She will give birth to a Son, and you are to call His name JESUS for He it is who will save His People from their sins.”(Matt 1:21, Weymouth).
The word of the Lord came to Joseph son of David saying, “fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS; for it is he that shall save his people from their sins” (Matt 1:20,21). The name of the Child to be born simply means—“Savior.” The name is the Hebrew word, Yahshua, which means “Yahweh is Salvation.”
The entire human race is dead in sin, trespasses, and is unable to save itself. The physical body dies as a result of this spiritual death. God, because of His inexplicable love for fallen man, whom He created in His image, sent His own Son to pay the price for man’s redemption and to bring man back to himself. And thus, God demonstrated His love, in that while we are yet sinners and miserable offenders, Christ died for us. This provides salvation for anyone who would believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believes on him should not perish, but have life eternal” (John 3:16). “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (Joh 3:17 ).
God so loved us that He gave us His only Son. The Son so loved humanity that He gave His life for us. And He did it when we were the worst of criminals.
“Why, it is scarcely conceivable that anyone would die for a simply just man, although for a good and lovable man perhaps someone, here and there, will have the courage even to lay down his life. But God gives proof of His love to us in Christ’s dying for us while we were still sinners” (Rom 5:7,8).
I heard of the story of a man who was drafted as a conscript to go to war. When this younger brother, who had no family, heard of it, he went to him and said: ‘Brother you have a dear wife and a nice family, and I have none. Let me take your name and go for you. So he went under the name of his brother. But he was killed in the battle.
Christ loved us and gave Himself instead of us. He died for us when we were not deserving like that man’s brother. We were not good. We were not worthy. The whole human race was wicked and vile and hostile to God. Yet the Word of God took on flesh and died for us. So let us love Him and work for Him in the ministry of reconciliation for mankind whom He loved, and for whom He died.
“For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (Joh 3:17).
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;” (2 Cor 5:18).
To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:17-19).
God of Love and all grace came in Jesus Christ to reconcile the world unto Himself.
Do you know what God wants more than anything else? “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (I Tim. 2:3-4).
His mercy runs so deep that He sent Jesus to die and redeem the human race. He has revealed that His tender mercies are over all His works. He loves all that He has made. They were all made for His pleasure. He is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil and He has provided a way that even the banished may return to Him.
This eternal love of God our Father for all His creation is the center of all Christ’s teaching. He said, “For God so loved the world that He gave…” The Lord Jesus said, “I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you; for the Father Himself loves you.”
He is not pleading with the Father to love us or any man in the world, He came from that Father with this Good News for mankind. He came with the glad tidings of the Father’s love and God was in Him, working through Him for the reconciliation of the world to Himself.
Will You Receive the Witness of God Concerning Jesus?
“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 Jn 5:11,12).
Let’s ask the question a different way, similar to the way Pilate asked it.
What will you do with this man?
Will you have this man reign over you?
What inscription would you put on His cross if you were there on Calvary’s hill? Who is He to you today? Is He the Christ, your Savior and the Savior of the world, or just a historical figure?
Will you join the mockers sneering at Him, or will you fall at His feet and crown Him King of kings and Lord of lords?
He was the Word, who in the beginning was with God and made all things. He is the Son of God and Son of Man. He is Emmanuel, God with us, the God who became flesh and dwelt among us. He is, and His Name is wonderful; He is the great Counselor, our divine Rabbi, and Master. He is the mighty God, our everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace (Joh 1, Isa 9:6).
To many of us, He is the Rock, our hiding place. He is our Fortress and Buckler; He is our Refuge and Strength, our very present help in trouble. He is our Deliverer, the Horn of our Salvation, and our High and Mighty Tower. He’s our Compassionate High Priest, our Advocate and Defender, the Friend that sticks closer than a brother.
Like Abraham, I know Him as the I AM, the Self-Existing, Self-Sufficient One. He is my Jehovah-Elyon, the Most High God; my Jehovah Jireh, the Lord my Provider; my Jehovah Rapha, the Lord my Healer. He is the Balm of Gilead, the Great Physician, the Sun of Righteousness with healing in His wings. He’s all these and much more (Gen 14:19,20; Gen 21:33-22:1).
He is the Living Water, the water out of the rock in the wilderness, and He is the Rock Himself. He alone gives the water of life; anyone who drinks of it will never thirst again, for it becomes a well in them and out of their bellies will flow rivers of living water. He is the Living Word, the Bread of Life, the Manna in the wilderness that sustained His people for forty years.
He is Jehovah-Tsebaoth, the Lord of Hosts, our Lord the Conqueror; Jehovah-Nissi, the Lord our Banner; Jehovah-Tsidqenu, the Lord our Righteousness. Yes, He is our Peace, for He is Jehovah-Shalom, the Lord is Peace, and Jehovah-Shamah. the Lord is there. He is always there for us; He is our ever-present help in trouble. He has promised never to leave nor forsake us. He is the Fourth Man in the fire whose form is like the Son of God (Isa 31:5, Jer 23:6, Jdg 6:24, Ezek 48:35, Dan 3:25).
