Pastor Rusty Milton"Emmanuel is God With Us"Matthew 1:18-23 ESVIsaiah 7:10-14 ESVGod is God with us and is God for us. In Matthew 1 and Isaiah 7, God promises an incarnation: He would become man in order to keep His promise of an eternal kingdom to David. Emmanuel is simultaneously the sign of this promise being made and kept. This is directly applicable to us now: Emmanuel and his promises have not changed. Christ is the sign of God's love and faithfulness to us, as well as the fulfillment of that promise.Matthew 1:18-23English Standard VersionThe Birth of Jesus Christ18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ[a] took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed[b] to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel”Isaiah 7:10-14English Standard VersionThe Sign of Immanuel10 Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: 11 “Ask a sign of the Lord your[a] God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” 12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” 13 And he[b] said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.