JESUS OUR EMMANUEL

Sermon Summary, 12/23/17, “Jesus Our Emmanuel” (Matthew 1:18-25; 1 John 1:1-4)

The question we ask during Holy Week is “Why did Jesus have to die.”  The better Christmas question might be “Why did Jesus have to live?”  Why in the world would he have to become like us?

Actually, the answers to the who, what, when, why and how of Jesus’ incarnation might best be found in that wonderful carol, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.”  Who is he? “The Everlasting Lord,” the “incarnate Diety,” the Godhead “veiled in flesh.” What was the purpose of his life? “God and sinners reconciled.” And how was he going to do that? “Mild he lays his glory by, born that we no more may die, born to raise us from the earth, (and here’s the real how) born to give us second birth.”

Every couple of years I need to remind myself (and you) of why I believe what I believe, why I believe in “Jesus our Emmanuel.”  I didn’t always believe that.  I had conveniently shelved God.  I didn’t want him to make any demands on my life.  Our son, Curt, asked what I believed and I told him that “O, God exists, but he doesn’t have anything to do with me.”  He told me, “Dad, you’d believe differently if Jesus came and stood right here with you in this room, you would think differently.”

That began a series of events led me to faith.  As my faith strengthened, Curt’s was challenged.  Anyway, I received “Second birth” in a motel room in Albuquerque , NM (another story).  Suddenly, it made sense to me: God exists; it takes far more faith not to believe than to believe!  And it make sense that the Creator of the universe would want to reconcile that universe to himself.  And it made sense that he would do so by becoming like us, and do so by demonstrating the greatest love one can for another.  And if God would do that for me, he was a very personal God.

Our scripture is not a normal Christmas passage but it directly addresses “Jesus our Emmanuel—God with us.”  From 1 John: 1 We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— ² this life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us— ³ we declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. (1-3)

“We declare...what was from the beginning...what we have seen… touched…”  Flesh, “Emmanuel.”  John make the emphatic claim of incarnation.  Then in verse 2, “word of life,” the emphatic claim of Deity.  Finally in verse 3, fellowship.  Jesus came to have relationship with us.

He is God.  He is human.  He is with us!  Born to give us second birth. Hark! The Herold angels sing.  Glory to the new born King.”