Immanuel
In 2008 the British Humanist Association placed adverts on London buses announcing the message:
"There's probably no God"
The British Humanist Association wanted people to acknowledge the absence of God in this world.
Every year at Christmastime Christians acknowledge and celebrate the exact opposite -
God is with us.
"... they will call him Immanuel - which means God with us."
The birth of Jesus clearly demonstrated the actual and physical presence of God in our world. He was born as a helpless baby and grew into manhood.
The Almighty God shared our humanity. God was indeed with us.
But "God with us" also teaches us something of the purpose of Jesus' coming into this world.
Jesus came into our world to bring God and man together; to bring God's presence into the hearts and lives of people like you and me.
Matthew reminds us what the name Jesus means;
"... he will save his people from their sins."
Jesus' perfect life and substitutionary death cleansed us from the sin that separated God and man. Because of all that Jesus did - God and man were brought together; because of all that Jesus did - God is with us.
Matthew begins and ends his gospel with the same thought:
Matthew 1 v 23
"Immanuel ... God with us" Matthew begins the story of Jesus by recognising Him to be Immanuel - the presence of God; the one who would rescue His people.
Matthew 28 v 20
God with us ... "to the very end ..." Matthew ends his gosplel by assuring us that Immanuel ... God with us, promises to remain with us for ever.
"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Frank Houghton
