Emmanuel, God with us! (3rd Advent)

Devotional

Day 1: Created for Presence: God’s Desire to Be With Us

From the first pages of Scripture, God reveals a heart that longs to be with people. He formed humanity in His image, not as distant subjects but as beloved companions. Even when fear and shame entered the story, His pursuit did not stop. He delights in walking with people, as seen in those who simply chose to trust Him. Today, you can step out of hiding and into His nearness again. His presence is not a prize to earn but a gift to receive, offered to you right now [05:43].

Genesis 1:26–27: God said, “Let us fashion human beings to resemble our character so they can reflect our care over creation.” So God created humanity to carry His likeness; He formed them as male and female.

Reflection: Where do you notice fear causing you to hide from God, and what is one simple way you could meet Him for a few quiet minutes today?

Day 2: From Tent to Temple to Immanuel

God’s story moves toward closeness: a tent in the wilderness, a temple in Jerusalem, and ultimately a Person who comes near. He promised to dwell among His people and not abandon them, even when they wandered or were carried into exile. Through every rise and fall, His plan of presence remained steady. The promise of Immanuel—God with us—brings that desire to its fullest expression. He has not forgotten you; He moves toward you with faithful love. Open your heart to the One who makes His home with you [08:58].

Isaiah 7:14: Watch closely—the virgin will conceive and bear a son, and he will be called Immanuel, meaning that God has come near to live with us.

Reflection: What is one place in your weekly routine where you could intentionally remember “God is with me” and let that awareness shape your decisions?

Day 3: Jesus Steps Into Your Boat and Calls

Jesus loves to step into ordinary spaces and turn them into meeting places. He climbed into Peter’s boat, asked for a small act of trust, and then filled empty nets with more than enough. In that holy moment, Peter saw both his unworthiness and Jesus’ gracious invitation. The call was simple and life-altering: “Follow Me.” Jesus still steps into our everyday, asking for one concrete yes and offering a new purpose. Say yes where He is nudging you to push out into deeper water [17:53].

Luke 5:4–11: When Jesus finished teaching, He told Simon to head into deeper water and lower the nets. Though Simon had caught nothing all night, he obeyed and the nets overflowed. Overwhelmed, Simon confessed his unworthiness, but Jesus reassured him and redirected his life: “Do not fear; from now on you’ll gather people.” They brought the boats to shore, left everything, and followed Him.

Reflection: What step of obedience feels illogical or inconvenient right now, and how could you take that step this week as an act of trust?

Day 4: He Touches the Outcast and Lifts the Broken

Jesus does not shrink back from the untouchable; He draws near. A man with leprosy knelt before Him, and Jesus reached out, touched him, and restored him. In a crowded house, friends lowered a paralyzed man through the roof, and Jesus first healed his heart by forgiving his sins, then healed his body. He sees the one in the margins, and He honors even imperfect, persistent faith. When you feel unclean or unable to move, His compassion moves toward you. Bring your need to Him and let His touch redefine your story [19:54].

Luke 5:12–26: A man covered with leprosy pleaded, “If You’re willing, You can make me clean,” and Jesus touched him, saying He was willing—and the disease left immediately. Later, friends lowered a paralyzed man through a roof; seeing their faith, Jesus forgave the man’s sins and then told him to stand, pick up his mat, and go home. He rose in full view of all, and the people marveled and praised God.

Reflection: Who is one person on the margins you could honor this week with a healing presence—through a visit, a meal, or a sincere word of encouragement?

Day 5: Always With You: Presence in Pain and Waiting

Jesus’ final promise is not that life will be easy, but that He will never leave. He is with you in doubts, in grief, and in financial pressure; His companionship does not flicker with your circumstances. Right now, you are living in the “always” He promised. Let His nearness steady your breathing and soften your pace. Whisper your worry to Him and listen for His steadying love. He is here, and He is not going anywhere [23:43].

Matthew 28:20: Teach others to live out everything I taught you, and remember this unshakable truth—I am with you every day, right up to the end of the age.

Reflection: Which specific burden are you carrying today, and what is one small way you can invite Jesus into it—through prayer, a conversation, or a practical next step?

Sermon Summary

Growing up, we knew Christmas was close when the tree went up. That childhood longing points to a deeper truth: from the very beginning, God has longed to be with His people. In Eden, He walked with Adam and Eve, creating us in His image to enjoy relationship. Sin introduced fear and hiding, but it never canceled God’s desire. Enoch walked with God. God chose Abraham and formed a people. He gave instructions for a tabernacle and then a temple—signs of His intent to dwell in the midst of Israel. Even in exile, He spoke hope through Jeremiah: seek Me with all your heart, and you will find Me. For four hundred years, silence. Then heaven broke in—an angel to Zechariah, a promise to Mary, and a name: Immanuel—God with us.

This is the heart behind Christmas: God came near. Jesus embodies God’s nearness not just in theory, but personally. In Luke 5, He steps into Peter’s boat and turns a fruitless night into overflowing nets—not to dazzle a crowd, but to draw one man. He reaches out to a leper no one would touch and restores him. He looks past a packed room and lifts a paralyzed man through forgiveness and healing. He calls Levi, the tax collector everyone despised. Over and over, Jesus shows that God with us means God with you—the individual, the overlooked, the untouchable, the ashamed.

And He hasn’t changed. “I am with you always,” He said—and we live in that “always” right now. If you’re facing doubts, grief, or financial strain, you don’t walk it alone. His presence does not always remove the storm, but it changes what the storm can do to your heart. The story of Scripture—from the garden to the manger to the empty tomb—says the same thing in a thousand ways: God wants to be with you. Let that truth move from your mind to your bones. Let it quiet your fear. Let it draw you out of hiding. And today, right where you are, let it become your hope.

