Who Is Jesus, Emmanuel, God With Us?
"Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." (Matthew 1:23)
Jesus is... God enough to judge, but good enough to save.
Big enough to execute cosmic justice, but small enough to cry from a manger.
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Dreadful enough to defeat death, but delightful enough to melt my heart.
Angry enough to vindicate all evil, and righteous enough to absorb judgment.
Holy enough to be comprehensively good, and loving enough to offer me His goodness.
Tough enough to endure the cross; tender enough to walk with me in suffering.
Outside and above me enough to rule the universe; with me enough to guide my steps.
Powerful enough to speak all things into existence; gentle enough to speak comfort into my doubts and fears.
Frightful enough to make the powers of darkness tremble in terror; beautiful enough to win my heart.
High enough to be worthy of all the worship; lowly enough to call me friend.
Authoritative enough to never owe us answers, but gracious enough to give us His word.
Hard enough to withstand the forces of Hell; soft enough to care about my day.
Righteous enough to judge me; gracious enough to save me.
Judge enough to indict me; advocate enough to defend me.
Strong enough to hold all things together; caring enough to hold me together.
Supernatural enough to do the miraculous; normal enough to help me do tomorrow.
Dominant enough to vanquish the universe; close enough to vanquish my self-centeredness.
Big enough to build an eternal kingdom; intimate enough to invite me into it.
Ancient enough to weave the fabric of history; present enough to weave a plan for my salvation.
Colossal enough to hold the universe; caring enough to hold my hopes.
Commanding enough to control galaxies; compassionate enough to command my heart.
Eternal enough to have no beginning and no end; human enough to be wrapped in flesh and die for me.
Everlasting enough to create time, and real enough to enter time and snatch me from its sin-cursed claws.
Timeless enough to defeat death with life; present enough to live His life through mine.
Transcendent enough to come from another world; earthly enough to understand mine.
High enough that no one can touch Him; low enough to be touched with my pain.
Divine enough to reveal an eternal world; human enough to invite us into it.
Loud enough to thunder His love to the world; soft enough to whisper His love to my soul.
Fiery enough to incinerate evil with His white hot holiness; warm enough to wrap His redeeming arms around me.
Regal enough to command angel armies; simple enough to receive the worship of shepherds.
Royal enough to be called the Son of the Highest; accessible enough to be called the Son of Man.
Kingly enough to reign over all kings; lowly enough to become the servant of my salvation.
Forceful enough to break through the barriers of sin; meek enough to teach me to trust Him.
Fast enough to create a cosmos in six days; patient enough to cultivate my growth in His grace.
Terrifying enough to say "Fear not," but friendly enough to say "Follow me."
Speaking enough to transform my life; quiet enough to care about my prayer.
Present enough to hear my cry; personal enough to cry.
Sufficient enough to not need me; generous enough to let me need Him.
Abundant enough to do anything for Himself; generous enough to give Himself away.
Separate enough to stand alone forever, but personal enough to want me forever.
From supremacy to peasantry, from transcendence to tragedy, from splendor to suffering, from throne to thorns...
...from the heights of Heaven to the horror of a cross to the hallmark of an empty tomb—this is Jesus.
This is Emmanuel—God with us!
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)
Cary Schmidt serves as the Senior Pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Newington, CT. He has authored 15 books and enjoys encouraging people through his blog at www.caryschmidt.com.
