“God With Us”
Today we rejoice in the fulfillment of our anticipation. Advent is realized; Jesus has come. Yes, Immanuel is here.
Ah, Immanuel. It means “God with us.” Those three incredible words teach us much about our Lord’s “with-us-ness.” And my mind and heart have been massaged by the truth contained in them. Follow along for a minute.
“God” expresses the truth of deity. Yes, at Christmas, God came near. It wasn’t merely a prophet or just a good man that descended to earth. It was God. And it wasn’t a son of God, but the Son of God. That’s who Jesus is – God! What a truth to celebrate: That at Christmas, Deity came to earth!
“Us” expresses the truth of humanity. At Christmas, Jesus became one of us! Not just someone close to us, or someone kind of like us. No, he became one of us in every way, even someone lower on the cultural chain than what most of us would want to be—He became a servant! In one doctrinal word, it’s the incarnation. God becoming flesh. And it’s at the heart of Christmas!
Philippians 2:6-7 gives us a further glimpse into God’s “withusness” when it says,“[Jesus], being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness…”
Here’s the best part: Combine deity and humanity and something supernatural is accomplished for every single person who repents and believes in the God-man:Eternity with him!
Make no mistake: Eternal life is the gracious gift because Deity and humanity came together! Yes, “God with us” means that for all who believe, it is “us with God” forever! Truly, once we believe the truth about Immanuel, these words hold great promise no matter the order. What a reason to celebrate “God with us” – that “us with God” is now the reality for all who trust in Christ!
Pastor Todd