The Name of Jesus

“She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

It's Christmastime. The air is filled songs of joy. The world sees the commercial side of Christmas. But the believer's heart can be filled with gratitude to God because Christmas is the expression of God's love in the Person of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. We exclaim with the apostle Paul, “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift” (II Cor. 9:15).

Our Lord's incarnation on that first Christmas was a display of God's sovereign omnipotence and excellent glory. It enveloped the humble shepherds delightful wonder. It elicited joyful words of praise and honor from the onlooking host of angelic host, who proclaimed, “Glory to God in the highest, and earth peace and good will toward men” (Luke 2:14).

The virgin-born Son of God came out of the ivory palaces down to the earth of sorrow, fulfilling the great prophecy of Isaiah: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” The word “Immanuel” means “God with us.” In the Person of the Lord Jesus, God truly is with us (Matt. 1:23). As Paul says in II Corinthians, “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself.”

The divine decree was given to Joseph that the Child's name should be Jesus, meaning God saves. There are three fundamental truths in that name: (1) The deity of Jesus, for in order to save, He must be God; (2) The humanity of Jesus, for in order to save, He must be man; (3) The substitutionary atonement of Jesus, for in order to save He must pay the penalty for our sin.

The name, Jesus, proclaims the words of deliverance, redemption, and salvation. The name of Jesus announces in words of comfort and hope the message of God's limitless love, matchless mercy, and granted grace. The miracle of Jesus's birth clothed Him in sinless flesh (cf. I Tim. 3:16). He was the divine Son of a human mother, and the human Son of a divine Father, “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens” (Heb. 7:26). Jesus manifested God to man and brings man to God.

God promised fallen man a Savior, a Redeemer. And Jesus came, offering eternal life to all who will receive Him. The acceptable sacrifice for sin has been provided by God's redemptive grace.

In this Christmastime of crisis and confusion, we can find the needs of our soul met in the Lord Jesus Christ. In Him there is salvation from sin, redemption from ruin, and deliverance from death.

To be sure, all men will face the Lord Jesus in one of two ways. To meet Him now is to have the gift of eternal life which He offers to all who receive Him as Savior. To meet Him one day in judgment will mean everlasting separation from His love and mercy. Invite Jesus to be your Savior today. You will have the gift of eternal life.