{"id":1081,"date":"2018-12-02T16:24:55","date_gmt":"2018-12-03T00:24:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/?p=1081"},"modified":"2018-12-02T16:26:03","modified_gmt":"2018-12-03T00:26:03","slug":"oh-come-oh-come-emmanuel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/2018\/12\/02\/oh-come-oh-come-emmanuel\/","title":{"rendered":"Oh, Come, Oh, Come, Emmanuel!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><font color='black' size='2' face='arial'><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>  <o:OfficeDocumentSettings>   <o:RelyOnVML\/>   <o:AllowPNG\/>  <\/o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <\/xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>  <w:WordDocument>   <w:View>Normal<\/w:View>   <w:Zoom>0<\/w:Zoom>   <w:TrackMoves\/>   <w:TrackFormatting\/>   <w:PunctuationKerning\/>   <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas\/>   <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false<\/w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>   <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false<\/w:IgnoreMixedContent>   <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false<\/w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>   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\tmso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; \tmso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; \tmso-fareast-font-family:\"Times New Roman\"; \tmso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; \tmso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; \tmso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; \tmso-bidi-font-family:\"Times New Roman\"; \tmso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} <\/style>\n\n <![endif]--><\/p>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;color:#212121\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-1081-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/First-Sundy-in-Advent.mp3?_=1\" \/><source type=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/FILELINK?_=1\" \/><a href=\"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/First-Sundy-in-Advent.mp3\">http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/First-Sundy-in-Advent.mp3<\/a><\/audio>&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">The First Sunday in Advent<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">December 2, 2018<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">Isaiah 7:14<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">Oh, Come, Oh, Come, Emmanuel! <\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\"><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">&nbsp;<\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\"><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cTherefore the Lord himself will give you a sign:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">Ever since the days of Martin Luther, the Lutheran Church has been known as a \u201cSinging Church.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Why is that?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>There are at least a couple of reasons.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>First, Luther knew that down through the ages God\u2019s grateful people very naturally took the mighty deeds of God and put them into song.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Think Moses and Miriam after God safely brought His people through the Red Sea.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Think Mary when she went to tell her cousin Elizabeth the Good News that the angel Gabriel had proclaimed to her.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Think Zechariah on the day his son was given the name John.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Think of the many psalms that put into song the mighty deeds of the Lord, the God of Israel.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Secondly, the Lutheran Church has been a \u201cSinging Church\u201d because Martin Luther placed the musical arts right alongside of theology.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Luther considered music to be an absolutely wonderful way to teach the Truth of Scripture to other people.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>For those two reasons singing hymns\u2014 hymns that are based on the teachings of the Bible\u2014 have been an integral part of Lutheran worship right down to this very day.<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">Because the Lutheran Church is indeed a \u201cSinging Church\u201d and because there are so many beautiful hymns that we love to sing at this time of the year, I have chosen to do something a little different during this Advent season.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The sermon series that we are going to follow during the Season of Advent is based upon the hymn, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cOh, Come, Oh, Come, Emmanuel\u201d<\/i> (CW #23).<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>On each of the four Sundays in Advent we will focus our attention on one stanza of this hymn and the Scriptural truth it proclaims.<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">Our theme for today then is the opening words of the first stanza of this hymn:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span><b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\"><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">Oh, Come, Oh, Come, Emmanuel!<\/i><\/b><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>There are two questions that need to be addressed this morning.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The first question is:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Who is Emmanuel?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The second question is:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>What did Emmanuel come into this world to do?<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">Who is Emmanuel?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>When you and I sing the words, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cOh, Come, Oh, Come Emmanuel\u201d<\/i>\u2014 whom are we addressing?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The prophet Isaiah reveals to us who Emmanuel is when he writes in our text for today, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cTherefore the L<\/i><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\"><span style=\"font-size:10.0pt\">ORD<\/span> himself will give you a sign:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanu-El.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Did your Gentile ears catch how Isaiah answers the question of who Immanuel is?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>If not, listen to how these words of Isaiah are used some 700 years later in the Gospel of Matthew, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cAll this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>\u2018The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel\u2019\u2014 which means, \u2018God with us\u2019\u201d<\/i> (Matthew 1:22, 23).<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">Who is Emmanuel?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Who is the Child whose birth we are preparing to celebrate?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Who is the One whom we are addressing when we sing the words, \u201cOh, come, oh, come Emmanuel\u201d?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>He <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">is<\/b> <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cGod with us\u201d<\/i>!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>He <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">is<\/b> true God and true Man in one Person!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>He <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">is <\/b>the One who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Yes, my friends, when we simply take the inspired words of Scripture at face value, when we leave behind all of our own prejudices and all of our own pre-conceived notions there is no question and there is no doubt <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">who<\/b> Emmanuel is!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>He <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">is <\/b>our God!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>He <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">is <\/b>our Brother!