This sermon was preached at the Langham Crib Service 24th December 2024.

What is in a name? 

As I said at the beginning, when we started the Crib Service, my name was Shakeel. But that is just my first name. A lot of you will know that my surname is Nurmahi, but how many of you know my middle names? Probably only a very small handful of you. My full name is Shakeel Emmanuel Benjamin Nurmahi. Benjamin is a common enough name. I’m sure there are a few people called Benjamin or Ben in this room. But you will rarely meet someone with the name Emmanuel. Emmanuel is a special name, and it is one of the names that we have for Jesus. 

In the Christmas story, we remember Jesus. Now, Jesus is his name, but like many of us, he has other names by which he is called. Think how you might have nicknames, pet names, or family names. You are still the same person, but these different names reflect different parts of your life. Everyone might call you Tom, but your mother calls you Thomas. If Sarah is a parent, your kids will call you mum, rather than Sarah. You don’t stop being Sarah, but the name ‘mum’ reflects the relationship you have with your kids. 

So, what does the name Emmanuel mean for Jesus? The name Emmanuel means ‘God with us.’ This name for Jesus, Emmanuel, is used mainly around Christmas time because it describes how Jesus came to be with us on earth at the first Christmas 2000 years ago. It reminds us how Jesus came to this world as a little baby because he loves us and wants to be with us in our lives. 

The fact that Emmanuel is one of my names reminds me that Jesus, the Son of God, wants to be in my life. Jesus is with me always, all the time, and in all places. This is the good news of Christmas, that Jesus is Emmanuel, the God who is with us in our lives. 

This Christmas, as we celebrate with Christmas dinner, and crackers, and presents, remember what is the true good news of Christmas that we are celebrating. That Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us. He isn’t just in my life, but he is in your life too. All you need to do is say ‘Jesus, come be with me, come into my life,’ and he will come, and he will be there forever in your life, at all times and in all places. This is the good news of Christmas. That Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us.