Peace was born.

The angel told Joseph that the child Mary carried would be called Jesus, “because he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew also quotes the prophet Isaiah: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Emmanuel,” which means “God with us.” Jesus was never personally addressed as Emmanuel; rather, Emmanuel is a title—a declaration of who He is and what His presence means. It is a positional name, like Messiah. It tells us that in Christ, God is with us.

This truth matters because peace is not something we find in our circumstances. It is not simply the absence of trouble. Peace is an inward reality. It does not depend on what is happening around us but on who is present within us. Peace is a person—Jesus Christ. When we have Him, we have peace.

Our world today needs peace more than ever. Our society needs peace, our country needs peace, and even our churches need peace. But we cannot expect the world to give us peace. The world, broken by sin, can offer only chaos. True peace comes from God, through Jesus Christ, living in our hearts.

As Christians, we are called to be peacemakers. Without people filled with Christ’s peace, the world would know only more conflict. History shows us the deep divisions between nations and religions, and we often stand between them as agents of reconciliation. That is not an accident—it is God’s calling on our lives.

Peace does not come when storms end; peace comes when God steps into the storm with us. The Bible is full of stories proving this truth. The disciples feared for their lives in the storm, yet Jesus came to them walking on the water. Daniel was thrown into the lions’ den, but God shut the lions’ mouths. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into a fiery furnace, yet the king saw a fourth figure walking with them—one who looked like “the son of God.” God did not rescue them from the fire; He rescued them in the fire.

That is the promise of Emmanuel—God with us in every circumstance. We may face chaos, confusion, suffering, loneliness, and uncertainty, but He is with us. Not one of us is abandoned or forgotten. God chose us before the foundation of the world and sent His Son for us. That is how valuable we are to Him.

So during this Advent season, as we reflect on peace, let us remember that true peace is Christ Himself—His presence in our hearts and His guidance in our lives. Let us share that peace with others who desperately need it.

Scripture reminds us: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

May that peace guard our hearts today and always. Amen..


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