Well, if you have a Bible with you, turn with me to Matthew chapter 1. We're going to go from the 18th verse to the 24th. Matthew chapter 1, verses 18 to 24. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise, when as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph before they came together, she was found with child, of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph, her husband, being a just man and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee, marry thy wife. For that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophets, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife, and knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son. And he called his name Jesus. Amen. And that is the word of God. Well, here we are, finally, Christmas 2024. And I thank you, each one of you, for coming to worship God tonight as we commemorate the birth of mankind's Savior. Christmas is not only a time to worship God, but also a time for us to be together with other believers. Earlier this month, Forbes magazine put out an article entitled, 10 Loneliest US States and the Highest Depression Rates Entering 2025. In it, they report that Dr. Vivek Murthy, the US Surgeon General, declared loneliness a serious mental health hazard, citing it as a public health epidemic in the United States. Now, according to Murthy's 2085 page advisory, a decline in social connections has caused half of the adult population to be lonely, linking it to billions of dollars in health care costs with profound effects on mental health and risk of health disease, stroke, and dementia. The antidote, according to the US Surgeon General, the antidote to this is to rebuild the social fabric of our country. And the Surgeon General writes, quote, our epidemic of loneliness and isolation has been an underappreciated public health crisis that has harmed individual and societal health. Our relationships are a source of healing and well-being hiding in plain sight. One that can help us live healthier, more fulfilled, and more productive lives, end quote. Now, what's fascinating is that the author of this article ran across a study that, according to research, listed the top 10 loneliest states in America. The analysis included key metrics, like, for example, using the percentage of adults diagnosed with depression, single-person households, and the percentage of adults who have never been married or who are divorced. Other factors were divorce rates, happiness rankings, population size, number of adults with depression, personal income, and overall quality of life. Using all of these factors, researchers came up with a list of the 10 most loneliest states. And here they are. Number one, Nevada. Number two, New Mexico. Three, Rhode Island. Four, Oregon. Five, Florida. Six, Michigan. Seven, Connecticut. Eight, Maryland. Nine, Mississippi. And 10, Ohio. I'm gonna go into the top three at least. Well, maybe into jumping around and pick a couple of them. Nevada scored a perfect 100. It leads as the loneliest state in America for having the highest percentage of never married individuals, 35%. The state also has a large share of single person households, 53% in Nevada, single household, and a sky high divorce rate. The researchers surmise that these factors leave many who live in Nevada looking for companionship in a state where connections might feel a bit out of reach. New Mexico, 97.9. The state has one of the highest rates of single person households at 56%. Many of our students here today who are in our dorms, who are not going back to family, fit in that category. Florida 89.5, ranks fifth. Lots of sunshine, but it has one of the highest rates of individuals who've never married. Many Floridians face social isolation, and it appears that sunshine alone cannot make the heart glad. Now, at the conclusion of the study, researchers shared the following insight. Listen to this. As the traditional nuclear family becomes less common, More individuals are navigating life independently, often for extended periods. This trend is driven by factors such as evolving social norms, economic independence, and increasing divorce rates." End quote. Isn't that amazing? 2,000 years after the birth of Jesus Christ, researchers are now discovering that traditional nuclear families are truly important as building blocks for the flourishing of humanity. However, what we're seeing today all across America are sky-high divorce rates replacing strong marriages. And as a result, communities across America are paying the price. Many families will return after Christmas filing divorce. Isn't that a tragedy? The very time of season that is meant to bring families together will result in tragic divorce. Communities all across America are paying the price. And in today's scripture text, the most famous couple in all the New Testament, Joseph and Mary, almost ended up separated and divorced themselves in verse 19. Verse 19 discloses to us that Joseph was contemplating divorce. And as we exposit this text, you will see that prior to consummating their marriage, And I want to declare here that they did consummate that marriage. Jesus was not an only child. He was the eldest of brothers and sisters. Scripture lists that for us. The perpetual virginity of Mary is a Roman Catholic falsehood. The Bible says that Joseph and Mary consummated their marriage, but