Call His Name Jesus
“But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”Matthew 1:20–21 (KJV)
Joseph had a decision to make, and it wasn’t an easy one. Then the angel came to him in a dream. “Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.”
And the angel gave the child’s name before he was born, along with the reason for it. “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”
The name wasn’t chosen for how it sounded. It was a job description. He came to save, and to save from sins. Not mainly from bad circumstances or hard politics, though he is Lord over those too. From sins.
That is why Christmas matters. It is the beginning of a rescue. When you hear the name Jesus this month, in songs and on cards, remember what it means. He came to save his people from their sins, and he still does.
Read it yourself
Read Matthew 1:18–25. What did Joseph do when he woke from his dream?
Do you think of Jesus first as a teacher, an example, or a Saviour from sin?
Jesus, your name means you came to save. Thank you for saving me from my sins. Amen.