It’s a joy to be with all of you this weekend at Gateway Church. And one thing I want you to know is that God loves you and I love you too.
This Advent season we’ve been spending time in the Old Testament book of Isaiah which has some great passages that remind us of what the season of Christmas is all about. And the word I used earlier — Advent — means that this is a season of longing — a season of anticipation — a season full of expectation as we wait for the coming of our Savior. So — yes — at Christmas we celebrate Jesus’ first coming — his birth as a child — being laid in a manger — and all of the Christmas story details that we love — but we’re also to be reminded about how we’re to long for his second coming — his return to earth.
Thus the title for our Christmas series — come. Where we’re anticipating the coming return of our Savior. And each week — in this series — we’re looking at some of the different ways Isaiah speaks of the coming of our Savior. And today, we’re going to see that our coming Savior has a name — Immanuel — which means God with us.
Immanuel — God with us — what’s the significance of this name? Well one reason why this name is important is because we’re all lonely. A few weeks ago, my wife and I were talking and — in the midst of our conversation — I said, “To be human is to be lonely.” You see, there’s this phenomenon going on — even with social media and smartphones and all of the ways we’re supposedly connected to one another — that — in spite of all of these ways to connect — we find ourselves lonelier than ever.
Think about all of the conversations that you have with you in your head that no one else knows about. Your worries, fears, hopes, and dreams — things that anger you — things that depress you, embarass you, or even encourage you — all of these thoughts and conversations that only you’re aware of. It doesn’t matter if you’re married, have thousands of followers on social media, or are in a Life Group — there’s a barrier — a wall — something like a forcefield around each of us — and it’s called loneliness. My wife — by the way — is encouraging me to write a book on loneliness — including my experience with loneliness — and she thinks “to be human is to be lonely” should be the opening line. Well we’ll see about that.
Loneliness has been described as an “acid that eats away at you.” And whether you’re willing to admit it or not — loneliness is a familiar companion in your life.
A study published by the global health service company Cigna found that 46% of U.S. adults report sometimes or always feeling lonely. And 47% of adults report feeling “left out.” I guess feeling “left out” isn’t just for the kid who doesn’t get picked at recess — we don’t seem to ever grow out of this feeling of being “left out.” The study calls these percentages “epidemic levels” — meaning — we have a loneliness problem of epidemic proportions in our country.
Additionally, only around half of Americans say they have meaningful, in-person social interactions on a daily basis — such as having an extended conversation with friends or family. Let me say that again — only half of us feel connected to another human being in a meaningful way on a daily basis. And Generation Z — those under the age of 22 — are the loneliest generation — Millennials come in a close second. So if you’re looking for a New Year’s resolution, maybe befriending some of our younger folks should be at the top of your list. I’ve found that they’re eager for relationships — all it takes is your availability.
So how do we deal with our loneliness? Well one strategy — that many of us use — is to find things that provide temporary relief from our loneliness — especially during the Christmas season — which is one of the loneliest times of the year for many. In previous weeks, I’ve mentioned that I love the generosity we see during the holidays — but there’s a line that often gets crossed — where the things we buy are simply an effort to give us some relief from our loneliness. We’re told that a new car, or watch, or computer, or TV, or phone — you name it — we’re told that this thing is going to fill the void we have of being lonely.
And the companies — selling us all of this stuff — are pretty intuitive — they’ve got a good read on our loneliness epidemic. They know that the holidays are a time when we especially feel the weight of our loneliness. But — and we all know this even though we keep falling for the lie over and over again — we all know that the stuff we buy is insufficient in countering our loneliness. Because the root of our loneliness isn’t a lack of something material — the root of our loneliness is spiritual. And spiritual needs can’t be satisfied with material things. And when we try to fix our loneliness with material things — well it’s kind of like putting on a bandaid to fix a broken bone — it just won’t work. Bandaids cover surface level wounds, but they can’t deal with deeper level issues like broken bones. Similarly, material things can’t get to the deeper areas of our lives where our loneliness ultimately comes from.
Thus the reason why Immanuel — God having come to be present with us is so important. God himself — in Jesus Christ — because of his love for us — has come to live among us. God has come to be with us — and he’s promised that he will come again. And when he returns, we’ll experience God’s presence in our lives in a way that’s unimaginable. For — in Jesus — we find the answer to our loneliness.
So let’s turn to our passage and discover what it means to be so loved by God that he’s come to be present with us — always — what does it mean that Jesus is the answer to our loneliness epidemic?
