God With Us

Matthew 1:18–25

The beauty of Christmas is understanding the familiar words and themes in a deep way. The key verse, Matthew 1:23, tells us about Immanuel, which means “God with us.” This shows us that Jesus is God, God is with us, and God is for us. This simple but powerful message can change lives, just like it did for John Wesley.

1. Jesus is God

Christmas is about God becoming a human, a concept that is emphasized in the Bible. Jesus is different from angels because he is God and people recognized his greatness. In Christianity, just being good isn’t enough to connect with God. Instead, we need to believe in Jesus, the Son of God, who gave his life for us.

2. He’s God with us

God shows his incredible power and his deep love for us. In the past, God’s presence was shown in powerful ways like whirlwinds and pillars of fire. But when Jesus came, he made it possible for us to experience God’s love and grace personally. This is the heart of the gospel – God is with us.

3. God with us

Jesus is not just God, but he is God who loves to be with ordinary people, even those who are looked down upon. Some people think they deserve God’s attention because of their hard work or success. But it’s when we realize that we don’t deserve anything that we truly understand God’s love. God is with us not because of what we’ve done, but because of what Jesus has done for us.

1. If he’s God with us, some of you have to take off the limitations you have made for him in your life

Some people think their problems can’t be changed, but Paul had strong faith because he believed in Jesus as God. If we believe that Jesus, the Creator, is in our lives, there’s no problem too big for him. By letting go of doubts and negativity, we can live out our faith with confidence, showing the true spirit of Christmas.

2. Christmas is all about getting near him, getting with him

Think about the sacrifices Christ made to be with us and consider what steps you’re taking to get closer to him. Are there things in your life that are stopping you from feeling his love? Overcome these obstacles and make time for him. After all, the effort we make to be with him is small compared to his sacrifice for us.

3. There may be some people here who will see that if Jesus Christ is God, then your lukewarm and tepid response to him is not a rational one

We can react to Jesus Christ in three ways: fear, dislike, or worship. Being indifferent isn’t an option because he is God. We need to fully commit to Jesus, as there are consequences if we don’t. Let’s end with a prayer for a deeper understanding of God’s will, expressing our gratitude, joy, courage, and love, and talking about God’s plan, salvation, spiritual warfare, and important times like Christmas and Easter.