One of the most well known names for Jesus is “Immanuel,” which means “God with us.”
*cue record scratch sound effect* Hold up. God with us? You can’t be serious. There are a million reasons why God should have nothing to do with us. It started with Adam and Eve. God gave them a perfect world with just one command: “Don’t eat from that one tree.” But they broke it. That’s what we do to God too. We break his commands. We break his heart. It’s been that way since the beginning. All of history – the world’s and our own – screams out to God: “Don’t have anything to do with these people. They don’t deserve you!” But here’s the amazing thing about God.
When people sin, God doesn’t step away – he comes even closer.
When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, do you know the first thing God did? He searched for them. When Jesus taught about God’s love, do you know what examples he used? A shepherd searching for lost sheep. A woman searching for a lost coin. A father searching for his lost son. That’s what we call grace. The undeserved, searching love of God. When God saw all that we had done against him, he made his people this promise, “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
Then he kept that promise. God became one of us at the first Christmas. That’s who Jesus is: The Son of Mary and the Son of God. True God and true man. Jesus is God with us to save us! Because of Jesus, we have forgiveness, hope, and eternal life. Like the classic Christmas hymn says, “O come, O come, Immanuel”…and he has come! Glory to God in the highest!
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet Isaiah: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God with us.’” Matthew 1:22-23
Family Christmas Prayer
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for coming to us as Immanuel – God with us. Even though we sin and don’t deserve Your love, you came near to forgive us and save us. Fill our home with the peace, hope, and joy you brought at Christmas. Help us remember that you are always with us and help us share your love with others.
Glory to you, our Savior and King! Amen.
