Would you join me for a short
reading in the book of Isaiah? Isaiah chapter 7. Isaiah chapter
7. And in verse 14. Isaiah chapter
7 and verse 14. We read this passage of scripture
last week. We want to read it again this
week as we think about the Lord Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us. in Isaiah chapter 7 and verse
14, and we just want to be reminded that about 700 years prior to
the birth of Emmanuel, God moved on this prophet to write the
words that we have before us. 700 years. Only God has the capabilities
of having something said 700 years prior to the event and
actually having it carried out exactly like the prophet said
it would happen. Only God can do that. In the
book of Isaiah chapter seven and verse 14, the scripture says,
therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold, a virgin
shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel. Immanuel is a Hebrew word. It is just simply transliterated
here in this passage of scripture. If it had been translated, it
would say, God with us. But it is a Hebrew word that
has just been brought from Hebrew into the English. And when we
get over to our next reading in the book of Matthew chapter
1 and verse 23, would you join me there in Matthew chapter 1
and verse 23? In Matthew 1 and verse 23 we
have these words recorded and we heard them read this morning
in their context that tells us here, Matthew 1 verse 23, As a fulfillment of the Old Testament
scriptures, the prophet, behold, a virgin shall be with child
and bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel,
which being interpreted is God with us. This Immanuel in this
passage of scripture, again, has been transliterated. It would
have been translated, if it had been translated, God with us.
I appreciate them leaving in its original sense and then giving
us the interpretation for it. As we mentioned, Isaiah was given
about 700 years before the fulfillment found here in Matthew chapter
1 and verse 23. And if we go through the Old
Testament very much, we will find out that the Lord visited
folks in the Old Testament many times. He visited with Adam in
the garden, and he visited with Noah, and Abraham, and Moses,
and Joshua, and David, and Solomon. He came to these people in personages,
but he never came like he came at this time. The prophets had
him come to them and yet never visited like this visit when
he came born of a virgin and was laid in a manger. Think with
me on these things for just a moment. Who but God could have fulfilled
these scriptures as they were fulfilled? That a virgin should
conceive and that the virgin should bring forth a son and
only by the rich power she remained after the birth of the Lord Jesus
Christ, she remained a virgin. I am taken away by that. How
God could perform such a work, such a ministry and fulfill his
word without human means, this virgin conceived and when she
brought forth her son, she still remained the same. When we look at Emmanuel, when
we look at God with us, we find that he arrived exactly at the
right place. The Old Testament said he was
going to be born in Bethlehem, and that's exactly where he was
born. we find that God uses extraordinary means often in the scriptures
to get his purpose fulfilled. What was the extraordinary means
that he used to have the Lord Jesus born in Bethlehem as it
was written according to the scriptures? He moved on a pagan
Caesar, a pagan king many thousands of miles away and the message
finally got to Judea at the proper time so that Joseph and Mary
could travel down to Bethlehem and be there at the right time.
All of those things working out for the glory of the Lord. We
find that God used men like Pharaoh, He used men like Nebuchadnezzar,
He used men like Cyrus and Artaxerxes, and even Caesar Augustus, and
then later He was going to use a man like Pilate. Every king
and every queen, every ruler is a pawn in the hands of the
Lord Jesus, but we find that he treats his people much differently
because he calls them kings and priests of the Most High God. That's Emmanuel working in us
and with us. This part of God's grand and
wonderful and infinitely important design of redemption was once
again brought to fruition. Do you know it tells us in the
book of Exodus chapter 13? Would you join me over there
in the book of Exodus chapter 13 for just a moment? As we read
here in the Old Testament in the book of Exodus chapter 13,
verse 2. Exodus chapter 13 and verse 2. The gospel message is everywhere
we go. For in fact, as we've mentioned
many times, that Moses, when the Lord Jesus was speaking to
a group of people, says, Moses wrote to me. And that's throughout
all of those books of Moses. And here in the book of Exodus
chapter 13, and there in verse 2, it says, sanctify unto me
all the firstborn. Whatsoever openeth the womb among
the children of Israel, both of man and beast, is mine. This is a gospel message about
the Lord Jesus Christ coming. This is a statement from the
Old Testament of the preaching of Christ to these people, that
there is going to be one coming. His name shall be Emmanuel, God
