Words fulfilled

Dec 25, 2025 • Bishop Joe Kennedy

Press the play button to watch the video above or press 'more' to read the transcript of the daily devotion below. Please read Matthew 1:18-25 (use your own Bible or use the link above to access the in-App Bible).

Today our Advent journey reaches its destination. Here we are: it’s Christmas Day. We have travelled through Advent in the company of the minor prophets. These prophets’ words, because they are God’s Word, point ahead to Christmas. For Christmas is when we see God’s Word wrapped in swaddling bands and laid in a manger.

So today we read the story of the birth of Jesus in St Matthew’s Gospel – Chapter 1, verses 18-25. In this portion of the story, Matthew draws our attention to the words of the one of the major prophets, Isaiah.

‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and you shall name him Emmanuel, which means, ‘God is with us’.’

And this is what happens at Christmas. Mary, His mother, conceives by the Holy Spirit, and so Jesus is born of a virgin: the Son of God.

And if we read on just one more verse: in Matthew Chapter 2, verse 1, we read that Jesus was born in Bethlehem – and this was to fulfil the words of Micah, one of the minor prophets.

‘But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel…’

Bethlehem, the birthplace of King David, because the Messiah, the Saviour, was to be a descendent of David – as Jesus was.

Bethlehem, which in Hebrew means ‘the house of bread’ – for Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry.”

Bethlehem, on the hills around which were farmed the lambs for the Temple sacrifices – for Jesus is “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”, the one perfect sacrifice for our sins.

So, as we read the Christmas story, we see the words of the prophets springing into life in Jesus. These words open our eyes to see the identity of this Child, who is the Saviour, the Bread of Life, the Lamb of God, the Son of Mary and the Son of God. Merry Christmas.