Good morning church!
What a joy to be back with you this morning.
Pastor Mike and I have been talking a little bit about this morning, and I'm going to take a few moments and share with you one passage of scripture that has been in my mind for the last few days, and everything that I have been reading since I've been home relates to this verse.
If you have your bible with you, please turn to Matthew 1:18-25: I'm reading from the NLT:
“This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph.
But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.
As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife.
For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”
When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife.
But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.” Matthew 1:18-25 NLT
While there is so much truth In these verses, there is one verse In particular that has resonated with me. It's verse 23. Let's read it again:
““Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”
Matthew 1:23 NLT
This is what we need to know today. Not that God was with our ancestors, Even though He was.
Not that God will be with future generations. Though He will be.
The truth that I want us to know this morning, the truth I want us to remember this morning is that God is with us.
Here. Today. Now. Next week when the wheels fall off the cart of your life.
The bible promises that God is with us. Here. Now. Tomorrow. Next week.
Illustration- as many of you know, I've been in hospital, with the exception of a few days, since October. I've been sick with infection after infection; infections so big I can't even pronounce the name of them.
Much of this is due, in part to the bile duct that has narrowed in, making it necessary for me to require a second liver transplant.
This frightens me to no end.
This frightens my family to no end.
We have to go through this ordeal one more time.
But you know what the good news is? Jesus is my Emmanuel. He is with me today; He will be with me when I get the call staying that my liver is in, and He will be with me when I'm lying on the operating table for a third time.
He will be with my wife as she has to wait, He will be with my kids as they have to live without mom and dad around for a while, and Jesus will be my Emmanuel while I'm recovering and in pain.
This is good news!! Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us.
Can I share some more good news with you? Jesus didn't just come to be my Emmanuel. Jesus came to be your Emmanuel as well.
He came to be with you when all hell breaks loose.
He came to be your Emmanuel when you get that diagnosis from the doctor.
He came to be, and He is your Emmanuel. He is God with you, He is God with me, He is God with us.
ILLUSTRATION- If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent an educator.
If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist.
If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist.
But since our greatest need was forgiveness, God sent us a Savior! (https://maxlucado.com/audio/daily-audio/god-sent-a-savior/)
Friends, our greatest need is Jesus. He has been given to us and for us. He is our Emmanuel. He is God with us.
Today, tomorrow, the middle of next week. Next year. Jesus is our Emmanuel.
The writer of Hebrews reminds us that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever". (13:8)
This is another awesome scripture! Our Emmanuel doesn't change. He doesn't come and go just because. He is with us at all times, in all places and through all things.
Again the writer of Hebrews reminds us that “For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”” Hebrews 13:5 NLT
So what do I want you to do?
Remember: God is your Emmanuel.
He is with you. Here and now.
He is with you when you leave this place.
He will be with you next week, in two weeks, and all the way through next year.
He is your Emmanuel.
Call out to Him. Lean on Him. Lift up our eyes to Him.
David wrote in psalm 121: “I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”Psalm 121:1-8 NIV
This is a promise. Our Emmanuel is with us. He will watch over us. He will guide us. Our Emmanuel is with us.
And, just I case you may have forgotten; our Emmanuel is for us: Romans 8:31 says: "If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31 NIV
Our Emmanuel, is with us and He is for us.
Know today, that whatever your going through- good or bad-- Jesus is our Emmanuel
If you have never invited Jesus into your heart and life, there is no better time and place than right now.
Our series verse has been Luke 2:11: and it says: "“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” Luke 2:11 NIV
Jesus has come to be your Saviour, your Messiah and your Lord.
There is no better gift that you can receive this Christmas, or any time of the year, than Jesus Christ.
If you have never invited Jesus into your heart, it's a simple as a-b-c
Admit that you are a sinner
Believe that Jesus is the Savior and
Confess your need for Him.
He will come In and live with you, and Change you from the inside out.
The words that the Prophet Isaiah spoke over 600 years before Jesus breathed His first breath as a flesh and blood human being are Just as true today as they were the day they were written:
"All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”
Closing prayer.
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