Jesus Christ Is Our Immanuel

Q: What does the Bible say about Emmanuel?

Emmanuel means 'God with us', signifying God's presence in the person of Jesus Christ. The term Emmanuel, which means 'God with us', is a profound declaration found in Isaiah 7:14. This prophecy foretells the coming of Jesus Christ as the God-man who would dwell among humanity to accomplish our salvation. The phrase signifies the reality that God is not distant but has entered into our world in the person of Jesus to redeem us from sin and death. This truth is foundational to the Christian faith, as it embodies God's intimate involvement in His creation.

Q: How do we know the virgin birth of Jesus is true?

The virgin birth of Jesus is declared in Scripture, fulfilled as prophesied in Isaiah, and affirmed in the New Testament. The virgin birth of Jesus is a critical doctrine in the Christian faith, supported by prophecies and biblical testimony. Isaiah 7:14 predicts that a virgin will conceive, and this prophecy is confirmed in the New Testament, particularly in the accounts of Luke 1:26-35, where the angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will conceive by the Holy Spirit. The uniqueness of Jesus' birth, without the involvement of a human father, showcases His divine nature and necessity to be sinless, rooted in the foundational truth of God’s ability to perform the impossible. This doctrine differentiates Christ from all other humans, affirming His ability to save us from our sins.

Q: Why is the concept of God being present with us important for Christians?

God's presence with us in Jesus provides hope, comfort, and assurance of salvation for believers. The concept of God being present with us, as expressed in the name Emmanuel, is of utmost importance for Christians as it encapsulates the essence of God's love and grace. In Romans 8:31, we are reminded that if God is for us, who can be against us? This profound truth assures believers of God's unwavering support and presence. It signifies that God is not only transcendent but also intimately involved in our lives, providing hope amidst trials and comfort in hardships. Furthermore, through Jesus, God fulfills the promises of redemption and everlasting fellowship, establishing a relationship with His people that extends beyond earthly life into eternity.

Q: How does the doctrine of the hypostatic union affect our understanding of Jesus?

The hypostatic union reveals Jesus as fully God and fully man, essential for His role as our Savior. The doctrine of the hypostatic union teaches that Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully man in one person, a vital mystery of the Christian faith. This union is necessary for the redemptive work of Christ; as a man, He can represent humanity, and as God, He has the power to save. Hebrews 2:14-17 emphasizes that Jesus took on human nature to be a merciful and faithful high priest, capable of making reconciliation for our sins. Understanding this union fosters deeper appreciation for Christ's sacrifice and allows believers to comprehend how He fully experienced human life, yet lived without sin, making Him the perfect Savior.

Q: Why is Jesus called our only mediator?

Jesus is our only mediator because He is the God-man who reconciles us to God through His sacrifice. The title of Jesus as our only mediator is rooted in His unique dual nature as God and man, affirming His singular role in reconciling believers to God. 1 Timothy 2:5 states, 'For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.' This emphasizes that no one else can intercede for us as effectively as Jesus, who understands our struggles and represents our interests before the Father due to His human experience and divine nature. His atoning sacrifice on the cross not only satisfies God’s justice but also fulfills the requirements for our redemption, making Him indispensable in the relationship between humanity and God.

A lot of the old timers, when they talk about Isaiah the prophet, and refer to the book and writings of Isaiah, they call it the Gospel according to Isaiah. And it truly is, as is Jeremiah and Ezekiel, and all the minor prophets. To him, give all the prophets witness.

But specifically here, we'll look at verse 14. And I've entitled the message for us, Call His name, Emmanuel. Call His name, God the Son, the eternal Son of God, the Son of His love, Emmanuel. And we know what that means, don't we? God with us. God with us. I think of that verse in Romans, if God be for us and God be with us, Tell me, who can be against us? Who can be against us? No one. If God's for us, no one can be against us. God with us. He said, I'll never leave you. I'll never, no, never forsake you. We have before us in God's inspired word of prophecy concerning the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to accomplish our salvation, as the God-man mediator, Emmanuel. He's man and he's God in one blessed person.

