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IMMANUEL: GOD WITH US
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
I. Opening
A. Anticipation
1. Presents under the tree
a) Waiting for the day
b) You can see the presents
c) You know that they are for you
d) You know that you will have them shortly but they are not your yet
(1) You wonder what they will be like, when you finally unwrap them for yourself
II. God in the Old Testament
A. Was a Spirit
1. It was possible to have a relationship with God, but only on a very limited basis
a) Consider that after Adam only Seth, Enoch, and Noah, were said to have served God
b) Out of all of the thousands maybe even hundreds of thousands of people born after Adam only three men are recorded in the Bible as serving God
c) Then from Noah another 2000 years pass until we finally get to Abraham
(1) Abraham and Malchizedek are the only two people of their generation that are said to have served God
d) Down through time to Isaac, Jacob, and his sons
e) 400 years later we get Moses who is given the law by God
(1) The law allows for limited contact with God, by a very special class of people known as the priests
(2) But it was not designed for the common everyday man to have a real relationship with God
(a) The only thing that the law did was to provide a way to roll judgment for sin ahead one more year
2. King David became a man after God’s heart
a) Here was a man who was not a priest but still managed to build a strong relationship with Almighty God.
(1) But his sons did not follow in his footsteps
3. Job a righteous man if ever one existed writes these words
Job 23:3Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!
a) Job expresses the desire to find God – to come to his seat or His throne.
(1) Because God was a distant voice to His people
b) He spoke to Moses and the people stayed below
c) He spoke to the judges and they carried out His will
d) He spoke to the prophets and they told the people what God had said
(1) But all of this was a distant voice
(2) There was no real connection with God
(a) One person – one time a year, got to enter into His presence in the Holy of Holies
(b) And that was a once in a lifetime occurrence
(c) God was not someone that the common man could reach to – He was distant, He was remote
e) There was a chasm of sin that separated God from Man
(1) And there was no way that man could bridge that gap to be able to come to God
B. But then there are the words of Isaiah the prophet
1. Telling the people that God will give them a sign
a) What kind of a sign?
b) A virgin shall conceive and bring forth a son
(1) What is so special about this child?
(2) They shall call His name – Immanuel
(a) God here with us – the El, “God” of the Old Testament – born into the world of men
c) The same God that spoke the worlds into existence
d) The same God that brought the Israelites out of Egyptian slavery – now with us
e) The same God that gave the Law into the hands of Moses on Sinai now with us
f) The Same God that caused Manna to fall from Heaven to feed the nation of Israel – now with us
g) The Same God that destroyed the walls of Jericho now with us
h) The same God that Healed Naaman the Leper – now with us
(1) The same God that spoke from the burning bush –
(2) the same God that was the fourth man in the fiery furnace with S, M, & A
(3) The same God that stopped the mouths of the lions for Daniel
(a) That same God – NOW WITH US
i) No longer just a distant prophecy
j) No longer just a wish and hope
(1) But now a fulfillment a real and living, person – JESUS CHRIST – Emmanuel
III. Jesus our Emmanuel
A. Before the birth of Jesus
1. An angel confirmed to Joseph, his Earthly father who Jesus really was
Matthew 1:20-23 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
B. What does Emmanuel really mean?
C. The God of the Old Testament
1. Was the provider – manna to fall from Heaven
a) Jesus fed the five thousand with baskets left over
2. Healed the sick
a) Jesus went about doing miracles
3. Raised the dead
a) Jesus raised the dead also
4. Gave the law
a) Jesus rephrased the law
(1) Love God
(2) Love your neighbor
b) Fulfilled the Law
D. No longer was God some distant voice
1. But now He was with us
a) He could feel our pain
2. We could talk with Him
a) The common man could come to Jesus
b) Even to the point of Children coming to Him
3. We could have a relationship with Him
a) Humanity could now come to Deity
(1) No longer just a high priest once a year, once a lifetime, but now ordinary people could come and have fellowship with Jesus
4. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus
a) There was nothing particular religious about these three
b) It does not say that they were descended from the priesthood or that they had a religious upbringing,
c) and yet they were able to gain the same status as Abraham as they became the friends of God
(a) Jesus – God with us
5. Zaccheus
a) Was not an honest man
b) Was not a well liked man
(1) Yet it was Zach, who Jesus decided to go sit down and eat with.
(2) Zach never would have been allowed in the temple
(3) He never would have gotten into the Holy of Holies
(a) But here was God – sitting at His table
(b) Jesus – God with us
(c) God with us
6. Peter, James, and John
a) They were not educated in the Law
b) They were not prominent social citizens
(1) They were poor unlearned fishermen
(2) They had no hope of really knowing God through the law
(3) Yet Jesus called them to be His disciples
(a) For three and half years they spent every day with Jesus
(b) They listened to His teachings, marveled at His miracles, and more importantly, recorded it all for the rest of the world to read about.
(c) They were not prophets, they were not priests, but they had a deep and abiding relationship with God
(d) Jesus – God with Us
IV. Beyond Immanuel
A. But even the realm of Immanuel was limited
1. If you were not in the land of Israel you did not get to know Jesus
a) You could not be with Jesus every single moment – nobody was – there were times that Jesus was alone
2. If you were not born in the same time, you did not get to know Jesus
a) Those that were there got to experience the fullness of Immanuel, but what about the rest of “us”
b) God was not with US
3. Jesus himself gave the solution in a prophecy of His own.
John 14:17-18 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
B. Jesus confirmed that He was indeed Emmanuel
1. I dwell with you
2. I am here with you now
a) I am the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah
b) I am Emmanuel
3. But I will not always be with you in the same way
a) This time of Immanuel will cease
b) But don’t worry – I will no longer be with you – but I shall be in you
(1) What does that mean?
John 7:37-39 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
C. Yes Jesus came to be the Emmanuel – but he came to be more than just the Emmanuel of ancient times
1. After His death and burial He resurrected to life again
2. He was glorified and now the Holy Spirit could be given
a) No longer just Jesus walking beside us – but now that Spirit of Jesus inside of us
D. Immanuel today
1. I was not there in the land of Israel
2. I was not born in that time
a) I never got the opportunity to talk to Jesus
b) I never got the chance to walk with Jesus
c) I did not witness his might miracles or listen to His teachings on those days
(1) But what I did receive was His Spirit
(2) Immanuel – God IN us
d) The same God that spoke the worlds into existence – now IN us
e) The same God that brought the Israelites out of Egyptian slavery – now IN us
f) The same God that gave the Law into the hands of Moses on Sinai now IN us
g) The Same God that caused Manna to fall from Heaven to feed the nation of Israel – now IN us
h) The Same God that destroyed the walls of Jericho now IN us
i) The same God that Healed Naaman the Leper – now IN us
(1) The same God that spoke from the burning bush –
(2) the same God that was the fourth man in the fiery furnace with S, M, & A
(3) The same God that stopped the mouths of the lions for Daniel
j) That same God, Jesus Christ – NOW IN US
V. Closing
A. Emmanuel for you
1. How can I get this Spirit of Jesus for myself?
2. Peter gave us the answer on the day of Pentecost
Acts 2:36-39 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. 37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
a) You can have this hope today
b) You can have this relationship with God today
c) You can receive His Spirit
(1) Immanuel – God IN us
Paul puts it this way in Colossians – CHRIST in YOU the hope of Glory
