EMMANUEL: GOD WITH US
Isaiah 7:10-14/ Psalm: 24/ Romans 1:1-7/Matthew 1:18-
VIRGIN BIRTH: Isaiah 7:14 ”Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son”. This prophecy was fulfilled in the gospel. Matt. 1:23 says; “Look the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel…”. A virgin conceiving and bearing a son is known as Virginal Conception. This is different from Immaculate Conception. Virginal conception is the doctrine that Jesus was conceived and born by his mother Mary through the power of the Holy Spirit without a human father. The doctrine of the Virginal Conception is scriptural and was affirmed by early fathers such as Ignatius, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Tertullian. The latter, Immaculate conception teaches that Mary was conceived in the normal human manner but free of the taint of original sin
The confirmation of the virginal conception as a result of the work of the Holy Spirit rules out any theory of natural parthenogenesis. While Joseph was debating this fact and attempting to confine Mary, the Lord’s Angel appeared to him in a dream and stated, “Joseph do not be afraid…that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.” (Matt.1:20). For the rest of us, that serves as a confirmation. How is this possible? Matt.19:26 ” With man this is impossible but with God all things are possible. In Luke1:37 we are told “For nothing will be impossible with God.” Luke 18:27 “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.” The virgin birth of Jesus is a divine work that surpasses all human understanding and possibility
IMMANUEL or JESUS: Isaiah calls Him Immanuel; while the Gospel calls Him Jesus. There are many names given to Jesus in the Bible. Each one gives us a fuller and a clearer picture of who He is and what He means to us.
IMMANUEL: Immanuel or Emmanuel (the “I” and “U”) differences only shows the Old and New Testaments; that is Hebrew and Greek. They both mean “God with us. Since the foundation of the world God desires to be with us. When God created Adam and Eve, He was with them in the Garden of Eden. He walked and communed with them, until Adam and Eve hid from Him. God was the One calling out to Adam and Eve, “Where are you?” (Gen 3:9). The Incarnation is the fulfillment of that question. God is with us even when things are tough, He was with them in the boat even though the wind increased. In Gen.5:22 we are told “Enoch walked with God”; in crisis he was with them Exod. 13:21-22 says; by day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud and at night in a pillar of fire. That means day and night the Lord was with them. Psalm 94:14 says “For the Lord will not abandon His people, Nor will He forsake His inheritance.” The Lord was with all his messengers. Psalm 124 says “If Lord was not on our side when men rose against us, then they would have swallowed us up alive.” “God with us” calls for cerebration not contest
JESUS: This is the name God intentionally chose for His Son ( Matt. 1:21; Luke2:21). The name Jesus means “Yahweh sets free”, “God saves”, “God helps”. To saves means to free from evil. Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world, he saves us from sins. John 3:17 God did not send the Son into the world, to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.. Luke 19:10 says the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. Matt.1:21 says you shall call his name Jesus because he shall save his people from their sins. He has come to save us and so we should make ourselves available for salvation.
Lastly, today’s gospel also reveals the patience of Joseph. He waited for the moment he could send Mary away secretly. This was in stark contrast to Judah, who in similar situation, immediately passed a sentence on Tamar. He exclaimed, “Bring her forth and let her be burned! Joseph was patient, in his patience the Angel ministered to him in a dream. He said; “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 1:20). The Angel made Joseph to realize that divorce was not an option. Your spouse may not be the best person you had expected, be patient. Divorce is never approved by God.
LET US PRAY
Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord, your grace into our hearts, that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ your Son was made known by the message of an Angel, may by his Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of his Resurrection. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen
