Give Him the Name Jesus – December 18, 2022

An angel of the Lord appeared to [Joseph] in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
Matthew 1:20,21

Give Him the Name Jesus

Naming a baby can be quite exciting. Some parents debate for months on what they will call their child. In an effort to find the perfect name, they may even consult books that are full of baby names or do an extensive online search. Parents are getting more creative all the time. Some parents pick a name to be different. Some pick a family name. Some pick biblical names.

God had a unique purpose in naming his Son. In giving him the name Jesus, God was not trying to be trendy or creative. Rather, he was giving his one and only Son an important title and job description. You see, God had taken a look at his world and didn’t like what he saw. He saw his perfect creation ruined by sin and the entire human race terribly lost in sin and on the way to destruction and condemnation.

As the holy God that he is, the Lord had every right to leave us lost in sin and to go his own way. But that’s not the kind of God we have! Instead God, in love, sent his Son to be our Savior. Jesus lived up to his name. He came into this world and lived a perfect life in our place, earning the righteousness that we sorely lack in our own lives. Then he went on to the cross and died an innocent death in our place, paying for all sins. Jesus saved us just like his name describes.

This Christmas—and always—thank God for the wonderful gift of his Son, Jesus, and learn to praise his name always. It is the only name by which we are saved.

Prayer:
Dear Father in heaven, I am humbled by the tremendous gift of your Son, whose name is Jesus. Lead me to thank and praise and love him all the days of my life. Amen.