As the old writers used to say, he remained what he was, eternal God, and became what he was not. The word was made flesh and dwelt among us. And we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father. He's full, full of grace. full of truth, and it's of his fullness have we all received grace, grace for grace. In creation, we studied that, and we're going to look at it again on Sunday in the book of Genesis. In creation, we see God above us, don't we?

The heavens declared the glory of God. In providence, we see God reigning for us. He's working all things after the counsel of his own will. In the law, we see God against us, cursing as everyone continues on in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. In the gospel, we see God with us to accomplish our salvation. God with us. In the gospel, we see God with us to accomplish our salvation. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.

Curses everyone that hangeth on a tree. That's what the law says. Why was he hung on a tree? God said he'd be cursed. The law cursed him. He died under the judgment and guilt of our sin. Curses everyone that hangeth on a tree. He bare our sin and his own body on the tree. Now what a remarkable, glorious truth we find here. God taking our humanity unto himself.

Think about this, God who made woman, we're gonna see that in Genesis chapter two, God took a rib out of Adam's side and he made a woman. God himself made woman, he was born of a woman. God who gave the law was subject unto the law, made under the law to redeem us. what grace and what love is displayed in God coming to redeem us. Here in his love, not that we love God, he loved us. He sent his son to be the sacrifice for our sin. In the fullness of the time, God sent forth his son made of a woman, made under the law to redeem them that were under the law that we might receive the adoption of sons. What a blessing we have. God commended his love toward us.

While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Just as God said it would come to pass, it certainly did. 700 years later, just as we read in Matthew's record in Matthew 1, verse 21, called his name Jesus, he shall save his people from their sin. Just as God said, 700 years, The Lord Jesus Christ came, born of a woman, made under the law.

Now a little bit of history of what's going on in Judea. Judah and Jerusalem were about to be attacked by the armies of Syria and those ten northern tribes. Remember at this time, Judah and Israel were divided into two different warring kingdoms. And this happened after the death of Solomon, his two sons. Kingdom split.

Ahaz was king over Judah in the south, and Pekah was the king of Israel in the north. Pekah, in order to assure the victory over Judah, became an ally with the pagan nation of Syria. The king's name was Rezan, and they came against the house of David. against Judah. Isaiah was told to take his son to warn Ahaz not to fear, as we read in verse 4. Take Cain, he said, be quiet, fear not. Isaiah 7, verse 4, neither be fainthearted. Taking our text from Isaiah 7, 14. Don't be fainthearted.

The Lord, through Isaiah, tells Ahaz in verse 7, that Judah shall be spared of the confederation of Israel and Syria and shall be broken. For the head of Syria, verse 8, Isaiah 7, verse 8, is Damascus and the head of Damascus is Rezin. Within three score five years, Ephraim shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people." They were carried away into captivity.

Ahaz, the wicked king, was an unbeliever, would not believe that Isaiah was telling him the truth, but rather he said, the Lord said, verse 10, speak to Ahaz, saying, Ask thee the sign of the Lord thy God, and it shall be given. It asked either in the depth or in the height above, and Ahaz said, I will not ask. Well, God said to ask. Neither will I tempt the Lord. I will not tempt the Lord. You know what he's doing here? Self-righteousness. He thinks he's smarter than God. He's a fool, isn't he? The Lord in great mercy said, I'm going to give you a sign anyway. The Lord graciously takes the occasion of the rebellion of Ahab to declare the gospel and the good news.

Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. This is similar to what happened in the garden similar to the sin and rebellion of Adam against God in Genesis chapter three. In the face of Adam's fall, our gracious Lord pronounces unto us the victory of the coming Redeemer. We're gonna see that in Genesis chapter three. God said, I'll put enmity. He said to Satan, I'll put enmity between thee and the woman, between thy seed and her seed, and it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. His humanity was bruised, but Satan's dominion was crushed.

This is the glorious verse of Scripture that's found here in Isaiah 7.14. The Lord said, Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign. And what a sign it is! Behold, a virgin shall conceive, not only conceive, but bear a son. And you'll call his name Immanuel, which means God with us.

Butter and honey shall he eat. that he may know to refuse evil and choose good because he's God. Cannot sin, can he? This glorious verse of Scripture found here tells us at least three things about our great God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Three things. Let me give them to you and we'll go back and look at them.

