God With Us

 

This is Chuck Rapp with Multiply, a podcast to provide a word of encouragement for village church planters and leaders.

In just a few days, the world over will be celebrating Christmas.  Like many of you, my family and I will read together the Luke chapter 2 account of Jesus’ birth.  

Today, I want to focus our attention on another Gospel account of Jesus’s arrival here on earth.  In chapter 1, verse 14, the apostle John wrote “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”  I love the way that the Message paraphrase puts it.  “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.”  “… he moved into our neighborhood” … not to some faraway place; Jesus came and dwelt among us!

The fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophesy more than 700 years prior came to pass.  He wrote, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”  God with us.  God among us!  Prophesy fulfilled!  

There are many compound names of God in the Old Testament.  One of my favorites is “Jehovah Shammah,” meaning “the God Who is there.” This is found in Ezekiel 48:35 referring to the heavenly city in the millennial Kingdom.

Jesus came and lived on earth more than 2000 years ago. We celebrate this historic event this week. This was in the past.

Jehovah Shammah, the God Who is there, will be present in the heavenly city in the future.  We anticipate His presence as we look toward His earthly reign.

But, in the present … right now (!), God is with us as well.  Today.  This very day and every day.  

John 14:17, in the Amplified Version says, “the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive [and take to its heart] because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He (the Holy Spirit) remains with you continually and will be in you.” [emphasis added]

This was Jesus’ promise in the preceding verse (16).  “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever.”  Two chapters later, in John 16:7, Jesus reiterated this message to his followers. “But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.”

Jesus, Messiah, Savior … came to earth and dwelt among us.  We celebrate His Advent.   

Holy Spirit, Advocate, Counselor … is the present “God with us” as He dwells within us.  

This has been a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters and leaders.