Fourth Sunday of Advent 12/23/12

Fourth Sunday of Advent 12/23/12 Text: Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:23 Title: What is in a Name? The text that I want to talk to you about this morning is not from our Gospel reading today, although it has everything to do with it, but is from Isaiah 7:14, a prophecy concerning the event of which our reading talks about, "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel." It is interesting to note that the disciples nor anyone else in Jesus lifetime called him “Immanuel”, except for one place where an angel is speaking to Joseph, who is trying to decide whether or not to marry the already pregnant Mary. Saint Matthew tells us Matthew 1:21-23, “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." 22 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" and then Matthew adds, “Which means, God with us.” Joseph, like Mary accepted the angel’s words and took Mary as his wife. You might be asking yourself why Saint Matthew thought that it was important to translate the Hebrew word Immanuel which is the same word in Greek, in English, in virtually every language, although it is spelled with different letters, plus add the definition of the word to his text. It must have been for the same reason that he also recorded for us that Pilate put “Jesus, King of the Jews” in three languages on the cross Jesus was crucified on. He wants those who read his gospel to know who Jesus is. He wants all people, Gentiles that is us, and Hebrews, the Jewish people, to know that Jesus did not just come for the Hebrews that is the people of Israel. He came for all people, Saint Matthew proclaims. This Jesus who is to be born, this Jesus who is to die on the cross is Immanuel; God with us. He is who the prophet Isaiah spoke of some 800 years earlier. He wants us to know that we are invited, that we are welcome, that God has seen our needs and has provided for us, and that now we may freely come, even we who were far off from God! Let us cherish that name, for that name is above all names, for it is our salvation. Unlike today when we might name a child with a given name just because we like the name, in days past a name, especially our Savior’s name meant something. Here are just a few names given to our Savior that are especially appropriate at this time of the year. “His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace,” Immanuel; God with us. He is called all of those names, for they accurately describe who he is and what he does. Jesus, which means “he who saves”, for by any other name Jesus would not be so sweet, because no other name could fairly describe his great work of saving his people from their sins. Like I said earlier there are only two places in God’s Word where Jesus is called Immanuel. But there are other verses that speak of him in the same manner, as they describe him as being, “God manifest in the flesh.” and “The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father, full of Grace and truth.” Never let us, for a moment, hesitate as to the Godhead of our Lord Jesus Christ, for his Deity is a fundamental doctrine of the Christian faith. It may be we shall never fully understand how God and man could unite in one person, for, as we are told, who can, by searching, “discover the mind of God?” These great mysteries of godliness, these “deep things of God,” are beyond our understanding. The very essence and glory of the birth of Jesus is that he, even while in Mary’s womb was God, God in human flesh. Immanuel; God with us, is exquisite delight! “God with us” means the infinite Jehovah with us! That is why the angel told Mary in Luke 1:30-33, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." And in our Gospel for today, John leaped with joy in his mother’s womb when he heard Mary’s voice. Then in Luke 2:10-14 the angels proclaimed to the startled shepherds, “Behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!" Jesus is “God with us.” He is with us in times of joy and times of sorrow. He is with us in the uncertainty of life. Do you feel the sorrows of poverty? He “had not where to lay His head.” Do you endure the grief of the death of a loved one? Jesus “wept” at the tomb of Lazarus. Have you been slandered for doing some righteous act, feeling the pain of a broken heart? He has, for he said, “Reproach has broken my heart.” Have you been betrayed? Do not forget that he, too, had one of his disciples turn him in for 40 pieces of silver. On what stormy seas have you been tossed which have not also surrounded him? In the deepest valleys and the darkest places of life, if you will but stoop down to look, you will see the footprints, the drops of blood, the drops of sweat of the crucified Jesus. He is in the wildest of storms, the driest of deserts. He cries out to you, “I am with you. Be not dismayed, for I am your helper, your comforter, your companion and your God.” There is nowhere that you are going or will go on this earth that Immanuel will not be there. Even in our death he has been there. He knew the separation of the tortured spirit from the poor suffering flesh and cried, as we shall, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Immanuel; God with us knows of the tomb, for there he lay, a place of rest and not decay. Immanuel; God with us, rose from that grave in his glorified body and ascended into heaven from which he will come in the Resurrection calling us from our graves to newness of life. We shall be raised up in His likeness and the first sight our opening eyes shall see shall be the Incarnate God! We, right now can proclaim with Job, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and though after my skin worms devour this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.” “God with us.” You in your flesh will see him as Jesus the man; Immanuel; God with us. And now, my brothers and sisters in Christ, the last word to you is this; let us be with God since God is with us. I give you for a watchword through the year to come, “Emmanuel, God with us.” You, the saints redeemed by blood, have a right to all this in its fullest sense. Drink it in and be filled with courage! Do not say, “We can do nothing.” God is with you! Do not say, “The Church is feeble and fallen upon evil times.” No, say, “God is with us.” We are to be like the General that said when asked if he believed he could get his troops into an impregnable fortress, “Can the sun enter it?” “Yes, they replied.” “Well, where the sun can go, we can enter.” Whatever is possible or whatever is impossible in our eyes when God wants it done we can do it, for God is with us! “God with us,” puts impossibility out of all existence. Hearts that could never be broken will be broken, if God is with us. Errors which never could be refuted can be overthrown by three words, “God with us.” Let us live with that promise burned into our hearts and minds. Blessed Heavenly Father we thank you that you have brought us that Word; Jesus, Immanuel; God with us. Amen.