Focus: God In Our Space

Text: Mt.1:23

"Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, GOD WITH US."

Two names stand out in the account of Matthew for the child Jesus Christ: Jesus and Emmanuel. Matthew writes, "And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born JESUS, who is called CHRIST… Thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins… and he called his name JESUS" (Mt.1:16,21,25). Our text gives us the name of EMMANUEL. Jesus Christ and Emmanuel.

*The name: Jesus Christ

Jesus means, YHVH saves, and it speaks of His DESTINY. CHRIST means, the anointed one, and that means He has God's anointing upon Him as God's appointed individual for the work of saving His people. He has God's oil upon His head to achieve salvation for Israel and for all humanity. So the name 'Jesus Christ' bears God's stamp and seal of mission. In Jesus Christ God has come to save His people.

*The name: Emmanuel

Matthew gives us the interpretation of EMMANUEL as "God with us." The name speaks of his IDENTITY. Jesus Christ is more than a Saviour; He is God in the midst of us. Our God has come to dwell with us. Creator and creation are together here and now. The Redeemer and His redeemed people are together under one roof. God is now in our human space. Our atmosphere is saturated with His presence. As a matter of fact, we have never been alone, but there is a sense in which He has come to be with us in a most intimate, visible and tangible way. We don't just feel Him; we see and touch Him literally. He joins us in our daily activity and interacts with us on all issues of life. He is not just God with us, but also, He looks like us - God in human shape.

The most amazing thing is that He is not with us for a moment, and then gone the next moment. He is with us forever. We can constantly count on the reality of His presence.

At the end of Matthew's writing, we read, "Lo, I AM WITH YOU ALWAY, even unto the end of the world. Amen" (Mt.28:20). Isn't that amazing and assuring? God is with us in our space for time and eternity. Jesus Christ actually made this promise as He got set to return to heaven. Imagine Him going away, and at the same time, promising to never leave our side! How possible is that? Before His resurrection His presence was limited to one space at a time, but after His resurrection, He reenters His true element of being present everywhere at once. His presence in heaven would not mean His absence in the earth. In fact, Mark tells us, "And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord WORKING WITH THEM, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen" (Mk.16:20). While in heaven, He was still working with His disciples on earth as if He never departed from them in the first place.

We need a new consciousness of the ever-abiding presence of our God. Emmanuel is not a mere name; it's a sweet experience. You can encounter the reality of God's presence for yourself. The birth of Christ is the entering of God into our space. In a remarkable way God is in our space, and unlike Jacob, we should be aware of it. Let us forever live in the consciousness of God's presence in our midst.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter