Introduction

Hey there, church family! Isn't it just wonderful to be gathered here today in the presence of our Lord? I hope you're all feeling as blessed as I am to be in this house of worship. There's something so special about coming together as a community, isn't there?

Today, we're going to talk about something that's at the heart of our faith. We're going to chat about Jesus, our Savior, and the remarkable gift that He is to us. We're going to look at what makes Him so unique and the incredible impact He's had on humanity.

I came across a quote from C.S. Lewis, "Once in our world, a stable had something in it that was bigger than our whole world." Isn't that just something? It reminds us that Jesus isn't just a figure from a storybook or a salesperson trying to sell us something. He's real, He's unique, and He's the most incredible gift we could ever receive.

Now, let's take a look at our Scripture passage for today, which comes from Matthew 1:18-23:

"This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet 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 conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel' (which means 'God with us')."

Isn't that just a beautiful passage?

Before we get into our chat, let's bow our heads in prayer.

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for this day, for the chance to gather as a community and for the opportunity to learn about Your son, Jesus. We ask that You open our hearts and minds to understand His uniqueness, His gift to us, and His impact on humanity. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Alright, folks, let's get this chat started!

The Remarkable Gift

When we think about the birth of Jesus, we're reminded of the extraordinary nature of His arrival. Born to a virgin mother, His conception was a divine act of the Holy Spirit. This wasn't a typical birth story, but then again, Jesus was no ordinary child. He was the Messiah, the Savior, the one who would save His people from their sins. His birth was a remarkable gift, a divine intervention into the course of human history.

The angel's message to Joseph in the dream was clear: Mary's child was from the Holy Spirit, and He was to be named Jesus. This name, Jesus, carries significant meaning. It's derived from the Hebrew name Yeshua, which means "the Lord saves." Even His name was a proclamation of His purpose. He was born to save, to redeem, to rescue. His name was a promise, a declaration of the divine mission that He was to fulfill.

Jesus’ mission: The angel also told Joseph that Jesus would save His people from their sins. This was a bold statement, a profound declaration of Jesus' mission. Sin had separated humanity from God, but Jesus was the bridge, the path to reconciliation. His life, death, and resurrection would provide a way for humanity to be forgiven, to be cleansed, to be made right with God. This was no small task. It was a monumental mission, one that only Jesus, the Son of God, could accomplish.

The prophecy from the Old Testament the angel referred to: This is also significant. The prophet had said, "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel." Immanuel means "God with us." This was another profound declaration about who Jesus was. He was God in human form, God dwelling among His people. This was a radical idea, a revolutionary truth. God wasn't distant or detached. He was here, with us, living among us, sharing in our joys and sorrows, our triumphs and trials.

The birth of Jesus was a remarkable gift in so many ways: It was a divine intervention, a fulfillment of prophecy, a declaration of a saving mission, and an embodiment of God's presence. It was a gift that changed the course of human history, a gift that continues to impact lives today. It was, and continues to be, the most remarkable gift of all.

The Uniqueness of Jesus

Now, let's look at the angel's message to Joseph ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO