God Is with Us

How cool of a story is Jesus's birth?

A virgin gave birth. Angels filled in the sky. A star appeared that alerted the magi astrologers of the birth of a king. Shepherds came telling wild stories and worshiping.

It really is a great story. It's a story most people would tell the rest of their lives. I mean, how can you top a story like that. It would be pretty hard.

Jesus, though, did. The story of Jesus's birth is a tremendous story. For an encore, he gave us the story of his death. Tried illegally. Beaten within an inch of his life. Stripped naked. Nailed to a cross. Forgiving people as they mocked him and cursed him. Dying without a single broken bone.

And three days later, he arose. The grave could not hold him. Death could claim no victory. Jesus is alive.

As miraculous as the birth narrative of Jesus is, it is dwarfed by the truth of his resurrection. Jesus rose up from the grave. Only God can do that. He appeared to people after his death. Only God can do that. He overcame death once and for all. Only God can do that.

In Isaiah 7:14, the prophet Isaiah makes a prophecy that a virgin will give birth to a son and call him Immanuel. Immanuel means God with Us. There is no verb in that phrase. Perhaps that is fitting. You see, God WAS NOT with us. God WILL NOT BE with us. God IS with us. He is always with us. In the past. In the present. In the future. God is with us.

What a wonderful truth. God is with us. He came down to earth and lived among his creation. He gave up the glory of heaven for the rot of earth. He was born to a lowly couple and lived a commoners life. In all that, he did not sin. Then, 30 years later, he died as the perfect sacrifice and he rose again. He's alive. God is with us.

This Christmas, as we gather around trees and fireplace mantles, as we meet with family and friends, as we sing songs, let us remember that God is with us.

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