“Christmas Beyond Our Tough Reality” - Matthew 1:18-25

1. Encountering our tough reality.

•  “Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.” (v.18)

• “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.” (Matthew 2:18) 

2. Residing and resonating with us. 

• “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel.” (v.23)

• Immanuel: God with us

• “Do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” (2 Peter 3:8)

3. Living out a redeemed reality in faith.

• “But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” (v.20)

• “When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.” (v.24-25)