A SERMON on IMMANUEL – Lancelot Andrewes

I am reading an interesting book called A City Upon a Hill: How Sermons Changed the Course of American History. What follows is a great excerpt  from a sermon on the birth of Jesus by Lancelot Andrewes.  Lancelot was a biblical scholar and “the greatest preacher and linguist of the day,” according to the author Larry Witham (p. 13).  Wow – now that is a deadly combination!  I am not sure I know any people who are both great linguists and preachers these days (?).

In any case – Lancelot is a “witty orator” and deserves a hearing. Here is the excerpt from his sermon on Immanuel (p.13 of the book):

For if this Child be “Immanuel, God with us,” then without this Child, this    Immanuel, we be without God. “Without Him in this world,” (Eph. ii. 12), saith the Apostle; and if without Him in this, without Him in the next; and if without Him there – if it be not Immanu-el, it will be Immanu-hell; [note that “Immanu” means “with us” in Hebrew] and that and no other place will fall, I fear me, to our share. Without Him, this we are.  What with Him? Why, if we have Him, and God by Him, we need no more; Immanu-el and Immanu-all.

What can I say to this, but a big AMEN!?  May God be with all of you and let Him be all for you throughout the life.

Pastor Chris

February 2, 2009 | Categories: Christianity, Pastoral Letters, SERMONS, Thoughts | Tags: Christianity, Immanuel, SERMONS | Leave a comment