with us, and he is going to be the one that will truly be the
one as it says here openeth the womb among the children of Israel
he is mine and everyone that is born of him is mine the Lord
Jesus shares with us that every birth of the firstborn Christ
was preached to people when they had their first child born, the
preaching of Christ was made to them, as they went out into
the field, and a ewe had her first lamb, as they went out
into the field, and the heifer had her first calf, as they went
out into the field, and the donkey had her first Baby, all of these
were a representation that God Almighty was preaching the gospel
to these people that Jesus Christ would come and eventually open
the womb of this virgin and he would have in him salvation in
his wings. He would have salvation declared
through and by him and by all those that he called to preach
the gospel about. Every birth of the firstborn
was Christ being preached. And in his case, he and he alone
is the first to open the womb. It was Christ and Christ only
whom Jehovah spoke in all the scriptures. Would you turn with
me to the book of Matthew for just a short reading. In the
book of Matthew, in the book of Matthew chapter 1, we heard
this read, but I want to mention just a couple of things As we
look at this again in Matthew chapter 1 beginning with verse
18, we find that it was the grace of God that moved very mysteriously
but for his glory upon a man who had an idea to do something
that felt right for him at the moment. Joseph. It felt right
for him at the moment to put his engaged wife away. He had
every right to call the judges together. It felt right for him to put
her away because she was with child before they're married.
And yet it was the grace of God, the instructions were given and
by God's grace, these instructions were followed. It tells us a
lot about this man being able to be dealt with by the Holy
Spirit of God and come to the same conclusions that God had.
that this is a very special time. Joseph was a man subject to like
passions as we are. Joseph was a man. Joseph was
the engaged husband of Mary. It was very embarrassing to him
to take upon this wife that was with child and yet God moved
upon him and by the grace of God, he could see that this one
was the great I am and this was on his purpose. Verse 18 it says
the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise and then it tells
us in verse 19 Then Joseph her husband being a just man Those
words are very important when we look at anybody found in the
scriptures He was a just man. What does that mean? He's justified.
What does that mean? He's been born again. What does
that mean? God the Holy Spirit has come
upon him after he heard the gospel of the free and sovereign grace
of God in Christ Jesus the Savior. There's a man very shortly going
to raise the Son of God up. an infant stage and declare this
is my salvation those folks knew this and Joseph was a just man
he was justified God had worked the work of grace in him and
that is why God could speak to him and he could understand the
Word of God and say I will do as God says even as Mary said
nevertheless Thy will be done He goes on, the Holy Spirit came
to him, spoke to him, God moved upon him to say, go ahead. But there's two qualifications
I have here, Joseph. Number one, you're going to name
his name Jesus. And the reason you're going to
name him the name Jesus is he's going to be a savior and he's
going to save his people from their sins. And the next is,
you are gonna name his name Jesus, and that's exactly what he did
when we read that last passage of scripture, last verse in that,
and he called his name Jesus. What grace God poured out upon
this man, Joseph. We know not much about him except
he's a son of David. He's in the lineage and house
of David. That's why he went down to Bethlehem
to line up and sign up for paying taxes to the Roman government.
He is a just man though that takes away all the irregularities
that we might ever find in him. He was a just man before God
and that's what takes out the irregularities between you and
I and any believer. We're able to look beyond the
flesh and see the work of God and we're able to hear him say,
be kind one to another. Well, as we look here, Jesus
himself declared that he was, that Moses wrote of him, and
it continues on. Turn with me, if you would, to
the book of Luke, chapter two, as we look at this great subject
of the Lord Jesus being called Immanuel, and what that bears
to us. In the book of Luke, we have,
in Luke chapter two, verse 21, in this account of the birth
of the Lord Jesus, There are two gospels that do not bring
up the subject of the birth of the Lord. Matthew and Luke do. Mark doesn't. Mark starts out
very late in really in the life of the Lord Jesus, because in
the book of Mark, Jesus is spoken of more as a servant. He is God's servant, and he's
the servant to the church. And in the book of John, he's
spoken of as the Almighty King. We don't have to bring up the
subject of a birth there. We go back to eternity. In the
beginning was God. In the beginning was the word.
