Some notes and thoughts on a Christmas Series about the names of Jesus.
Philippians 2:5-11 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, (6) who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, (7) but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. (8) And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. (9) Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, (10) that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, (11) and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Title: God With Us
Theme:
Text: Matthew 1:18-23
Illustration: I have been singing a song all week long. The song was written by Anothony Showalter.
This Sung historically was sung as a Refrain. The ladies would Sing: Leaning, Leaning, safe and secure from all alarm. While the Basses/ males would add Leaning(On Jesus) Leaning(on Jesus). Then together: (Safe and Secure from all alarm).
It is sung in 4/4 time, in the Key of A flat
The Tennessee Music Company(Church of God)/Pathway Press published the Church Hymnal( As we know it as the Red Back Hymnal) and really is what made it famous. We sang it in shape notes in the Church of God for those who know what that means...
Then in the 1970's Then Dr. Clay Evans and The Famous Fellowship missionary Baptist church Chicago broadcast made it once again go around the African/Black American church with their incredible version of the song.
Other Notes
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms is a hymn published in 1887 with music by Anthony J. Showalter and lyrics by Showalter and Elisha Hoffman. It is most commonly played on the scale of A-flat major.
Showalter was a presbyterian minister who had written over 130 hymn books. He was know in his day as a hymn writer. He wrote other songs like:
Showalter said that he received letters from two of his former pupils saying that their wives had died. When writing letters of consolation, Showalter was inspired by the phrase in the Book of Deuteronomy 33:27, "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms".[1]
Versions
It has been performed and recorded by such artists as Roy Clark, Iris DeMent, Mahalia Jackson, George Jones, Twila Paris, Selah and Norbert Susemihl.
Alan Jackson included it in his 2006 live gospel album Precious Memories.
Me without you uses the lyrics from the 3rd stanza and part of the 2nd in their song Watermelon Ascot from their Pale Horses album.
The Carter Family performed the hymn during their time on Mexican Radio Stations in the late 1930s and early 1940s. One version can be found on YouTube.
Brian Fallon included it in his 2021 studio album Night Divine.
In popular culture
The song has been used in several movies, including The Human Comedy (1943), Native Son (1950), The Night of the Hunter (1955), Phase IV (1974), Wild Bill (1995), Next of Kin (1989), True Grit (2010) (of which it forms about a quarter of the score[3]) and First Reformed (2017).
In television, it was used in the Dollhouse season one episode "True Believer".[4] It was also used in the House of Cards episode "Chapter 42" (season 4, episode 3), in the Law and Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Pattern Seventeen" (season 16, episode 9), in Justified (season 4, episode 5, "Kin") and in The Simpsons episode "The Yellow Badge of Cowardge" (season 25, episode 22).[5] It was also sung in an episode of The Andy Griffith Show, "Mountain Wedding", during the wedding scene.
It was also used in a Guinness beer commercial titled "Empty Chair" which was produced by Human Worldwide Inc. and in a 2014 Sainsbury's ad regarding the World War I "Christmas Truce" of 1914.[6]
From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaning_on_the_Everlasting_Arms
Note: After overloading the congregation with information on the song (I never told them the name). I said, “Maybe it is better if I let our music minister and team play the song. “ Then they played Leaning on the Everlasting arms.
After this I read from:
Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
In the Old Testament we see a distant God who is sometimes hard to understand. The only way we could understand Him is for Him to walk among us. It was one thing to read about Him and hear His voice but quite another to have Him come and be “God with Us”.
Now let them words just resonate in your spirit. What do they mean? Can you feel the overwhelming power in those words. Close your eyes, let your mind attempt to imagine what they mean.
Introduction
Wow! What a statement. Does that statement touch you the way it touches me? I don’t think our minds can truly comprehend what the statement “God with us” means.
The almighty, all holy, all powerful, imminence, omnipotent God came down with us. He walked amoung us, not only did he walk amoung us but he also became one of us. Born as we are born, lived as we lived, tempted as we are tempted.
Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
He became us so that he could be like us. He could feel as we feel. He could be tempted as we are tempted. He could overcome as we can overcome.
Oh what an amazing Revelation.
Isaiah understood it this way:
First speaking of the kind of birth Is 7:14
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14 AV)
Jesus born of a virgin. His mode of birth is just as important as his birth. For if he was not a virgin he could not offer forgiveness of sins. For if he was not born of a virgin then God could not be called His father. Oh let us never make light of the virgin birth it is one of our cardinal doctrines.
Next speaking of the power Is 9:6
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6 AV)
There has never been a greater event.
John’s version
John who actually begins his Gospel before the birth of Christ wrote this about the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ:
Turn with me to John chapter 1
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that 6believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
God became flesh. Jesus who has always been lowered himself to become man. As can see from the description in scripture Jesus continues to be what he became.
For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: (Romans 8:3 AV)
But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. (Galatians 4:4-5 AV)
Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: Philippians 2:6-7
“Thought it not robbery” to offer God with Us.
God with Us: Through the Storms
Ask the disciples in Matthew 14:22 - 33
Matthew 14:22-33 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. (23) And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. (24) But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, [66] tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. (25) Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. (26) And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. (27) But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." (28) And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." (29) So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. (30) But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, [67] he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" (31) And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" (32) And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. (33) Then those who were in the boat came and [68] worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God."
In the fourth watch of the hour, in the darkest of times and moments. The storm was ragging. Jesus in their mind was no where to be found.
They looked across the sea and there was Jesus. He is there in their darkest hour.
Their response: fight the storm alone
Though the Enemy Rages – Ask the Israelites at the Red Sea
Moses understood this:
Exodus 14:10-14 And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord. (11) Then they said to Moses, "Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? (12) Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, 'Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians?' For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness." (13) And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. (14) The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace."
They found themselves in a predicament. They were between the Red Sea and the Egyptians behind them. They were running and fearful. The enemy was raging.
Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
Psalms 23:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
Isaiah 54:17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is from Me," Says the Lord.
Today’s enemy: sickness, flesh,
Through all Life and Death – Ask David
Psalms 23:3-4 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. (4) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
God is going to walk with us through it. Even if it is a death. God with us in life and hope.
Conclusion of Thought –
Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, (39) nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God With Us – Jesus Promise
Joh 14:18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
Mat 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."
Mat 28:20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
Joh 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
Joh 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
Conclusion
God with us not matter what we are going through. God with us no matter where we find ourselves at. God with us in times of salvation. God with us in times where we need to feel His love.