First of all, his virgin birth. Do we believe in a virgin birth of the Lord Jesus Christ? Absolutely. Secondly, we believe in his holy humanity. He was a real man without sin. Bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh, but he had not the guilt and sin nature of Adam. That's why he had to be conceived of God and not a man. And then his glorious name, thirdly, Emmanuel. Emmanuel, God with us. Now let's look at those three things. His virgin birth. The Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and a virgin shall bear a son.

We can be assured that all that God has spoken will come to pass. He said, I've spoken it, I've purposed it, I will do it. All that God has promised, not, think about this, of all that God has promised, not one word has failed. Everything he promised, he's able to perform. We read in the book of Numbers, Balaam said this, Balaam said this, God is not a man that he should lie. Everything Balaam said was true. God is not a man that he should lie.

God is able to perform all his pleasure. Anything too hard for the Lord? When God told Abraham and Sarah, Abraham 100 years old, Sarah 90 years old, You're going to have a son. We're going to see this in Genesis 18. And Sarah laughed. She later denied it. I didn't laugh, but God said, yeah, you did. And the Lord said to her, anything too hard for the Lord? No. With God, all things are possible.

It's impossible, we read in Hebrews 6.18, it's impossible for God to lie. A 90-year-old woman is going to have a son? Yep. A virgin is going to conceive of God the Holy Spirit and have a son? Yep. It is impossible that a virgin should give birth to a child without the aid of a man. But with God, all things are possible. Now turn to Luke chapter 1. Luke chapter 1.

And this is the messenger sent to Mary. Not only to Joseph, but to Mary. In Luke chapter 1 verse 28. So God sent a messenger to Joseph and also to Mary. Luke chapter 1, in the sixth month, the angel, verse 26, Gabriel was sent from God into the city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin, a spouse, a man whose name was Joseph, the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary.

And the angel came in unto her and said, or graciously favored, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women." Doesn't say above women, among women. When she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favor with God.

And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, shall be called the son of the highest, and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his Father David, he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever. In his kingdom, of his kingdom, there shall be no end.

Then said Mary unto the angel, how shall this be, seeing I don't know a man? And the angel said unto her, the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, the power of the highest shall overshadow thee, therefore that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

What is, who is this one? It's a holy thing. Son of God. So God sent a messenger to Joseph. God sent a messenger to Mary announcing the virgin birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is true, the body that was prepared for the Son of God to dwell in was miraculously provided by God. He's the only well-beloved, begotten Son of God.

Never has ever a man ever been born like this man and conceived like this man. You remember in Hebrews chapter 10, our Lord said, Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not, but a body hast thou prepared me. What a body it was, a real body.

Secondly, our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ had to be born without the aid of a man. Joseph had no part in this. He has to be without sin, spot or blemish, in order to be our perfect sacrifice for sin. Had He been begotten of a man, He could not be our Savior because He would have a sinful nature like Adam. Fallen, sinful nature. But He didn't have the nature of Adam. He had the nature of God.

If He's not virgin-born, we have no gospel message. If He's just a mere man, a good man from Nazareth, if He's just a mere man, a good man who died, we have no good news. We have no gospel. But since He is God, manifest in flesh, we indeed have good news.

Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. That's what faith believes. Faith believes God. Without controversy, great is that mystery. God, it's not up for debate. God was manifest in the flesh, justified by God in the Holy Spirit, seen of angels, preached in the world, believed on, and received up the glory.

Unto you this day, our Lord said to the shepherds abiding in the field, unto you this day in the city of David is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. The message to the shepherd, fear not, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which is to all people, for unto you is born this day in the city of David, Bethlehem. Why Bethlehem? God said he'd be born there. Or unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

Christ the Lord. Thirdly, also in this we see God's sovereignty displayed. You reckon there were how many virgins in Israel in the days of Mary and Joseph? I mean, there were thousands and thousands of virgins. Just one Mary was chosen of God. to bear the Savior's body and to give birth to the Lord Jesus Christ in his body. There were many virgins in that day, but the Lord sovereignly chose Mary.

