What is this idea of Emmanuel: God with us, all about?
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 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). (Matthew 1:18-23)
The incarnation changes the way we think about God.
He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. (Hebrews 1:3)
Is the exact likeness of God’s own being may be expressed most satisfactorily in a number of languages as “is just like God,” or “is the same as God,” or “what God is like is what he is like,” or “what is true about God is true about his Son.”
– Ellingworth, “A Handbook on the Letter to the Hebrews”
The incarnation changes the way we face life and death.
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. (Hebrews 2:14-15)
The incarnation changes the way we think about contentment.
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say,
“The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear;
what can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5-6)
It’s the weight that you carry from the things you think you want. It’s the weight that you carry from the things you think you want. I’ve got everything I need and nothing that I don’t.
– Zac Brown Band
God with us, gives us everything we need and nothing that we don’t.
