Teaching Text

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”).

Sermon Recap

This Sunday, Pastor Jon Tyson continued our Advent series with a teaching about the good news of Jesus as Savior.

In the midst of so much trauma, violence, exhaustion, and heaviness in the world today, the common nostalgic, sentimental view of Christmas is not enough to heal our aching hearts. Scripture reminds us that this has long been true: things became so broken that God Himself had to come to save us, not out of obligation, but out of deep love. We need a bigger vision of hope than what sentimentality offers, one that recognizes the true depth of the world's darkness and meets it with love and salvation.

The other powers that we often to look to for salvation, like human leaders, systems, and politics, while important, are limited and will always disappoint us. Scripture warns us not to place our ultimate trust in princes or political power, but instead teaches that Jesus is the good and perfect leader we long for. He has reshaped the moral architecture of our world, bringing human dignity and mercy, which has been carried on by Christians across generations.

Pastor Jon also highlighted our deep need for a Savior in the face of shame, cynicism, and the weight of sin. Many of us carry shame-based identities and weary hearts, but throughout the Gospels, Jesus meets people were carrying deep shame with restoration rather than condemnation. On the cross, He took our shame upon Himself so that we could be made whole. And thankfully and powerfully, salvation is not something we can achieve but a gift we receive by grace alone.

At the heart of Advent is how God chose "God with us." God’s nearness brings comfort, real change, renewed vision, life, joy, community, and hope. Jesus came to save us from misplaced trust, sin, shame, cynicism, and guilt. And the best news for us is that to all who receive Him, God grants salvation and gives us the right to become His children.