God With Us: The Incarnation and Salvation

Devotional

Day 1: God with us: incarnation announces God's presence.

The incarnation is the radical declaration that God came to be with humanity, not as a distant deity but as Emmanuel — God with us. This truth changes how one lives: it offers presence in loneliness, strength in temptation, and hope in grief because God chose to dwell among his people. Let this reality move you from duty to relationship, remembering Christmas is the proof that you matter to him. [21:24]

Matthew 1:23 (ESV)
"Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us).

Reflection: Where in your life do you most feel God is absent, and what one concrete step will you take this week to welcome Emmanuel into that place (a prayer habit, a Scripture reading, a conversation with a believer)?

Day 2: The Word became flesh: Creator lived among us.

The eternal Logos who ordered the universe entered the created order and pitched his tent among people, showing that the Creator did not remain aloof but took on human flesh. This means Jesus is both the full expression of who God is and the one who truly knows human life from the inside. Remembering Jesus as both Creator and present companion reshapes prayer, worship, and trust in everyday trials. [30:43]

John 1:1, 14 (ESV)
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."

Reflection: In what specific situation this week will you lean into Jesus as both Creator and near Presence, and how will that change the words you pray or the way you act in that moment?

Day 3: Jesus became like us to be our priest.

Because the Son took on human nature, he could become a merciful and faithful high priest who stands in the gap for sinners and offers the sacrifice that satisfies sin’s debt. The incarnation makes possible an atoning work that addresses both personal failure and the righteous demands of God. This is not abstract theology but the ground for approaching God with confidence to receive mercy and help. [33:57]

Hebrews 2:17 (ESV)
"Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people."

Reflection: What is one area where you have tried to earn God’s favor yourself; name it, then write down one way you will bring that need to Christ’s priestly work this week (a confession, a prayer, or a request for pastoral counsel).

Day 4: A sympathetic high priest who understands temptation.

Jesus experienced the full force of human temptation and sorrow yet remained without sin, which means he truly sympathizes with every weakness and struggle encountered. His sympathy invites you to bring failures and fears to him without shame, knowing he knows the battle and offers strength. Let this truth turn your fear of rejection into the courage to receive grace and help. [37:10]

Hebrews 4:15 (ESV)
"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin."

Reflection: The next time you face a recurring temptation this week, what specific short prayer or practical action will you use to remember Jesus’ sympathy and resist the temptation (a scripture verse to speak, a partner to call, a route to avoid)?

Day 5: Call on the Lord and receive salvation.

The invitation of the incarnation is ultimately an invitation to be rescued: those who call on the name of the Lord are promised salvation, and the church calls people to respond publicly in faith and obedience. The stories of new believers and baptisms remind that belief leads to life changed and marked by public confession. If you have been delaying obedience, this season is an invitation to step forward and be made new. [48:45]

Romans 10:13 (ESV)
"For 'everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'"

Reflection: If you have not publicly professed faith through baptism, what one practical step will you take this week toward that obedience (meet with a pastor, sign up, tell a trusted friend), and when will you do it?

Sermon Summary

We kicked off Advent by celebrating a beautiful parent dedication and then turned our hearts to the meaning of Christmas: Immanuel—God with us. Matthew 1:23 announces that the virgin will bear a Son, and He will be called “Immanuel,” which means God with us. That is the heart of Christmas. Not nostalgia, not sentiment, but the stunning reality that God the Son, without ceasing to be God, took on flesh and came near. I reminded us that doctrine isn’t dry when it’s lived—this truth changes how we face temptation, pray, grieve, and even face death. In Jesus, God is not distant; He is the God who showed up.

We traced John 1: the eternal Word—the One who ordered the universe and reveals the heart of God—became flesh and “pitched His tent” among us. He is the unique, one-of-a-kind Son, fully God and fully man. We sing it every year: “Veiled in flesh the Godhead see.” Christmas is God’s declaration that you matter. He didn’t shout love from heaven; He came, served, and suffered among us.

From Hebrews 2 and 4, we saw why He had to be made like us: to become a merciful and faithful High Priest who makes propitiation—a sacrifice that satisfies our sin debt and God’s righteous wrath. Jesus saves us from our sin and from the wrath our sin deserves. Because He became human, He knows the pull of temptation, the ache of loneliness, betrayal, grief—and yet He never sinned. This is why failure should draw us to His sympathy, not drive us from His presence.

