We come to the service of the Word now. We've
heard a lot of the Word, but we'll continue now
with the preaching of God's Word. And so I would
invite you now to take your Bibles and open up
to Matthew chapter 1, verse 23. I'm actually
going to read a bit of the surrounding context.
Your bulletin says Matthew 1, 23. I'm going to
read 18 through 25. Now the birth of Jesus Christ
took place in this way. When his mother Mary
had been betrothed to Joseph before they came
together, she was found to be with child from
the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph being
a just man and unwilling to put her to shame
resolved to divorce her quietly. but he's as
he considered these things behold an angel of
the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying Joseph
son of David do not fear to take Mary as your
wife for that which is conceived in her is from
the Holy Spirit she will bear a son and you shall
call his name Jesus for he will save his people
from their sins all this took place to fulfill
what the Lord had spoken by the prophet behold
the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and
they shall call his name Immanuel which means
God with us when Joseph woke from sleep he did
as the angel of the Lord commanded him he took
his wife but knew her not until she had given
birth to a son and he called his name Jesus Let
us pray again Father we thank you for the message
of the word and now as we study it we ask that
you would grant us Understanding that we would
know Jesus more and that we would always live
for him this we ask in his name amen Why do you
have the name that you have do you ever think
about the meaning of your name or how you got
it Maybe you were named after somebody. You were
named after a relative, keeping a good name alive.
Maybe you were named after a biblical individual.
Maybe you're a Sarah or you're a David. You're
a Matthew. You're an Elizabeth. Maybe you're
a Jehoshaphat. I can only hope to be as cool
as someone with the name Jehoshaphat. Maybe you're
named after a celebrity. I'm named after a celebrity.
Kenny Rogers. And as a boy, I thought that was
pretty great because there was a pitcher for
the Texas Rangers who in 1994 threw a perfect
game and his name was Kenny Rogers. My parents
told me, not that Kenny Rogers. But what's in
a name? Last Sunday, we looked at Gabriel's words
announcing to Mary that she would have a child.
Conceived by the Holy Spirit and the child's
name would be Jesus We have the same here in
our text today from verse 21 And if the name
of Jesus isn't clear enough the angel provides
the reason for the name Jesus will save his people
from their sins I mentioned last Sunday how I
wanted every single person in the sanctuary to
be able to exit the sanctuary knowing Jesus and
knowing what the name of Jesus means. And that's
what I want for you today as well. Know this,
the name of Jesus means Yahweh saves. You see,
friends, we are all sinners in need of grace.
We have all fallen short of the glory of God,
but the very name of Jesus tells his mission.
Just like your name means something, Jesus's
name means something, and it's full of significance.
Jesus does what his name means. But Jesus in
the Scriptures, he's referred to by many names.
Jesus is called the Christ. He's called the Messiah.
He's called the Savior. He's called the Son of
God and the Son of Man. Jesus is called Redeemer.
Jesus is called friend. But what this text does
is reaches far back, all the way back to the
time of Isaiah, 700 years in the past, to Isaiah
714, to show us yet another name, that of Immanuel.
You see, ever since, ever since God created man,
he has made promises to mankind, specifically,
After Adam and Eve sinned and all of humankind
is brought under a curse, God promised a redeemer.
And along the way throughout the scriptures,
God continued to remind his people of the promise
of Immanuel. And so we get to Isaiah and we read
this clear version of the promise, behold, the
virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they
shall call his name Immanuel. And so the Christmas
story comes to life. The Virgin Mary gives birth
to Immanuel, just as Jesus's name has significance.
So the term Immanuel does too. And it doesn't
so much describe what Jesus does, as much as
it describes who Jesus is. Jesus is God with
us. Now it is true that God is a spirit. God
is omnipresent which means God is always with
us. This is communicated throughout the scriptures.
Isaiah 41 10, do not fear for I am with you.
Joshua 1 9, have I not commanded you be strong
and courageous. Do not be frightened and do not
be dismayed. Why? For the Lord your God is with
you wherever you go. Psalm 23, even though I
walk through the valley of the shadow of death
I will fear no evil. Why? For you are with me
your rod and your staff they comfort me So God
is always with us, but something special happens
with Jesus With Immanuel Jesus moves into the
neighborhood if you will and tabernacles among
us Jesus fully God born of a woman takes on human
nature Jesus is the God man and his arrival is
what the whole world had waited for. Matthew
shows us this. Matthew shows us that the Immanuel
Isaiah is talking about is none other than Jesus,
the embodiment of Immanuel. And because Jesus
has come in the flesh, he knows exactly what
you're going through. Jesus knows exactly what
each and every one of you is going through because
Jesus came into the miseries of this life. Jesus
was tempted in every single way as we are, yet
without sin. And so you can trust Jesus, friends.
