God with Us

Is there a difference between the Emmanuel-ness of Jesus and the presence of the Holy Spirit?

Reading the story of Jesus’ birth outside of the December Christmas season can be helpful. As much as its familiarity resonates with us in the holiday season with all else that comes during that time is good and all (really), the story is meant to shape well beyond family and ecclesial tradition. As you read it today, try and separate it a bit.

There are many things you can consider as you read it today. I’d like to focus on one for now.

We just celebrated Pentecost about a week and a half ago. We recognize Pentecost as a remembrance of the sending of the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem to the disciples who waited and prayed together as Jesus instructed (at least in accordance with Luke’s account - John places the reception of the Holy Spirit a bit differently).

So the Holy Spirit is the living presence of God among us, guiding, speaking, and indwelling the Church today, as Jesus promised. Yet in this Christmas story, we always remember that Jesus himself is Emmanuel, which means, God with us.

So is God with us because of the Holy Spirit or Jesus?

Yes, that’s right.

The Holy Spirit is indeed the representation/presence of God for us today. We understand God’s voice, direction, and inspiration by the presence of the Holy Spirit with us. When Jesus was on earth, he was also the presence of God. But his “with-ness” can be understood a bit beyond that as well.

While the Holy Spirit is present with us, the Spirit is different than us - spirit. But Jesus was (and is) with us in the solidarity of our humanity.

Jesus knows what it is to eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of creation.
Jesus knows what it is to be hurt, suffer, and die.
Jesus knows parents and family and home and neighborhood.
Jesus knows the sting of betrayal and the loneliness of abandonment
Jesus knows the joy of celebration and the surprise of delight.
And…Jesus knows what it is to be born as a baby, to grow up, and the seasons of human life.

Jesus is with us in our humanity.

In Jesus, God the Son took on our human experience. So now, in Christ, God knows us not only as Creator, but as one who has lived, suffered, and rejoiced as we do.

Jesus is with us, indeed.

Matthew 1:18-25

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ took place. When Mary his mother was engaged to Joseph, before they were married, she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband was a righteous man. Because he didn’t want to humiliate her, he decided to call off their engagement quietly. As he was thinking about this, an angel from the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child she carries was conceived by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you will call him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Now all of this took place so that what the Lord had spoken through the prophet would be fulfilled:

Look! A virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, And they will call him, Emmanuel.

(Emmanuel means “God with us.”)

When Joseph woke up, he did just as an angel from God commanded and took Mary as his wife. But he didn’t have sexual relations with her until she gave birth to a son. Joseph called him Jesus.

Psalm 139:7-10

Where could I go to get away from your spirit? Where could I go to escape your presence? If I went up to heaven, you would be there. If I went down to the grave, you would be there too! If I could fly on the wings of dawn, stopping to rest only on the far side of the ocean—even there your hand would guide me; even there your strong hand would hold me tight!

Prayer

God,

Your solidarity with us is really unbelievable. We try and make you some big, distant thing. And for sure, you are God. I am not. But you are so much more accessible than our human philosophies often make you out to be.

Thank you for, by your Spirit, being right next to me, and indeed, in my very breath.
And thank you for being human with me, in the person of Jesus.

Thank you for being with us,
both by your Spirit and in Christ,

Amen.