John also says, “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.” He stayed anyway—on mission. The baby Mary held came to die: those tiny hands would be pierced, that brow would bear thorns. He died a death He did not deserve to pay a debt we could never pay, so we could live. That’s the meaning of Christmas: salvation. I invited anyone who believes Jesus died and rose to call on Him for eternal life—and then to obey Him in baptism. We moved baptisms to the end so anyone ready could respond today. And many did.

Key Takeaways

1. Christmas declares your worth to God. God didn’t send a memo; He came Himself. The incarnation is God’s embodied “I love you,” proven in service, humility, and a cross. Let this silence the lie that you’re unseen or disposable; the manger whispers your value, the cross shouts it. [33:57]
2. God came near in Jesus. The eternal Word did not hover above our story—He entered it. He took on real flesh, pitched His tent with us, and let us behold His glory, full of grace and truth. Nearness is His gift; grace and truth are what His nearness brings. [28:13]
3. He identifies with our weaknesses. Because He became like us in every way, He knows temptation’s pull, grief’s weight, and loneliness’ sting—yet without sin. This means our failures are met by a merciful High Priest, not a scowling judge. Bring Him the real battles; He meets you with real help. [37:10]
4. His cross satisfies wrath and debt. Our sin incurs a debt we cannot repay and a holy wrath we cannot withstand. Jesus is the sacrifice that satisfies both—justice met, mercy unleashed. Trust Him, and live free from condemnation under the shelter of His finished work. [46:11]
5. Welcome Him and walk in obedience. He came to His own and wasn’t received; don’t repeat that story. Open the door in faith—and then take the next step of obedience He puts before you, starting with baptism. Receiving Him is a posture that becomes a pathway. [42:06]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome & Parent Dedication
[06:29] - Greeting and Baptism Plan
[21:24] - Openness to the Supernatural at Christmas
[24:49] - Incarnation: Why It Matters
[28:13] - John 1: The Word Became Flesh
[30:43] - One-of-a-Kind Son, Fully God
[33:57] - Christmas Changes Everything: God Came to Serve
[37:10] - A Merciful High Priest: Propitiation
[39:31] - The King Who Enters Our Mess
[42:06] - He Came to His Own
[44:26] - Born to Die: Perfect Sacrifice
[48:45] - Call to Believe and Be Baptized
[56:11] - Baptism Testimonies Begin
[62:45] - Adult Testimonies: Irene and Courtney
[67:54] - Spontaneous Decisions and Closing Charge

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
- Matthew 1:23 (ESV)
"Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us).

Observation questions (3–4)

Read Matthew 1:23. What does the word "Immanuel" mean in this context, and how does that meaning shape the way the reader pictures God's presence?
The sermon emphasized that "God came to us" and that the Word "became flesh and pitched his tent among us." How does the image of God "pitching his tent" change what you expect from God's involvement in ordinary life? [28:13]
The message said the incarnation is proof that "you matter to God" because God came, served, and suffered among us. Which detail (came, served, or suffered) stands out most to you in Matthew 1:23, and why? [33:57]
The talk noted that "He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him." How does that line make you notice the difference between welcoming and rejecting Jesus in everyday settings? [42:06]

Interpretation questions (3–4)

What does the title "Immanuel" imply about the character of God's plan for redemption—does it point more to intimacy, solidarity, action, or something else?
How does the claim that the Word "became flesh" inform the understanding of Jesus as both fully divine and fully human? What theological difficulties does this raise, and how might they be resolved scripturally? [30:43]
In light of Hebrews 2:17–18 and Hebrews 4:15 (ideas referred to in the message), how does Jesus' full participation in human experience enable him to be a "merciful and faithful high priest"? [37:10]
If “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him,” what factors might explain why people reject a Savior who is present among them? How does that observation affect the way a community speaks about and shows Jesus? [42:06]

Application questions (4–7)

