Main Thought
It’s practically a Christmas tradition to read or hear Isaiah 7:14. God promised to send His Son when the southern kingdom of Judah was at war. The chaos and confusion of this context can correspond to the chaos and confusion we face in our lives. Our immediate needs might not be met on this side of heaven. That isn’t what Jesus came to do. Jesus came to meet our greatest need: freedom from sin, the cause of evil and death. Jesus met this need by dying for us, then rising again to prove everything He said was true. Presently, God is transforming the world by transforming the hearts of people. He’ll meet every need in eternity.
What are we supposed to do in the meantime? We can unwrap the present of God’s presence. God wants to be with us in our trials. We can feel His faithful love, His resilient joy, and His peace that passes all understanding. It’s simple, like unwrapping a gift. We seek God by faith and take simple steps to experience Him. God’s presence can be like a gift that we experience in every season and situation.
Main Passages
'Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.'
- Isaiah 7:14, ESV
'“...Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). '
- Matthew 1:20b-23, ESV
'Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”'
- Matthew 11:28-30, ESV
Discussion Questions
Why did God choose to send His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth? Why did Immanuel (a title, not a literal name) come to “be with us”?
Have you - or has someone you know - ever experienced God’s presence while persevering through difficulty? How did it make a difference?
What actions or attitudes make it hard for you to feel or experience the presence of God? What simple steps of faith allow you to experience God’s presence?