What I should of taught tonight at ABS...

So I feel if I need to apologize to some of you, those of you who where at ABS tonight. I chickened out of a lesson that I felt led to teach. In a poor attempt to make up for my fallacy I am going to present what should have been presented today at ABS.

Mathew 1:18-25

"This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.


But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"-which means, "God with us."

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus."

Since the Christmas season is upon us, I think we really should look at who Jesus is and why he is here. Above is an account of the birth of Christ according to Mathew. Now what is interesting or most misunderstood about this verse is the use of Immanuel in it. The Angel told Joseph to the name his Child Jesus, so most people assume that Jesus and Immanuel are interchangeable but that is not the case.

Jesus is the Greek name for Joseph, which literally translates into Yawhay saves. The name of our saviour is Yawhay saves, pretty cool but wait. Immanuel is a title, sort of like Messiah, that means God with us. What I find fascinating with this is what happens if you put the two phases together.

Yahwhay saves when he is with us.

Think about it, when are we saved? When we confess of our sins, accept Christ and then we receive the Holy Spirit, God with us.