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>He <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">is<\/b> the miracle of Christmas!<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">But why?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Why is it so critically important to know that Emmanuel <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">is <\/b>in fact, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cGod with us\u201d<\/i>?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>It is critically important, my friends, because of what Emmanuel came into this world to do.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>In the hymn we sing, \u201cOh, come, oh, come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The true Son of God was born into this world as the true Son of Man in order to \u201cransom\u201d us.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>He came here to \u201credeem\u201d us, to \u201cbuy us back\u201d from the enemies who had take us \u201ccaptive\u201d\u2014 sin, death and the devil.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>And how did Emmanuel \u201cransom\u201d us?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>How did Emmanuel \u201cbuy us back\u201d from the power of sin, death and the devil?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Again, when we simply take the inspired words of Scripture at face value the answer to that question is oh so clear and oh so simple and oh so precious!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>In Matthew 20:28 Emmanuel says to us, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cThe Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">life<\/b> as a <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">ransom <\/b>for many.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span><\/i>In 1 Peter 1:18, 19 we are told, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cFor you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">redeemed <\/b>from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span><\/i>The ransom price that Emmanuel was willing to pay to \u201credeem\u201d you and me was nothing less than His own holy precious blood.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Yes, my friends, you and I cannot celebrate Christmas correctly without remembering that the Child of Bethlehem was born to die\u2014 to die on a cross (Pointing to the cross), to die for you, to die for me, to die as the \u201cransom\u201d price for all the sins of all mankind.<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\"><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">&nbsp;<\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">The two questions that we have before us this morning then are really not that complicated, are they!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>By the grace of God we know who Emmanuel is.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>He is <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cGod with us\u201d<\/i>!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>By the grace of God we know what Emmanuel came into this world to do.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>He came here to \u201cransom\u201d us from our \u201ccaptivity\u201d to sin, death and the devil.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>It\u2019s that simple!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>It\u2019s that clear!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>So, time for me to say, \u201cAmen!\u201d right?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Not quite!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>I would be short-changing you if I did not remind you of <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">why <\/b>the <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">only <\/b>One who <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">could <\/b>save us, why the <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">only <\/b>One who <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">could <\/b><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp;<\/span>\u201cransom\u201d us from our spiritual \u201ccaptivity\u201d was and is Emmanuel\u2014 <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cGod with us.\u201d<\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">In His holy Word the Lord God Almighty tells us that if we want to live with Him in His heavenly Home we <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">must <\/b>meet two requirements.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>First, we <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">must <\/b>be holy, we <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">must <\/b>be perfect\u2014 because the Lord your God is holy and because your heavenly Father is perfect. (See Leviticus 19:2 &amp; Matthew 5:48)<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Second, you <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">must not <\/b>have <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">any <\/b>sin whatsoever because each and every sin causes the God of heaven to turn away from us in disgust.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>(See Isaiah 59:2)<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>You do not meet those two requirements, my friends.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Neither do I.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The consequence for <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">not <\/b>meeting both of those requirements is an eternity of suffering in hell.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Scripture declares, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cThe wages of sin = death\u201d<\/i>\u2014 physical death, spiritual death and eternal death (Romans 6:23a).<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>So what do we do?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Do we try to make up for the sins that we have committed against God by doing good works?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We can try\u2014 but Scripture proclaims, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cTherefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin\u201d <\/i>(Romans 3:20).<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>And again Scripture says, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cWhoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it\u201d <\/i>(James 2:10).<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Okay, since it is impossible for us to live the perfect holy life that God requires, do we hope that God will accept the fact that at least we \u201ctried\u201d to live a \u201cgood life\u201d or at least we aren\u2019t as \u201cbad\u201d as so-and-so?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We can hope\u2014 but Scripture declares, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cAll of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away\u201d <\/i>(Isaiah 64:6).<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>And again Scripture says, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cCursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law\u201d<\/i> (Galatians 3:10).<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>On our own there is nothing that we can do but suffer the consequences that we deserve for the sins that we have committed against the Creator of heaven and earth.<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">But that is <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">not <\/b>what God wants for you!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>That is <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">not <\/b>what God wants for me.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>That is <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">not <\/b>what God wants for anyone!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>So what did <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">God<\/b> do?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>In His amazing love He sent Emmanuel into this world!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>In His amazing love He sent His own Son to serve as our Substitute!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>That tiny little Baby whose birth we are preparing to celebrate came into this world as your true Brother to fulfill God\u2019s requirement and live an absolutely perfect life <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">for <\/b>you!