Jesus’ name is Immanuel

Sermon Transcript

There is a lot in a name. You can often learn quite a lot about a mom and dad’s hopes for their child by the name that they give to their son or daughter. For example, Pastor Tom and his wife Blessy named their son Esher, which is a Hebrew word that means “blessed” or “supremely happy.” The name reflects their deepest desire for their son. There is a lot in a name. Similarly, Pastor Paul and his wife Shanell named one of their daughters Evangeline, which is a Greek name that means “bearer of good news”. I imagine they named her Evangeline because they hope she will bring the good news of Jesus wherever she goes. There is a lot in a name. Andrea and I named our daughter Sage because we hope that she will be full of the Lord’s wisdom. The hopes and dreams of a parent are often bound up in their child’s name. There is a lot to a name.

God himself named – or renamed – a lot of people throughout the Bible, but only once did he name his only begotten Son. It happened right here in our passage. Matthew 1:22-23 – All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). That brings us to the big idea of our passage: Jesus’ name is Immanuel. Jesus’ name is Immanuel. True confession, I heard the great carol O Come Emmanuel for years without ever knowing what the name Immanuel actually means. The name literally means, “God with us” in Hebrew. In Jesus Christ, God is with us. God the Father names his Son and there is a lot to a name. Ok – now I want us to consider an important question: what does that name mean to us? Yes, the name literally means “God with us,” but what does that name mean for us right here and right in the crazy of our hearts and our lives? Our passage this morning provides us with three answers. It means: (1) God keeps his promises to us (verse 17-20) (2) God saves us from our sins (Verses 18-21) (3) God is with us (Verse 22-23).

GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES TO US (Verse 17)

Whatever you’re facing, whatever joy, whatever trial, whatever temptation, whatever uncertainty, whatever decision, whatever setback, whatever victory – whatever you’re facing, Jesus name is Immanuel. That means that God always works all things and always moves all of history to always keep his promises to his people. And we know this because Matthew begins his Gospel – his Jesus biography – with what is called a genealogy. Rather than beginning with Jesus’ birth or early life like most biographies, Matthew begins with, if you will, Jesus’ family tree. And the primary thing we learn from Jesus’ genealogy is that God keeps his promises to us. Look with me.

The genealogy begins in Matthew 1:1 – The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Then we read a list of names and the genealogy ends in Matthew 1:17 – So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations. Quick aside: Matthew doesn’t literally mean that all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen and then David to the exile were fourteen generations, and so on. Matthew intentionally left some generations out in order to emphasize the connection between Jesus and David. Matthew means that all the generations he listed are fourteen, then fourteen, then fourteen. The ESV Study Bible explains the significance of fourteen saying, “According to the Jewish practice of gematria, the giving of a numeric value to the consonants in a word, David’s name would add to D + V + D or 4 + 6 + 4 = 14, and David is the 14th name on the list.” Matthew purposefully constructed Jesus’ family tree to highlight the connection between David and Jesus. Aside closed. Let’s return to the key principle.

The genealogy, which leads to Jesus whose name is Immanuel, reveals that God keeps his promises to us. Jesus’ family tree begins with God making a promise, a three-part promise to Abraham: offspring, promised land, and universal blessing to the world. And the story of God’s people from Abraham to David is the story of God keeping this promise alive despite his people’s sins and through all their suffering. The promise seemed as good as dead when God’s people were enslaved in Egypt – no future for the offspring, no land, no blessing to the world. But God keeps his promises to his people, so he rescued them from slavery in Egypt through the Red Sea on dry ground. Of course, as soon as the people were out of Egypt and journeying toward the land that God had promised, they began to complain about the food God provided for them and said that they’d rather go back to the slavery God rescued them from. You’d think God would be done with his people. But God keeps his promises to his people despite their sins. Through the kindness of a gentile prostitute named Rahab, God brought his people into the land that he promised and he gave them a great king named David. He even promised David that he would raise up an offspring after him and establish the throne of his kingdom forever. God was keeping his promise to Abraham and now expanded that promise to David. But David and his offspring rebelled against God. Therefore, God kicked his people out of the promised land just like Adam got kicked out of the garden. They were deported to Babylon. No land, no blessing, and no future for Abraham’s offspring. But God keeps his promises to his people. So, he preserved his people through their exile in Babylon, brought them back to the land, and protected Abraham’s seed and David’s offspring until we come to a man named Joseph, who is from the family line of the great King David.

Matthew 1:18-19 – 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. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. Friends – this is a disaster for God’s promise. If Joseph divorces Mary, then her child will not be a legal offspring of David. He can’t be Immanuel. God’s promise is broken. But God keeps his promises and God intervenes. Matthew 1:20 – 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. Later in verse 24 we read that Joseph did exactly what the angel commanded him. Soon the baby would be born and he was the son of Abraham, the son of David, and the Son of God. God kept his promise! And since he’s the only begotten Son of the Father, the Father named him. Jesus’ name is Immanuel and the first thing that means to us is that God keeps his promises to us.

Friends, God has not promised us comfort, a flourishing career, stable income, that we’ll get married, that we’ll have kids, that we’ll stay healthy, or that next year’s circumstances will be better. But here is what God has promised his people and God keeps his promises.

