The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Luke 1:28 (NIV)

But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” Luke 1:30-33 (NIV)

“Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:20-21 (NIV)

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”(which means “God with us”). Matthew 1:22-23 (NIV)

IMMANUEL = GOD with us!

What is the SURPRISE of CHRISTMAS?

That God is with us!

1. God IS With You.

The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Luke 1:28 (NIV)

The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? Psalm 118:6 (NIV)

2. God WAS With You.

But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. Genesis 39.21 (NLT)

3. God WILL BE With You.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:35, 37-38 (NIV)

for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV)

BOTTOM LINE:

THE SURPRISE OF Christmas is THAT GOD IS WITH Me.

THE CHALLENGE: 

MAKE A “GOD WITH ME” LIST.