Immanuel

God With Us

Bible Passage: Matthew 1:18–25, Isaiah 7:10–25

Scripture

“All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’”      -Matthew 1:22-23

Prayer

Opening:

We are in the first week of Advent, the season of waiting in excited anticipation for the coming of the Lord.

The birth of Jesus and the second coming. Often referred to as the waiting period.

What do we do while we are waiting?

While we often follow the lectionary readings in Advent, this year, as a way to prepare our hearts, minds, and souls we are going to explore the the different ways we know Jesus.

The best way to grow in relationship with someone is to get to know them better.

Today we are going to focus on knowing Jesus as Emmanuel, God with Us.

Next Sunday is the pageant.

The following week will how we know Jesus through His humanity.

Followed by How we know Jesus through His actions and example.

Christmas Eve we will finish up with how we know Jesus as Lord.

So let’s get into this week...Jesus as Immanuel...God with Us.

Want to start with a short story by David Rogne. - Story of the birds and the cold

God’s History and Desire to be Close

God’s desire to be close to creation is not short on history.

Starting with Adam and Eve

Establishing covenants, providing laws, and sending prophets as messengers to call people to faithfulness and obedience

Just like the man in the story...God was trying all different ways to get our attention...

To get us to come back to Him

God understood the best way to make this happen was to come and be among us…to live among us.

Sending His son...conveyed that God is not a distant deity but desires to be intimately involved with people, making Himself vulnerable to human struggles through Jesus.

Through Jesus, as God with Us, we find someone:

We can relate to...

Lives in the same world we do, see the same things we see

Experience the same emotions that we experience

Jesus was here as a conduit for us to relate to God.

To be the path, the light...the way...

God With Us...Who is the Us?

Us in the congregation?

Us as Christians?

Americans?

No. It is US as creation...all of humanity...all who as it is written in Genesis are created in the image of God.

THIS IS AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION

We need to be cautious as followers of Christ to not put ourselves in some elite group. A chosen group.

As followers, at our core is to have not only the heart...but the hands and feet of a servant.

Serving others...following Jesus, God who is with US.

The US here while it represents a collective group, it is not exclusive.

When the prophecy was explained to King Ahaz in Isaiah, the thinking may have been it was for the Israelites...

Even when Jesus came that was the thinking...people were oppressed, Jesus came to save them...Jesus translates to the Lord saves.

We learned quickly this was not the case.

He came for a much larger purpose...for all humanity.

When we say God with Us...the Us is behind every face you see...every situation they might be in...every person on this Earth that we don’t see...yes them too.

God with us...all of us.

Message

As we are in advent, I invite you to explore your heart.

Are you the bird moving closer to the warm barn?

Are you in the barn?

Are you on the outside not sure what to do?

No matter where you are, it is ok. You are not alone.

Advent is a good time to discern feelings, beliefs, and faith.

As you do, please keep close to your hearts:

God, just like the man in the story...

Cares about us...

Desires to be close to us...

Sent His only Son...

To be God with Us.