Remember what we read? You're highly favored of God. For she was of the house of David, and she was of the tribe of Judah." He can run back to genealogy and Matthew and in Luke, he goes right back to Joseph, right back to Mary, right back to David, right back to Abraham, right back to God Almighty. So, Jesus Christ had to come from the tribe of Judah, didn't he? Tribe of Judah. He's called the Lion of the tribe of Judah.

Even in this, we see the picture of God's electing grace, don't we? Mary was highly favored. Mary was sovereignly chosen and favored of God. Mary was freely chosen and elected of God unto salvation, so was every believer. Sovereignly beloved and chosen of God before the foundation of the world. Mary was ordained and chosen to be the one who would bear the body of the Lord Jesus Christ.

And every believer is elected unto salvation before the foundation of the world. Thank God He chose us before we were born. He never would have chosen us afterward. Would He? Mary was highly favored of God, so was every believer. Who makes you to differ from another? What do you have that you didn't receive? I am what I am by the grace of God. Mary was visited by God, visited by God.

So is every believer. Every believer has been visited by God in a personal, intimate way. Mary had Christ formed in her body. Every believer has Christ formed in their heart. Christ in you is a hope of glory, isn't it? Mary was blessed for Christ's sake. Every believer is blessed for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake. Mary rejoiced in Christ. She said, I rejoice in God my Savior. So does every believer. Every believer rejoices in God my Savior. Mary said, my soul doth magnify the Lord my Spirit, hath rejoiced in God my Savior, for He that is mighty hath done great things to me. Oh, how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? Here's a second thing. Who then is the Lord Jesus Christ? Emmanuel, God with us. He's very God of very God, holy, almighty, sovereign, eternal.

He has a very nature of man without sin, a real man, a man of sorrows acquainted with grief. He's not a phantom man. He's not a phony man. He's not a plastic man. He's not a fictitious man. He's a real man. He wept. He sweated out great drops of blood. He hungered. He became weary in body.

He was tempted and tested in all points like as we are, yet without sin. He was a real man, just like you, just like me, apart from sin. A real man, but also God, bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh. We read in Romans 8, "...for what the law could not do, and it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh." In the likeness of sinful flesh. We read in Scripture, He had no sin, He knew no sin, and He did no sin. God made him to be sin for us, but he had no sin of his own. He personally never committed one sin. He's holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sin.

He is both God, eternally God, so much so that he's not a man, and a man, a real man, so much so that he's not God. How can that be? He's the God-man. He's God and man in one blessed person, the God-man, who is God our Savior. He's the only mediator. There's one God and one mediator between God and man. Who is that? The God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ. He's the only intercessor that we have. He's able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by Him seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for us. He's the only advocate with the Father.

When you sin, when you sin, You did today, didn't you? When you sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous. We are sinners through and through. Everything we think, do, and say is tainted with what we are seeing through and through. But we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous.

Think of it. Truly God, to be our Savior, to put away our sin. He thought it not robbery to be equal with God. Remember? Took upon Himself the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men. and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, given him a name above every name, at that name every knee is going to bow, every tongue is going to confess he's Lord to the glory of God the Father. That's Philippians 2, but let me read Hebrews 2. Don't turn, let me just read it to you. Hebrews 2, 14.

For much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, Behold, I and the children which God hath given me, Hebrews 2.14, for as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had power of death, that is the devil, we're gonna see, who introduced sin to Adam and Eve. He destroyed him that had power of death, that is the devil, delivered them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Well, barely he took not on him the nature of angels, but on angels he didn't take on their nature, but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore, in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest of things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to save them that are tempted." He's an able Savior, able to save to the uttermost. The Scripture also declares to him that he was sinless.

Butter and honey shall he eat. Why did he eat butter and honey? He was hungry. He's a real man. God provided him food that he may know to refuse evil and choose only that which is good. To refuse evil and choose good. He was manifested to take away our sin and in him is no sin. He bare our sin in his own body on the tree but he did no sin. He was tempted, but yet without sin. He's the spotless Lamb of God to take away our sin. He had to be spotless. You remember those lambs taken on the day of Atonement couldn't have any scurvy or spot on them. They had to be without blemish. The Lord Jesus Christ is that Lamb without spot or blemish, foreordained before the foundation of the world. Now, in closing, let me give you this. I'll send you home with this.

