Do Not Be Afraid

Matthew 1:18-25

The sermon begins by noting that the familiar Advent and Christmas stories can lose their shock value, causing us to miss their radical message. Matthew’s account of Mary’s pregnancy is presented as a scandal—socially, religiously, and legally. What appears to be disgrace and sin is revealed as the work of the Holy Spirit. From the very beginning, Jesus’ life disrupts accepted norms, showing that God’s action often looks scandalous on the surface while being deeply holy at its core.

Joseph is portrayed as a righteous man committed to the law, yet also compassionate. Faced with Mary’s pregnancy, the law requires divorce and public shame, but Joseph chooses a quiet, merciful response. Before he can act, God speaks to him directly through a dream, instructing him to take Mary as his wife—an act that contradicts the written law. This moment establishes a central tension of the Gospel: law versus love, tradition versus lived experience of God. Joseph’s obedience reflects the creative, difficult work of letting love interpret the law.

The sermon concludes by drawing a direct connection between Joseph’s struggle and our own. Like Joseph, we often cling to law, tradition, and social respectability, even when they conflict with compassion. Jesus, Emmanuel—God with us—reveals that forgiveness and salvation flow from God’s presence, not rigid legalism. Joseph’s “awakening” becomes a model for discipleship: discerning God’s voice amid fear and social pressure, and courageously participating in God’s redemptive work. The angel’s message to Joseph becomes God’s message to us all: Do not be afraid to be drawn into God’s healing and saving work in the world.

Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.