Emmanuel - God with Us
Series: Expecting the Unexpected
December 09, 2018
Frank Foreman
Jesus, the Son of God, Savior to the world. Even better, He is Emmanuel, God with us. We say those words so often that it would be easy to miss the impact ... divine strength chose to take on human weakness, the Immortal chose to wrap Himself in vulnerable flesh, the perfect chose to come into a flawed world. In short, He came into the world to become one of us so that He might save all of us!
Episode Notes
Matthew 1:18-25, 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. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.
But as he considered these things, 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.”
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a Son. And he called his name Jesus.
After generations of silence... God promised to once again dwell with His people.
That’s great news for them but what about us today?
Matthew 28:20, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
John 14:16, I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever.
Hebrews 13:5, I will never leave you nor forsake you.
When I feel distant... Is there something I can do? Are these promises for me?
Is there a relationship between the promises of God's presence in our lives and the teachings that precede them?
1. Matthew 28:20, And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age... follows the command to "Go, make disciples, baptize, teach to obey..."
2. John 14:15-17, The promise of Jesus sending the Holy Spirit as an Advocate... follows, "If you love Me, keep My commands."
3. Hebrews 13:5, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you..." follows teaching about moral behavior.
If I feel distant from God and He hasn't moved... Will it make a difference if I go make disciples, keep His commands, and live a moral life?
Doing these things is not a formula to get you into/keep you in the presence of God... They are the result of the presence of God in you.
CHALLENGE: Remain connected to the presence of Jesus.
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