God Is With Us

Few announcements carry more joy than the arrival of a baby.

Think about the waiting and preparation between the day a family shares the news and the moment the child is finally placed in someone’s arms. Life changes with two words: The baby is here.

The births of my own children were unforgettable, though not always calm. Debbie likes to point out that every time one of our children was born, I seemed to have a medical crisis too. I passed out when Riley was born. When our twins arrived, I had a kidney stone and ended up admitted to the same hospital, just down the hall from Debbie and the girls.

Those moments held fear, vulnerability, and plenty of chaos. What I remember most is walking into the waiting room afterward and saying, “They’re here, and Mom is doing fine.” The waiting was over. The people we loved had arrived.

That joy helps us understand the announcement at the heart of Christmas. A child had been born, and that child was God with us.

What “God with us” means

Matthew tells us that Jesus would be called Immanuel, which means “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). That name is more than poetic language. It declares who entered the world at Bethlehem.

The eternal Son of God took on flesh. He did not stop being God or surrender His divine nature. He became fully human while remaining fully divine.

The One who spoke the universe into existence entered it as a child. The One who sustains all things allowed Himself to be held in His mother’s arms. The infinite God came near.

The incarnation makes salvation possible. Jesus shared our humanity, lived without sin, died in the place of sinners, and rose from the dead. Christmas begins the earthly life that leads to the cross and the empty tomb.

The humility of Jesus

Philippians 2 gives us one of Scripture’s clearest pictures of Christ’s humility:

“Though he was in the form of God, [he] did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant.” (Philippians 2:6–7, ESV)

Jesus did not empty Himself of deity. He humbled Himself by taking the form of a servant and entering our condition. His path moved from heaven to a manger, from public ministry to rejection, and from the cross to the grave.

He chose that path because sin had to be dealt with. Only a sinless Savior could bear our guilt. Jesus humbled Himself “to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8).

Death did not have the final word. God raised and exalted Him, and one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

His presence meets our fear

Fear appears throughout the Christmas story. Joseph faces a future he did not expect. Mary receives an overwhelming calling. The shepherds are terrified when the glory of the Lord surrounds them.

Again and again, God tells people not to be afraid. The reason is not that their circumstances are easy. God is with them.

That promise runs through Scripture. God does not always give His people a detailed plan before asking them to move. He gives them His presence.

You may be carrying uncertainty, illness, loss, or fear you never expected. The message of Christmas does not promise that every problem will disappear. It tells you that God has come near. You do not face the unknown alone.

His presence brings comfort

Simeon had spent his life waiting for “the consolation of Israel” (Luke 2:25). When he finally held Jesus, he knew God had kept His promise. The presence of Christ brought the comfort his soul had longed to see.

God still meets people in grief, loneliness, anxiety, depression, and pain. His greatest gift is not always a quick solution. It is Himself.

His presence steadies us even when the waves do not stop. We can bring Him the sorrow we cannot fix and trust that He will not leave us.

His presence gives courage to obey

People in the Christmas story act after God assures them of His presence. Mary yields to God’s call. Joseph takes Mary as his wife. The shepherds hurry to Bethlehem and then tell others what they have seen.

Their courage did not come from favorable circumstances. They obeyed because God was at work and they were not alone.

Obedience often feels risky when fear is loud. The presence of God gives us strength to take the next faithful step even when we cannot see the whole road.

What does your soul need?

Perhaps you need reassurance, comfort, or courage to obey. Christmas answers each need with the same good news: God is with us.

The child in the manger proves that God does not stand at a distance. He entered our weakness, sorrow, and fear. He came to save, and He promises never to leave His people.

Jesus is here. Immanuel. God with us.

Adapted from a sermon by Jarrett Stephens.