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An angel informed Joseph

“Behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.’” (Matthew 1:20-21)

Mary would become the mother of Jesus. No man was involved in her pregnancy. But there was indeed a man in Mary's life: her fiancé Joseph. When he noticed that Mary was pregnant, he concluded that she must have been cheating. After all, he had not slept with her. Joseph considered leaving Mary quietly so as not to put her to shame. But God did not want that. He sent an angel to explain to Joseph that the Holy Spirit had conceived the child Mary was carrying. She had not cheated, and Joseph was to marry her.

Mary had already heard that her Child should be named Jesus, and that is repeated here: “For,” the angel said, ”He will save His people from their sins.” So Jesus would indeed be a Savior. The angel also made it clear that salvation would be about the people's sins. Jesus would not primarily bring political or economic freedom but spiritual liberation.

As additional confirmation, the angel mentioned an ancient prophecy that was now being fulfilled: a virgin would give birth to a son, and that child would be “God with us.”

When you think of a savior, do you think of the problem of sin or of very different things from which you want to be liberated?