Unwrapping Christmas - God With Us

Title: God With Us

Theme:

Text: Matthew 1:18-23

Matthew 1:18-25 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. (19) Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. (20) But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. (21) And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." (22) So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: (23) "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us." (24) Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, (25) and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.

Reread verse 23, with me

(23) "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," [4] which is translated, "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

During the last few weeks we have been talking about Unwrapping Christmas.

A Wrapped Present

1) Wrapping of a present is designed to hide what is on the inside. There is a mystery there. The person is not suppose to know what is in there.

It believe this is also true when it comes to Christmas. There is a lot of mystery that surrounds it. Which brings me to my second analogy.

2) The wrapping is not what is most important. No matter how beautiful the package is. It is not about the package.

This morning as we look into scripture I would like us to take a look at the third mystery to unwrap. It is found here in Matthew 1

The Name of Jesus

I want you to notice first the name. There are two names given that this child shall be called. First there is the name Jesus “you shall call His name Jesus”. Jesus is from the Greek translated into English. In the Hebrew it would be Yeshua which is Joshua in the Old Testament. It means salvation - “He will save His people from their sins”.

Common misconception is the fact that the name Jesus was a uncommon name. As I said above the name Jesus in Hebrew was Joshua which we know was common. Today this name is revered, and should be, but then it was common. What does this tell me? It tells me that Jesus came to the common man.

Isaiah 53:1-2 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? (2) For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him.

Jesus came to us and looked like us to be like us. If you were to pass Him on the street he would look just like you and me. He did nothing that would draw attention to himself.

This brings us to the second name. Immanuel.

(23) "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us."

A fulfillment of a prophecy in Isaiah 7:14.

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

H6005

- Original: עמּנוּאל - Transliteration: `Immanuw'el - Phonetic: im-maw-noo-ale'

- Definition: Immanuel = God with us or with us is God

1. symbolic and prophetic name of the messiah, the christ, prophesying that he would be born of a virgin and would be 'God with us'

- Strong's: From H5973 and H410 with suffix pronoun inserted;

with us (is) God;

Immanuel a name of Isaiah´s son: - Immanuel.

H6005 ִעָמּנוֵּאל ‛immānû’ēl: A proper noun designating Immanuel, the name of the child who would serve as a sign to King Ahaz in his day and, in the fuller meaning of the prophecy, as a sign to the Lord's people Israel in the future. The name means "God with us" (Isa_7:10-17). It was used as a cry to God Himself to be with Israel when the Assyrians threatened to destroy them (Isa_8:8). It is found in Isa_8:10 as well as in the Hebrew text (NIV, "God is with us"; KJV also).