Jesus: the ultimate sign that God is with you
Daily Scripture
Isaiah 7:10-16, 8:3-4; Matthew 1:20-23
Isaiah 7
10 Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: 11 “Ask a sign from the Lord your God. Make it as deep as the grave or as high as heaven.”
12 But Ahaz said, “I won’t ask; I won’t test the Lord.”
13 Then Isaiah said, “Listen, house of David! Isn’t it enough for you to be tiresome for people that you are also tiresome before my God? 14 Therefore, the Lord will give you a sign. The young woman is pregnant and is about to give birth to a son, and she will name him Immanuel [which means, God with us]. 15 He will eat butter and honey, and learn to reject evil and choose good. 16 Before the boy learns to reject evil and choose good, the land of the two kings you dread will be abandoned.
Isaiah 8
3 I then had sex with the prophetess, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. Then the Lord said to me, “Name him Maher-shalal-hash-baz. 4 Before the boy knows how to say ‘my father’ and ‘my mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria.”
Matthew 1
20 As he was thinking about this, an angel from the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child she carries was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you will call him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” 22 Now all of this took place so that what the Lord had spoken through the prophet would be fulfilled:
23 Look! A virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son,
And they will call him, Emmanuel.
Daily Reflection & Prayer
As we end this week’s study of Joseph, Miles Steele sent us a comparison of two paintings of “The Dream of St. Joseph.” Miles is a non-traditional student currently studying web design and digital media at JCCC after graduating from KU with a BA in Art History. When he has the time Miles can be found coding at his desk or working on a personal project in the JCCC ceramics studio. To see the two paintings with Miles’ commentary, click here.
700 years before Jesus, three kings were plotting to attack Judah, and King Ahaz was frightened. The prophet Isaiah said to ask for a sign that God was with him. The stubborn king refused, but Isaiah gave him a sign anyway —a young woman (maybe Isaiah’s wife) would give birth to a son. Before the boy reached age 13, the plotting kingdoms would lose their power (and they did). Pastor Hamilton wrote, “Matthew was not confused nor was he misinterpreting Isaiah…. I think he was saying, ‘Jesus, like that first Immanuel, was a sign sent by God that you might know God is with you, that you might know he will never leave you’…. Jesus, in a way that the first Immanuel could not, incarnated the presence and love of the God who rules over the entire universe.” *
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By quoting Isaiah Matthew linked Jesus with the name that meant “God with us.” Then Matthew 18:20 quoted Jesus as saying, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, I’m there with them.” In the gospel’s final verse, Matthew 28:20, Jesus pledged that “I myself will be with you every day until the end of this present age.” What settings or practices help to make God’s presence real to you? What makes God’s presence as important for you as it was for King Ahaz? Scholar William Barclay summed up Matthew’s message: “Jesus is the one person who can tell us what God is like, and what God means us to be. In him alone we see what God is and what [humans] ought to be.” ** In what ways have you made Jesus central to your understanding of what God is like? Has that helped you to avoid some of the negative, frightening images of God some people hold? If so, how?
Prayer
Be near me, Lord Jesus. I ask thee to stay close by me forever, and love me, I pray. Amen.
GPS Insights
Michelle Kirby
Michelle Kirby serves Resurrection as Creative Content Development Lead Director, providing leadership for managing creative projects across all church locations. Beyond that official title Michelle has greatly enriched the spiritual life of many Resurrection members by her voluntary teaching of Disciple Bible study and other classes.
There are not many days left until Christmas. Can you feel the anticipation mounting? Can you feel the excitement—the scurrying, the planning, all of it accelerating and building momentum as we approach the climax of Christmas?
I’ve been thinking about all that I’ve done to get ready for the big day. I began decorating about mid-November, making sure the halls were properly decked. I especially loved decorating the tree because my tree is more of the sentimental type filled with ornaments that my very grown kids made when they were small. There are ornaments that my husband and I have purchased from every place we have visited, some ornaments that hung on my parents first tree, and my grandparents tree. It brings such fond memories to reflect on the people and places those ornaments represent.
Like many of you, I’ve also attended my share of Christmas parties with friends, family, and co-workers. It’s so fun to spend time with those we care about in an enjoyable celebratory environment. My daughter and I traveled to my granddaughter’s college to hear her choir perform their beautiful Christmas concert, and it was fantastic! I spent half a day volunteering at Healing House to help them prepare for their Christmas celebrations—which was such a joy for me.
I’ve watched Christmas specials, made plans for which gifts to purchase, and have even worked out with our families who’s coming at what time and on which day to celebrate.
All of these things are good and wonderful—it’s fun to connect with our family and friends. It’s fun to savor the memories of past holidays and remember people who have been in our lives. It’s fun to see Charlie Brown Christmas and remember watching it as a child, then with my children, and even with my grandchild.
But all of these good things are not the main thing. We might be tempted to make them the main thing, but these are peripheral to the main thing.
My husband and I attended Handel’s Messiah at the Kauffman Center last week. We enjoyed a splendid night out at a magnificent venue, with an amazing orchestra and choir. Absolutely beautiful music—but that too wasn’t the main thing. The main thing was spoken of through the lyrics, in the telling of the Gospel message:
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulders: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
The message continued, accelerating and building throughout Part Two, until it arrives at Scene Five, titled, “God’s Triumph.” That’s where everyone in attendance rises to their feet with hearts alive in anticipation and relief to hear the Hallelujah chorus ringing out:
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah!
For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
And He shall reign forever and ever
King of Kings
And Lord of Lords
King of Kings
And Lord of Lords
And He shall reign forever and ever
King of Kings (Forever and ever)
And Lord of Lords (Hallelujah, Hallelujah)
King of Kings (Forever and ever)
And Lord of Lords (Hallelujah, Hallelujah)
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
Wow. That, along with our Scripture for today…
Look! A virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son,
And they will call him, Emmanuel.
… we finally get to the main thing. Or as Linus would say, “What Christmas is all about.”
God with us. That is the main thing. This is what we celebrate. And it’s appropriate that all of the rest is a part of that celebration too, family, friends, trees, concerts, parties, gifts, all of it. God’s love is so extravagant and abundant, it can’t help but spill over and envelop all of the rest of it with the center always being, Christ with us.
Hallelujah!
© 2024 Resurrection: A United Methodist Church. All Rights Reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from The Common English Bible ©2011. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
References
* Adam Hamilton, The Journey: Walking the Road to Bethlehem. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2011, p. 48. (Pages 46-50 of the book more fully explain Isaiah’s prophecy and the way Matthew applied it.)
** William Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew—Volume 1, Chapters 1-10 in The Daily Study Bible Series. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1976, p. 21.
