Jesus Christ Is God With Us

2 Nephi 17:14 - "Therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign—Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and shall bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."

Elder Richard L. Evans - "We believe in the divinity of Jesus the Christ. We believe in the scripture which says that he was in the express image of his Father. We believe that he was born of a virgin…that he lived, that he preached, that he ministered among men, that he was put to death, that he rose on the third day, that he ascended to his Father, that he will come again on earth to rule and reign. This is a simple belief. It is a profound one also. It gives peace in life. It gives a sense of everlasting purpose. It gives the assurance that we are helping to shape our own future with our faith, with our works, with our learning, with our lives. It gives us the assurance that life is purposeful, meaningful, limitless, everlasting; that the gospel was given as a guide to help us realize our highest happiness; that all its ordinances are essential; that authority to administer them is also; and that this authority was again restored in the nineteenth century through Joseph Smith the Prophet, as the heavens were opened and the personality of God again revealed as the Father, pointing to his Beloved Son our Savior, said, 'This is My Beloved Son. Hear him!'" Evans, This We Believe, April 1962

Seek this Jesus - A Book of Mormon Daily Podcast invites you to discover the joy and guidance that comes from studying the Book of Mormon everyday. This podcast would hope to just be a supplement to your studies. 

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Transcript

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Welcome to Speak This Jesus, a daily podcast dedicated to drawing closer to the Savior through the powerful truths found in the Book of Mormon. Each episode, we focus on one verse that helps us walk more faithfully in his footsteps.

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One of the greatest needs we have in life is to know that we are not alone. There are times when life feels uncertain, heavy, or confusing. We may wonder if God sees what we are facing or if he is aware of our struggles. The message of Jesus Christ answers those questions. He is not distant. He is not removed from our pain, fear, weakness, or sorrow. Through Jesus Christ we learn that God is near, involved, and deeply aware of us. Isaiah gave this prophecy during a time of fear and uncertainty. The people were worried about enemies danger in the future. In the middle of those fears the Lord gave a sign that pointed far beyond their immediate problems. He promised that a virgin would bear a son, and that his name would be Emmanuel meaning God with us. This prophecy reminded the people that the Savior would come into the world, and that God would not abandon his children. Second Nephi seventeen fourteen. Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign Behold a virgin shall conceive, and shall bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel. As we study this verse today along with teachings from Elder Richard L. Evans, we will consider what it means to know that Jesus Christ is truly God. The name Emmanuel means God with us. That title teaches something powerful about who Jesus Christ is. He was not just a teacher, a prophet, or a good man. He was the Son of God, sent into the world to save us. Isaiah's prophecy points directly to the miracle of his birth and to his divine identity. Jesus Christ came into mortality in a unique and holy way. He was born of a virgin, just as Isaiah foretold. That miraculous birth matters because it teaches us that Jesus Christ was both fully divine and fully mortal. Because he was the Son of God, he had power to overcome death, sin, temptation, and suffering. Because he was born into mortality, he understands what it means to feel pain, sadness, rejection, weariness, grief, and death. We believe in the scripture which says that he was an express image of his Father. We believe that he was born of a virgin, that he lived, that he preached, that he ministered among men, that he was put to death, that he arose on the third day, and that he had ascended to his father, and that he will come again on earth to rule and reign. This is a simple belief. It is a profound one also. That belief, that testimony is not just a doctrine from Richard L. Evans, but it is something we acknowledge all the time, not just at Christmas time or during Easter. It is something that shapes the way we live every day. If Jesus Christ truly is Emmanuel, then we never face life alone. He understands us perfectly because he came into our world and experienced mortality himself. The promise that God is with us brings peace and purpose. When Isaiah gave this prophecy, the people were frightened about what might happen next. They wanted immediate answers, immediate relief, and immediate protection. But the Lord gave them something greater than a short-term solution. He gave them a promise about the Savior. We often want the Lord to remove every hardship or answer every question immediately, but sometimes his greatest answer is to remind us that he's still with us. Jesus Christ does not always remove every burden instantly, but he does walk with us through them. Elder Richard L. Evans also explained why this belief matters so much. Quote, it gives peace in life. It gives a sense of everlasting purpose. It gives the assurance that we are helping to shape our own future with our faith, with our works, with our learning, with our lives. It gives us the assurance that life is purposeful, meaningful, limitless, everlasting, that the gospel was given as a guide to help us realize our highest happiness, that all its ordinances are essential, that authority to administer them is also, and that this authority was again restored in the nineteenth century through Joseph Smith the prophet. As the heavens were open and the personality of God again revealed as the Father, pointing to his beloved Son, our Savior, said, This is my beloved Son, hear him. Because Jesus Christ is Emmanuel, our lives are not random or meaningless. We are not just trying to survive day by day, we are moving toward eternal life. We are becoming more like him. We are learning, repenting, growing, and preparing for the day when he will come again. There are many moments today when we need to remember that Jesus Christ is God with us. We may feel alone in a marriage, worried about our children, stressed about work, discouraged by our weaknesses or burdened by decisions we have to make. We may sit in church feeling disconnected or open the scriptures wondering if the Lord really knows us. The message of Emmanuel is that He does know us. He is with us in our efforts to repent. He is with us when we are trying to stay faithful in a difficult world. He is with us when we feel forgotten, overwhelmed, or discouraged. He is with us when we pray whom when we serve, when we worship, and when we quietly endure things no one else sees. Sometimes we look for dramatic signs that God is aware of us, but often his presence is felt in simple ways, a feeling of peace during prayer, strength to keep going another day, comfort from the scriptures, help from another person, or reminder that we are not abandoned. Because Jesus Christ is with us, we do not need to fear the decisions we make. We do not need to let discouragement define us. We can move forward with faith because we know who He is. He is Emmanuel. He is God with us. So here is today's challenge. Spend a few minutes today thinking about one area of life when we may feel alone, worried, or uncertained. Then take that concern to the Savior in prayer. Ask for help to recognize how He is already near and how He is already helping. As we remember that Jesus Christ is Emmanuel, we will find greater peace, greater courage, and greater purpose. Thank you for listening to Seek This Jesus. I hope this message helps you draw a little closer to the Savior, Jesus Christ. Please, don't let this podcast be your only scripture time today. As we open the scriptures for ourselves, the Spirit will teach us things no podcast ever could. If you are exploring the truths of the Book of Mormon for the first time, you can receive a free copy using the link in the description found in every episode of Seek This Jesus. I invite you to come back tomorrow for another verse and message to help you stay focused on Jesus Christ. Until next time, keep seeking this Jesus.