Sunday: Immanuel to the Rescue
Read Matthew 1:20-23. What is the significance of the name given to Jesus: “Emmanuel?”
Why did Jesus come to this earth to be “with us?”
Image © Darrel Tank from GoodSalt.com
First, He came to restore the dominion that Adam lost (Rom. 5:12, 15). We catch a glimpse of the royal aspect of Jesus (having dominion) when He inspired the crowds (5,000 wanted to crown Him king) and when the children sang their hosannas (a form of praise directed at one who would save the people from their enemies). We also see His powers over creation, such as with His ability to restore broken humans into whole beings again (for example, the man born blind and the woman who bled for 12 years) and in His power over nature, such as when He stilled the storm and told the wind and the waves to be still.
Second, He came to bring judgment and to destroy the works of the devil (John 9:39, 1 John 3:8). How often do we wonder why evil prospers? Jesus addresses injustice and reassures us that the end is in sight. Jesus was recognized by demons as having power over them. They would often scream out His true identity, sometimes before Jesus was ready to reveal it. He gave peace to demon-possessed people and restored them to sanity when others would flee in fear.
Third, Jesus came into the world to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10) and to take away their sins (John 1:29). He was made like us so that He could be a faithful High Priest and so restore us to God (Heb. 2:17). “Dealing with sin, saving humans from it, giving them grace, forgiveness, justification, glorification-all this was the purpose of the single covenant from the beginning, now fulfilled in Jesus Christ.”-N. T. Wright (2009-09-25), Justification: God’s Plan and Paul’s Vision (Kindle Locations 1462-1463: InterVarsity Press. Kindle Edition).
Finally, Jesus came to show us what God is like, to reveal to us-and to the onlooking universe-what His true character really is (John 14:9).
How can and should each of these reasons for Christ’s coming enhance your life and walk with the Lord?
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1John 3:8 is a reference I would comment on.
"...For this purpose [for this reason] the Son of God was manifested - that He might destroy the works of the Devil".
Jesus came that He might destroy the works of the Devil in us.
That He might destroy the works of darkness in us.
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"Christ declared of Himself: "The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me." John 14:30. Satan could find nothing in the Son of God that would enable him to gain the victory. He had kept His Father's commandments, and there was no sin in Him that Satan could use to his advantage. This is the condition in which those must be found who shall stand in the time of trouble." (Great Controversy p.623)
There were no "works of the Devil" in Jesus. By the almighty power of God we, too, can be brought to the same condition. (Not by proxy, but in reality.) The Devil literally finds nothing in us that he can point to, or claim! Wow...
Amen and amen Stewart. Your comment reminds me of the following from a book I am currently reading (which is on righteousness by faith). The book is called "What Shall I do to Inherit Eternal Life? by Margaret Davis":
What does it mean to be dead to self and sin and to be alive to God? If we are dead to self and sin, we have given up our rights to selfishness and worldly pleasures. We have also given up our rights to use Satan’s methods to fight our battles. He wants to work in us impatience, irritation, resentment, anger, envy, jealousy, lust, hatred, bitterness, and rebellion. But when we are yielded to God, He can work in us His love so that we can deal patiently and kindly with others, forgiving them and praying for them
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when they wrong us. This is God’s way of relating to people who do not treat us kindly. They need our prayers! They do not need anger or impatience or irritation. Why should we also allow Satan to control us in our response to them?
So I went to God and said, “I want to die to self! I give up my rights to act by the promptings of the lower sinful nature. I give up my right to resent my husband no matter what he does. I give up my right to be impatient or irritated with the children when they are having a hard time with their own problems. I will rather pray for them and help them. I give up my right to allow Satan to work in me his methods of disciplining the children. I give up my rights to be agitated when others do not do it my way. I want to die to self and allow the Holy Spirit to control my spirit.
“Put your whole being into the Lord’s hands soul, body, and spirit, and resolve to be His loving, consecrated agency, moved by His will, controlled by His mind, infused by His Spirit.” SD 105
Very good, Chris! To me this is a wonderful concept. It describes an aspect of what it is to truly "resist the Devil". And on the other hand, it also fulfills Jesus counsel - "do not resist evil: but whosoever shall smite you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also." (Matt 5:39)
Amen. And He has given to us a similar work, "the ministry of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:18-20), "because as He is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4:17).
For all that God has done for the human race, He still cannot save us against our choice, so with all the knowledge we have of God and His work, if do not allow the power of God to work in us, with all God's effort we will still be lost. Therefore, it's important that we do as Jesus did through His manifested life in us.
How did he save Saul who became Paul?
I really love this lesson. singing recue the perishing
Indeed, Jesus came on a rescue mission but as far as the forces of evil were concerned, mission impossible. Mankind,(that means all of us)was out at sea, unable to swim and without a life jacket, destined to drown beneath the tumult of the rising waves. Amazingly, the plans were already put in place for this eventuality, by the heavenly tribunal before the foundation of the world was even formed.
