Emmanuel - God With Us

One of Us

Father Damien was a priest who became famous for his willingness to serve lepers. He moved to Kalawao – a village on the island of Molokai, in Hawaii, that had been quarantined to serve as a leper colony.

For 16 years, he lived in their midst. He learned to speak their language. He bandaged their wounds, embraced the bodies no one else would touch, preached to hearts that would otherwise have been left alone. He organized schools, bands, and choirs. He built homes so that the lepers could have shelter. He built 2,000 coffins by hand so that, when they died, they could be buried with dignity.

Slowly, it was said, Kalawao became a place to live rather than a place to die, for Father Damien offered hope.

Father Damien was not careful about keeping his distance. He did nothing to separate himself from his people. He dipped his fingers in the poi bowl along with the patients. He shared his pipe. He did not always wash his hands after bandaging open sores. He got close. For this, the people loved him.

Then one day he stood up and began his sermon with two words: “We lepers….” Now he wasn’t just helping them. Now he was one of them. From this day forward, he wasn’t just on their island; he was in their skin. First, he had chosen to live as they lived; now he would die as they died. Now they were in it together.

One day God came to Earth and began his message: “We lepers….” Now he wasn’t just helping us. Now he was one of us. Now he was in our skin. Now we were in it together.[1]

When Cindy and I were in India, we met many lepers on the streets of Hyderabad. I admit that we were careful not to get too close. On Christmas we are reminded that God was not afraid of getting close to us. Jesus became one of us.

What is in a Name?

We are introduced to the name Emmanuel early in the NT. Matthew reminds the people of what the prophet Isaiah said close to 700 years earlier

Isaiah 7:14 NIV

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

This “sign” was a promise of deliverance. Syria and Israel were on the attack against Judah. Judah’s King Ahaz was wicked, but even so, God was still with His people. He promised deliverance from Judah’s attackers. A baby named Immanuel would be the sign of deliverance. The Bible doesn’t tell us if there was a baby born shortly after that – scholars suggest that Ahaz’s son, Hezekiah, or Isaiah’s son could have been Immanuel, but the Bible is not clear. The lesson for the Jew was, however, clear, God will deliver us.

700 years pass. The Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks, have come and gone. Now Israel sits under Roman rule and the NT opens with a genealogy beginning with Abraham and ended with Joseph the husband of Mary. The verses that follow are a repetition of this centuries old promise of deliverance. This time, the deliverance isn’t for a short period of years. It will be spiritual and eternal…

Matthew 1:22–23 NIV

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

Merry Christmas! Today, we gather to celebrate one of the greatest mysteries and miracles of our faith: that God Himself stepped into human history to dwell among us.

We’ve been considering the scope of the fact that Christmas Changes Everything. The implications of the existence of Immanuel are huge! But…

What does it truly mean for God to be with us? And,…

How did Jesus reveal this truth during His time on earth?

I believe that if we answer these questions, Immanuel becomes precious to us.

Emmanuel - God Is with Us

Emmanuel in the Manger: God with Us in Humility

The story begins in a humble stable in Bethlehem. God didn’t come to earth in the grandeur of a palace or with the pomp of royalty. Instead, He was born as a helpless baby, laid in a manger, surrounded by shepherds and livestock. This humility was not accidental; it was intentional.

Jesus' birth fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy and declared to the world that God is not distant or unapproachable. God made His presence known in the OT, yes, but it still remained distant:

He was on the mountain, but the people were afraid to go near.

He was a pillar of cloud and of fire

He was in the tabernacle, but only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies.

Instead, He chose to identify with our frailty and our struggles. As John 1:14 tells us, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” In Jesus, we see a God who does not just observe our pain but enters into it.

When we feel overlooked or insignificant, let us remember the stable in Bethlehem. Emmanuel came for the lowly and the brokenhearted, reminding us that no one is too small to be noticed by God.

Emmanuel in His Ministry: God with Us in Compassion

When I think about the compassion of Jesus, I love to enter into one of the many stories told of Jesus interacting with the disciples or the community. He healed: he raised the dead (for both the sake of the living and the dead). He provided food. He put money in the mouth of a fish. He spoke to the storm. He embraced the marginalized.

Consider the story of the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11). While others sought to condemn her, Jesus offered her forgiveness and dignity. Or think of the leper who approached Jesus, saying, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out, touched him, and said, “I am willing” (Matthew 8:2-3).

Pick your favorite story and remember the compassion of Jesus. These moments show us that Emmanuel is not just a theological concept but a tangible reality. Jesus made God’s love visible and accessible to everyone. His presence assures us that God is with us not to judge or condemn, but to heal and restore.

Emmanuel at the Cross: God with Us in Sacrifice

The ultimate revelation of Emmanuel is found at the cross. Jesus did not merely live among us—He gave His life for us. Through His sacrificial death, He bore the weight of our sin and reconciled us to God.

Philippians 2:7–8 NIV

rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

On the cross, we see the depth of God’s love. As Paul writes in Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” The cross reminds us that Emmanuel means God is not just with us in our joys but also in our deepest sorrows and darkest moments.

And His resurrection assures us that Emmanuel is not a temporary gift. Jesus' victory over death guarantees that His presence will never leave us. As He promised in

Matthew 28:20b (NIV)

… And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Emmanuel Today: God With Us Through the Holy Spirit

Though Jesus ascended into heaven, Emmanuel remains with us through the Holy Spirit. In John 14:16-17, Jesus promised, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth.” James Dunn explains the role of the Holy Spirit with the believer today.

The step of faith and reception of the Spirit go together, two sides of the one coin: to receive the Spirit is to begin the Christian life (Gal 3:2, 3); righteousness through faith and the promise of the Spirit are equivalently regarded as “the blessing of Abraham” (vv 1–14); to be baptized in the Spirit is to become a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:13); if anyone does not “have the Spirit of Christ” that person does not belong to Christ, is not a Christian (Rom 8:9); only reception of the Spirit makes it possible for us to be sons of God, to call on God as Father (vv 14–17; Gal 4:6, 7); the divine seal establishing the bond between God and the believer is now the Spirit himself, not circumcision (and not baptism) (2 Cor 1:22; Eph 1:13, 14).[2]

The Holy Spirit is God’s presence in our hearts, guiding, comforting, and empowering us to live as His children. No matter where we are or what we face, we can hold onto the promise that Emmanuel is still with us today.

Immanuel is Yours

I heard this week that the top songs on the Billboard charts are the same as 12 years ago. Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas”(#1), Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” (#2), Wham’s “Last Christmas” (#3, 40 yrs old), “Jingle Bell Rock” (#4), 1957, and Burl Ives, “Have Yourself a Merry Christmas” (#5, 60 yrs old).

Christmas can be so overwhelming. Parties, work pressure, gifts, and pressure to be “in the Christmas spirit” can wear you down. On top of that, they offer no life unless you’ve experienced Immanuel.

This is amazing news! Immanuel has come. Immanuel is a gift to us.

How are we responding to this incredible gift?

Jesus came to be with us so that we might be with Him. He invites us into a relationship that transforms our lives and fills us with hope. If you are feeling distant from God, remember that Emmanuel means He has already come near to you. If you are burdened by sin or sorrow, know that Emmanuel came to bear your burdens. And if you are seeking purpose or direction, trust that Emmanuel walks beside you every step of the way.

Merry Christmas!

Let us rejoice this Christmas that Jesus is truly Emmanuel—God with us, God for us, and God in us. Amen.

[1]From John Ortberg’s God Is Closer Than You Think (HT – Darryl Dash) [2]James D. G. Dunn, “Holy Spirit,” Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), 989.