If you have your Bible please turn with me to Isaiah chapter 7. We’ll be looking at verses 10-16. Isaiah chapter 7. Beginning in verse 10.
“Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: 11 "Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven." 12 But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test." 13 And he said, "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 15 He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. 16 For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted.” (Isaiah 7:10-16 ESV)
OK. So we’re going to find the cure to our loneliness through a sign, a son, and the God who is with us. A sign, a son, and the God who is with us. Let’s begin by looking at the sign. Back to verse 10.
“Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: 11 "Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven." 12 But Ahaz said, "I will not ask,and I will not put the Lord to the test." 13 And he said, "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also?” (Isaiah 7:10-13 ESV)
OK. So we need some background on the political conflict going on so we understand our text. At the beginning of our chapter — chapter 7 — we read about a war that’s going on. And in this war, the nation of Israel has teamed up with the nation of Syria to attack Judah.
“Wait what? Aren’t the Israelites and the folks in Judah related?” Yup. “Well that’s messed up.” Yup again.
So please don’t think that God only wants people who’ve cleaned up their act — gotten their life together — that those are the only kinds of people God uses. The Bible tells story after story of messed up folks that God loves anyway and transforms them into — well — “a little less messed up but still pretty messed up” kinds of people. So you’re a perfect candidate to be used by God if you’re all messed up.
Now — based on information we find in the book of 2 Kings — it appears that this conflict began during the reign of Jotham who was Ahaz’s father — Ahaz is the king of Judah who’s being addressed in our text. And Ahaz became king at a fairly young age — he was twenty years old when he was crowned king of Judah. And he continued the policies that his father had put in place — policies of non-cooperation with Syria and Israel — so Ahaz inherits a political conflict and this political conflict has now turned into a military conflict.
Now the goal of Syria and Israel is to get Ahaz replaced as the king of Judah — they want a king who will cooperate with them. So in the verses — just prior to ours — we get an overview of what was happening in the months leading up to our verses.
And I’m going to boil it all down for you: Judah got attacked. But Syria and Israel couldn’t conquer the city of Jerusalem.
And it’s in the midst of this situation — when the city is being attacked and king Ahaz has no idea if Jerusalem is going to fall into the hands of the nations of Syria and Israel — into the hands of those who want him out as king. It’s in this moment — a time that — as you can imagine — was one of extreme loneliness for the king. Everyone in Jerusalem is looking to him for leadership and direction — no one’s coming to his aid against these attacks — and it’s in this moment of loneliness that God stoops down to this man of feeble and weak faith and offers him a sign — a signal of God’s faithfulness and presence to him and to his people. It’s in this moment of loneliness that God comes to be present with Ahaz.
And — through the prophet Isaiah — God tells Ahaz to “ask for any sign — make it as big and as extravagant as you want it to be — ask me to give you a sign proving my faithfulness to you — a sign that shows I am present with you.” And in verse 11 — because I don’t want you to miss this — in verse 11 Isaiah says, “Ask the Lord your God” for a sign. “Ahaz ask your God for a sign.” But Ahaz refuses.
Oh he sounds noble, “God I don’t want to put you to the test” — but that’s the wrong answer when God tells you to test him. Ahaz shows his lack of faith and trust in God’s presence in his life. And we know that his reply upsets God because of how God responds to him. “Is it not enough for you to exhaust the patience of your people — you’ve got to exhaust my patience as well?” Or as one translation says, “It’s bad enough that you make people tired with your pious, timid hypocrisies, but now you’re making God tired.”
Ahaz was offered a blank check by God — “ask me for any sign to prove my presence in your life — my presence in this situation” — and the king refused. And from “ask your God for a sign” — in verse 11 — Isaiah now says, “you weary my God.” A not so subtle shift in the language — showing us who trusts in God and who doesn’t — who has faith in God’s presence and who doesn’t.
Now one of the reasons why I experience loneliness — and maybe you can relate to this — but I know that if I’m honest — one of the reasons I feel lonely — feel like no one knows me — is because I choose to be lonely. Like Ahaz not trusting God — often I choose not to trust others — and sometimes — it can even be hard to trust God. So if I can be transparent with you — here’s a way that I struggle to trust in God’s presence in my life.