Jesus, the "Son of God" had volunteered to become "Son of Man", and through the lowly little maiden called Mary, he became Immanuel, God with us. So when the cry for "help!" came, He was our life boat who came in the fullness of time at just the right time. What a wonderful loving Creator!
Who can fathom?"The love of God so greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell
It goes beyond the highest star
And reaches to the lowest hell.
Chorus: O love of God how rich and pure, how measureless and strong;
It shall forevermore endure, the saints and angels song.
The answer is in (John 3:16).
Immanuel - God with us. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!
"By coming to dwell with us, Jesus was to reveal God both to men and to angels. He was the Word of God,—God's thought made audible. In His prayer for His disciples He says,
("I have declared unto them Thy name,"—"merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,"—"that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them.")
But not alone for His earthborn children was this revelation given. Our little world is the lesson book of the universe. God's wonderful purpose of grace, the mystery of redeeming love, is the theme into which "angels desire to look," and it will be their study throughout endless ages. Both the redeemed and the unfallen beings will find in the cross of Christ their science and their song. It will be seen that the glory shining in the face of Jesus is the glory of self-sacrificing love. In the light from Calvary it will be seen that the law of self-renouncing love is the law of life for earth and heaven; that the love which "seeketh not her own" has its source in the heart of God; and that in the meek and lowly One is manifested the character of Him who dwelleth in the light which no man can approach unto."
~ Excerpt -Desire of Ages by E.G. White/Chapter.1 pg.1
I might be the only one who is naive. What does the three finger sign in the picture mean?
The hand sign is the American Sign Language sign for "I love you." See http://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/topics/i_love_you.htm
In some cultures it is used to signify love.
Where did it originate from? you said "in some cultures"?
Justin, just to clarify a little bit - that hand sign literally means, "I love you", in American Sign Language (ASL). ASL was developed as a language for the deaf, and is now commonly used in western societies.
GOD is love , first of all , if we what s love , we could understand wherever problem we have , like someone says that if u love something you sacrifice almost everything to have it , so GOD Loves us with enormous feeling , that He had to die for you O me , isn\'t love? enamnuel = GOD with us , always GOD have been with us < and he will be for eternity ....
sorry if I misspelled words , please pray FOR YOUR brother & that has problems
if now jesus come to destroy the works of devil, why are we suffering upto now then and doing evil works???
Jesus came to bring judgment& to destroy the works of Satan.We are not going to see the battle being physically fought between Jesus & Satan. What we see is the working of the Holy Spirit in individual's lives by the way change in their attitude &behaviour. People who have been in the past who were angry,aggressive & selfish become changed.The Holy Spirit has defeated Satan when he can no longer
Influence that person with his evil ways. The door is shut & the devil cannot enter.Satan is defeated because that person no longs becomes angry& selfish but is gentle & kind.Judgement is meted out on those who will not change their evil ways. The bible says that the wages of sin is death. The battle is the Lords.(1 Samuel 17:47)
I have a question? why is the title of the Sunday's lesson "Immanuel to the rescue"? Does it mean that he rescue us being as a Man?
Hello Karen. I would say, "yes, He rescues us as a Man." It might be helpful to think of Immanuel (God with us,) as "God dwelling IN US", or, Christ in us. (Col 1:27.) Christ "in us" is the basis of our hope; it is a key element in the Divine rescue plan. But it is also true that Jesus rescues us being "God". Both things -- His humanity and His Divinity -- are equally necessary in heaven's rescue plan.
Not comfortable with the hand signal though you say it means I love you it has a distorted meaning linking it to Baphomet( Lucifer) with the two fingers representing horns of a goat remember the parable of end times of a goat and lamb. The goat is a satanic symbol for the Devil. Hence the hand can mean a lot so that it may mislead. google more about this hand signals. Mark Woodman's video sermons can elaborate more on this topic. Based on his sermons this hand signals have a lot of meanings which can distort the message hence reducing effectiveness of such Godly messages. Mind you the father of lies is very cunning and his wish is to deceive even the elect.
I can understand your confusion Nathan because there are two signs that are similar. The sign for "I love you" is an internationally recognised sign language symbol and has the thumb extended. The "sign of the horns" has the thumb closed over the middle two fingers. The sign of the horns has strong associations with evil in a number of countries. The two signs are quite different when you look at them and understand the difference. I am going to try and put an image of each in here:
I Love you sign
Sign of the Horns
Apart from its evil connections, the "sign of the horns" is used as an offensive gesture and there are well know instances of political figures using it to show disapproval of their opposition.
We should be able to use the "I Love You" sign and be well understood without offense.
Thanks for the clarification Maurice. Much appreciated. This is reflective of how the devil often perverts what is meant for good and turns it around so that it become reflective of evil. Fortunately purity is still a reality in this impure world; truth is still present in a world full of great falsehood; strength in weakness, the light is still shining in the darkness and very soon all the corruption we see around us is coming to an end!
the letter of john defines GOD AS LOVE now that God is love he had to come down and put that love in action imagine if he just left us to perish we could not be talking to him as o God of love therefore Emmanuel God with us