The Names and Titles of Jesus

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you[a] a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Emmanuel, God with us, and to the questions it raises: Who is this God and how is he with us? "The high and lofty One who inhabits eternity" is the answer to the first. The One who is with us is the One whom none can look upon because the space-and-time human mind can no more comprehend fully the spaceless, timeless Reality of the One than the eyes of the blind can comprehend light. The One who is with us is the One who has made himself known at most only partially and dimly through the pantomime of nature and history and the eloquent but always garbled utterance of prophets, saints, and mystics.

The records state that John Wesley's last words were, "the best of all is, God is with us."

Earlier in his sermon “Human Life A Dream,” Wesley emphasised how central to a vibrant and authentic faith is the claim of Jesus as Immanuel – God with us. Wesley said, “For, what is religion, — I mean scriptural religion? For all other is the vainest of all dreams.  What is the very root of this religion? It is Immanuel, God with us! God in man! Heaven connected with earth! The unspeakable union of mortal with immortal. For ‘truly our fellowship’ (may all Christians say) ‘is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. God hath given unto us eternal life; and this life is in his Son.’ What follows? ‘He that hath the Son hath life: And he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.’”

We all recall the story of the Emmaus Disciples.

Sometimes we need to recognise that God is with us. It is good to  reflect on this episode and on the mood of the two disciples, and realise how often we are in the same situation. How often we feel deeply disappointed and disoriented by the events around us, how often we are angry and frustrated like these two. The Resurrection seems something vague, that does not really fill us with hope. Yet we too feel this deep yearning to meet Jesus, whom we had hoped would be light of lives, giving it direction and meaning.

We pray to recognise that Jesus is at our side, even when we are sure he is far away.We are not directly aware of his presence, because he is walking at our own pace, patiently waiting for us to open our hearts to his words and pray to feel our hearts burning at his presence.

1. Celebrate Immanuel’s name, 

the Prince of life and peace.

God with us, our lips proclaim, 

our faithful hearts confess.

God is in our flesh revealed; 

Heav’n and earth in Jesus join.

Mortal with Immortal filled, 

and human with divine.

2. Fullness of the deity in 

Jesus’ body dwells,

Dwells in all His saints and me 

when God His Son reveals.

Father, manifest Thy Son; 

breathe the true incarnate Word.

In our inmost souls make 

known the presence of the Lord.

3. Let the Spirit of our Head 

through every member flow;

By our Lord inhabited, 

we then Immanuel know.

Then He doth His name express; 

God in us we truly prove,

Find with all the life of grace 

and all the power of love.

Charles Wesley