His glorious name. His name. I did a study years ago about all the names of the Lord Jesus Christ, starting with A all the way through the alphabet. And I did several messages, a series of messages on His name. He has a lot of names. He's the Lord. He's Jesus. He's the Christ. He's Emmanuel. God with us. He's Jehovah, Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Sidcanu, Jehovah Shalem, Jehovah Rapha, Jehovah our righteousness. Joseph was instructed to call His name Jesus, which means Savior. He is what He's called. He shall save His people from their sin, not with the blood of bulls and goats, but with His own blood.

He obtained for us eternal redemption. We're justified freely by His grace through the redeeming blood of Christ. Excuse me, Jesus was his name of humiliation, his name of humanity, but it also describes his office as priest to represent us before God. It was an acceptable offering for sin. As our great high priest, he didn't bring the typical animal sacrifice, did he? What did he bring? He brought his own blood, didn't he?

He's our prophet to tell us who God is. He's our priest to represent us unto God. And He's our King to reign over us. Both Joseph and Mary were instructed to call His name Emmanuel, God with us. God our Savior. God our Savior. Now look this up today too. God our Savior. I wanted to see how many times that's said in Scripture. said twice in 1 Timothy, and Paul writes about God, our Savior, is given three times in the book of Titus, what Paul calls the Lord Jesus Christ, God, our Savior, and then in the book of Jude, remember, in our study, in our last Bible study. to the only one God our Savior, be glory, majesty, dominion, power, both now and forever. Amen. Amen. So be it. I repeat what I said earlier. By the light of nature, the heavens declare the glory of God.

We see God above us, Psalm 19. In the light of the law of God, we see God against us. Cursed is everyone who continues not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. Only in the light of the gospel do we see God with us. What shall we say then to these things? If God before us, who can be against us?

God with us to redeem us from all our sin. He bought us with his own blood. God with us to redeem us from the curse of the law, which He did. God with us to establish a perfect righteousness for us, honoring the law and imputing that righteousness unto us. Do you understand that to believe or rest in Christ is as righteous as God? But preacher, how can you say that? Because God sees us in Christ.

His righteousness has been charged to us. Two things, all our sin removed, I have no sin. All His righteousness charged in my account. I have no sin, I'm righteous in God's sight. Isn't that what it says in 2 Corinthians 5, 21? God made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. And he freely imputes that unto us. Blessed is that man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousness without works.

God with us to call us out of darkness into his marvelous light. God with us to regenerate us and make us new creatures in Christ. God with us. Call his name Emmanuel. God with us. to call us out of darkness, to give us his righteousness, to remove all our sin, God with us to keep us, protect us, to guide us, to teach us, to lead us.

He said, I'm the way, I'm the truth, I'm the life. God with us now, God with us forever, throughout eternity. He said, I'll never leave you, I'll never forsake you, though I'm with you always. What do you think about that text? Look at it again. Isaiah 7, verse 14. Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. I love that, Emmanuel.

Jesus Christ Is Our Immanuel

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about Emmanuel?

How do we know the virgin birth of Jesus is true?

Why is the concept of God being present with us important for Christians?

How does the doctrine of the hypostatic union affect our understanding of Jesus?

Why is Jesus called our only mediator?

Sermon Transcript

About Tom Harding

Comments

Articles

Featured Authors

Podcast

Sermons

Featured Preachers

Books

Browse by Format

Music

Recent Comments

About

Legal

Subscribe

Account

Articles

Featured Authors

Podcast

Recent Comments

Sermons

Featured Preachers

Books

Browse by Format

Collections

Music

About

Legal

Subscribe

Jesus Christ Is Our Immanuel

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about Emmanuel?

How do we know the virgin birth of Jesus is true?

Why is the concept of God being present with us important for Christians?

How does the doctrine of the hypostatic union affect our understanding of Jesus?

Why is Jesus called our only mediator?

Sermon Transcript

About Tom Harding

Comments

More from Tom Harding

Related Sermons

Same Scripture

Articles by Tom Harding

Suggested for You

Where this book stands in the tradition

Plato

Augustine

The Western Christian Tradition

This Book