only after the birth of Jesus Christ. Prior to the consummation of their marriage, Mary was found to be pregnant. And this apparent pregnancy was out of wedlock and it was legitimate grounds for divorce in Jewish society. And in those days, a betrothal was as strong as a marriage and necessitated a divorce to break apart. And that's where we find Joseph, in verse 19, contemplating divorce. The Old Testament, in fact, explicitly calls for the death of the sexually immoral party. And what we're informed here is that Joseph, out of mercy, was about to divorce Mary quietly without bringing attention or the death penalty to her. but there's an angelic intervention in verse 20 and Joseph in verse 24 then decides to go ahead with the marriage and he takes Mary as his wife this notion of marriage goes back to God and Genesis 218 in the Garden of Eden Prior to the sin of man when everything was perfectly good, God declares the following in Genesis 2.18, And the Lord God said, It is not good that man should be alone. I will make him and help meet for him. What an amazing text. In one powerful verse, God declares that the apex of his creation, man, is built For what? For social connection. If you remember that chapter, everything, God in chapter one, there's nothing but good, good, good, good, good. This is the only moment in the creation narrative in which God declares something to not be good. What this verse declares is that God's primary means of resolving loneliness for man is marriage. And what is true for the first man is true for all of mankind. The designer not only made us for marriage, but he also made us for community. And time after time, the first chapter of Genesis, God remarks that he made everything good. As he observes Adam's loneliness, and more importantly, he enables Adam to feel his loneliness, this will be the first time God declares something to not be good within the Garden of Eden. And it's a powerful and remarkable observation by the designer himself regarding the nature of mankind, his own creation. The word Adam is Hebrew and it means the English word man. It's a word that could refer to both the individual Adam, humanity in general. This duality in meaning implies that God's statement has implications not only for Adam but all of mankind, emphasizing the universal need for relationship and community for both men and women, married or not married, everywhere around the globe. One commentator made the correct observation about Genesis 2. I want you to listen to this. This marks the first time in the creation narrative that something is described as not good. The Hebrew word for good is tov, which has been used repeatedly in Genesis 1 to describe the perfection of creation. Hence, the absence of good indicates an incomplete aspect of creation, underscoring the importance of companionship and community in God's design for humanity. Here's another commentator. In these words, we have the divine appointment of marriage and also the declaration that the female is subsequent in order of production to the male and formed from him. And then one last commentator goes on to note that human marriage was instituted by God for four reasons. Number one, mutual society and romantic comfort. There is no sanction for romantic comfort outside of a male-female monogamous relationship. That is what God sanctions. 2. The propagation of the human race. From a strong marriage ought to come children. 3. The increase and generation of the Church of God. Children are taught in Scripture to be raised in the fear and admonition of the Lord. And finally, number four, the promised seed of the women. Points three and four are the products of the Christmas story. Because, you see, without Jesus, there is no increase and generation of the Church of God. And the last point is the meaning behind the Christmas event. For you see, the seed of the woman is a reference to the prophecy found in Genesis 3.15. Immediately after man's rebellion against God, God graciously gives us the prophecy of Genesis 3.15. And this prophecy foretells that one day God would provide a savior through the seed of a woman who would crush the head of Satan. Now convincingly, simple science teaches us that women do not biologically carry seed. What boggled the minds of so many over thousands of years came to pass when a virgin conceived the Savior through the power of the Holy Ghost. I love the Christmas story because without the power of the Holy Ghost, it is impossible for us to believe. Joseph did not know this until the angel revealed it to him as we read it in verses 19 and 20. Listen to this. And Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to divorce her privately. But while he thought about these things, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, Do not fear to take unto you, marry thy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost." After nearly 4,000 years, God's promise of a Savior was conceived in a virgin through the Holy Spirit. Jesus had a fully human nature and a fully divine nature in one person. God in his wisdom raised his own son underneath the care of a married couple, Joseph and Mary. And till this day, the best context in which to raise a child is within the home of a married man and woman." I'm going to say that again. The best context in which to raise a child is in the home of a married man