Church is Immanuel 

(Mt 1:18-25, Mt 18:20) 



God is living(Neh 9:5). 

His existence is surely living and 

He dwells with the living for He is the God of the living(Mt 22:32). 



Faith is knowing and longing for Him, and 

The life of this faith is dwelling with the living in order to be found as the living in the last day. 



During wars or disasters, 

The most important news is about casualties. 

Anyone pronounced as living will be taken, 

While anyone pronounced as dead will be left behind. 

In the last day, those whose souls are found to be dead will 

Be thrown into the eternal fire with the devil(Mt 25:41; Rev 20:13-15). 



Although Adam, the living being, was made 

To live eternally with God(Ge 2:7), 

He was deceived by the devil and sinned, 

Thus banished from the Garden 

Never to return as the flaming sword shielded it(Ge 3:4-6, Ge 3:24). 



The Bible says, "The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob(Ex 3:6), 

Since though Abraham, Isaac and Jacob all died 

God is living(Ge 26:24, Ge 28:13-14). 



For God was with Moses, 

He delivered the Israelites from Egypt(Ex 4:12), and 

As a sign, the pillars of fire and clouds led them(Ex 13:21-22). 



While the sanctuary reminded them of God who dwelled among them(Ex 25:8), 

They lived in fear because of their sin and death that came through the commandment(Rm 7:9, Rm 7:24). 



Jesus said, "Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days(Jn 2:19), because 

Through the death and the resurrection of the temple of His body, 

He would dwell with the living forever. 

His birth was by the Spirit(Mt 1:18, Mt 1:20) for 



He is the Word who was with the Father in the beginning(Jn 1:1), who 

Came in flesh through man to dwell with men(Mt 1:23; Php 2:7). 

He promised to send the Counselor who would come 

To dwell with the living forever(Jn 14:16, Jn 16:7). 



As He died among sinners, Jesus said, "It is finished(Lk 23:33; Jn 19:30), declaring that He: 

1. Finished the work that He came to do by coming as man according to the Father's command(Jn 10:18); 

2. Judged the origin of sin, the ruler of death(He 2:14; 1Jn 3:8); and 

3. Died like a sinner and redeemed the sins of men(Mt 20:28). 

After He rose from the dead, He ascended to the throne from where 

He judges the living and the dead(2Ti 4:1; Rev 1:17-18). 



The Holy Spirit came to be with the church, 

The gathering of those made alive by the blood of Jesus(Ac 2:1-4) 

To the very end of the age. 

It is the site of God's presence, Immanuel. 



In order for him to be lifted up with the church 

When the Lord returns, 

The man of the Spirit boldly goes out and 

Preaches the gospel, and 

Whether he is sad, suffering or in hardship 

He runs to the church because 

Being with the church is his greatest happiness. 



O Lord, 

Though we have never seen God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit 

We can see the church! 

Whatever the persecution or test we may face, 

Let us never leave church. 

Let us dwell with our brothers and sisters, living souls! Amen.