When it comes to what I do — being a pastor — being a preacher — I don’t think I’m all that great at what I do. You know the scenario where there’s a bunch of people in a line and a volunteer is asked for — and everyone but one chump steps backwards — leaving the one guy standing all by himself who “volunteers.” Guess who I am?
And I honestly think there’s a long line of pastors who are way better than me and I know they’d love to have the opportunity — that I have — in pastoring a church like Gateway — you’re a fantastic church. But here’s the tension that I’ve been wrestling with — and I think it relates to Ahaz’s story and responding to God’s presence in my life. Though I feel like an average preacher — at best — remember I’m the guy who didn’t get the memo to take a step backwards — I’m coming to terms with the fact that God — in being present with me — does something through my preaching that’s beyond me.
Now please know that I’m not bragging — in fact — this has nothing to do with me — which is why this is a struggle for me. But I’m becoming more aware of — not comfortable with — but aware — that God’s chosen to use me in a way that’s beyond my averageness as a preacher. Now he uses some pastors in a much bigger way than me — but I’m realizing that even though I feel like an average guy who really has no idea what he’s doing — I’m becoming aware that I don’t want to refuse God’s — call it anointing — call it gifting — call it talent — call it his presence in my life — honestly — call it whatever you want — but I don’t want to downplay what God does through me because I don’t want to exhaust him by rejecting his presence in my life like Ahaz did.
Now I say all of that because maybe you can relate. Maybe you find yourself in a position or having some kind of influence or people tell you that you’re really talented in an area and you think you’re pretty average — well I just want to encourage you to think about what it might mean if you refuse to accept the gift or opportunity that God’s given you? I’m not talking about pride here — I’m talking about humbling being who God has created you to be. Where — God’s presence with you — gives you the courage to say “Thy will be done” — even when it means being used by God in a way that may make you uncomfortable. But in our discomfort — and what makes each of us uncomfortable is very different — but my hope is that in our discomfort — we’ll all grow in our trust in God’s presence in our lives.
So that’s God's presence — but what about people? It’s so easy — isn’t it — to blame others as the reason for our loneliness — when we never give them a chance to prove themselves.
I was talking to someone a few weeks ago about this and how — when I have a bunch of nights in a row with activities — even church activities — sometimes especially church activities — I can get all selfish and wonder “when am I going to get some ‘me time’?” And my selfishness can make it where I can be around others — all week long — and yet be lonely and blame them for my loneliness. And I was bringing up the fact of how terrible of an excuse other people are for me — both feeling lonely — and not having “me time.” Jesus was constantly interrupted by people and he needed time away from others to be with God — to rejuvenate — to be reenergized. And do you know what he did? He did his alone time during inconvenient times. He got up early in the morning — when no one else was up — for his “me time” — for his time with God. Making himself available for the presence of others during the day.
The other thing — some of us may do — is just isolate ourselves from everyone — thinking that being alone won’t affect us. Some of us may even think that being alone is the ultimate freedom — because — no more stupid people! This is what Kevin thought in Home Alone, right? His family was a pain — especially his older brother Buzz. But once he’d been alone for awhile, Kevin started longing for the presence of his family. There’s even a moment — in the movie — when he prays for his family to return. Being alone won’t solve your loneliness problem either.
So back to our story. Ahaz refused to listen to God. God told him to ask for a sign — and Ahaz refused to do so. And at what happens next.
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. (“Ahaz, you didn’t ask — but I’m gonna give you a sign anyway.”) Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 15 He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. 16 For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted.” (Isaiah 7:14-16 ESV)
So the sign is a son. A promise. A virgin will give birth to a son and his name will be Immanuel. But — if you notice — and if you don’t jump to the Christmas story too quickly — you’ll notice that this sign — the promise of a son — will have two fulfillments. What do I mean?
Well this sign — this promise from God that proves he has come to be present with his people who are in a lonely situation — enemies are all around — their city is being attacked — in the midst of this scenario God promises Ahaz that not only will a son be born but — in verse 16 — before he’s old enough to choose between right and wrong the nations attacking you will be deserted. “Huh? I thought this sign was all about Jesus” — we’ll get to him in a moment — but it’s important to know that there was an immediate fulfillment of this sign in Ahaz’s time.
“Well now you’re really confusing me. Are you telling me that this sign — of a child being born to a virgin — happened twice?”
