God With Us Series

God with us

Matthew 1:18-25

Good evening everyone-

It is Christmas Eve- Advent season is finished and in the books- DONE CHECK

All presents, food, schedules down to the wire of getting done- if you are not done with them by now, it will be a late night for you.

A cerebration, a time with family, a time of expressing love by giving gifts.

The one that gave us the best gift, the one who not only opened his wallet but opened his heart. The one so that everyone of us could have an opportunity to receive the best gift ever is the one that most will put on the back burner in all the cerebration.

I have an extended family friend who shamelessly claims to be an atheist-

I spent some time on the phone trying to explain the goodness of God and the importance of understanding the Christmas season.

I hung up with a heavy heart.

A word to all atheist-

To the atheists…TO ALL THAT DO NOT KNOW JESUS AS LORD

If you are celebrating Christmas, what are you celebrating Christmas for? “A fool says in his heart there is no God”. (Psalm 53) Why not at this time open your heart to a wonderful Lord who has done everything possible to show you His dying love. “Have mercy on me Lord according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away my sin and cleanse me.”

We celebrate Christmas because the Lord came down to do what we could not do for ourselves. Open your heart…let Him in!

Jesus be glorified

Mike read for us this morning the Christmas story in Luke 2 and we will not reread that tonight but reflect back on it.

But I would ask you to please turn to Matthew 1:18-25 Read from Bible

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about!

Prophecy foretold that a savior was coming-

Two willing people who loved each other but were never intimate with each other.

Joseph and Mary pledged to be married and she became pregnant by the miraculous supernatural way of the Holy Spirit of God.

Joseph because he loved her was going to quietly break this engagement for obvious reasons.

An angel miraculously appears to Joseph in a dream and tells him that the women he loves is with child but that she has been faithful and it is by the Holy Spirit of God that she will bear a child and he is to name this child Jesus.

Prophecy said “ the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (God with us)”

Very Important! Through a virgin, God will come and be with us and you will name him Jesus!

Scripture says that the savior will come through the seed of Mary-

Wait a minute- I don’t want to give a Birds and the Bees lesson but man is the seed and the women is the egg.

The savior will come through Mary because Joseph will not be the seed but Mary will be the egg. God will come in a miraculous birth by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Someone ought to be getting excited!

(25) “But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name of Jesus!”

God had a plan and he worked that plan to perfection! No greater love can God have for us to provide for us a savior in that manger!

Illustration

One valuable lesson I learned when I was first got married was the greatest support I could give her was not always my advise or my perspective of how we were going to fix something. It was by my presence! She taught me that she found comfort, safety, and yes even hope in not doing it alone.

JESUS SHOWS US IN OUR IMPOSSIBLE DIFFICULTY OF NEEDING A SAVIOR,WE WOULD NOT HAVE TO DO IT ALONE.

HE WOULD BE THAT SAVIOR!

Immanuel “God with us”

While it is comforting and encouraging to know that other people are for us and with us, how much more comforting and encouraging to know that the creator of the universe is with us as well?

That God would send His Son Jesus to redeem mankind-

that blows my little mind away!

That God loves us unconditionally- He came for all who would receive Him

It does not matter where we live or our economic circumstance

We do not even have to have all our ducks in a row

I said this week at our Wednesday study

I bet the Innkeeper if he had a chance would of made room for Jesus.

I bet the second thief on the cross from Jesus wish He would have accepted His invitation