Logos: Emmanuel, God is with us

Rev Gideon Lee

How many of you remember what I preached two weeks ago? Last week we had a guest speaker so what did I speak on before that?

Stars and Rats. Wah, you remember. Before that was on John the Baptist. His main message was in repentance. He had not much time left so he went straight to the point. And the message was on repentance. What else did he preached on? It was a message on sharing. We say sharing is caring right? So Christmas is a call to repentance and to share. As a Christian we cannot live a life without sharing. We are blessed to be a blessing. And the last is we are called to serve. Remember the tax collector? The soldier. Be the best at what you are. Be the best teacher if you are a teacher. Where God has placed you be a blessing.

This is also part and parcel of the message of Christmas. Jesus came and gave a call to repentance. That is the message of the cross. I pray that this Christmas we will share the message of the good news. And we are called to serve him. Jesus did not come to be served but to serve. We have an example in Jesus and that is the message of Christmas.

What about the stars and the rats? Cannot remember ah? I talked about John the Baptist in prison. Then he asked if Jesus is the one or are we waiting for another. I talked about handling disappointments. Handling our expectations. He expected Jesus to do certain things and he was disppointed when he didn't see it.

What is your expectations on Jesus? Maybe you see him as just a good teacher or leader. John the Baptist was looking at the wrong signs. He was expecting Jesus to be doing great and wonderful miracles and signs. But Jesus said he came to set the captives free. God was in the still small voice and not just in the spectacular. He also didn't give God enough time to work. God's ways are different from our ways. So we must work according to God's timing and not ours. In God's appointed time he sent his Son. This is the message of Christmas this morning.

Matthew 1:18-25

The Birth of Jesus Christ

18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about:His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:23 “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” –which means, “God with us.”

24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

v23 “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” –which means, “God with us.”

This is the central truth of Christianity. It stated the real meaning of Christmas. It is a truth of the Lord's greatest promise to you and I. And because of this truth we can celebrate Christmas. It is Emmanuel, God is with us. Nothing can separate us from the love of God.

Think of all the great people of the bible. Moses at the edge of the Red Sea. It was an impossible situation but he believed that God was with him and he raised his staff and God opened up the red sea.

What about the three Hebrew men. They were about to be thrown into the fire. They stood firm not bowing to false God. They trusted that God was with them. When they were thrown into the fire, they saw a fourth man. They believed that God was with them and the fourth looked like the son of man.

What about David? He stood before Goliath. He was but a small shepherd boy. He stood before Goliath and said he come in the name of the Lord God of israel. He knew that God was with him. Because God was with him it made the difference. He picked up five stones but he killed this giant with the first stone.

No other religion can claim that their God is with them. But on Christmas God sent his Son and his name shall be called Emmanuel. It is unusual that the writer of Matthew took out one word from the OT and that word is Emmanuel. God with us.

When we know that God is with us there is a blessing that comes into our life. I have three truth to share with you.

The great Christmas promise is that God is with us. And we can claim it when we are frightened. How many of us have been frightened before? We go through anxious moments. When we were young we are afraid of exams, the rotan etc.

Then when we grow up we are afraid we cannot get into university. And if not we won't get a good job.

Then when we grow up as adults we are afraid we won't get the right partner. Right Joshua? Linken? Then later we are afraid of how our children will grow up. We are afraid for our health. Our money and savings.

And later we are afraid because we don't have much time. Waking up with pain.

The bible said fear not. I am with you. The bible said fear not, not no fear. We go through moments that frightens is but the promise is that God is with us. He is the one that can tell the storm to be still. He gives us the peace that surpasses all understanding.

One day there was this school in the USA out in the fields where it is famous for tornadoes. When it comes it will wreck havoc. One day while class was on, the tornado bell rang and they held an emergency evacuation. But it was too late so the teachers gathered the students to the basement. As they huddled together they could hear the wind raging outside. As children they were very afraid. They began to whimper and cry. The teachers were also afraid. One cry and more will cry so it was a terrible situation. The teacher had to think of what to do.

God gave her an idea. She pulled the student next to her and whispered. Don't be afraid, God is with you. Jesus is with you. When she heard this, she whispered to her friend. And the friend whispered to the next person. Soon they were wispering to each other. And everyone in the class room heard this and there was peace there because Jesus was with them. Jesus is with us. Don't be afraid. Maybe some of you need to hear that. I don't know what storms you are facing, God is with us. I don't know how afraid you are, God is with us. Don't be afraid.

Second, we can face this promise when we are lonely. You can be in a room full of people and still feel lonely. If God is with you, you cannot be lonely. If you are lonely you can claim this promise.

How many of you are working late on Christmas Eve? Maybe in Malaysia it's not such a big deal but how is it like to work on Chinese New Year's Eve. Everyone is having their reunion and you are working.

There was this lady that had to work on Christmas Eve. All her colleagues have gone back for their event. But this lady had no choice but to work. And when she finished she had nowhere to go as she lived quite far away. She's new in this place and had no friends. She went back to her small room. She stood waiting to take the next bus home wondering how she will spend Christmas Eve. She felt so alone. Then, she heard Christmas carols being sung. At a corner was children singing. She felt drawn to them and she went to hear them sing. As she listened, she felt a warmth in her heart. When they sang this song O little town of Bethlehem, the last verse goes like this.

O holy Child of Bethlehem

Descend to us, we pray

Cast out our sin and enter in

Be born to us today

We hear the Christmas angels

The great glad tidings tell

O come to us, abide with us

Our Lord Emmanuel

The song reminded her that God was with her. Because of Christmas God is with us. And although she had no family to go to, she knew a church nearby and she had brothers and sister in Christ to go to. She need not be alone. This morning, some of us need to hear this. We may be in a room full of people yet feel lonely. I want you to remember this morning, God is with us.

Third and last. We can claim this promise when we are in sorrow. It is easy to feel God's presence when we are doing well. But I think it's the opposite. I think he is nearer when we are hurting. God wants to be with his children. Especially when they are in pain. Are you going through some sorrow? God Is with you.

I end with this story. There was this old lady who had a stroke and she lost her reasoning and was left half paralysed. Although she had many children they could not take care of this 85 year old woman so they sent her to an old folks home. She stayed there for one or two years while her children went about their lives. But on Christmas as it was their tradition, they came together to sing carols. So one of the daughter said why don't we bring our mum to sing with us. So one of them brought their mum back. But she just sat there staring as she could not reason. As they were singing silent night, they could hear the mother singing. This lady since her stroke did not say a word or remember anyone. She needed medical care but when she heard this song she sang along and remembered all the lyrics.

This lady in the midst of her sorrow as she sang something was deposited into her heart and she could sing silent night.

In every circumstances of life when we are frightened, lonely or in sorrow, we can claim this promise. God is with us. God came down for us. Love came down. Today as I end I want us to take holy communion. This Christmas we need to know that God is with us regardless of our circumstances.