God is with us

Micah 5:2-5 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me 'The One' to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.” Therefore He shall give them up, until the time that she who is in labor has given birth; then the remnant of His brethren shall return to the children of Israel. And He shall stand and feed His flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God; and they shall abide, for now He shall be great to the ends of the earth; and this One shall be peace.

In the Advent season this year, Pastor JJ has been preaching on a series titled “Gift of Messiah – Celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ”. And the point is that, though through thorough humbleness of being born in a manger, it is essential that we do not leave Jesus in the manger. This Christmas, may we remember that Emmanuel or  Imanu'el, is Hebrew עִמָּנוּאֵל means "God is with us". The promised Messiah of God had come into the world, to seek the lost, serve God and save the sinner. Jesus said in Matthew 20:26-28, “Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Christ is the perfect example that “less is more” and in this case “less is most”. Philippians 2:7-11 tells us that Jesus “made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

There was no fancy wrapping paper on the greatest gift ever given by God to mankind. When we leave God behind in our sins and trespasses, we find in Jesus that God never leaves us behind. Our humanness is so much below Almighty God. God is good and God is love. On Christmas day, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ and it is His blood that covers our sins “and this One shall be peace”.  The distractions of this lawless and immoral world do not give purpose, meaning or peace. This Christmas, give your life to God, accept Jesus your Savior, put your faith in Christ as Lord of your life. And if you already have, then rejoice for the coming of the Lord – for God is with us!  

1 Timothy 2:3-4 “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Merry Christmas!

Brian