（馬太福音Matthew 1:18-25）
猶太人取名字一般都含有一些屬靈的意義，表達父母對孩子的一種祝願，或反映一些當時的屬靈光景。神也常常以名字來表示祂與人的關係。神為雅各起名為以色列，表示雅各並不滿足於物質上的安逸豐富，決心要得著神的最大的祝福，並且直到得著方願罷休。
耶穌在誕生前，天使便為祂起名為以馬內利，意思是神與我們同在。約瑟因為得到天使的報夢，也為他的孩子起名為耶穌，這就是耶穌降生的目的與使命。
從這兩個名字，我們就可以了解耶穌的救恩的意義，就是要把我們從罪中拯救出來，與神重建和好的關係，從此神就再次與人同在。
神與人同在，就是聖誕節最大喜的信息，也是耶穌帶給我們的真正喜樂和平安。基督徒喜歡聖誕節，並不是因為可以盡情狂歡或交換禮物，或有長假期去旅遊，乃是因為在這一天耶穌誕生了，為我們帶來神的愛和赦免，使凡接納這位救主的人，都獲得神同在的應許。
如何過一個有意義的聖誕節呢？我們可以邀請慕道朋友，或初信主的弟兄姊妹來家中吃晚飯，並與他們分享你的屬靈經歷。我們可以在團契中讓別人也經歷神的同在。
Naming a child in Jewish tradition is usually tied with some spiritual meaning to express the parents’ expectation or to commemorate certain spiritual experience. God also uses names to reveal His relationship to His people. God had named Jacob as Israel to recognize his eagerness to strive for the highest blessings from Him. Jacob would not satisfy for material goods or a smooth and stable live, he always wanted to get the highest blessings from God.
Before Jesus was born, the angel had given Him a name called Immanuel, which meant God with men. Joseph had also named his son Jesus after he dreamed of the angel talking to him. These two names tell exactly the purpose and the mission of the birth of this baby Jesus.
With these two names we can understand the meaning of Jesus’ redemption, which is delivering us from sin and reconciling us with God so that God can be with us again.
The greatest and most joyful message of Christmas is the message of God being with us. This is also the true peace and joy that Jesus has brought to us. We, as Christians, love Christmas not because of the endless parties, or exchanging gifts, or long holiday for vacation; but the birth of Jesus whom brought us the love and forgiveness of God so that for those who accept Christ as their savior will enter the fellowship with God.
How can we have a meaningful Christmas? We can invite friends, especially seekers or young Christians to have dinner fellowship at home to share God’s blessings with them, so that they will also experience the presence of God in this Christmas season.
