Christmas Eve: Immanuel

Introduction

Matthew 1:18–23 ESV

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).

Why do we celebrate this baby that was born over 2000 years ago in the small overlooked village of Bethlehem? What makes this baby so special?

This Baby is no ordinary baby. As Joseph was wrestling with what was going on with his soon-to-be wife who ended up with a surprise pregnancy, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream explaining who this child is.

This child is from the Holy Spirit and will be named Jesus, which means, “Yahweh Saves,” because Jesus will save His people from their sins.

Which is it? Is it Yahweh who saves or is it Jesus who saves? YES!!!

Jesus is named Yahweh saves because He is Yahweh who Saves!

This is why this child is the fulfillment of the prophecy that a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and he shall be called “Immanuel,” which means “God With Us.”

Jesus does not appear to have ever been called “Immanuel,” but he bears this name because that is exactly who He is. Jesus is quite literally in ever sense of the word, “Immanuel” because He is God who is with us.

We Have Hope Because of Immanuel

Ever since Adam and Eve sinned by eating from the tree in the midst of the garden, humanity has been separated from God. And we have experienced the curse of the fall and our souls have been longing for things to be set right.

Ever since then we have been trying to get back into the garden and into a right relationship with our Creator.

But no matter how hard we try, we can never get there. Every religion and every worldview has tried to find a way to be good enough or the justify ourselves to make things right, but no matter how hard we try, we can never get there. What we need is to be in God’s presence and we are unable to get ourselves back there.

But the hope of Immanuel is that God has done for us what we are unable to do for ourselves.

Instead of making us reach God, which we could never do, God came down to us. There is Hope because Immanuel means God desires to be with His people and has come to dwell with us.

We Are Loved Because of Immanuel

Immanuel also means we get to experience the greatest love this world has ever known.

God sending His Son Jesus to earth was a demonstration of His love for us. Even though we sinned and rebelled against God, God sent Jesus, our Immanuel, to pay the price for sin upon the cross because of His great love for us.

Romans 5:8 ESV

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

God loved us so much Christ was willing to suffer and die for us so we could be brought back into His presence.

We Received Peace Because of Immanuel

Not only do we have hope, and have experienced His love, we also receive peace.

Jesus’ perfect life and sacrificial death upon the cross has made it possible for sinners such as us to be reconciled to God.

Jesus’s death and resurrection has paid the penalty for the sin which separated us from God.

Now we can experience peace with God through Jesus.

Romans 5:1 ESV

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

We Experience Joy Because of Immanuel

Finally because of Jesus, who is God with us, we can experience the joy and satisfaction that our souls are longing for. We were made to dwell in the presence of God and we will never know true joy until we are brought back to God.

But Jesus, God With Us, has made it possible for us to enter back into His presence and now we can experience true, unending joy!

Psalm 16:11 ESV

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

We receive these gifts of hope, love, peace, and joy by faith in the person and work of Jesus, our Immanuel.

As we enter into this celebration of Christmas, let us direct our hearts and minds to Jesus, the God Who is With Us, who died upon the cross to bring us back into His presence.