4th Sunday of Advent --- 22 December 2013

Isaiah 7:10-16

Romans 1:1-7

Matthew 1:18-25

All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us."

• “Emmanuel”... “God is with us.” Is it a name? A title? A shorthand nickname? Or can it be more than we ever thought?
• Isaiah's prophecy comes at a time of real trouble for the nation of Judah. The nation is facing invasion by a coalition of enemies and its king, Ahaz, is considering an alliance with Assyria, one of the real powers of the ancient world and a very nasty one at that. Isaiah says God is wanting to give the king a sign which could tell the king what God wants done, but the king says no. Whether he says this out of a false humility or he says this out of concern that the sign might contradict what he's already decided to do, we don't know. But he gets a sign anyway, whether he wants it or not! The sign will be a child whom Isaiah says that by the time that this child will be able to choose the good and reject, the coalition of enemies that Ahaz so fears will be humbled in defeat.
• As with most prophecies, there is more that one level of meaning. Matthew picks this up and sees its application to the situation of Jesus and the concerns of Joseph. Joseph listens to the angel involved in this story and takes Mary as his wife despite the odd situation and his earlier misgivings.
• The child he accepts and loves and raises is never formally named “Emmanuel.” He is named “Jesus” which is the Latin form of the name we know as “Joshua”, a good solid Hebrew name that means “God is saviour.” Still Emmanuel is one of Jesus' titles for one simple reason: He is and remains “God with us.”
• “God is with us” is more than a name, it is a promise. “God is with us” means just that – God is with us. Not “Got is with us if...” or “God is with us when...” or “God is with us provided that we...” No, it is a promise without conditions... and promises with conditions aren't really promised, are they? Those would be more like contracts. God doesn't make contracts; God makes covenants. Every covenant made in the Scriptures has been broken, but never by God.
• Looking at Matthew's use of Isaiah's prophecy, we see that Jesus is the one who will be called Emmanuel. The one called Emmanuel will be with us no matter what. No matter what has happened to us, God is with us. No matter what we have to endure, God is with us. No matter what we have done, God remains with us.
• God is with us not because we are such great and wonderful persons that we deserve such a presence of God, but because God wishes to do it. Despite our unworthiness, our sin, our wilful separation from God, our alienation from God, from others, and from ourselves, God has not given up on us.
• Let us understand that this does not mean that God ignores our sins or approves of them. Far from it! Our sins pain our God because we distance ourselves from the One who loves us without condition. God will note our sins, not to condemn or accuse, but like a loving parent or like the best of friends, God notes them to point out where we are wrong and where we need God's grace or have refused it.
• Jesus as “God with us” is not simply a sentiment or a good idea; it is a reality. Jesus is the Word Made Flesh, like us in all things but sin as the letter to the Hebrews tells us. Jesus was born of a woman in poor circumstances and lived among real people, without privileges and honours. He preached to those who needed it and to those who would not hear. He died a dishonoured death, abandoned by almost everyone. And he rose and remains with us... in his Word, in his sacraments, in his people, and in what his people do.
• “God is with us” is a promise. “God is with us” is a mystery. “God is with us” is our comfort. “God is with us” as name, title, proclamation, and basic theology is our salvation. “God is with us” is Jesus Christ.