We stood in the darkness in the middle of a village in Punjab waiting for the meeting to begin. There was some scurrying and voices and suddenly the lamps in the village and our sound system bust into life and light. A small girl had climbed up on the highest roof and connected a wire to the mains power line passing over the town.

Many centuries earlier an angel filled a room with light causing Joseph to lean back with surprise and a touch of fright. As Joseph thought over what to do about his pregnant fiancée, the angel assured him “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins." So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: Mat 1:23  "BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD, AND BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL," which is translated, "God with us."  (Mat 1:21 -23)

What, wait! Did the angel just say call him Jesus when out of his own mouth he said the prophet Isaiah said to call Him Emmanuel (God with us)? Even the two meanings - he will save His people and God is with us, are different or are they?

No! These are effectively the same thing, for God can only truly save us by being with us and within us. Gods salvation is not just an accounting write-off of our sins but an impartation of His divine life. Since human history began, mans efforts to live up to his creators standard has flickered as a candle and failed. Jesus came to live with us and within us as our righteousness, our Life, our Light and our mighty Helper.  Emmanuel saves us by sharing His power with us. The evidence of His presence and power is not falling or shouting but being able to live in righteousness, peace and joy. To live in righteousness rather than compromise; to live in peace in the midst of trouble and to maintain joy among difficult people. The fact that He is with us, doesn’t mean there will be no enemies; it means that we are empowered to defeat them.  It doesn’t mean there will be no troubles but it does mean that we can over come them and live for a purpose and a mission more important and longer lasting than our troubles.

Friend, Christmas is the celebration of the great day when our Saviour made a new way of living possible for us all. The day He connected us to the “Mains”!