Sunday, November 30, 2025, Cole Tuck reminded us that “Immanuel” is far more than a pretty Christmas word; it is God’s unbreakable promise that He is with His people in every fearful moment. From the terrified king Ahaz in Isaiah 7 to a bewildered Joseph in Matthew 1, and now to us today, the name Immanuel declares: “You do not have to be afraid; God Himself is here.” Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of that ancient promise: the God who moved into our neighborhood, faced our struggles, defeated our greatest enemies (sin and death), and still walks with us through every trial. This Christmas season, and every day of the year, Immanuel means we can face finances, illness, uncertainty, and even death with unshakable courage, because the God who once lay in a manger now lives in us.
Talking Points
- Names in the Bible usually mean something—unlike most modern names that just “sound nice.”
- The first “Immanuel” was Isaiah’s own son—a sign to scared King Ahaz that God would defeat the two invading kings before the boy was old enough to know right from wrong (Isaiah 7:14-16).
- Seven centuries later, Matthew says Jesus is the true and greater Immanuel—literally “God with us” in the flesh (Matthew 1:22-23).
- Joseph was afraid (of shame, of the future); Mary faced a lifetime of whispers and danger. Immanuel told them both: “Do not fear—God is right here.”
- Jesus was never called “Immanuel” to His face, yet everything He did proved the meaning of the name: healing the broken, calming storms, forgiving sinners, and rising from the dead.
- Today, every Christian carries the same promise: cancer, grief, political chaos, loneliness, persecution—none of it gets the final word, because Immanuel has come and will never leave.
- Christmas is the perfect time to move the conversation from Santa and lights to the One who is literally “God with us” and who died and rose to save us.