Over 900 years before Christ, Solomon asked a question that leads to discovering the meaning of Christmas, “Will God really live on earth among people?” (II Chronicles 6:18 NLT). Matthew quotes the prophet Isaiah and answers Solomon’s question: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, ‘God with us.’” (Mt 1:23). The message of Christmas is “Jesus, God with us.” All the fullness of God resided in that baby boy that Mary wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in the manger (Colossians 2:9). Amazing. The Word became flesh and lived among us (John 1:14). The God-Man. Max Lucado described Jesus’ birth this way, “The God-man. Midwifed by a carpenter. Bathed by a peasant girl. The maker of the world with a belly button.”
It is no wonder we sing, “Joy to the World, the Lord is come.” The heart of the Christmas message is that God loves us and desires to be with us. Jesus’ coming to earth set in motion the whole plan of Jesus’ death and resurrection to defeat sin’s power over man. Jesus came, praise His name. As we celebrate Christmas, a season that often heightens loneliness, may we remember “God with us.” He is with us in our pain, in our joy, in our sorrow. May we not forget that just as Jesus came the first time, He is coming again to receive us unto Himself.
“Go tell it on the mountain. Jesus Christ is born.” Immanuel – God with us. The staff of the Michigan Church of God State Executive Offices wishes you a Merry Christmas!