Immanuel.
Immanuel.
Dec 24“Watch for this: A girl who is presently a virgin will get pregnant.
She’ll bear a son and name him Immanuel (God-With-Us).” Isaiah 7:14
Let us today go down to Bethlehem, and in company with wondering shepherds and adoring Magi, let us see Him who was born King of the Jews, for we by faith can claim an interest in Him, and can sing, “Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.” Jesus is Jehovah incarnate, our Lord and our God, and yet our brother and friend; let us adore and admire. Let us notice at the very first glance His miraculous conception. It was a thing unheard of before, and unparalleled since, that a virgin should conceive and bear a Son. The first promise ran thus, “The seed of the woman,” not the offspring of the man. Since venturous woman led the way in the sin which brought forth Paradise lost, she, and she alone, ushers in the Regainer of Paradise. Our Saviour, although truly man, was as to His human nature the Holy One of God. Let us reverently bow before the holy Child whose innocence restores to manhood its ancient glory; and let us pray that He may be formed in us, the hope of glory. Fail not to note His humble parentage. His mother has been described simply as “a virgin,” not a princess, or prophetess, nor a matron of large estate. True the blood of kings ran in her veins; nor was her mind a weak and untaught one, for she could sing most sweetly a song of praise; but yet how humble her position, how poor the man to whom she stood affianced, & how miserable the accommodation afforded to the new-born King!
Immanuel, God with us in our nature, in our sorrow, in our lifework, in our punishment, in our grave, and now with us, or rather we with Him, in resurrection, ascension, triumph, & Second Advent splendour. ~ Spurgeon
Merry Christmas Eve, Chilly
May the true Spirit of Christmas fill the Chilton household this season – may you all know the wonder of the birth of the promised Redeemer of mankind.
Chilly – in the Name of Jesus – be blessed with continued wisdom and insight, a heart that is soft and mind that sees the unseeable, a hand that reaches the untouchable – a life lived to the full as your Creator intended.
Blessings brother
Les
(Ballysillan, Belfast)
ps… I do hope you can make it back across the pond this year… would love the possibility of a repeat – ‘infill’
Les,
Merry Christmas to you and your family! Belfast is always on my heart and in my prayers. One day I may pastor there ~ if God so chooses… until then, I press on here in Detroit!
By the way, I plan to be over to Belfast in May. I’m sure I’ll see you! Let’s plan something big together – please talk to Jonny & see what we can do for the Kingdom!
awesome! merry christmas to you too
It still baffles my mind.. Why would the second person of God leave heaven and become a seed in a womans womb. I mean think about it he did all this for us,, would we do it for others. Surley our God is a God of mercy. And he opened salvation to all of us. Think of the magi , they were the first gentiles to worship Christ. Pastor Chilly even though it has been along time since i heard you preach. There is one lesson you seemed to always teach and which I still remember and try to follow today. Christ wants all of us, he wants us to be crazy insane over him. Sometimes people might think our faith is too much but Christ does not think that much of luke warm Christians. Merry Christmas to you and your fam… God bless
Nick, I pray that you and your family have a wonderful Christmas – please greet them for me!
I’m so humbled by God’s grace & mercy – the wise men got on their faces and worshiped the child and then gave Him everything. I think it’s unwise to do otherwise…
Gold: Kings
Frankencense: Deity
Myrhh: Burial
– these gift were of great value but also of significant truth (more than they probably realized).
IF Jesus isn’t Lord of ALL, He isn’t Lord at all…
peace.