Hark The Herald Angels Sing

Christmas 2002

Immanuel Means "God With Us"

Matthew 1:18-23

December 15, 2002

¹⁸This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

²⁰But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

²²All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

²³"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" --which means, "God with us."

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (verse 2)

Christ, by highest heaven adored; Christ the Everlasting Lord!

Late in time behold Him come, offspring of the virgin’s womb:

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail th’Incarnate deity,

Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus, our Immanuel.

                                                                           (Charles Wesley) 

What makes people happy?

The true purpose and meaning of life can only happen when we understand that:

1. Jesus is the eternal God.

Christ, by highest heaven adored;

Christ the Everlasting Lord!

Matthew 1:18,20

“This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit… what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.”

Isaiah 9:6

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

2. He came as the promised Savior.

Late in time behold Him come,

offspring of the virgin’s womb:

Matthew 1:21-23

²¹She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
²²All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son"

Genesis 3:15

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."

Revelation 13:8

“the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.”

Galatians 4:4

“But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman”

Isaiah 7:14

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you  a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”

3. He came to live among sinful men.

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;

hail th’Incarnate deity,

Pleased as man with men to dwell,

Jesus, our Immanuel.

Matthew 1:23

“they will call him Immanuel" --which means, "God with us.””

John 1:1,14

¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

¹⁴The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Conclusion:  Why did Jesus come to earth?

                           Why “God with us?”

John 10:10

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Jesus offers us new life through a relationship with him

1 Timothy 1:15

^“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”