God With Us

MEMORY VERSE: “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” —Matthew 1:21

MATTHEW 1:1, 18-25

THE title of the lesson, “God with Us,” is taken from the prophecy of his birth which states that a virgin would conceive and bring forth a son, and that his name would be called Immanuel. (Isa. 7:14) This prophecy is quoted in Matthew 1:23, and the name “Emmanuel” is interpreted as “God with us.”

This does not imply that God came to earth to be born of a woman. It simply denotes that Jesus, whom God sent into the world to be man’s Redeemer, would be the Creator’s representative in carrying out his loving plan of salvation for the sin-cursed and dying race. Paul wrote that “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself.”—II Cor. 5:19

In John 14:28 Jesus is quoted as saying, “My Father is greater than I.” This clearly proves that Jesus was not both the Father and the Son. But he did come into the world to be the Father’s representative. It was for this reason that he said, “The works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.” (John 10:25) And again, “The word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.”—John 14:24

Actually, the name Immanuel was not given to the child who was born to be the Redeemer and Savior of the world of mankind. Instead, he was given the name, Jesus, which means Savior, as Matthew 1:21 sets forth, “He shall save his people from their sins.” This information was also contained in the message of the angel to the shepherds on the night that Jesus was born. The angel said, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”—Luke 2:10,11

The word “Christ” means “Messiah,” and God’s holy prophets of the Old Testament had foretold the coming of this great One, the Messiah, who would deliver and bless Israel, as well as the people of all nations. The message of the angel was that the great Messiah of Israel, and of the world, was now born—born in the city of David.

Matthew’s record of the birth of Jesus gives little detail, except to emphasize that Joseph was not the father of the child, but that Mary’s conception was miraculous. Luke’s record fills in some of the details. In addition to informing us that Jesus’ birth was announced to shepherds by an angel, Luke’s record explains how the shepherds were able to locate Jesus: “Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”—Luke 2:12

Jesus was born in a manger because there was no room for Joseph and Mary at the inn. There is no indication that the innkeeper turned them away because of prejudice. The town was crowded at the time, and the inn was filled to capacity before Joseph and Mary arrived, so the best accommodations they could find were in a barn, or shed, where the owner kept cattle. But that barn must have seemed like a castle to Mary, for she realized that her child must be a very unusual one; a miracle child, in fact.

The angel who announced Jesus’ birth was suddenly joined by “a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:13,14) The birth of Jesus was destined to bring glory to God in a manner and to a degree that no other event on earth had ever done. That glory is yet to be revealed so far as the vast majority of mankind is concerned, and will be brought about through the agencies of Christ’s millennial kingdom.

In modern times the expression, “good will toward men” has been distorted to mean “good will among men.” The phrase is often used, “Peace on earth among men of good will.” This misinterpretation has been adopted because no peace has as yet. reached the nations as a result of the birth of Jesus.

However, the true meaning of the Greek text is that which is given in our Common Version English translation, “Good will toward men.” The reference is to God’s good will toward men. God expressed his good will toward men through the birth of Jesus, and he will continue to express his good will until all families of the earth are blessed.

QUESTIONS

What does the expression, “God with us,” mean?

In what sense is Jesus a Savior?

Explain the expression, “Good will toward men.”

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