Immortal Invisible Immanuel

Text: Matthew 1:18-25 NLT

Now this is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her fiancé, being a just man, decided to break the engagement quietly, so as not to disgrace her publicly.

As he considered this, he fell asleep, and an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to go ahead with your marriage to Mary. For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All of this happened to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

“Look! The virgin will conceive a child!

She will give birth to a son,

and he will be called Immanuel

(meaning, God is with us).”

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord commanded. He brought Mary home to be his wife, but she remained a virgin until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

Introduction:

How many dimensions does this mug have? What about this mug? Can they occupy the same place? What about at separate times? How many dimensions exist in our home universe? (Four = height, depth, width, and time) We live in the space-time continuum.

We All Underestimate God

One of the biggest mistakes we make in the way we think about God is thinking about him in four-dimensional terms. God is not four-dimensional. According to the proponents of the String Theory, there was a dimensional split shortly after beginning of our universe. In other words, there are more dimensions than meet the eye. Physicists propose the existence of at least ten dimensions. That has led some to argue that God is eleven dimensional. The truth is: God is extra-dimensional. He is beyond all the dimensions. He cannot be defined or confined by any of dimensions. God is the Creator of dimensions.

Glory and honor to God forever and ever. He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:17 NLT) God is the only immortal, invisible, eternal King of all things. He deserves our worship because he is our Creator.

Immanuel: God with us

God entered our space-time continuum 2,000 years ago in a tiny village outside Jerusalem called Bethlehem. The Bible says, “When the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law.” (Galatians 4:4 NLT) Jesus was subject to the same spiritual laws that govern all of us. He was also subject to the same physical laws that govern the universe. Jesus was subject to the same spiritual laws that govern all of us. He was also subject to the same physical laws that govern the universe.

What do you think about this? For nearly 30 years, Jesus worked as a carpenter. Have you ever thought about Jesus ever missing a nail and hitting his thumb? Did he ever have a splinter? I think he did. I think Jesus got bumps, bruises, toothaches, stomachaches, and headaches. I know he got tired and hungry. He got sad and mad. The Bible says he was tempted just like we are, but he never gave into temptation. (Hebrews 4:15) He suffered like we do — more than we do. We don’t serve a scar-less God. We serve a God with scarred hands and feet and side and back. God knows from experience what life in this world is like.

Moses Brushed by the Infinite

[After the people of Israel made a golden calf idol] the LORD said to Moses, “Now that you have brought these people out of Egypt, lead them to the land I solemnly promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I told them long ago that I would give this land to their descendants. And I will send an angel….

Moses said to the LORD, “You have been telling me, ‘Take these people up to the Promised Land.’ But you haven’t told me whom you will send with me. You call me by name and tell me I have found favor with you. Please, if this is really so, show me your intentions so I will understand you more fully and do exactly what you want me to do. Besides, don’t forget that this nation is your very own people.”

And the LORD replied, “I will personally go with you, Moses. I will give you rest — everything will be fine for you.”

Then Moses said, “If you don’t go with us personally, don’t let us move a step from this place. If you don’t go with us, how will anyone ever know that your people and I have found favor with you…?”