The word was with God and the word was God. That settles it. But we're thankful for what the
Holy Spirit gives us in the book of Matthew and in the book of
Luke on how God delivered that word to us in the person Christ
Jesus the Lord, Emmanuel. Luke chapter 2 verse 21. and
when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child,
his name was called," and I think probably all of us have great
big letters right there where it says capital. Big letters,
call his name Jesus. Now that name is the same as
Joshua in the Old Testament. Joshua is Hebrew, Jesus is Greek,
or yes, Greek, and we find here that they mean the same thing.
Joshua was a picture of the Savior, and Jesus Christ is the Savior. Joshua pictured going into the
promised land, going into the glory, and Jesus takes his people
to glory. Well, let's go on here, and it
says in Luke chapter two, verse 21, and when eight days were
accomplished, he did exactly what was required. His parents
did exactly what was required by the law. He came in the fullness
of time, made under the law, There is one person and one person
alone that every breath they ever took from before they were
in the womb until he was received back to glory, he continued with
every breath he ever took to obey the law of God. There was
not one second he deviated from that. He kept it, and his parents
were led to keep this part on his behalf. This was required
in the Old Testament, that he be circumcised the eighth day.
His name was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before
he was conceived in the womb. And when the days of her purification,
according to the law of Moses, was accomplished, they brought
him to Jerusalem, presented him to the Lord. As it is written
in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall
be called holy to the Lord now the Lord Jesus goes a step further
and lets us see a little bit about this holiness in the book
of John chapter 17 and verse 19 The book of Genesis excuse
me the book of John chapter 17 and there in verse 19 we have
the Lord speaking about himself when he is speaking and praying
for the church and He's praying for those just like his stepfather. Those who are just. Just Joseph. Just Lot. Just Mary. Not sitting in a port though. Did you know that Mary needed
the same salvation that Joseph needed? She was a chosen vessel. That is correct. but she was
chosen in God, in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the
world for this very special thing and that is salvation. She recognized
that what she brought forth was an answer to all the scriptures
but she needed the Savior just like her husband needed the Savior
and her Other children were going to need a Savior, and as her
parents needed a Savior, and her grandchildren were going
to need a Savior, it must be this Savior. And here in the
book of John chapter 17 and verse 19, for their sakes I sanctify
myself. You know, when God purposed this
word, before the world was ever created, before Adam and Eve
were ever placed in the Garden of Eden, when He purposed the
words that would be put down in the Scriptures He declared
that He would be a representation of the Godhead bodily among us,
and that He would be sanctified, and that He would be holy. And
there throughout the book of Exodus, and Leviticus, and Numbers,
and Deuteronomy, when the instructions were given that everyone that
was born first would be holy unto the Lord, we sanctified
unto Him. He's preaching throughout all
the Old Testament about this actual time when Jesus declares,
I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through
the truth. God foreseeing, God purposing,
God seeing all these things carried them out to the very end. You know, the word was made flesh
and dwelt among us. Look here in John chapter 1 and
verse 14 for a moment. As we think about Immanuel, Immanuel. In Luke, excuse me, John chapter
1, verse 14. We have this statement made about
the Lord Jesus Christ. John chapter 1, verse 14. It says, and the word was made
flesh. dwelt among us Now it's a mystery, but it's
a good mystery How God could perform this It's a mystery. It's beyond our ability to grasp
it completely I've had a number of people tell me that it's an
impossibility for Mary to bear a son without a man And I said,
humanly speaking it is, but we're speaking about something far
greater than that, and that is the power of Almighty God. He
made a promise in the covenant of grace that this Son that would
come, this Savior that would come, would not have the taint
of sin that every other man has. You know, there are many people
throughout the Old Testament that represented God as a mediator. They had a problem though, and
we need a mediator. We're gonna look at that in just
a moment. But they had a problem. They couldn't be a complete mediator
because on one side of their head, they're already predisposed
to being a sinner. And on the other side of the
head, they're already predisposed to not looking to God as a mediator. We're made that way. We're born
into this world that way. We're already predisposed in
those directions. So we find that all the mediatorship
that Moses could have, he had a problem. That Aaron could have,
he had a problem. All of the kings and priests
throughout the Old Testament, they had a problem. So we need
someone much better than that. We need someone from the realms
of glory to take care of the problem. John chapter 1 verse
14, it says that the word was made flesh and dwelt among us.
