Message: "God With Us In Our Brokenness" by Pastor Cory Rosenke

Devotional

Day 1: Emmanuel enters through scandal into our brokenness

You are invited to see that the Christmas story begins not with twinkling lights but with disgrace, whispered suspicion, and an exposed young woman—yet even there God comes near; Emmanuel steps into human scandal and brokenness, refusing to stay distant from guilt or shame, and meeting sinners where they are rather than condemning them from afar. [08:36]

Matthew 1:23 (ESV)
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel.

Reflection: What one hidden shame have you been pretending isn’t real; who is one trusted person you can tell about it today, and will you take the first step by calling or messaging them before this day ends?

Day 2: Jesus brings light and life into darkness

Remember that in Christ there is life and that life is the light that shines into the places you hide; the light of Emmanuel breaks into monotony, worry, and secret pain—your darkness has not overcome Him, and when the lights of a Christmas tree glow in your home, let that be a reminder that He is present where you are most afraid to be seen. [29:27]

John 1:4–5 (ESV)
In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Reflection: When you see a light tonight, pause and name one secret you've been carrying; will you write it down and pray aloud, “Lord, bring Your light to this,” before you go to bed?

Day 3: God draws near to the crushed and guilty

God is not distant from the weight of guilt; He is near to the brokenhearted—those crushed under conviction or devastated by their own sin—and while His presence remains, the enjoyment of His blessing and fellowship can be dimmed when sin is cherished, so the way back to fullness is honest confession and the removal of what divides you from joy in Him. [31:33]

Psalm 34:18 (ESV)
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

Reflection: Identify one specific thing you have cherished in your heart that grieves God; will you confess it to Him now and tell one accountability partner about it by tomorrow to begin restoration?

Day 4: Confession opens the floodgates of forgiveness

Confession is not merely an intellectual admission but the life-giving act that unleashes God’s faithful forgiveness and cleansing—when you stop pretending and bring sin into the light, the floodgates of God’s restoring blessing, which have been standing ready, begin to pour back into your life and relationship with Him. [33:09]

1 John 1:9 (ESV)
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Reflection: What one sin will you confess to God right now, and what is one concrete, specific step you will take in the next 24 hours to show repentance and repair any damage done?

Day 5: Jesus knocks—He comes to cleanse and restore

Jesus stands at the door of your shame and knocks with the purpose of entering not to condemn but to cleanse, restore, and fellowship with you; He waits for you to open so He can eat with you, pardon you, and lead you back to joy—Emmanuel is actively pursuing you even in the places you thought were beyond hope. [33:51]

Revelation 3:20 (ESV)
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

Reflection: Is there a “closed door” in your life you need to open to Jesus today; will you pray now, “Lord, I open this door,” and then tell one trusted believer that you have opened it so they can walk with you?

Sermon Summary

I began by laying out our Advent journey: not a sentimental stroll through manger scenes, but an honest walk with Emmanuel—God with us—into the places we’re most tempted to hide. Christmas is the astonishing announcement that the God who dwells in unapproachable light stepped straight into our darkness, not as a distant spectator but as one who shares our tears, our monotony, and our scars. Matthew names Him Emmanuel, but Matthew also makes us face the scandal that surrounded His arrival: a pregnancy assumed to be unfaithfulness, a fiancé preparing a quiet divorce, and a world rotting under Rome, Herod, and religious hollowness. The first sounds of Christmas are whispers of disgrace and the shuffling of soldiers’ boots.

We don’t just need saving because we’re hurting; we need saving because we’re guilty. That’s a hard word, but it’s a true one. From Eden onward, Scripture shows a God who moves toward sinners: walking into the garden, confronting Cain, wrestling Jacob, sending Nathan to David, cooking breakfast for a denying Peter, and knocking Saul off his horse—not to destroy, but to redeem. Even the long silence between Malachi and Matthew was discipline, not abandonment. The pattern is clear: God doesn’t run from sin; He runs toward sinners, absorbing guilt and nailing it to the cross. Humanity needed more than a cheerleader or advice—we needed atonement, a substitute, a Savior.

I shared my own confession because pretense is poisonous. Hiding starves fellowship—both with God and with each other. Some of us didn’t just stumble into sin; we planned it, fed it, protected it. And still, God came anyway. The Light shines in the darkness, and our darkness hasn’t snuffed it out. Yet Scripture is clear: cherished, unrepentant sin doesn’t eject us from His covenant love, but it does dim the joy of His nearness. Confession isn’t groveling; it’s opening the door to a flood of grace that’s been waiting all along. Jesus is knocking—on the doors of shame, addiction, anger, and pride—not to evict but to cleanse, not to embarrass but to restore.

