Podcast

The Promise of Presence

At Christmas we celebrate that God keeps His promise to be with His people – dwelling among us in Jesus and living within us by His Spirit – so that we are never alone. In part 2 of Christmas 2025: Promises Kept, Pastor Dan Cox reads from Exodus 40:34-38, Isaiah 7:10-14, Matthew 1:18-25, and John 14:15-17.

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Study Notes

Understanding the Text

  • God with His People: The Glory in the Tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-38)
  • God’s Promise to Be with Us: The Sign of Immanuel
  • God with Us: The Birth of Jesus
  • God Within Us: The Gift of the Holy Spirit

The Biblical Story of the Presence of God

  • Creation: Walking with God
  • Israel: Tabernacle and Temple Glory
  • Christ: Immanuel – God with Us
  • The Holy Spirit: Permanent Indwelling of the Believer
  • The New Earth: Immediate, Permanent, Joyful Presence

The Presents of God’s Presence

  • Peace
  • Guidance
  • Comfort
  • Strength
  • Forgiveness
  • Hope

Applying the Text

  • Practice awareness of God’s presence
  • Live with courage, not fear
  • Draw on God’s strength
  • Face suffering with hope
  • Practice the “ministry of presence” for others
  • Trust God and wait patiently