And the writer here is permitted by the grace of God to put some
words in here about his take on it. He says, and we beheld
his glory. the glory as of the only begotten
of the Father, full of grace and truth. The word was made
flesh and dwelt among us. God said that when he told Isaiah
to write there in the book of Isaiah chapter 7. You're going
to write down here. A virgin shall conceive, and
bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Immanuel. And we
get over to the book of Matthew, and that verse is fulfilled and
brought up to our attention, and the interpretation of that
name for us is God with us, and we get down to the scriptures,
we find that God sent his son as The word, holy word, the word
that's mentioned in John chapter 1 and verse 1, this word, this
perfect, holy word of God, the son of God, the one that was
in the covenant of grace, the one who had promised in himself
to become the ransom for his people, the one that understood
the sin problem. the one that understood our problem,
the one that understood the need to have a true mediator, someone
who could take God's case honestly, but also take our case honestly,
not be divided between the two, but have in the interest of both,
this one, the Lord Jesus. Would you turn with me over to
the book of 1 Timothy chapter 2? 1 Timothy chapter 2. In 1st Timothy chapter 2, we
have some words with regard to the purpose of Immanuel coming. The purpose that he came to this
one, this one Immanuel is the only one that could actually
represent both God and man 100%. We might think that Moses could
represent God 100%, but he couldn't. And we might think that Moses
could represent man 100%, but he couldn't do that either. There
was a problem on both sides. And so we need a mediator, someone
that would go on the benefit of human beings and on the benefit
of God and be 100% committed. I don't know about you, but I've
been in a courtroom as someone who is trying to collect something.
I had a problem. I wish my lawyer, I heard that
this morning, it's the lawyer's problem. I wish my lawyer had represented
me better. Well, a church's lawyer represents
them 100% because that lawyer is Emmanuel. God with us so look with me here
in the book of Timothy 1st Timothy chapter 2 1st Timothy chapter
2 and verse 5 the scripture says here for there is one God and
No question about it. That's how he represented himself
throughout all of the Old Testament. It was this God that created
the heavens and the earth. And it is this God that gives
salvation to all of his people. One God. And then he goes on
to tell us as The Apostle Paul is led by inspiration by the
Holy Spirit to write this, and one mediator. Now, we could go
out through the Old Testament and find many mediators, people
who spoke to God on the behalf of men. Many of the prophets
did that very thing. Moses did that. Aaron did that. Many Old Testament people spoke
to God on the behalf of men, pled the case, but they couldn't
do what this one could do, and that is, he was tempted in all
ways. We are tempted yet without sin. I haven't been able to get around
that because I'm caught in a trap. I'm in a time zone. I'm in the
twilight zone where I just can't get out of thinking without seeing. But I trust the word of God. And it says here that this one,
the Emmanuel, God with us, this man that God sent, this God that
was put in a human body, a body thou hast prepared me, this one
could go through life and not have to deal with that. There
is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. one mediator. He's the only one
that God accepts the mediatorial office of because he is not turned
by sin and he's not turned by repulsion for God. By nature
we are repulsed when we think of the Almighty God. So we have
this mediator. Many came along. Prophets and
priests, kings, yet fell far short of doing all they could
do is picture. They could only typify a true
mediator, the God-man. This is the only Emmanuel that
has ever been on the face of the earth. This is the only God-man. This is the only one that God
came in bodily form, the Lord Jesus Christ. I ask myself sometimes
why God came in the flesh. You know, to most, to me, when
I was growing up, it was from Christmas to Christmas and Easter
to Easter. He came as a baby and he kind
of stayed that way. And then at Easter, he grew up
all of a sudden and he went to a cross. And it was just kind
of a fairy tale. Didn't have much
meaning to it. But in salvation, it has so much
importance to have a mediator that is accepted with God. Because this mediator came for
a purpose. God with us in the flesh. Would
you turn with me to the book of Hebrews chapter 2? Hebrews
chapter 2 verse 6. Hebrews chapter 2 and verse 6, the birth of Jesus was on this
wise. Caesar Augustus made a decree. They sent him down to Bethlehem,
brought forth her firstborn son. Call his name Jesus, for he shall
save his people from their sins. We'll call him Emmanuel, which
being interpreted as God with us. And Hebrews chapter 2, and
there in verse 6, but one in a certain place testified this,
what is man that thou art mindful of him for the son of man that
thou visitest him. Thou madest him a little lower
than the angels. Thou crownest him with glory
and honor and did set him over the works of thy hands. You made
him, we may, as it goes on to say here, thou hast put all things
in, in subjection under his feet, for that he put all in subjection
under him. He left nothing that was not
put under him, but now we see not all things put under him."
