Advent Day 8

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

I remember the fun and the tension of naming my children. If you are a parent, I am sure you can recall every detail of that process. One parent wants one thing, the other wants another, and they must work it out. Some people pick a family name, some choose a trendy name, and some flip a coin.

Imagine being Mary and Joseph; you have no choice in your child’s name. Matthew shows the importance of family names in Christ's genealogy. Elizabeth and Zechariah also had no choice in naming John, who would be John the Baptist, the returning Elijah. If you remember your Luke, he wrote, “And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.”

 And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” (Luke 1:61-63 ESV). Like John, there was no Jesus in the Christ’s genealogy.

Sinclair points out that in the Old Testament, it was Joshua whom God used to complete his plan. With Jesus, it was much more profound. Jesus is the God who saves. Knowing scripture as Joseph indeed did, perhaps he reflected on Psalm 130:7-8, “O Israel, hope in the Lord!  For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.  And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.”

Neither Mary nor Joseph had any idea how Jesus would fulfill these words. Joseph knew the Book of Genesis, and I am sure he had read 3:15 often in his studies, but he did not see how this would work. Lamech most likely had the same hope for his son Noah. Noah wasn’t the deliverer but completed God’s work, which pointed to Jesus. Maybe Joseph reflected on Isaiah 53:3, where Isaiah wrote, “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,  and with his wounds we are healed.” This idea for his son would have troubled Joseph greatly.

What’s in a name? For Christians, it is everything. The name Jesus is not just who he is but what he did and is doing. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8 ESV). Remember this fact when you are with loved ones this Christmas Eve. Christ gave His life out of His deep love for God’s elect. His passion has not changed since the days of Peter and Paul. It is a night of profound love. This Christmas, strive with every fiber of your being to live in the presence of God, being a mirror to the world reflecting the goodness of Christ. I promise you will have no greater gift this year than God’s peace, love, mercy, and grace.

Peace and Grace!

Sinclair Ferguson, The Dawn of Redeeming Grace”, The Goodbook Company, 2021