Yes and no. Two sons were born — one to a virgin — the Son we celebrate at Christmas. But another son was born — hundreds of years before our Christmas morning baby. And though we have no other information about the first son to be born — some scholars think King Hezekiah may be the child, some believe Isaiah’s own son is the child, others think an unnamed prophet might be the child — but even though we’re not sure who the child is — we can tell — from Isaiah’s prophecy — that this child was going to be born relatively soon. Because we know that the nations attacking Jerusalem will be deserted while the child is still very young.
“But — Josh — what about the whole virgin birth thing?” Well — as you may have heard — the Hebrew word — that we translate as virgin — can also mean young woman. So it’s easy to imagine a young woman having a son who fulfills this prophecy in the short term — meanwhile — God had a bigger plan for this promise than anyone saw coming in Isaiah’s day. That — as Matthew records — which we’ll look at in a moment — that Isaiah’s prophecy was ultimately fulfilled when not only a young woman — but miraculously — a young virgin — gives birth to a Son who is given the name Immanuel.
And though Ahaz refused to ask for a sign — God gives him one — a sign that a son will be born — whose name we find in verse 14. “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14 ESV)
Now why is the name Immanuel so important? It’s because of what the name means and who the name is given to. So let’s go to the New Testament — to Mathew’s gospel — to see both the significance of what the name means and who the name is given to — and how this all comes together in the Christmas story. Matthew chapter 1 — beginning in verse 18.
“Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.” (Matthew 1:18-25 ESV)
Jesus is Immanuel — God with us. Or as the angel said to Mary, “"Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!"” (Luke 1:28b ESV)
In his first coming, Jesus was given the name Immanuel — God with us. And his name — Immanuel — shows us his faithfulness to us. Where Jesus’ commitment to his presence in our lives is summed up in his promise to never leave nor forsake those who put their faith and hope in him — because — he is Immanuel — God with us. Jesus came the first time — and has promised to come again — so that his people will be lonely no more — because God is with them.
And maybe this is why you’re here. As I said earlier, many of us regularly feel left out — and I’m not just talking to our students who still experience not getting picked for the team at recess — which is a very real kind of hurt and pain. We adults get left out at work. Left out of family events. Even left out of things at church. And you just want to be included — to be part of something — to get an invitation. I’d like to encourage you to look to Jesus’ invitation to you. Jesus is asking you to allow him to be present in your life. He’s inviting you to be part of his team, his family, his church. Jesus wants you to know what belonging really feels like —what it means to belong to him — to be known by him — to turn to him in faith — knowing he will never turn you away.
Or maybe your feeling of being left out — your loneliness — has led to depression. To feeling hopeless. To feeling that your loneliness will never come to an end — that you’ll never be known or belong somewhere. Now I’m not a medical doctor or psychologist — but in times past — pastors were called doctors of souls — so let me give you some soul advice. Take some time to meditate on Jesus’ promise to never leave you nor forsake you. Think deeply about his promise to be with you for all eternity. Think about how often he seeks out those who were alone or helpless — like the Samaritan woman at the well — or the disciples when they were caught in a terrible storm while in a boat on the sea. Read the stories in the gospels where Jesus seeks out the lost and lonely. Where he seeks out those who are afraid and depressed and hopeless. Where Jesus moves towards those who are lonely and in need of his presence. And as you read, ask Jesus to show you his presence in your life. Ask him to remind you of ways in which he is present with you. For he still has the name Immanuel — he is God with us — he is God with you.
Mother Teresa said, “The most terrible poverty is loneliness, and the feeling of being unloved.”
This Christmas, my hope for you is that you will experience the riches of being loved by God — for he loves you. And that you will know his presence in your life. His presence through Immanuel — through Jesus who has come — and who is coming again. Let’s pray.
Father, Son, and Spirit, we thank you for your presence in our lives. Father, thank you for your eternal love for us. Thank you for calling us your children. For choosing us to be your beloved sons and daughters before the world was created.
Jesus, thank you for coming to be born into our world — to be present in our lives — to be Immanuel — God with us. Help us to see your presence in our lives when we’re lonely, depressed, wanting to belong — help us to know that you are always near to us.
And Holy Spirit, you are our comforter, guide, helper, and teacher. May we remember your presence with us as we navigate the rough waters of life. When the storm rages around. When the first Christmas without our loved one approaches. May your presence give us joy unimaginable and reasons to praise the God who is with us. And we pray all of these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.
May you go soaking in the riches that are yours because Jesus — Immanuel — the God who loves you — is present with you. Amen.
God loves you. I love you. You are sent.
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