Reflection from my message today at NRN

Today I began a new teaching series at NRN.  Our Advent teaching series is called:

 



Today is the first day of Advent.  Immanuel – God is with us!         

 The Gospel writer Matthew who was addressing primarily a Jewish audience, then referred to a prophecy from the Old Testament, more than 700 years before the birth of Jesus, in Isaiah 7:14:

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:   "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us."                                                             Matthew 1:22-23

There is no one in history that has been given more names or titles than Jesus Christ. If you've read through the Bible carefully then you know what I mean. Throughout the pages of Scripture over 100 names and titles are given to Jesus. And whether He is called "Bright morning star, Wonderful Counselor, the Root of Jesse, the Alpha and the Omega, or the Lamb of God", each of these names and titles is rich with meaning. They all say something significant about who Jesus is.

However, there is no name more significant than "Immanuel". This name, which Matthew refers to in his Gospel (Matthew 1:23), was first given to Jesus by the prophet Isaiah 700 years before His birth (Isaiah 7:14). And this very special Christmas name, as Matthew tells us, means "God with us." Jesus Christ is Immanuel, "God with us!"

The babe born to Mary in a manger, the infant that the shepherds ran to see, the newborn child that the Magi traveled hundreds of miles to worship is Immanuel, God with us. But in what sense is Jesus "God with us?"

Wasn't God always with the human race? Wasn't "God with us" before Jesus? Yes. In one sense God, the Creator, has always been "with" His creation. Unlike the false god of the Deists and Theists and of many evolutionists, who believe in a god who started the world and then departed far away, the true God has always been with us. About this He says in Jeremiah 23 "`Am I God who is near,' declares the LORD, `And not far off? Can a man hide himself in hiding places, so I do not see him?' declares the LORD. `Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?' declares the LORD." (Jer. 23:23-24). The God of the Bible, the true Creator is omnipresent, everywhere at the same time. He fills all of creation with His presence; every mountain and every molecule; and yet He is not a part of that creation. He remains Creator distinct from His creation. And so a God who is everywhere is certainly a God who is with us.

An Early Church Father, St. Augustine's familiar words hit the mark, "For You have formed us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless until we find rest in You." The human race needs God, the Creator, because it is built into the very core of our nature to know Him intimately. Without Him, we are incomplete, empty, unfulfilled, restless, all because we are living life contrary to the purpose for which we were made.

The Core of the Christmas message is: Immanuel – God is with us!  But the Christmas Season in 2013 began early with decorations and Christmas music on our radios before Thanksgiving Day.  Thanksgiving was a full and busy day followed by Black Friday…..  Today we gather at church and I ask you, “Are you present but not fully engaged today?”  Today we being a new teaching series titled Be Here Now!

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”                       Galatians 6:9-10