The incarnation declares that you matter to God. In what specific area of life do you still feel unseen or disposable, and what is one practical step you can take this week to receive the truth that God came for you? [33:57]
Jesus "came near"—He entered our story in flesh. What habits or practices will you adopt to notice and welcome God’s nearness in everyday routines (work, family, commute) this week? Be specific. [28:13]
Because Jesus identifies with our weaknesses, failures should move us toward his sympathy rather than shame. Think of a recent failure or temptation: how can you bring that particular struggle to Jesus this week in a concrete way? Who can you ask to help you stay accountable? [37:10]
The cross is described as satisfying both sin’s debt and God’s righteous wrath. What specific belief or fear about condemnation do you need to relinquish today? What practical spiritual discipline (scripture, confession, counsel) will you use to rest in the finished work of Christ? [46:11]
Jesus "stayed anyway" on mission even when rejected. Identify one person, neighbor, or place where you can "stay" or serve this week—doing an ordinary act of service or showing hospitality that illustrates God's presence. What will you do and when? [33:57]
Receiving Christ should lead to obedience (the next step often being baptism). If you have not publicly obeyed Christ in believer's baptism, what is keeping you from that step? If you are ready, what practical plan will you make this week to follow through? [48:45]

(Use the Bible reading as the starting point for your time together. Let the questions guide honest, humble sharing and concrete next steps.)

Sermon Clips

and tells her that she's going to have this child and then an angel appears to joseph and explains to him what's going on so that he'll marry mary and uh angels appear to shepherds and a mysterious star that moves appears to the wise men and guides them eventually to bethlehem where they meet the the youngboy jesus after a couple of years and angels and miracles just seem to abound in the christmas story [00:22:46] (27 seconds) #ChristmasMiracles

the incarnation um is what christmas is really all about the incarnation is the doctrine that god the son without ceasing to be god took on human flesh and became fully human you see at christmas time what we celebrate is that god himself clothed himself inhuman flesh came and lived among us that's really what the christmas story is all about [00:23:49] (37 seconds) #GodBecameHuman

i used a word that some of you immediately push back on well this is going to be like dry and boring because i use that word it's the doctrine doctrine isn't just something for some dustytextbook or some stale seminary classroom doctrine becomes practical when we implement it into our lives and let me just tell you this the doctrine of the incarnation that god became a man if you fully understand it and embrace it it will change everything about the way you live [00:24:38] (30 seconds) #DoctrineThatTransforms

doctrine isn't just something for some dustytextbook or some stale seminary classroom doctrine becomes practical when we implement it into our lives and let me just tell you this the doctrine of the incarnation that god became a man if you fully understand it and embrace it it will change everything about the way you live it will change the way that you face temptation it will change your prayer life [00:24:46] (27 seconds) #IncarnationChangesLife

if you fully embrace that god became a man it will it will help you in times of loneliness and fear and even dealing with grief and facing death itselfto know that god became a man and that in the in the person of jesus christ he experienced every every temptation and every struggle and every sorrow that we experience he is not just some distant deity like other religions worship he is the god who showed up [00:25:13] (33 seconds) #GodShowedUp

this morning i want us to really explore that matthew's gospel opens with joseph's point of view the the angel appears to mary says you're going to have achild the child the child and you will be conceived of the holy spirit and uh you know you're going to have the son of god who's going to who's going to be the savior of the world and so mary without having relations with her with her husband to be joseph is pregnant and he she goes and honestly tells joseph what's going on [00:25:46] (33 seconds) #JosephsPerspective

matthew wanted us to understand it just in plain english that that word means god with us god in our very presence and so this morning i want to explain why that means something why it means something to me and to you and why it should mean something to you every single christmasso let's talk about the incarnation for a few minutes first of all the incarnation means god came to us it means that god came to us [00:27:53] (29 seconds) #GodWithUs

there are some other groups that believe jesus was created biblical christians believe that jesus isthe unique one of a kind son of god but he is also god the son that's what biblical christians believe and we believe the bible teaches that he came that he came in human flesh that he came in as a human being fully human and yet fully divine fully god you say i don't know that seems really complicated yeah but you've sung it every year of your life every christmas [00:31:35] (42 seconds) #FullyGodFullyMan

now i'm not going to tell you that every christmas carol is but but that one is just really solid and it tells ussomething that god sent his son to live among us to be one of us and what that proves to you and to me is christmas is god's declaration that you matter to him you matter deeply to him he didn't shout his love from heaven he didn't send just angelic messengers he sent his son to live among us you are not abandoned by some distant deity [00:32:45] (35 seconds) #YouMatterToGod

in a television interview one of the nurses says that changed everything that day when the ceo lowered himself and humbled himself and came and served among us let me tell you something christmas changeseverything because the god of the universe humbled himself and took on human flesh and took the form of a servant and lived among us christmas is the proof that god loves you because he came to us [00:34:15] (30 seconds) #HumbledToServe

there's another big word what does that mean that's what that is a word that like you probably don't ever use in in conversation what does it mean propitiation well the word propitiation simply means the sacrifice that satisfies some of your translations if you're you're reading from a different translation it might say to to be an atoning sacrifice the wordpropitiation means the status the the sacrifice that satisfies our sin debt [00:36:21] (29 seconds) #SacrificeThatSatisfies

not only that he is the sacrifice that satisfies not only our sin debt but the wrath of godjesus saves us from our sin but jesus also saves us from the wrath of god you see god is a god of love but he is a god of perfect righteousness and there is a wrath against those who would rebel against him and only by turning to jesus can he make propitiation or atone for or satisfy the wrath of god for our sins [00:37:10] (33 seconds) #SatisfyingSacrifice

but he experienced every form of temptation yet without sin see as a man because he is fully human he experienced the full force of temptation the power of its tug on our souls as a human he experienced every force of temptation but because he is god and god cannot sin he never sinned jesus knows exactly what you're struggling with he knowsexactly what you're going through and he loves you so so very much [00:38:58] (38 seconds) #HeUnderstandsYou

it was the king who got out of his car and pushed him out of the mess we're in a mess in case you hadn't figured that out but our king doesn't just say hey get out ofcar and go help that guy no our king gets out and joins us in our mess that's what he doesbecause he loves you and he wants to rescue you from your sin and your self-destruction and yes from the wrath of god itself [00:40:21] (36 seconds) #KingInTheMess

some of you feel like you've been betrayed by someone jesus was betrayed by one of his closest friends so some of you feel like people have lied about you and said horrible things about you they said that about jesus some of you are walking through a season of grief jesus wept some of you are dealingwith all kinds of struggles and and i want you to understand that jesus knows he cares and he fully understands that's the kind of savior i'm calling on you to embrace not just a demanding masterbut a loving friend and savior [00:41:26] (43 seconds) #FriendAndSavior

so what do you do when you're in a place and you don't feel welcome you leave so that's what we do we just excused ourselves politely i don't really think anybody missed us the party went on without us jesus showed upand his own did not welcome him so you know what he did he stayed anyway he stayedbecause he came on a mission [00:43:51] (36 seconds) #StayedOnMission

that bob mccartney will never get to heaven if i don't accomplish my mission and by the way you can insert your name in that sentence unless i complete my mission jesus was saying they'll never get therebecause they can't measure up all of their best righteousness is just a pile of filthy ragsnothing they can do can measure up and satisfy the righteous demands of the lawbecause it requires a perfect sacrifice [00:44:32] (44 seconds) #NoWorksJustGrace

all the sacrifices that have been made in the old testament all the blood of bulls and goats and sheep and lambs all they did was put off the inevitable that there had to be a perfect sacrifice made and that perfect sacrifice was the baby that was born on christmas [00:45:17] (24 seconds) #SacrificeFulfilled

so thismorning i just want to challenge you if you've been going through the motions of religionor maybe if you showed up here today and somebody just invited youthat i want to i want to really challenge you this morning to ask yourself a question have i truly given my life to jesus christ have i have i have i really believed and that is the requirement by the way it's belief have i really believed that jesus came and died on a cross for me do i really believe that he was raised from the dead [00:47:24] (44 seconds) #HaveYouBelieved

but secondly we've got i think we have eight people who are set to be baptized they've they've already received christ as savior and lord but if you've never been baptized like jesus has baptized i got water i got shorts and i got t-shirts and you can be baptized today now therequirement is that you believe we're not just going to dunk you to get wet [00:48:57] (24 seconds) #ReadyToBeBaptized

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God With Us: The Incarnation and Salvation

Devotional

Day 1: God with us: incarnation announces God's presence.

Day 2: The Word became flesh: Creator lived among us.

Day 3: Jesus became like us to be our priest.

Day 4: A sympathetic high priest who understands temptation.

Day 5: Call on the Lord and receive salvation.

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

God With Us: The Incarnation and Salvation

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