He Is Immanuel
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
WE have sung that song, his name is called Immanuel. WE sing, O Come, O Come Emmanuel, but have we thought about this name. Matthew quotes the prophet Isaiah in this passage and states the prophecy of Isaiah
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
He then adds the interpretation, God with us.
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
But Christmas is over. We are in the process of tearing down the lights, putting away the nativity scenes, and generally moving on. We’ll take our calendars down on Friday and burn them and say goodbye to 2020.
But my challenge to you today is this. Don’t forget that God is still Emmanuel, He is still with you, He is still for you and on your side. And no matter what 2021 brings, whether during next year’s advent season or simply in the dead of winter or heat of summer, God is still with you.
I. God is With You no matter where you go in life.
I. God is With You no matter where you go in life.
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.
We used to sing that old song that said many things about tomorrow I don’t seem to understand, but i know who holds tomorrow, and I know he holds my hand. Do you believe that God is with you, no matter where you go in life?
WE hope and pray that no one here will move, by choice or vocation, to some other part of the state or country. Probably most of us won’t. But, nevertheless, we will be finding ourselves in different places in life. Remember, god is with you. He is Immanuel.
Not only is God with you, no matter where you go in life, He is also with you...
II. God is With You Even if you are alone.
II. God is With You Even if you are alone.
The apostle Paul has travelled all over the known world. He has preached to thousands, no doubt. He has started churches, helped so many, and yet, he writes these words at the end of his life.
Do your best to come to me soon.
For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.
Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry.
Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus.
When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments.
Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.
Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message.
At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them!
But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.
The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Can you imagine writing that. Only Luke is with me. At my first defense no one came to stand by me. And yet, through it all, the Lord stood by me. The Lord was with me. God was on and by my side. He was watching over me.
This is a truth that some of you have had to learn, others will learn it in due time. Whether it is through the loss of a loved one, whether it is through a situation where you feel alone, we must remember we are not alone. He is Immanuel, the God who is with us.
I like what Daniel said in the middle of the lion’s den.
Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions.
As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”
Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever!
My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.”
We’re going to sing a song in a few weeks, Lord willing, called Sovereign Over us. It’s chorus states this,
Your plans are still to prosper
You have not forgotten us
You're with us in the fire and the flood
You're faithful forever
Perfect in love
You are sovereign over us
III. God is With You Even in the Worst in Life.
III. God is With You Even in the Worst in Life.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
May His favor be upon you And a thousand generations And your family and your children And their children, and their children May His presence go before you And behind you, and beside you All around you, and within you He is with you, He is with you In the morning, in the evening In your coming, and your going In your weeping, and rejoicing He is for you, He is for you