Immanuel

IMMANUEL

Long ages before mankind began sinning,

The Word was there with God at the beginning.

The Word was God and He made everything.

Into the darkness He came as a light shining.

Four hundred long years of silence was broken.

For now again God had finally spoken.

A prophet came to turn men’s hearts back to God.

Deliverance finally came; let’s applaud.

The angel Gabriel came to a young woman.

She will be blessed who has never known a man.

Can it be that the Son of God she carries?

Even before her betrothed Joseph she marries?

To Elizabeth, Mary will quickly run,

For she too will be blessed with a special son.

God’s mercies toward us had only begun.

The victory will finally be won.

The baby in Elizabeth leaps for joy.

He knows Mary’s Child is no ordinary boy.

Both Elizabeth and Mary burst into song.

For Mary’s child is the One to end all wrong.

Joseph the carpenter is a righteous man.

To stop Mary’s disgrace he will do what he can.

Suddenly an angel comes to him in a dream.

This Child’s not as impossible as it seems.

Shepherds in their fields are startled at night.

These humble people witness a glorious sight.

Angel choirs sing about a humble birth.

They say the Son of God is coming to earth.

The true Light has come into the world of sin

Into our lives the Son of God enters in.

Though few will receive Him, He still comes.

Those who receive become God’s daughters and sons.

Simeon knows that he will see the Messiah.

God has promised him and He is no liar.

He sees the little child that Mary now holds.

This is the One that all the prophets foretold.

Wise men from far away see a special star.

To worship this Child they will travel far.

At His feet gold, frankincense and myrrh they present.

They too must worship the King that God has sent.

Yet jealous Herod will accept no rivals.

The thought of another king makes him hostile.

He will kill all the babies in Bethlehem.

The Child hurries to Egypt to escape him

The young Boy is left behind in Jerusalem.

Mary and Joseph hurry back to find Him.

At the temple He shows great understanding.

His depth of knowledge is truly amazing.

This special Child grew in wisdom and stature,

And with both God and men He grew in favor.

That’s all we know about His growth to be a man.

But we know that He was much more than a man.

The Word became flesh and lived among men.

He bled and died to make sinners God’s children.

John and others beheld His divine glory.

They walked with Him so they could tell His story.

When Jesus came down to the river Jordan,

To fulfill all righteousness was His plan.

When He was baptized the Spirit came like a dove,

And God the Father said, “This is the Son I love.”

Into the desert Jesus the Son was led.

For a long forty days Jesus was not fed.

Satan the deceiver came to tempt him.

Yet three times Jesus refused to give in.

At a wedding, Mary said, “They’re out of wine.”

Jesus told His mother, “It is not my time.”

He told them to fill six big jars with water.

The wine that He made could not have been better.

Nicodemus came to Jesus one night.

He came seeking religious insight.

Jesus told him he must be born from above.

To save us God sent the Son that He loved.

Through the despised Samaria Jesus did go.

There to a woman, Jesus His mercy did show.

Even though He knew she had been five men’s wife,

He still offered her the water of life.

Even though He turned the water into wine,

And healed the official’s son at the right time,

When He came to the town where He grew up,

They rejected Him and a hostile crowd was stirred up.

The crowds were amazed at the way that He spoke.

On a Sabbath He freed a man from a demon’s yoke.

At Peter’s house He healed his mother-in-law.

This was just two of the wonders the people saw.

Jesus touched a leper that no one would touch.

How could He love a despised one so much?

When the paralyzed man was lowered down to Him,

He forgave his sins and brought healing to him.

Many other miracles Jesus did perform.

It was almost as if the wondrous was His norm.

The multitude He fed wanted to make him king.

They hungered for the blessing they thought He’d bring.

Jesus did ride into Jerusalem as king,

But to seek an earthly throne was not His thing.

He calmed the sea, healed the sick, and raised the dead.

And who can forget the beautiful things He said?

Jesus said it’s the poor in spirit who are blessed.

The mourners and the meek are also blessed.

The blessed hunger and thirst for righteousness,

And bring mercy and peace to this world in a mess.

He called us to be salt and light to the earth.

And said in God’s sight we are of great worth.

We think if we keep the rules, God will be pleased.

But Jesus wants us to be kind to the least.

Jesus came from heaven to earth to be the true vine.

Those who trust in Him must always abide in that vine.

Without Jesus, we can’t have fruit and we can’t have life.

If we don’t abide in Him, instead of peace, we’ll have strife.

Like the branches of the vine we all need to be pruned.

There are many things in our life that are out of tune.

Because Jesus died for us, all who trust in Him are sons.

But God must work in our life to make us like His Son.

Jesus told his followers the way that He would die.

To his false accusers, He did not reply.

He endured the beatings and the crown of thorns.

It was the King of kings that the people scorned.

It was for me that He bore Calvary’s shame.

He was innocent; I am the one to blame.

God knows I am the one who brought Him disgrace.

So why did He send His Son to take my place?

How can it be that it was on Calvary’s tree,

That Satan was defeated and I was set free?

What looked like defeat was really victory.

Oh what a wonder that Jesus died for me!

Because of Golgotha I have nothing to fear.

Since Jesus died for me, to God I can draw near.

As Jesus predicted, after three days He rose.

Death and Satan were now finally deposed.

For forty days Jesus was seen by many.

He was alive who died on Calvary’s tree.

His fearful disciples were suddenly brave.

At Pentecost, Peter preached and many were saved.

Jesus will return the same way that He left.

Those who trust in Him will never be bereft.

Even though I see trouble and strife all around me,

I’m not afraid; I know He’s coming for me.