IMMANUEL :By Pastor N. Tuang Lang
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
Matthew 1:18-25
Christmas: Love in Action
Take a hypothetical situation where you have a prized belonging and that being the only one you have. If your friend asks for that, what would be your response? Since he is a good friend, there is a possibility that you might give it to your friend. But if the same belonging is asked by a stranger, you would not have parted ways with that prized possession.
While we are His enemies, God has searched for us and sent His only son to save us. This is the love of God that is shown through His greatest give, Jesus Christ. Christmas is a day when God has materializes His love and showed to us in action.
Jesus and Immanuel: The two wonderful names
When the birth of Jesus was foretold, two names were spoken of. A deeper analysis on the bible shows that it is to Joseph and not Mary the angle spoken to foretelling the birth of Christ. When the angel spoke to Joseph, the angle used the name Jesus; Jesus who will save people from their sins.
Looking back at the Old Testament, the birth of Jesus was mentioned by prophet Isaiah. Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14). The name Immanuel means the Lord is with us or if we personalize it, the Lord is with me.
Is God not with us before the birth of Jesus?
The songs of David in Psalms clearly mentioned that God is with His people in the Old Testament. The way and the situation in the Old Testament is different and there is uniqueness in the name Immanuel.
In the times of the Old Testament, when a person is ordained for His work, the spirit of the Lord is with him till the task set forth is completed after which the spirit left him. Immanuel that we are talking about in the New Testament is given to us in the book of acts (receiving of the Holy Spirit) and this spirit indwells in the person and never left.
If Immanuel is with you, what influence does it have in your life?
A retrospection of ourselves shows us that what we are today, our success and achievements are all attributed to Immanuel, the God who is with us and lift us up from nothing. A reach man who behaves like a beggar is considered a fool in the eyes of man. As such, a man who have Immanuel in him will be considered a fool in the eye of the Lord if he does not act and behave in the way God intended him to be. We have the greatest give that lives within us and if we fail to utilize that precious gift as God wants us to we will regret is when we meet the Lord.
What is expected of us and what hinders us from doing God’s will?
The scripture clearly says that we are bought with a price; with the precious blood of Christ. We are no longer of our own but of God’s. It is therefore our obligation to act and perform in the way God wants us to be. To glorify Him and act according to His will is a sign that Immanuel is truly with us.
Despite the expectation and the will that God has for us, we have acted otherwise. We have gone astray and do things that hurt the Lord. This is not because God has left us but our sinful activities have separated us from the Lord and hinders Him from empowering us to do His will. God Immanuel wants to be with us at all times and be our king. It is our choice to let Him in and rule our life.
What is a successful Christmas?
A successful Christmas is beyond the Christmas program and the activities that are localized within the church service. Christmas will be considered successful for a person when he have Immanuel at all times and let Him guide his life. A person dwelt in by Immanuel admits his mistake like David with humility and change his old ways. He has a peaceful relationship with his partner, with his family and people around him. He has a life of peace and tranquility that stems from God.
Want to know more, Please open the link for →
Order of Service :: DEW | December 23, 2018
Pics of the Day :: Photo Galary | December 25, 2018