He promises to give wisdom to those who ask – you don’t have to obsess over or second guess your decisions (James 1:5).
He promises to provide a way out of temptation – you don’t have to be stuck (1 Cor. 10:13).
He promises that our salvation is secure, no matter what – you don’t have to fear death and Hell (John 10:28–29).
He promises to never leave us nor forsake us – you never have to worry that you’ll be alone (Heb. 13:5).
He promises to put the lonely into families – your church is family (Psalm 68:6).
He promises to comfort us so that we can comfort others – you don’t have to feel like your suffering is meaningless (2 Cor. 1:3-4).
He promises to finish the good work he has begun in us – you can be confident that he’ll never give up on you (Phil. 1:6).
He promises to be patient toward us – you don’t have to wonder if you’re bothering him (Psalm 103:14).
He promises to never change – you don’t have to worry that he’ll update his terms of service (Hebrews 13:8)
He promises to come back – your future is unspeakably bright (Luke 12:40)
He promises to be able to keep his promises – Nothing will stop the above (Psalm 115:3).

Jesus’ name is Immanuel. God keeps his promises. Now, that brings me to the most important promise that Jesus came to fulfill and the second thing that Immanuel means for us. Jesus’ name is Immanuel and that means…

GOD SAVES US FROM OUR SINS

Not only is this the most important promise that Jesus came to fulfill, but none of the other promises I just mentioned are true for you unless you’ve been saved from your sins. Think about it. The Bible says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and that sin separates us from God. Imagine God on one cliff, us on another, and an infinite chasm in between. That is what sin does. Sin separates us from God and left unmitigated, sin will separate us from God forever in Hell. That’s why none of the promises for God to be with you, give you wisdom, comfort you, never leave you, and put you into his family the church can be true for you until you let Him save you from your sins. All of God’s promises are for those who have passed over the chasm and that only happens when he saves you from your sins. Thankfully, Jesus’ name is Immanuel and that means that God

That’s why our greatest need Jesus’ name is Immanuel and that means that God saves his people from their sins. Let’s pick things up with Mary and Joseph. Matthew 1:20-21 – 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. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus…

The heavenly messenger commanded Joseph to call the baby’s name “Jesus,” which is the same as the name Joshua. Now, in that moment, what do you think a pious Jew like Joseph would have been thinking? “Joshua?! You mean my son is going to be a conqueror like Joshua in the Old Testament who conquered Canaan by military force so that God’s people could inherit the promised land. You mean that my boy is going to give the godless Romans the boot just like Joshua did to the godless Canaanites?” Aren’t we just like that? We want Jesus to solve all of the problems that are right in front of us; financial problems, marital problems, career problems, health problems, and societal problems. But that’s not what Jesus has promised us and that’s not what the name Jesus means. He’s come to do something far greater for us. Matthew 1:21 – “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” The name Jesus means “Yahweh (or the LORD) saves!” And then the angel quotes from Psalm 130:8 – And he will redeem Israel from all his sins or iniquities. Jesus’ name is Immanuel and what that means is that though sin separates us from God, God gave his Son to save us from our sins. All of God’s promises are “yes” in Jesus because only Jesus can save us from our sins, bridge the infinite chasm between us and God, and secure all of God’s promises to us.

If you’re not yet a Christian – Jesus came to save you from his sins. All the promises of God are “yes” if you will embrace Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins. If you remain in your sins, God promises to justly judge you forever for your sins, but he loves you so much that he gave his Son to save you from your sins. Will you receive Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins? If you are a Christian, but you’re feeling condemned by your sins – remember that Jesus saved you from your sins. You’re not condemned! If you’re a Christian and you’re comfortable in your sins, Jesus came to save you from them so don’t make friends with them, fight them. God saves us from our sins! And that brings us to the greatest of all promises that God makes to those that he saves from their sins. The promise that the name Immanuel literally means. Jesus name is Immanuel and that means…

GOD IS WITH US

Matthew 1:22-23 – All this took place (all of it!) to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). Over the Thanksgiving holiday I took our son Soren deer hunting. I’m a total novice hunter and I’ve learned that hunting with an eight year old is some effort. You have to get up really early, layer up for the freezing cold, try your best to sit still and quiet for hours, and then, when the moment is right, try to get a shot on a deer while keeping your child completely safe and reminding them to cover their ears. And then there is all the work that happens after you actually kill a deer, which I know nothing about because I completely missed my shot this year. And for the last two years I’ve done all of that for one ultimate reason: to be with my son. And in the same way, the Lord preserved his covenant promise for thousands of years to bring his Son who, just as God promised to the prophet Isaiah, was born to a virgin. Far from being a minor doctrine, the virginal conception of Christ by the Holy Spirit means that Jesus is truly human and also truly God, that Jesus always existed as God the Son, and that he alone can save us from our sins because he didn’t inherit a sinful nature from Adam. God so loved the world that he gave his Son to live, die, and rise to save us all who believe in Him from our sins and he did it all for the same reason I hunt with Soren. He did it to be with us.

Now, I want to ask you a question, it’s the same question I asked you last week and in a moment I’ll make sense out of why I am asking it. What are you afraid of? What immediate or long-term fears, stresses, or worries are carrying? Maybe more to the point: what act of obedience to God’s commands scares you? Here is why I ask. In the Bible, God’s promise to be with his people is the most common way that he calms our fears.

Joshua 1:9 – “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Psalm 23:4 – Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me…

Isaiah 41:10 – fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Matthew 28:19-20 – Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

And Emmanuel will come again! Revelation 21:1-4 – Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

There is a lot in a name. Jesus’ name is Immanuel. It means God keeps his promises to us, saves us from our sins, and is with us forever. Don’t be afraid.