“Look! The virgin will conceive a child!  She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” Matthew 1:23 (Isaiah 7:14 NIV)

God is with us?

In the Old Testament, God’s presence was confirmed by a pillar of fire or a pillar of cloud. God’s holy Spirit temporarily filled some of his prophets, judges, and even kings. David cried out to the Lord, “Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.” (Psalm 51:11 NIV)

But Isaiah says a child will be born who will be called “God with us—Immanuel.” The baby Jesus, whom the angels confirmed was indeed the Son of God in the flesh. (Luke 2: 8-14)

Jesus walked with us from his birth to his death. He faced every temptation we face yet did not disobey any of God’s laws. He taught and preached about God’s coming kingdom and healed everyone who came to him with sickness, impairment, demon possession. He saw the outcasts of society and had compassion on them. He loved all giving his time, his energy, his help, his encouragement. He came to save not to condemn. Then gave his life on the cross, taking the penalty of our sins and extending his own righteousness to us—grace. He was with us physically.

Then they buried the Son of God. For three days he stayed dead. But Sunday morning, God rose Jesus from the dead! The same Jesus who walked with us in the flesh, walks with us in a glorified body. Hundreds of people witnessed the resurrected Jesus!

Before Jesus ascended to heaven, he said, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17 NIV)

And fifty days later, on Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended from heaven and began to fill Jesus’ followers.  

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 2: 1-4 (NIV)

God is still with us! God will be with you—in you, if you will heed Peter’s words:

“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2: 38 (NIV)