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>As the true Son of Man Jesus <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">always <\/b>kept <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">all <\/b>of the Commandments\u2014 in our place!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>And because you and I <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">never <\/b>keep <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">any<\/b> of the Commandments perfectly, our Brother Jesus willingly paid the penalty that we <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">deserved <\/b>to receive (Pointing to the cross) \u2014 and He paid that penalty <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201c<\/i>in full.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>And because our Brother is <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">both <\/b>the true Son of Man <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">and <\/b>the true Son of God, because our Brother <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">is <\/b>Emmanuel His perfect life and His innocent suffering and death are sufficient to count for <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">all<\/b> people of <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">all <\/b>time\u2014 including you and me!<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">And then, my friends, in order to fulfill God\u2019s requirement that you and I be <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201choly,\u201d<\/i> in order to fulfill God\u2019s requirement that you and I be <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cperfect\u201d<\/i> Emmanuel, our Brother Jesus, <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">gives <\/b>us His <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201choliness,\u201d<\/i> He <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">gives <\/b>us His <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cperfection\u201d<\/i> as an absolutely free gift\u2014 purely by grace through faith in what He has done <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">for <\/b>us!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Scripture declares, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cHe was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification\u201d<\/i> (Romans 4:25).<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>And again Scripture says, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cGod made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God\u201d<\/i> (2 Corinthians 5:21).<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">That\u2019s why my heart hurts for the people who do not know the true meaning of Christmas.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>That\u2019s why my heart hurts for the people who attend a church which does not believe what the Scriptures so clearly teach, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cAll this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet, \u2018The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel\u2019\u2014 which means, \u2018God with us.\u2019\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>If Jesus is <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">just <\/b>a man, if Jesus is <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">not<\/b> Emmanuel\u2014 then we are lost!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Then the debt of our sin has <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">not <\/b>been paid!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Then <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">we<\/b> will be required to endure the consequences of what <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">we<\/b> have done\u2014 for all of eternity.<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">What about you?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Does your heart hurt because you know someone who does not know the true meaning of Christmas?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Does your heart hurt because every year someone you love gets so stressed out about all the gifts and all the parties and all the gifts and all the money and all the gifts that they can\u2019t wait for Christmas to simply be over?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>What are you going to do about it?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>How can you help make your heart not hurt?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Once again, the answer is quite simple!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>First, you can set a good example for them.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Let them see and hear the joy of Christmas in your heart and in your life.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Then you can look for ways to share with them why Christmas is so special to you!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Share the true meaning of Christmas with them so that they too can know who Emmanuel is and why He came into this world!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>And never never lose sight of the fact that Christmas is one of the two best opportunities you have to invite someone to come to church with you!<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\"><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cTherefore the Lord himself will give you a sign:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span><\/i>Praise God, my friends, that through faith in what the prophet Isaiah proclaims to us we are able to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Praise God that through faith in the Scriptural truth that the Child of Bethlehem <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">is<\/b> Emmanuel\u2014 <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cGod with us\u201d<\/i>\u2014 that we will be able to celebrate Christmas for all of eternity!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Praise God that hundreds of years ago the mighty deed of God prophesied here in Isaiah 7:14 and fulfilled through the virgin Mary was put into song so that we can sing this beautiful hymn with hearts that are overflowing with joy and confidence!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Praise God that by His power and by His grace we <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">know<\/b>, we <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">believe<\/b>, we <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">trust<\/b> in <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">who <\/b>Emmanuel is and <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">what<\/b> Emmanuel came into this world to do\u2014 <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">for<\/b> us!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>For then, my friends, we will be able to follow the encouragement found in that beautiful hymn:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>\u201cRejoice!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Rejoice!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel!\u201d<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">To God be the glory!<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height:normal\">Amen<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span><\/div>\n<p> <\/font><\/p>\n<div class=\"postie-attachments\">Download sermon audio ::  <a href=\"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/First-Sundy-in-Advent.mp3\">First-Sundy-in-Advent.MP3<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The First Sunday in Advent December 2, 2018 Isaiah 7:14 Oh, Come, Oh, Come, Emmanuel! &nbsp; \u201cTherefore the Lord himself will give you a sign:&nbsp; The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.\u201d&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, &nbsp; Ever since the days of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1081","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermon"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1081","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1081"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1081\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1081"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1081"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1081"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}