The Sound of Christmas:
O Come O Come Emmanuel

As someone who grew up in the Christian Church, the thought that God is Emmanuel (God with us) has always seemed so obvious, so normative, that I often forget its uniqueness. The concept of “God with us” is incredibly unique within the religious world. Other gods are not “with” their people; they are remote, preoccupied, unattainable, unreachable, and so “other” that one would hardly know what to do if they had contact with them.

For as unique a word as Emmanuel is, one might expect it to be used commonly in Scripture, but it is not. It’s only used on four occasions, within two books of the Bible. Why is this? Most likely because God is, and has always been “with us.” There was no need to spell out the fact in the gospels, again and again, that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was in our midst. He was right there. He was providing food, walking on water, and washing feet. He was tangible, approachable, and “with” us. Join us this Sunday as we explore the song “O Come O Come Emmanuel” to see where it finds its connection in Scripture!

Pastor Nate Roschen

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