“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means, God with us).” Matthew 1:23 (ESV)

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In this Sunday’s message, Pastor Brittany Smigielski shows us the everlasting with-ness of a God who moves first. From creation to Christ to this very moment, Scripture reveals a God whose defining nature is nearness. Not a God who waits to be approached, but a God who steps toward His people entering darkness, bearing suffering, and restoring relationship. Immanuel is not a moment in history; He is the ongoing reality of our faith.

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With-ness in the beginning

Genesis 1:1–2

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth… and the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”

• Before there was form, before light pierced the darkness, before humanity took its first breath, God was already present.
• His nearness precedes order, beauty, and life itself.
• John 1:1: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
• From eternity past, Father, Son, and Spirit exist in perfect relational with-ness.
• God begins the story not with isolation but with communion.
• When He creates humanity, He does so in His image, imparting that same longing for nearness into us.
• Even when sin enters the story and humanity hides in shame, God moves first.
• “Where are you?” is not a question of information, but an invitation to restoration.
• God’s with-ness is not dependent on human goodness, but on His own unchanging character.

With-ness as Immanuel

John 1:14

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory…”

• God does not remain near from a distance He steps fully into the human story.
• Matthew 1:21–23: “They shall call his name Immanuel (which means, God with us).”
• In Scripture, names reveal essence and destiny. When God names Himself Immanuel, He is revealing who He has always been.
• His essence: with-ness
• His mission: to come near and save
• His character: mercy, compassion, and faithfulness
• The promise of Immanuel was first spoken into a moment of deep rebellion and fear (Isaiah 7). God moved first offering a sign of hope when faith had failed.
• Light breaks into darkness not because darkness disappears, but because God enters it.

Jesus embodies Immanuel in every encounter:

• He brings dignity to the overlooked
• Healing to the broken
• Freedom to the bound
• Nearness to those pushed to the margins
• In Christ, God’s with-ness becomes visible, touchable, and personal.
  

Everlasting With-ness

Matthew 28:20

“And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

• Jesus’ with-ness does not end at the ascension.
• Hebrews 13:8: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
• Through the Holy Spirit, God now dwells not only with His people but within them. His nearness is not seasonal, emotional, or circumstantial. It is constant.

He is with you:

• In grief and celebration
• In faith and doubt
• In waiting rooms and quiet mornings
• In failure and restoration
• The with-ness of God is not passive. He weeps with us, steadies us in storms, and remains faithful when we are not. He does not always explain the suffering but He never withdraws His presence.
• Immanuel means this: You were never alone, you are not alone now and you never will be.
  

Discussion Questions

• Where have you forgotten that God is still Immanuel in your life right now?
• What season or pain do you need to ask Him to show you where He was with you?
• What would change if you stopped striving for God’s presence and began living from the reality that He is already near?