12-4-22 Sermon Notes “Jesus is…Emmanuel”

During this Season of Advent, we will be looking at just a few of the many names that are used to describe Jesus in Scripture. Jesus is…Emmanuel, Son of Man, Lord, and then on Christmas Day we will look at Jesus as Savior.

This Sunday, the focus is on Jesus as “Emmanuel.” Isaiah 7: 10-14 reads:

10 Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, 11 Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. 12 But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test. 13 Then Isaiah said: “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.

“Great,” you say, “but how do we know that Jesus was the fulfillment of that Old Testament prophecy?” (I’m glad you asked.) We know it because Matthew’s Gospel makes that connection for us in Matthew 1: 22-23…

22 All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

23 “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,

and they shall name him Emmanuel,”

which means, “God is with us.”

Emmanuel means, “God is with us.” Emmanuel isn’t just another name for Jesus. It points to deep truths. That Jesus is Emmanuel shows us something about God…with us (not against us)…with us (accessible in human skin). Jesus told his followers that whoever had seen him had seen the Father (John 14: 7-9). Jesus (Emmanuel) was a human and did everything humans do. He ate, slept, got tired, had friends, family and a job. He experienced temptations in life, but didn’t sin. (Heb. 4: 15). Jesus shows us that God is with us (not some distant, far-off deity).

Emmanuel also shows us that God will continue to be with us. For how long? “Until the end of the age.” (Matt. 28: 18-20) Can you see how “Emmanuel” is a practical truth that can really change our lives?

See you Sunday,

Pastor Sam