Immanuel “God with Us”

Bible Passage: Matthew 1:22-23

A huge military alliance (Rezin of Aram & Pekah of Ephraim) threatened the tiniest nation Judah and its capital Jerusalem (Isa 7:1-2 cf. 2 Kings 15:37)

1. Jerusalem was not strong enough to face this military alliance; so, they were shaken out of fear of being defeated (Isa7:2)

a. The courage of the king and his people was severely damaged
b. They didn’t have a matching military and political means to face their enemy

2. When they were attempting to seek help from a wrong source, Assyria (cf. Isa 7:10-13; 2 Kings 16:7), God promised to be with them in their time of fear and helplessness

a. God sends prophet Isaiah to king Ahaz with the offer of help
b. God’s offer of help was going to be confirmed by the birth of a son who need to be named “Immanuel” (Isa 7:14)
c. Ahaz turned down God’s offer of help and approached Assyria for help (cf. Isa 7:10-13; 2 Kings 16:7)
d. God remained faithful to His Word
e. The Real Child “Immanuel”—Jesus, was born 720 years after this incident

3. We read similar situations (just as Ahaz faced) in Matthew 1–2

a. Threat to marriage of Joseph and Mary (threat to relationships)

i. Joseph was going to seek divorce
ii. Mary was going to live with the stigma of becoming pregnant before marriage

b. Threat to the life of Baby Jesus from Herod the Great and his son, Archelaus (political and social threats)
c. There was an utter helplessness with regard to the sin of God’s people (moral threat)

4. God promises help to Joseph and Mary (Matt 1:23) with the sign of a Son who is to be named “Immanuel”—

a. God tells Joseph that He will be with them at his crisis and challenging time— (cf. verse 20 cf. Isa 7:4)
b. God offers help in their personal crisis, and political and social threats (ch. 2)
c. God offers help to their utter helplessness in the face of sin (cf. 1:21)
d. Unlike Ahaz, Joseph believed God’s offer/promise

i. Joseph was saved from his family crisis
ii. Joseph, Mary, and Baby Jesus were protected from the hands of the aggressors
iii. Ultimately, sinners are provided with the Savior

e. If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all (cf. Isa 7:9) and “do not fear” (cf. 1:20)

5. A good number of us are like Joseph facing crisis and threats

a. Personal and family crises
b. Political and social threats
c. Moral threats

6. The Day of Christmas is a reminder that God sends His help in Immanuel

a. Martin Luther: “Ah! dearest Jesus, Holy Child, Make Thee a bed, soft, undefiled, within my heart, that it may be A quiet chamber kept for Thee.”
b. John 1:14: the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (the Shakinah glory of Exod 40)
c. Immanuel “God with us” is present experience of every believer today

i. Christ dwelling in us changes the direction of our lives
ii. Gal 2:19b-20 I no longer live, but Christ lives in me, and that life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me
iii. Matt 28:20 “behold, I am with you all the days until the end of the age”

Takeaway:

Accept God’s offer of “Immanuel” in your life and avoid seeking help in wrong sources