The Mission of Immanuel December 19, 2007
Psa 130:7 Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. 8 And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Mat 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 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.
When we see passages of scripture like these, they spell out the mission of Immanuel, God with us. The bible says so much about the mission that Jesus came to fulfill. First of all the world was in a hopeless condition and the prophecies regarding hope were in the minds of the people. The hope was not to be temporal but eternal.
I. The mission of Immanuel, Jesus, has been somewhat misunderstood by a host of people.
A. The Jews expected him to break the yoke of Caesar and re-establish the kingdom of David.
B. The Church also has often misunderstood the main purpose of Jesus’ coming. We have emphasized Jesus’ ability to deal with the consequences and results of sin. These include the temporal blessings and magnify them above the eternal.
1. His purpose was not so much to set up the Kingdom of David but rather to set up the sinless Kingdom of God, to begin a work in us that would end in eternal life.
2. It would be as to limit the mission of Immanuel to cancel the consequences and results of sin and leave the bitter cause of sin, the contaminated blood.
3. It is not enough to deliver from the penalty of sin and not the power of it.
a. Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
b. Joh 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
4. We should be determined to take the announcement more seriously, God with us, to deliver us completely from hopelessness to hope. The mission of Immanuel was to transform us and not patch us up.
II. The mission of Immanuel was extensive in that it reached the worst of sinners. There is no sin to big to cover.
A. If we were to take a look at Jesus’ genealogy we find men and women of notorious evil character that lie in the direct linage of Jesus. (Rahab, the harlot and David the adulterer and murderer.)
1. The mission of Immanuel was to save from sin regardless to its degree.
2. Luke 19:10 For the Son of man (Immanuel) has come to seek and to save that which was lost.
a. God permitted it this way so that Jesus might represent our fallen race before God the Father no matter how severe our sins might be we may claim his help.
b. The 2nd reason God permitted it to happen this way was that he could show the devil how powerless sin was to tarnish the holiness of his sinless nature.
(1.) Jesus was made in the likeness of sinful flesh, though he knew no sin. The disease of corruption could find no welcome spot in his heart.
(2.) Are you one of his people who have allied yourself with Jesus? If you are, He will certainly save you even if you are possess with a legend of demons. He will drive them out.
(3.) The mission of Immanuel was to place God with you while the devil must walk alone.
