Matthew’s words describing the first Christmas aren’t as familiar as the ones in the gospel of Luke.

But they help us realize Jesus entered our world, our same world of doubts and pain.

Matthew begins the story with hope-an engagement! Happiness! For those of you who are married, where were you when you were engaged? [ASK]

Being engaged is a time full of smiles and joy and in many cases, sheer giddiness. [slide]

[slide] The giddiness doesn’t last, though.

Have you ever wondered what it was like when Joseph found out Mary was pregnant? Amazingly, we’ve just this week uncovered video of this historic event...[slide]

Pretty convenient her name was Mary, huh? You want to see it again, don’t you? [slide]

All right, moving on…[slide]

Matthew gets right to the hard parts of the story. Mary is pregnant, and Joseph knows it’s not him. He’s not the dad. Clearly, it’s Mary in the wrong, and he could clear his name by acting furious and making a scene.

But he decides to end it quietly, risking his own reputation.

In comes the angel, God’s messenger, to give some perspective.

“Don’t be afraid to go ahead with your marriage to Mary. For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” [slide]

God speaks into the worst day of Joseph’s life, and says there’s hope for more than just you, Joseph. This baby is from me, and he will rescue all your people from their wrong choices, their shame, their emptiness, and from being alone.

Immanuel, Joseph. God is with us, Joseph. God is not far away, shame and fear and evil won’t rule forever. God is with us, Joseph.

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Despite the vastness of the universe, God is with us. [slide]

For all its amazing beauty, its measureless space, [slide] the Creator of everything has not left us alone.

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We often feel alone, in a world that is so big and vast. [slide]

A world that is broken. [slide]

A world where we are often left out, [slide] in anguish. [slide]

A world of death and loss. [slide]

A world of great evil, where people can put stars marking children for death.

It’s this world that Joseph knew.

[slide] It’s this world of shame and grief and whispers…it’s this world the angel told Joseph to walk into with open eyes and heart.

Because, my friends, we need Jesus! [slide]

We need his light, and we need him to save us. We need God to be near, we need Jesus to be our Immanuel. [slide]

We need Matthew’s version, Matthew’s explanation of Joseph’s side of the story. Because Christmas can seem otherwordly and glowing and angelic and unreal.

Here’s the truth!

God came as a baby into the same yucky world that we live in today, because he loves us. And Jesus opens his arms wide for you and me to run to his embrace! [slide]

God came near in the person of Jesus. [slide] And Jesus let everyone come near! Children, prostitutes, beggars, those whom everyone else said were untouchable.

[slide] In a vast, complex, infinitely beautiful universe…

[slide] God came near in the person of Jesus and holds each of us in joyful, tender love. [pause]

God really does love you, and Christmas is just one of the signs of that love.

You can never run far enough away from God to make him stop loving you. [slide]

He always comes near, always embraces you with his love. [slide]

You are embraced in God’s love. [slide]

Because of the baby Jesus being born…we are embraced in God’s love.