Key Takeaways

1. God’s deepest desire is nearness to us. God is not building a program; He is pursuing a people. From Eden to Emmanuel, the thread is the same: He wants to dwell with us, not at a distance but at hand. Christmas is not a sentimental season; it is the startling announcement that God crossed the gap Himself. Our response is not performance but presence—seeking Him with the whole heart. [14:48]
2. Fear distorts relationship; God invites trust. In the garden, fear sent us into hiding and made us mistrust the One who made us. Fear shrinks our capacity to receive love and to give it. God’s answer is not intimidation but invitation—He comes close, speaks peace, and restores courage. Confession and honesty become the doorway out of fear and back into relationship. [05:43]
3. God’s presence weaves through imperfect history. Tabernacle, temple, exile, and return—none of it was tidy, yet God stayed faithful to His promise to dwell among His people. Even a second temple lacking former glory did not limit His nearness. Our circumstances don’t have to be impressive for God to be present; covenant faithfulness, not our polish, holds the relationship. Hope grows when we remember the long story of His staying. [08:58]
4. Jesus seeks the one amid the crowd. Peter, the leper, the paralyzed man, Levi—Jesus moves toward individuals with precise compassion. He does not measure worth by platform or popularity, but by personhood. Being known by Him is what changes a life, not being noticed by many. Following Him means learning to see and step toward the one in front of us. [17:53]
5. He is with you in the “always.” “I am with you always” is not a slogan; it is a covenant presence that steadies us in pain, doubt, and scarcity. His nearness may not remove the weight, but it changes how we carry it. Attend to His presence—pray honestly, open Scripture, and invite Him into the exact place that hurts. The “always” includes this very moment. [22:47]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:40] - Childhood longing and Christmas tree
[02:10] - Advent focus: What to name the baby
[03:25] - From creation: God wants to be with us
[05:43] - Fear enters the garden
[07:20] - Abraham to Israel: forming a people
[08:58] - Tabernacle, temple, and God’s promise
[10:35] - Exile and hope in Jeremiah
[11:58] - Breaking the silence: angel to Zechariah
[12:45] - Mary and the promise of Immanuel
[14:48] - God’s deepest desire: with us
[16:20] - Luke 5: Jesus and Peter’s boat
[17:53] - Touching the leper; healing the paralyzed
[19:54] - Calling Levi, the hated tax collector
[22:47] - With us always: comfort for today
[23:43] - Closing prayer and sending

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
- Luke 5:1-32

Observation questions

In Luke 5:1-11, what problem did Peter face, what command did Jesus give, and what was the result?
In Luke 5:12-16, what does Jesus do before healing the leper, and why is that surprising in that culture?
In Luke 5:17-26, what is the first thing Jesus says to the paralyzed man, and how do the religious leaders respond?
Across these scenes, who gets Jesus’ main attention—the crowd or “the one” in front of Him? ([17:53])

Interpretation questions

Jesus stepped into Peter’s empty boat after a fruitless night. What does that say about how God comes near in places of disappointment and failure? ([14:48])
Jesus chose to touch the leper rather than heal from a distance. What does that action teach about God’s heart toward shame and those kept at arm’s length? ([17:53])
Jesus forgave the paralyzed man before healing his body. What does that order reveal about the deepest need under visible pain? ([19:54])
“I am with you always” speaks to ongoing presence, not instant fixes. How should that promise shape the way a person carries pain, doubt, or financial strain? ([22:47])

Application questions

Where has fear made you hide—from God or from people? What is one honest prayer or confession you can bring to God this week to step out of hiding? ([05:43])
Name a place you feel like Peter—tired and coming up empty. What is one “at Your word” step you will take there this week, even if it doesn’t make sense? When will you do it? ([14:48])
Who is the “leper” or the “Levi” in your world—the overlooked, the avoided, or the ashamed? What specific touch, word, meal, or invitation will you offer in the next seven days? ([17:53])
If Jesus is with you in the “always,” what storm, grief, or worry will you invite Him into today? How will you do that practically (a simple prayer, a Scripture you’ll read, a conversation you’ll have)? ([22:47])
Who is someone you could help “lower through the roof” to Jesus this week—a friend who needs prayer or practical help? What is one concrete way you will carry them? ([19:54])
When you feel small or unseen, what helps you remember that being known by Jesus matters more than being noticed by many? What practice will you start (or restart) to keep that truth close? ([17:53])
God’s presence weaves through imperfect stories—tabernacle, temple, exile, return. What rhythm will help you remember His long faithfulness this week (journaling, sharing a testimony, a daily thanksgiving)? ([08:58])

Sermon Clips

and though they ended up in egypt as slaves god's desire still was all the way from walking with adam andeve in the garden his desire was to be present with his people even in slavery to be in relationship when he brought them out of egypt he gave them detailed instruction instructions for a tabernacle a place where god would dwell in their midst he wanted to be with them [00:08:24] (34 seconds) #GodDwellsWithUs

``jesus is here for you individually for you very specificallywhatever situation you're in whatever place you find yourself jesus is here he camefor the individual we are in that always right now he is with you always we are in that always right now god came to be with us until the end of the age that's amazing to me [00:21:51] (47 seconds) #JesusWithYouAlways

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Emmanuel, God with us! (3rd Advent) - Pastor Dave Klassen