Luke 2:21

Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived.

My wife Sue and I have three children, and I well recall the long conversations about names which took place before they were born. We talked about names that had been important in the family, biblical names and others that we simply liked. The naming of Jesus was a very different matter. This was the name Gabriel had given to Mary when she had first been informed of her miraculous pregnancy. Jesus was actually a very popular boy’s name at the time and was a shortened form of the name Joshua, which means “the Lord saves”. Because most people at the time only had one name, they were often known by the place from which they came or the name of their father, so Jesus was variously known as Jesus of Nazareth or Jesus, the son of Joseph.

There would probably have been many children around in Nazareth with the name Jesus, but only one who had come to bring salvation. In Jesus, the name was completely fulfilled. Because Jesus is both fully man and fully God, he was able to open up the way into God’s presence. The sacrificial system of the Old Testament was no longer necessary. Simply through trusting Jesus, we are able, in the words of the writer of Hebrews, to “come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:16).

Jesus spoke wise and wonderful words and told gripping stories. He healed people and performed amazing miracles, but we miss the point of his coming if we don’t recognise that he came to bring salvation. He came to open up the possibility of us being forgiven and made whole, and that incredible offer is as real today as it was when he first came. Many people, then as now, rejected Jesus and his offer of salvation, but to all who believe in him and accept him, he gives the right to become children of God (John 1:12).

Question

How has Jesus’ offer of salvation affected your life?

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you that you want to be my saviour. I confess my sins, and ask you to set me free from them and give me a new life. Amen