Pastor Stephen Dedman

“And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭1‬:‭21‬

Question
How would my attitude, decisions, and worship change this season if I truly lived with the awareness that Jesus came specifically for my rescue?

Context
Before Jesus ever took His first breath in Bethlehem, God declared His purpose. He would not simply be a teacher, a reformer, or a miracle worker, He would be a Savior. His very name, Jesus (Yeshua), means “The Lord saves.”

Matthew 1:21 pulls back the curtain on God’s heart. Humanity didn’t need another system, another leader, or another attempt at self-improvement. We needed rescue. We needed hope. We needed a Savior. And God sent exactly what we needed, in the form of a child born into humility, wrapped in flesh, and cradled in a manger.

Application
We must remember what Christmas is really about. Gifts, gatherings, and traditions are great but salvation matters more. Make today’s verse personal. Jesus didn’t come to save “people in general.” He came to save you. Every day is an opportunity to rejoice in what Jesus has saved you from and what He has saved you to.

Truth For The Day
Jesus didn’t come to improve us; He came to save us.

Pray
Lord, thank You for sending Jesus, not just as a child in Bethlehem, but as the Savior of the world. Help me never to treat Your salvation lightly. Today, remind my heart that I am loved, forgiven, and rescued. Let the name of Jesus be my peace, my hope, and my confidence. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.’ ”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭3‬:‭3‬

Question
What needs to be cleared out of your life so Christ can have a straight path into your heart this season?

Context
At Christmas, we often focus on the shepherds, angels, wise men, and a manger. But before the birth of Jesus, God raised up a prophet to prepare the world. John the Baptizer was the voice to point Israel to the Messiah. John’s message was simple, bold, and urgent: “Prepare the way for the Lord.” His voice cut through the wilderness and said:“Clear the path, Jesus is coming.”

Application
In a season filled with busyness, self-focus, and pressure, John reminds us that Christmas is not about our perfection but about Christ’s presence. As December unfolds, our hearts can become crowded with plans, pressure, fatigue, anxiety, and even good things. But John calls us today with the same message: Prepare the way, make room, and clear the path. Jesus still desires to enter hearts that are ready for Him.

Truth For The Day
The best way to celebrate Christmas is to prepare your heart for Jesus, not just your home for the season.

Pray
Lord, just like John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus, prepare my heart today. Remove what distracts me, cleanse what hinders me, and make my heart a place where Christ is welcomed fully. Let this Christmas be a season where Jesus increases and everything else finds its rightful place. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse,
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬

Question
Have you ever felt hopeless because of a sin in the past or because you didn’t feel accepted?

Context
Matthew 1 may seem like a long list of hard to pronounce names, but hidden in the genealogy of Jesus is a breathtaking picture of God’s perfect plan of using imperfect people. Matthew 1:5 lists two people in the lineage of the Messiah that some would count unqualified. Rehab was a prostitute from Jericho and Ruth was a foreigner from Moab. These two women, one with a shameful past and one from a distant nation, were used by God to bring into this world our Lord and Savior.

Application
This verse reminds us that God can and will use people with a broken past and a painful journey. God does not choose people because of where they come from; He chooses people because of where His grace can take them. Your past does not determine your future, God does. God uses broken stories to build beautiful outcomes. Never disqualify yourself because throughout the Bible God used unlikely people.

Truth For The Day
Your past doesn’t cancel your purpose.

Pray
Lord, thank You for showing Your grace through Rahab and Ruth. Redeem my past, strengthen my faith, and use my life for Your glory just as You used theirs. Let the story of Jesus’ family remind me that You bring hope out of brokenness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.