“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.”
—Matthew 1:18
WHENEVER YOU HEAR the news broadcast you get an earful of bad news. So and so was murdered last night … war has broken out in Ukraine … children are kidnapped and molested, etc., etc. And the reason for all the murders, wars, and terrible things that happen in this world is sin. Man comes into this world a totally depraved sinner, and from birth he begins to demonstrate this total depravity in the way he lives towards God and his neighbor. Paul wrote in Titus 3:3 that man is “hateful and hating one another.” David tells us in Psalm 51 that man is conceived and born in sin, and we read in Romans 8:7 that “…the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.” And this situation will not change unless God gives the remedy. However, according to the Bible, that is exactly what God has done by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, into this world. Amidst so much bad news in this world I bring you Good News! Jesus Christ has come to save all those whom the Father has given unto Him from the guilt and consequences of their sins (John 6:37). Christ has done what is impossible for sinful men to do … Christ has earned everlasting life for His people by perfectly obeying all the commandments of God and going to the cross to die for their sins. He came to do for them what they could NEVER do for themselves. We read in Matthew 19:25-26, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Jesus came to reconcile God and sinners and this is the Good News, the greatest news, as a matter of fact!
IN MATTHEW 1:18-25 WE find the wondrous account of the grace of God in sending His Son Jesus Christ into the world to be born of a virgin in order to save sinners from the wrath of God. And what Matthew tells us in our text is the manner of Christ’s birth. We read in Matthew 1:18, “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.” We are told that Mary was betrothed to Joseph. This meant she was not yet living in Joseph’s house, but they had pledged to be married to one another in front of witnesses. So they were considered to be man and wife, but they were not yet enjoying all the privileges of marriage. Nevertheless they were legally considered man and wife.
BUT MATTHEW SAYS that before they came together Mary was found with child. Jesus was not born of an earthly father. Matthew is very clear to say that before Joseph and Mary had sexual union Mary was found pregnant of the Holy Spirit. Can you imagine Joseph’s reaction? Here he is betrothed to Mary and he finds out that she is with child, and he knows he’s not the father. Joseph must have had immediate heartache, disappointment, and anger when he found out Mary was pregnant. That’s why we read in verse 19 that Joseph “was minded to put her away secretly.” You see, engagement was almost as binding as marriage, and infidelity during the betrothal period made divorce almost obligatory. In other words, Joseph was planning to quietly divorce Mary when he discovered that she was with child. BUT, IN GOD’S MERCY, we read in Matthew 1:20-21: “But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” The words of the hymn writer describe well how the redeemed sinner’s heart responds to God’s wondrous mercy and amazing grace:
“How deep the Father’s love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure.”
REMEMBER, Jesus is not only the focus during this Christmas season … Jesus ought to be our focus every moment of everyday of every month of every year! After all, for the believer, Scripture tells us, “For me to live is Christ” because He is our “All in All.” Focus on JESUS for He came to save us from our sins.
Friday Devotional: December 12, 2025
In Christ,
Pastor S. Henry
