Message for December 24, 2023 from Pastor Jerry

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign:  Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and you shall call His name Immanuel.” Is. 7:14 (NKJV)                                                           

Last Sunday Pastor Shirley preached a sermon she called, “What’s in a name” and she was referring to the name Jesus, which means “Salvation”.  It was a good and thought provoking message.  Today’s sermon is chapter two.

     “You shall call His name Immanuel.”  There are at least 17 different names for God in the Old Testament.  All of them are used to present a unique characteristic of “I am who I am”, the name He revealed to Moses.

     Jesus made it very clear in Scripture that He and God were one.  Jesus was the Word in the beginning and the Word became flesh and dwelled among us.  Jesus became God’s Son when He was conceived by Mary.  The first name He was called was in Isaiah.  You shall call His name Immanuel.  The Word, Jesus Christ, Lord, and Immanuel are the names of the Son of God.  Yes, all the other names used for God are said of Jesus but only two were given by the angel to Mary and Joseph, Jesus and Immanuel.

     Last week it was Jesus and this week it is Immanuel, which means “God with us”.  How awesome to know that God wanted us to know He is at home with us every day.

     There should never be a day that we think God has left us.  He promised He would never leave us or forsake us no matter what.  Love never fails and God doesn’t love, HE IS LOVE.  Jesus and God are One and we are One with them.  Knowing and believing this should solve all the problems we might face in our lives.