So, stop pretending. Hear Him calling, “Where are you?” And if Emmanuel comes near to us in our sin, then we must come near to one another the same way—restoring with gentleness, holding holiness with humility. May our community be a place where no one has to hide, because mercy and truth live together here.

Key Takeaways

1. God moves toward sinners, not away From Eden to Bethlehem, the storyline is pursuit, not abandonment. God confronts, wrestles, and restores because His aim is relationship, not mere behavior management. He steps into scandal and darkness to bear what we cannot carry and to free what we cannot unlock. His nearness is not a reward; it’s His character. [23:41]
2. We need atonement more than assistance Advice can clarify and therapy can help, but neither can cleanse a guilty conscience or resurrect a dead heart. Only a substitute who bears our blame can reconcile us to a holy God. The cross is not a pep talk; it’s payment, and it’s enough. [24:05]
3. Repentance restores joy-filled fellowship Unrepentant, cherished sin doesn’t cancel God’s covenant love, but it does cloud the warmth of His nearness. Confession is not humiliation; it’s agreeing with God about reality so grace can do its work. When we stop hiding, we find the door has been knocked on all along. [33:09]
4. Stop pretending; step into the light Pretense isolates us from God and pressures others to wear masks too. Honesty breaks the cycle, creating space for real transformation and real community. God’s “Where are you?” is not a demand for data but an invitation back to delight. [35:52]
5. Restore one another with gentleness Holiness without humility crushes; humility without holiness compromises. The Spirit calls us to carry each other’s burdens with truth and tenderness, mirroring the way Jesus walks into our broken places. A church that refuses secrecy becomes a greenhouse for healing. [40:10]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[04:40] - Advent series: Emmanuel, God with us
[05:28] - Incarnation: holiness wrapped in flesh
[08:36] - Matthew 1:23 and the name Emmanuel
[08:56] - Scandal at the manger: Mary and Joseph
[11:38] - Rome, Herod, and religious fracture
[15:51] - Not just wounded—guilty and needing rescue
[17:38] - From Eden: a God who pursues
[21:12] - Near to the guilty: Jacob, David, Peter, Paul
[23:41] - He runs toward sinners, absorbs guilt
[24:50] - My confession and shared brokenness
[31:33] - Repentance, confession, and restored fellowship
[33:51] - Jesus knocks: open the closed doors
[39:12] - Come near with gentleness and truth
[43:24] - Invitation and prayers of confession

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading (ESV)
Matthew 1:18–23
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “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. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).

Observation questions (3–4)

Read Matthew 1:18–23. What specific scandal or accusations does Matthew record around Jesus’ birth, and how does that set the stage for the announcement of “Immanuel”? [08:56]
In verse 23 the name Immanuel is given. In the sermon the pastor said this name is the “beating heart of the gospel.” What concrete realities of God-with-us does Matthew’s wording highlight? [08:36]
Verse 19 shows Joseph planning to “divorce her quietly.” What does the passage and the sermon suggest about Joseph’s character and his initial response to Mary’s pregnancy? [09:45]
The preacher widened the scene beyond the family scandal to the political and religious chaos of the day (Rome, Herod, temple corruption). What details did he mention about that larger context, and why do they matter for understanding the arrival of Jesus? [11:38]

Interpretation questions (3–4)
(Write in third person; be specific and practical.)

How does Matthew’s presentation of scandal—an apparently illegitimate pregnancy and the threat of public disgrace—shape a congregation’s understanding of why God would choose to enter human brokenness rather than wait for a “clean” moment? [11:17]
The sermon insists that people need atonement more than assistance. What does that claim imply about the relative roles of preaching the cross, pastoral counseling, and psychological therapy in the life of a church community? [24:05]
Given the sermon’s emphasis that God has always walked toward sinners (from Eden through the prophets to Bethlehem), how should that pattern influence a church’s practices around confession, discipline, and restoration? [23:41]
The pastor warned that cherished, unrepentant sin dims the joy of God’s nearness (citing Psalm 66:18). What observable signs might indicate that an individual or a small group has lost the joy of fellowship because of unconfessed sin? [32:23]

Application questions (5–7)
(Be specific and personal — aim for concrete next steps.)

