Goal: Immanuel (God with us)
Scripture: Matthew 1:18-23
We are in the Christmas season!
Because we are in the Christmas season, I want to start by reading the story of Jesus:
Matthew 1:18-24
Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son
18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about[d]: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet[e] did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[f] because he will save his people from their sins.”
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”[g](which means “God with us”).
24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. (means the Lord saves)
In Isaiah 7:14 it reads:
Isaiah 7:14 “All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God with us’).
Tonight I want to talk about “Immanuel”-God with us
we see this in paintings, in songs, but why is it important.
Little history on the word:
- Immanuel is a Hebrew name meaning God with us
- In Isaiah 7:14 it reads:
- Isaiah 7:14 “All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God with us’).
- About 700 years before Jesus’ birth, it was predicted
- for those of you who are with us on Sunday mornings, you know the entire old testament foreshadows Jesus
When Jesus was born, it was a pivotal moment in human history
Jesus was God in human form
- trinity= father, son, Holy Spirit
- through Jesus coming to earth, he fulfilled the prophesy set in Isaiah, and ultimately the phrase seen throughout the entire OT of the Messianic kingdom
- since Jesus was God, God was with us (literally, he walked among us)
Through the Holy Spirit, we are able to experience God with us every day.
It was because Jesus was born and died for us that we have this opportunity.
I believe that God’s people were connected to him before Jesus. but after Jesus it is much more personal.
- we do not need to have other people intercede for us, we have the power and ability to be directly with him because he is right with us
- Isn’t that amazing??
- That is something we get to experience because of Jesus
I don’t think the prophet Isaiah could have foreseen just how deep the meaning God with us would be
He was not only with us in flesh, but he is now forever with us in spirit when we accept him as our one and only God
What does it look like to have God with us?
- (ask for student involvement)
- allowing him to be a part of our lives
Encouragement: We have the ability to invite God to be with us at any moment. Do you let him be with you?
Challenge: Allow God to be present with you. (pray, worship, read Scripture…be in his presence and allow Him to be with you)
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