Immanuel: God With Us Bible Study
By Captain Tiffany Lawler
Salt Lake City, UT Corps – Intermountain Division
Matthew 1:18-25
Have you ever felt alone? Not just sitting in a room by yourself alone, but completely alone like there is NO ONE else that can relate to you, understand you, or empathize with you? This kind of aloneness can wound you deeply on an emotional level.
There are many in our world that experience this type of aloneness. Sometimes it is directly related to a circumstance or event that has happened. Sometimes a person experiences a deep set of depression, or has a disability making it difficult, or impossible to connect with others.
The Bible tells us that, as children of God, we are never alone. Sin has separated us from a relationship with our Creator, but God put into action, through Jesus, a way to reconcile us to Him. Jesus’ birth was miraculous in every way and was far from ordinary.
Read Matthew 1:18-25
- How alone do you think Joseph felt when he found out that Mary was already pregnant?
- How alone do you think Mary felt becoming pregnant without the traditional course of intimacy of conception?
- How do you think you would feel if you had a dream/vision from God telling you what to do and how to do it – especially when everyone around you is telling you things contrary to what the Lord wills?
Read Isaiah 7:13-14
Isaiah was born about 700 years before Christ and foretold the details of Jesus’ conception and birth. What Isaiah prophesied seemed inconceivable. Babies are conceived through one act, so a prophesy that contradicted that act could only be done through the power of God. Also, Isaiah is stating that God, the Almighty, Creator of All, will be WITH US. We, who are imperfect and fallen, have the hope of God being with us.
- Do you feel like God actually dwells within you? Why/why not?
- If you have accepted Christ into your life, how has your life changed/not changed?
- Is there something that you have done specifically because you have felt Christ with you?
- How often do you share with others that you have a relationship with Christ? Why/why not?
God became man in order to save the world, not from the outside, but from the inside. Jesus came not to physically save us from death, but to save us from a spiritual death where we are separated from God because of the sin in our lives. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Jesus does not physically dwell with us, but spiritually within us – within our conscience and awareness. Jesus Christ is a gift that can bring us into eternal life with God. Sin can no longer separate us. Immanuel means, “God with us.” There is no other child that has been born, or will be born, that can dwell within us.
Thoughts to ponder:
- How have you experienced Immanuel, “God being with you,” so far in your life?
- Would you choose a different path in life if you daily felt God’s power and presence in your life?
- What kind of different choices would you make if you firmly believed that God was with you?
Know for sure that….
- God has a glorious plan for your life! (Jeremiah 29:11)
- He wants to bless you. (Psalm 37:4)
- He desires to dwell within you. (Ezekiel 37:27)
- He desires to help you make both big and small decisions in life. (Proverbs 2:6 and Proverbs 3:5-6)
- He desires to give you boldness (Joshua 1:5-6)
Prayer:
Father, thank you for your desire to bring us close to You. You can make clean, that which is soiled. Grant us a deeper desire to know You more and bring us into a life filled with the things of You. Help build our character to reflect your love to others, so that others may know You through us. Help us take the steps that will keep us on Your path for our lives. May we feel Your presence within us. Bless us today. Thank you for Your blessings, and Your love. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Download the PRINTABLE VERSION of this Bible study.
Note: Also on our website is an IMMANUEL NATIVITY CRAFT and IMMANUEL: GOD WITH US devotional that goes well with this craft.
