4-25-2021

 Good Morning All!

        Matthew 1:23; “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us)”

     One of the great challenges in life is when you have your children, and you must name them.  Sometimes it can lead to fights as one parent wants to honor their parents and the other new parent has a different idea.  Sometimes we look at names that are in the news.  After the space shuttle Challenger, carrying the teacher Christa McAuliffe, exploded there were a lot of girls named Christa.  We see a lot of cause and effect on naming a child.  Sometimes the name has a special meaning that the family wishes to preserve.  Sometimes the name is a combination of two other names to keep a branch of the family alive.  I would venture that very few of us had the Holy Spirit whisper a special name into our ear but that is what happened to Joseph.

    As Joseph dreamed one night long ago, the Holy Spirit came to him and told Joseph that one of the names that Jesus would be known as was Immanuel.  Immanuel is probably not at the top of the list for many families today but at this time in Israel, this name had great significance.  This had significance which went all the way back to the Exodus.

    As the Israelites left Egypt, they were led by a visible presence of God.  The Israelites saw a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.  When they set up the tabernacle, God’s very presence was in the Holy of Holies.  In fact, the word “tabernacle” means to make camp with or to stay with.  So, the next time you go to the lake or river, you are “tabernacling” at the lake, not camping.  You are making your residence with the person who is there.  It is a close relationship that you form with those whom you tabernacle with.

    The Israelites felt safe as long as they could see and sense this presence of God.  But through the years, they lost this sense or this very presence.  They had lost the Ark of the Covenant; they had lost Solomon’s Temple; they had lost most of the land as well.  They longed for the day when the Messiah would come and restore the kingdom, rebuild the Temple, bring peace and cause “Immanuel” (God is with us).  They longed for that day when everything would be put right.

    Fortunately for us, we do not have to wait for all those conditions to be met.  We already have “Immanuel” through the life and death and resurrection of Jesus and then through the power of Baptism; we have that communion with Christ.  His spirit lives within us, dwelling in our hearts and in our lives, tabernacling at our table and in our homes.  God is with us every step of the way, through every storm or struggle, through the happy times or sad; we have Immanuel for God is truly with us.

 Gracious Father, you come to us through your Word and sacraments.  You strengthen us, preserve us, and protect from the devil and his ways.  Lead us; encourage us and use us to further your holy kingdom.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen!   

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret