Emmanuel

“When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” Acts 4:13 

The disciples were just ordinary people. They became extraordinary because they spent time with God Himself in the flesh. That changed everything about them. Mark 3:14 says that Jesus ordained the twelve and “set them apart to be with Him.” Sometimes we skip over that part. Emmanuel means “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23) If you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus. Jesus said, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father'” (John 14:9) Some people are afraid of God. They don’t understand who He is. They think He is like Zeus, with a lightning bolt held up, ready to strike. Many have a false image of God and believe that He is up in Heaven, just waiting for you to mess up so He can punish you.

But to know God, look at Jesus. The life of Jesus will show you how God thinks, who He is, and how He loves. 

Jesus was not judgmental, vengeful, mean, or angry. He did not avoid sinners and judge them. He stopped and talked to them and had dinner with them.

He hung out with a crooked tax collector and walked twenty-one miles to have a conversation with a woman who had been married five times. He never turned anyone away who asked for His help. He was never too busy to stop and minister to the hurting and destitute. Even on His darkest day on earth, Jesus asked God to forgive His persecutors. As He hung dying on the cross, His last act on earth was to tell a thief who was hanging beside Him that everything would be alright because He would take him to paradise with Him. 

God loves people. It was always His intention for you to dwell with Him forever. He desired this so much, that He sent His son to die for your sins. John 3:16 says it best. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Make the decision to be with God now and forever.

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