The preacher asked listeners to “think about your secret.” Identify one specific thing you have been hiding (a habit, attitude, or action). What is one concrete step you will take this week to bring that into the light (a prayer, a conversation with a trusted Christian friend, a meeting with a pastor)? [30:05]
The pastor modeled transparency about personal failure. Who is one person in your life you could honestly tell about a current struggle in the next 14 days? What exactly will you say to begin that conversation? [24:50]
Jesus is described as “standing at the door and knocking.” Name one practical way you will “open the door” this week (for example: a time of confession in prayer, joining a recovery/accountability group, asking for pastoral counsel, or confessing to someone you’ve hurt). Set a specific day and time. [33:51]
Galatians 6:1 and the sermon call for restoring others in gentleness. Is there a brother or sister you suspect is “caught in transgression” whom you might approach? How will you prepare to balance truth and tenderness (prayer, scripture to bring, specific words to say, a trusted person to accompany you)? [39:12]
The sermon contrasted therapy/skills with the need for atonement. If you are currently receiving only secular counsel for a spiritual problem, what one step could you take to add a gospel-centered element this month (meeting with a pastor, confessing to an accountability partner, participating in the Lord’s Supper)? [24:05]
The preacher warned that culture can desensitize believers to sin. Identify one media habit or entertainment pattern that may be numbing your conscience. What specific change will you make in the next 30 days (reduce time, remove subscriptions, replace with a spiritual practice), and how will you make yourself accountable? [15:51]
The sermon said pretending pressures others to pretend. What is one small, honest thing you could share with your small group next time you meet that would model vulnerability and help break the cycle of pretense? (Be specific about the topic and one sentence you will use to start.) [35:52]

Sermon Clips

``Christmas isn't just a season of warm fires and cozy homes and beautiful trees on the church platform. It is the staggering moment in history when God, who dwells in unapproachable light, stepped into our darkness. When heaven invaded earth, not with a legion of angels, but with a little baby. When perfect holiness wrapped itself in flesh. You know, the Incarnation has been a head-scratcher and something to marvel at for thousands of years, and it still is today. [00:05:02] (37 seconds) #HeavenMetEarth

Christmas is God looking at a world drowning in its own rebellion. A world crushed under its own sin. A world hopelessly guilty and saying, I'm coming in anyway. In spite of your guilt, I'm calling to you and I'm coming to you anyway. That has always been God's way from the very beginning. [00:17:03] (29 seconds) #GodComesAnyway

Emmanuel comes to be with us, not because we are faithful, but because God refuses to give up on His people. Even when the darkness is a darkness of our own making. Folks, I want to impress upon you today, in a fresh way, that Emmanuel does not run away from sin. He runs toward sinners. He does not avoid our guilt. He absorbs it into Himself and nails it to a cross. [00:23:22] (37 seconds) #EmmanuelForSinners

He does not shrink from our darkness. He steps into it. Why? Because humanity did not need a cheerleader. We needed a Redeemer. We didn't need a therapist. We needed sacrificial atonement. A substitute to step into our place. We did not just need a helper. We needed a Savior. [00:23:59] (27 seconds) #WeNeededASavior

Here's the truth, folks. God does know. And He came anyway. That's why we decorate with candles and lights. Because light came into our darkness. And speaking of the Messiah, in John 1, verse 4, it says, In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Your darkness has not overcome it. [00:29:10] (38 seconds) #LightInDarkness

God is with you, even there. And He always has been. He knows you completely. And He loves you enough to be born into scandal. He loves you enough to go to the cross to bear the consequence for your secret. And you know what else? He's planning a return trip to take you home to everlasting joy. Emmanuel, God with us, even in our brokenness. [00:30:29] (44 seconds) #GodWithYouAlways

The love of God does not leave us, but the enjoyment of His nearness is dimmed when we cling to what He died to free us from. The enjoyment of His nearness is dimmed when we cling to what He died to free us from. We will never lose His covenant love, but we can lose the joy of His fellowship when we hide like Adam and Eve. [00:32:37] (31 seconds) #DontHideFromGod

What restores that joy is to stop pretending. To stop hiding. To come into honest confession and agreement with God about our need for restoration. That is why 1 John 1, verse 9 says, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us. Because confession opens the floodgates of a blessing that has been standing there ready the whole time. [00:33:09] (27 seconds) #ConfessAndBeForgiven

Jesus says to the church, I stand at the door and I knock. I knock on the door of your shame. I knock on the door of your infidelity. I knock on the door of your addiction, the door of your lies, the door of your anger, the door of your pride. And then He says this, And if anyone opens the door, I will come in. Not to condemn, but to cleanse. Not to reject, but to restore. [00:33:53] (43 seconds) #OpenTheDoorToJesus

Jesus is knocking. Emmanuel is with you and he will never leave you or forsake you. And it's not too late to open the door. You know, I often think of Luke 23 and the thief on the cross. A condemned criminal hanging there, nails driven through him, moments from death with absolutely nothing to offer. He cannot fix what he has broken. He cannot repay. He cannot make amends. He cannot live a life of obedience. But in faith and humility, he says to Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. And Jesus says to him, today you will be with me in paradise. Emmanuel was sinners literally in death. And don't think for a second that it was an accident that that man was beside Jesus on that day. No, Emmanuel was with him and he's here for you now. [00:41:54] (81 seconds) #EmmanuelAtTheCross

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

What distinguishes God’s presence from His blessing?

Why begin Christmas with scandal and darkness?

How does confession reopen joy and fellowship?