3. Misgivings, Grace and Name-giving
Starting a Journey with Jesus, Day 3 (Matthew 1:18-25)
Jesus’ birth took place like this. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. Before they came to the marriage bed, Joseph discovered she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Joseph, being righteous, did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he planned to put her aside quietly.
While he was thinking it out, he had a dream. God’s angel spoke in the dream: “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Marry as your wife. God’s Holy Spirit has made her pregnant. She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus–‘God saves’–because he will save his people from their sins.” This would bring to fulfillment the prophet’s message given by the Lord:
Watch–a virgin will become pregnant and bear a son; They will call his name Immanuel (it means in Hebrew “God is with us”).
Joseph woke up from his sleep and did just as the Lord’s angel commanded in the dream: He married Mary. But he did not know her intimately until she had the son. He named the baby Jesus. (Matthew 1:18-25)