and woman. And although God gave us the gift of marriage to address loneliness, the greatest relationship that requires reconciliation is that relationship between God and man. Because quite frankly, let's be honest, not all of us will get married. And let's be honest, not all of us will have successful marriages. Nearly one out of every two ends in divorce, and then remarriages are even higher in their failure rates, and also forbidden by God. And as we look at society, many of us will outlive our spouses. There will come a day when we will walk this journey alone. So what is the answer then? Because it's still not good for us to be alone. The Creator himself, who created us, has declared that. If we had a label, the manufacturer label says, it is not good to be alone. And the answer then, the remedy for this loneliness, is found in verse 21. Sin has separated us from God's love. And we are facing intense wrath for our sins. So I'm gonna give you the gospel here tonight, very simple. And I believe with all my heart that in this audience, not a single soul is here by accident tonight. Let me give you the gospel. This has not changed in 2,000 years and at its core is the true meaning of Christmas. 1. There is a holy God who exists eternally in three persons, one God. Not three gods, three persons, one God. This is known as the Trinity. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost eternally existing as God. In perfect community, the Trinity existed for all of eternity. So think about this. God spoke and created the universe from merely speaking. Let there be light, and there was light. All three, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, eternally existed. He made man as the apex of his creation. Mankind sinned against God, Adam and Eve, and as a result of that sin, they fractured their relationship with God and passed on to each one of us. A sinful nature. Romans 5. Theologians call this original sin. At the moment of conception, each one of us, we are born with sin. We are conceived in sin. We have a sinful nature. And that is bad news, because sins against an infinitely holy God deserve infinite punishment in hell. But listen to this. The good news, the great news is this. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, Jesus Christ, fully God, fully man, the hypostatic union, two natures, one person, lived a sinless life, and then he died on the cross and paid for the sins of those who would believe in him, resurrecting historically on the third day, proving that he is God in flesh. And then, lastly, giving us the gospel which declares that if you repent, meaning if you turn from your life of sin and believe in Jesus as your Lord, God, and Savior, not a God, but the God, then you will have eternal life. But you have to make this decision personally, and it is for a limited time. God's offer of salvation is a limited-time offer. When you breathe your last breath and you no longer see any more Christmases, it will be over and too late. God gives you a window, and you have heard the gospel tonight. decision just between you and God, and say a simple prayer genuinely from your heart, and it simply has to say, Lord, I acknowledge I'm a sinner. I need a Savior. Today I believe in Jesus as my Lord, God, and Savior. Wash away my sins through your blood. Make me your child. Jesus, I believe in you. God, be my Father. privacy of your home, the Bible says that the moment you do that, you're born again. And if you were to die tonight, your destination would be heaven. There's only one of two places you go when you die. There is no purgatory. Don't let anyone lie to you. There's only heaven or hell. And tonight, if you believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord, God, and Savior, then you are headed for heaven. If you're not, if you're not a believer, then you must pay for your own sins before a holy and righteous God. And that place is hell. That is from scripture. And that's what makes Christmas the greatest story of all. Because in Christmas, we who deserved hell received the greatest gift of all, pardon. Pardon from sin through Jesus Christ, the Son of God. And if we were to believe in Jesus, the greatest gift that God has given, we would have eternal life. And this, all of this is a shadow of that greatest gift. We exchange gifts because we emulate God who gave us his son as his greatest gift to us. So in closing, the gospel is why in verse 23, Jesus is known as Emmanuel. What does that mean? Emmanuel, God with us. That's relationship. Do you realize that? Emmanuel means relationship. God with us, not angry at us, not seeking vengeance or retribution upon us. Instead, through Jesus, God is for us. He is not against us. He is for us. He is with us. We are not only headed to heaven when we die, but Jesus is with us throughout this journey of life. There are so many hurting people in this world. And this Christmas, the greatest message is that you have the opportunity through the gospel to have Emmanuel, God, with you. You are not alone. And there might be someone here today who is very lonely. And perhaps your life is headed to a place where you do not want it to head. But know that God has a plan. Know that God has you here for a reason. And know that in Christ, God is with you. You are not alone, Emmanuel. And that is the meaning of Christmas. Amen? Let's pray.