Download this sermon (right click and save)

Immanuel

(Mt1:18-25)

God is true love (1Jn4:8).

True love comes from Him, and

He is happy with dwelling with those whom He loves.

Faith is knowing His love and receiving it, and

The life of this faith is being happy with His love and doing all things by His love.

While across all times and cultures, people have sung of love and defined it accordingly,

Love is universally longing to be together forever.

Yet the misery of man is that love easily changes and

Ultimately he must part his way with his beloved for his love is not eternal.

Nevertheless, to make man the object of His eternal live,

God made man in His image, breathed into Him the breath of life and

Made him a living being (Ge1:26, 2:7).

Though God banished Adam from the Garden after he sinned and

Put a flaming sword around it (Ge3:24) because

It was separation made by the devil (diabolos, the separator) (Rev12:7),

He clothed Adam in a garment of skin as a sign that He would later cover his shame (Ge3:21).

After receiving a son, the old man Abraham rejoiced (Ge21:6) because of

God's promise of being with his offspring when the time would come (Ge18:10).

Similarly, holding firmly to the sign of the covenant that God would be with him (Ex3:21, 4:17),

Moses went into Egypt and took the Israelites by the hand and led them out (He8:9).

As the testimony of the first covenant that God made with them

He commanded them to build the sanctuary where

The name Jehovah was and they were to camp around it (Ex25:8; Nu2:2; 2Ch2:4, 6:5).

In the meantime, there was the prophecy regarding

A virgin giving birth to a son who would be named Immanuel, "God with men (Is7:14) ” for

He would betroth men to Him forever (Hos2:19).

According to the Law and the Prophets the Son of God appeared (Mt11:11-12), and

Said, "Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days (Jn2:19), because

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

He would tear down the name Jehovah and

In the name Yeshua be Immanuel, "God with us (Mt1:23).

He is the incarnate Word who was with the Father in the beginning (Jn1:1-2, 18),

Born of a woman (Ge3:15; Lk1:35),

He was made in human likeness (Php2:6-8) for

In man is death (He2:9-11).

Though men urged Him to dwell in a tent or a palace (Mt17:4-5), He willingly chose death.

But as He died, He said, "It is finished (Jn19:30), declaring that:
1) He laid down His life to show the Father's true love for men and His longing to dwell with them forever (Mt27:46; Jn10:17-18; 1Jn4:10);
2) Destroyed the separator the devil (1Jn3:8); and
3) Tore His flesh to cloth men in righteousness, in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy (Hos2:19; Mt22:12; He10:20).

The Father raised Him up from the grave and

Ascended Him to heaven, the kingdom of His beloved Son (Col1:13).

The Holy Spirit comes in the name Yeshua to the souls of those who believe and

Dwells with them forever (Jn14:16, 26).

He lets them be happy with Immanuel, the name Yeshua.

The Christian is he who is

Regardless of his circumstance happy with the name Yeshua, and

Therefore worships, gives offerings, prays and preaches with love (Lk7:47)

Until he can go before Yeshua in the heavenly dwelling place to be with Him forever (Rev21:3).

O Lord,

Thank You for clothing such a lowly life like me

In righteousness, in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy so that

I may confidently go before God!

The name Yeshua is my only treasure!

I am completely happy with Immanuel! Amen.