You must trust Jesus. He has come, he lived a
perfect life, and he died a sacrificial death
for you. And so today, recognizing the wonder
of Immanuel, I want us to behold him. I want
us to behold Immanuel. You might say, what does
it mean to behold Immanuel? Friends, when you
see the words behold in scripture, something
noteworthy is about to happen. It's an interjection.
It's an exclamation. It's like God is saying,
look, pay attention. In this text, God is fulfilling
the promises of old, that Jesus comes in the
flesh to save us from our sins. And this text
is saying, look to Jesus, the author and perfecter
of your faith. Friends, at this time of year,
there's a lot to behold. There's beautiful decorations.
There's lights. There's incredible sounds, sounds
of worship. There's gifts that are given. So
many things to behold, but above all of these
things is the reason for the things. It's Immanuel.
And so look to him in faith, friends. He's the
only one. He's the only way that we can be saved
from our sins. But I also want you to know this
today, that as Immanuel came once, so he will
come again. As a matter of fact, many, several
of the carols that we sing, Christmas carols,
have an understanding of the second coming of
Christ, too. Think about O come, O come, Emmanuel.
PCA Pastor Joe Holland says this of that hymn.
This hymn is expectant and forward -looking in
its composition. It declares the first advent
of Jesus even as it stokes our desire for the
second coming of Jesus. We live in the inaugurated
kingdom of God that is hurtling towards its great
consummation at the end of all things when Jesus
will come again to judge the living and the dead.
This is why I argue, he says, that we should
sing this hymn all year long. It is indeed said
in the first coming of Jesus, but its real power
is in the repeated emotive call, O come. O come,
that places on our lips the longing of our souls,
a hope we share with the saints in the Old Testament,
our expectant wish that Jesus will come quickly
and wipe away every tear from our eyes and make
all things right. You see, when Jesus comes back
or when we go to him, our faith shall be turned
to sight. That we who we behold in faith We will
see, friends, Christians, you will see Jesus.
Just like Mary, and just like Joseph, and just
like the shepherds, we will see Jesus. Somebody
asked me recently, is Jesus still a man? Does
Jesus still have a body? And the answer is a
resounding yes, absolutely, as Jesus came once.
his first Advent so he will come again. Jesus
has not left us. Emmanuel has not ceased being
Emmanuel, for you remember, you remember what
Jesus told his disciples after his resurrection
but before his ascension. He said behold, and
there's that word again, behold I am with you
always, even to the end. of the age, Jesus reminds
us that he is Immanuel. Church, continue to behold
Immanuel, God with us, and trust the promises
of God because they all find their yes and amen
in Christ. And as Christ came once, his first
advent, so he will come again. Let us pray. O
come, O come, Emmanuel, come quickly, Lord Jesus.
But in the meantime, help us to behold you, bind
our hearts to yours, cheer our spirits, and fill
us even now with heaven's praise. This we pray
in Christ's name. Amen. Amen. Our fifth lesson
comes from John chapter one. John chapter 1 verses
1 through 5 to begin. In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God. He was in the beginning with God. All
things were made through Him, and without Him
was not anything made that was made. In Him was
life, and the life was the light of men, the
light shines in the darkness. and the darkness
has not overcome it. 9 through 15. The true light
which gives light to everyone was coming into
the world. He was in the world and the world
was made through him, yet the world did not know
him. He came to his own and to his own people,
did not receive him, but to all who did receive
him, who believed in his name, he gave the right
to become children of God who were born not of
blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the
will of man, but of God. And the Word became
flesh and dwelt among us. And we have seen His
glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father,
full of grace and truth. John bore witness about
this and cried out, This was He of whom I said,
He who comes after me ranks before me, because
He was before me. Verse 19. And this is the testimony
of John. When the Jews sent priests and Levites
from Jerusalem to ask him, who are you? He confessed
and did not deny, but confessed, I am not the
Christ. And they asked him, what then? Are you
Elijah? He said, no, I'm not. Are you the prophet?
And he answered, no. So they said to him, who
are you? We need to give an answer to those who
sent us. What do you say about yourself? He said,
I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness.
Make straight the way of the Lord, as the prophet
of Isaiah said.