Now, we have a frailty. I think about the events that
are going on in our world, I have a frailty. God, do you really
have this under control? We think that, but you know what?
God said, I do. I have all things. I am superior
to all events. I'm superior to all men and all
women. I am absolutely in control of
this. This one made a little lower
than the angels. What does it say here? But we
see Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels for the
suffering of death. crowned with glory and honor,
that he by the grace of God should taste death. That's why he came. The Lord Jesus came. He performed
a lot of miracles. He taught his disciples. He spent
hours in prayer. He wept over Jerusalem. He went
down there, as we heard this morning, his face was as a flint
to go to Jerusalem. He came on purpose. Nobody was
going to deter him from going. Even his disciples said, no,
not so, Lord. And he said, get thee behind
me, adversary, because I must needs go to Jerusalem and suffer
many things at the hands of the priests and the Pharisees. And
here we have the record given unto us here in the book of Hebrews
chapter 2. It says that he came for the
suffering of death, that he, by the grace of God, God's very
grace that he would do this, that he, the Son of God, the
perfect man, would be tasting death for all the church. So when we go back to that baby
in a manger, we say, thank you for coming. Because you have
a work to do that's far beyond our reach, and then as we follow
his life out, we find that he accomplished that which he promised
to do, and he put to death sin, and he tasted death. This verse of scripture says,
for every man, but if we go on just a little further, we find
that was for his children. Every man, woman, boy, and girl
that would be his children, those are the ones he tasted death
for. He was made a little lower than
the angels. In his state of humiliation, I don't know what I would do
if I was king of some place and they came and disposed me and
made me to be a slave. That would be humiliation. But
I cannot grip the humiliation that the Lord Jesus went through
to give up the glory that he had with the Father before the
world was and take upon himself the form of a man for the suffering
of death that he by the grace of God should taste death for
me. Philippians chapter 2, would
you go there with me? Philippians chapter 2. We find
these words recorded as once again the Apostle Paul was led
by the Holy Spirit to write these wonderful words that we take
great solace in, comfort in. Chapter 2 and verse 8 of the
book of Philippians. Chapter 2 and verse 8, and being
found in fashion as a man. He wasn't the normal man. He
wasn't born like normal men and women are. He didn't live like
normal men and women do. He was found in fashion as a
man. He was the God-man, Emmanuel,
God with us, perfect in every way, no characteristic flaws
at all. No one ever came along and said
they tried, but they could find no fault in him. That's Pilate
was going to say that in the end, as God had declared it from
the very beginning. Being found in fashion as a man,
chapter 2 and verse 8 of Philippians, he humbled himself and became
obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Being found
fashion that he would, by the grace of God, should taste death. Have you ever got anything in
your mouth that didn't taste good? I've been asked to taste
some food. Some of it was really good and
some of it just does not taste good. Well, we know how this
taste was to the Lord Jesus Christ because the words he spoke from
the cross, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani, my God, my God, why hast thou
forsaken me? But in the end, he referred to
him as father. The grace of God moved him to
provide him as a ransom, to make him, to preordain him to
be the lamb slain. He tasted death for everyone
given to him by the father. He tasted death for every one
of his children, the god man, Emmanuel, born to Mary, spoken
to by the Lord Jesus to his stepfather Joseph. This man, the God-man,
the Lord Jesus Christ, the word become flesh. This God-man says,
I have made the payment in full. I have ransomed my people completely. He started off as promised, lived
his life as promised. went to the cross as promised,
died as promised, paid the price as promised, and is now as promised
sitting at the right hand of the Father. You can't help but
mix the birth and the death and the resurrection because that
is the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is all our hope and
all our salvation, and we have no other. There is one that is
able to mediate between a sinner and a holy God, and he did it
at the cross. Thank God for him coming like
he did. Jesus said there's going to be
time coming when they're going to say, here's Christ and there's
Christ. You know what the problem is?
They're all sinners. This Christ is the holy son of
God. Brother Mike.