Emmanuel: The Triune God is with Us (Matthew 1:18-25; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
Sermon Summary
Pastor David Yan
25 June 2023
Before he was born Jesus was given the name Emmanuel which means God with us.
In the Old Testament God is revealed as a plurality (Gen.1:1). In the New Testament he is revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matt.28:19). That which is a shadow in the old creation is made clear in the new creation. Hallelujah, we have the triune God with us.
Note how the triune God is revealed in the life and work of Jesus.
He is seen in the birth of Jesus. The Father sent the Son, and Jesus the Son was conceived by the Holy Spirit.
He is seen in the baptism of Jesus. Jesus entered the waters, the Father spoke from heaven and the Spirit descended like a dove.
He is seen in the death and resurrection of Jesus. As Jesus was dying he cried out to the Father, "Into your hands I commit my spirit" (Luke 23:46). He was raised from death by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11).
He is seen in the events of the Day of Pentecost. Jesus ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of the Father from where he sent the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Acts 1:9; 2:1-4).
The triune God is seen also in the second coming of Jesus. Jesus will descend with the mighty sound of the trumpet of God and the Spirit will raise the dead (1 Thess. 4:14,16).
Observe now how the triune God is seen in other situations.
He is seen in the spiritual rebirth of a person. Such a person is reconciled to God the Father by being born again. This is a work of the Holy Spirit who brings a person to trust in Jesus Christ for salvation (John 3:5,17).
He is seen in the make-up of a family. The father is the head of the family and is a representation of the heavenly Father. A child in the family is to be obedient to the father as Jesus is obedient to the heavenly Father. The mother is to console and comfort her family just as the Holy Spirit is the Counsellor.
He is seen in the make-up of the church. The church is made up of members who are added to the church by the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:47). From the membership will come deacons and elders (1 Tim. 3:1-13), the deacons being the servants of the church just as Jesus is the Servant (Philippians 2:7,8), and the elders being the overseers of the church (1 Peter 5:1-3) just as the heavenly Father is the overseer of all things.
He is seen in the death of a believer. When Stephen was martyred he saw the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God (Acts 7:56) and all this because he was “full of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 7:55).
In the light of all this let us rejoice in the presence of the triune God.
The heavenly Father is the provider, Jesus is his provision and the Holy Spirit is the Paraclete—the Comforter.
Emmanuel: God is with us! If God is for us who can be against us? (Romans 8:31).
The triune God is with us. A threefold cord is hard to break (Ecclesiastes 4:12). No one can break our God. No one will break us. Emmanuel! The triune God is with us. To him be all glory. Hallelujah.