Immanuel - God with Us

When I heard that my father was preaching in his church on Christmas Eve, I asked him what his sermon was about (Sermon). He replied that the text given to him from the gospel of Matthew was about the names of Jesus. This got me thinking about names. Today we live in a Shakespearean world where names really don’t have any particular significance. Listen to the famous lines that Shakespeare says to Romeo through Juliet:

"Oh, Romeo, Romeo, why do you have to be Romeo? Forget about your father and change your name…It’s only your name that’s my enemy. You’d still be yourself even if you stopped being a Montague. What’s a Montague anyway? It isn’t a hand, a foot, an arm, a face, or any other part of a man. Oh, be some other name! What does a name mean? The thing we call a rose would smell just as sweet if we called it by any other name. Romeo would be just as perfect even if he wasn’t called Romeo. Romeo, lose your name. Trade in your name—which really has nothing to do with you—and take all of me in exchange."

And yet, it is the names of Montague and Capulet, the great houses to which Romeo and Juliet belonged respectively, that give life and equally death to the great tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. Despite Shakespeare, names do matter even in the Shakespearean world.

The name that captured my imagination and commanded my reflection this Christmas season is the name Immanuel, that Matthew reveals to us his readers as the name of Jesus. After he narrates the event of an angel appearing to Joseph and asking him to give the name ‘Jesus’ to the baby that his fiancee Mary would bear, Matthew reflects on the ancient prophecy found in Isaiah about this other name - Immanuel, for the baby boy Jesus.

Simply translated, Immanuel means - God with us. There is an immediate powerful message of hope and encouragement for all of us here - that in Jesus, God is with us. He is there with us through our tough times as well as through times of sorrow and grief. God is with us, we are not alone. We will never walk alone, because, in Jesus, God is with us. He is not a faraway god or a god that appears once in a while, but he is God with us, a God who dwells within us.

And yet, there is a deeper insight in the name Immanuel - God with us. While we can indeed take encouragement in the message of God being with us, this is a derived meaning of Immanuel. The primary meaning is that the one called Immanuel, Jesus, in himself, is God with us. In other words, Jesus is God with us. Jesus, the baby whose birth we celebrate on Christmas is none other than God with us. What does it even mean for Jesus born as a human baby to Mary to be God with us? This points to the great mystery of a transcendent god being made immanent in Jesus. There is a blurring of the lines between transcendence and immanence. Jesus - perfect man, one of us, and yet God - indeed, a man-god! Centuries of debates have followed on this dual nature of Jesus and till now this remains shrouded in mystery without a final word.

This awesome paradox of incarnation is wonderfully captured by the lyrics of the song ‘Mary did you know’ by Pentatonix.

Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day walk on water?

Mary did you know that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?

Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new?

This child that you've delivered, will soon deliver you

Mary did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?

Mary did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand?

Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?

And when you kiss your little baby, you have kissed the face of God

Mary did you know, Mary did you know, Mary did you know

The blind will see, the deaf will hear and the dead will live again

The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the lamb

Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?

Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations?

Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?

This sleeping child you're holding is the great I am

Mary did you know, Mary did you know, Mary did you know

It is this powerful mystery of the birth of Jesus, named Immanuel - the God-man, that we celebrate on Christmas. This name is a mystery that is not yet resolved. It is the mother of all mysteries that demands our complete attention. And Jesus as Immanuel - God with us, as the living symbol, is this great mystery waiting to be unravelled. What does it really mean for Jesus to be God with us, and if he is indeed God with us, then what does it entail for us and our being human? Perhaps, this God-man is a visible representation of God's relationship with the world, and what if in seeking this mystery we unleash potentialities and possibilities previously unknown to humans? This mystery demands a lifetime of pursuit and in this seeking, even if the haze continues, we might find something, perhaps ourselves. And hopefully in this seeking and finding, the name Immanuel envelopes and embraces us.

Merry Christmas 2017!

Mary did you Know by Pentatonix

A Christmas Gift by my Thai Buddhist friend Gypsy Jingle Bells

Christmas Eve Sermon: Two Names of a Son - Prince Jeyachandran

Sermon in SDC on 24.12.2017 – Combined service at 9.00 am

Sermon text - Matthew 1:18-25

Introduction: When I was born my parents gave me the name Prince, although I was not born in a Royal family. Sometimes names do not possess the real meaning of the person's life. But sometimes names may have some meaning. In olden days, in the country of Haiti, when babies were born they named them according to what happened during the time of birth. When a boy was born, they named him Bad Weather, because there were several days of storm prior to his birth. Bad Weather’s friend was named Boiling Water because water in a pot on an outdoor fire was boiling when he was born.

Today’s title of the sermon is … "Two names of a Son" and what do they mean?

1st name – “Jesus” - Matthew 1:20, 21

²⁰ But as Joseph considered these things (Mary is with child; unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly) behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 

“Jesus” means “Savior” – the one who saves us from our sins

1. Jesus saves us from our past sins and the punishment of those sins:

Jesus saves us from the penalty of our sins. This happens, when we put our faith in the Lord Jesus and His sacrifice for our sins

Acts 16 – This happened to the Philippian Jailor

 ³⁰ Then the jailor brought Paul and Silas out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (were praying and singing hymns to God; earthquake)

³¹ And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 

³² And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and all who were in his house. (Gospel: death and resurrection)

33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds and he was baptized at once, he and all his family”

The whole family was saved from the punishment of their sins

Are you saved from the punishment of your sins? Do you have the assurance of salvation?

In 1735 John and Charles Wesley sailed to Georgia and went as missionaries to work among the native Indians. But neither John nor Charles his brother could find assurance that they were indeed children of God by grace. They were not yet saved. They returned to England thinking their lives and ministry had failed. John Wesley wrote of his experience in Georgia, “I went to America to convert the Indians; but, who shall convert me?” The answer to his question came shortly after his return from America. Both he and Charles were influenced by Moravian friends who bore witness to salvation by grace through faith in Christ. Charles Wesley was the first of the two to be justified by faith. Three days later, John’s seeking for the grace of God ended in a meeting house in London. They both were saved by grace through faith. John Wesley became the founder of Methodism or the Methodist denomination.

Are you saved from the penalty of your sins? It is possible that you are coming to church regularly and even participating in its activities including mission, and are yet not saved. Jesus can save you today

Jesus came to save us from our sins and the punishment. This is the good news of great joy

2. Jesus saves us not only from the penalty of our sins; He also saves us from the power of sin.

Sins and temptations have power and we who are saved fail many times

That’s why we confess our sins very often, especially on Sundays

Should we keep on sinning and asking God to forgive us or can we get victory over temptations and over the power of sins?

My Experience:

Many years back, I was going to a training program to teach about the Victorious Christian life. As I was travelling, I was struggling to have victory. I was failing. I could not overcome temptation. On my way, I had to stay one night in a guest house, before proceeding to the training place. I was discouraged that night, thinking how I could teach about Victorious life while I myself do not have victory over sin and temptation. Next day morning when I got up, God spoke to me in a special way. Just like salvation is from God by Grace, victory over the power of sin is also from God by His grace. I need not struggle to get victory over the power of sin but trust God. Jesus as saviour has power over the power of sin as well. This brought me joy and happiness and I gladly went and taught Victorious Life. Salvation from the penalty of sin is a one-time experience, but salvation over the power of sin is a moment by moment or continuous experience. Galatians 5:16 “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh”. Each of us may have our own weak areas where we often fail.

The Old Testament talks about Samson’s weakness which was the lust of his eyes

Judas Iscariot’s weak spot was stealing money

 

John 12:6 “He was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it”

James and John – their weakness was seeking position and power

Mark 10:37 James and John said to Jesus, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.”

Matthew 20:20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to Jesus with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. 

²¹ And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” 

²² Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking”

There are many other sins like anger, criticism, judging others, pride etc that can have power over us.

Can Jesus save us from the power of these sins?

Yes, He can, “you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins”

Jesus can save us from the penalty of sin

He also can save us from the power of sin

Finally, one day He will also save us from the presence of sin – in heaven

We saw the 1^st name of the child of Christmas, Jesus' and what it means for us

The 2nd name given to the son was – Immanuel

Matthew 1:23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us)

Colossians 1:27 “To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory - Immanuel

2 Corinthians 6:16 “For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,

“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people” Immanuel

After Jesus came, we are so much privileged, God dwells in us, which the Old Testament saints did not have

Example: Ignatius the early church father was brought before the Emperor Trajan.

The Emperor told Ignatius, "What a wicked wretch you are, to transgress our commands and persuade others also to do likewise.

Ignatius: No one should call a Theophorus such a manner (as wicked wretch)

Trajan: Who is a Theophorus?

Ignatius: He who has Christ in his heart

Trajan: "Do thou then carry him who was crucified within you?"

Ignatius said, "I do: for it is written, 'I will dwell in them and walk in them.'

Then Trajan ordered to throw Ignatius among the wild beasts.

Ignatius was experiencing Christ living in him even in difficult situation.

Do we experience Christ indwelling in us? Are we conscious of that?

We need to take conscious efforts to remember the Lord, in our busy world. The more we remember Jesus; He becomes sweeter to us. Jesus is our Immanuel who is with us all the time, in all the places where we go and in all our situations to help us – in good times as well as in bad times. He is our Immanuel

We saw the "Two names of a son" and what do they mean?

As we are going to pray, let us ask these questions:

*Am I saved from the penalty of my sins? If not right now you can ask Jesus to save you. Today is the good time God has given to you. Believe that Jesus was born to save you, he died for your sins and rose again on the third day.

* If you are saved, you can ask yourself do I have victory over the power of sin and temptation. If not you can ask Jesus. He can save you from the power of sin as well.

* Do we experience the presence of the indwelling Jesus Christ in our lives? Let us consciously remember Jesus throughout the day and love Him.

Prayer