Matthew 1:18-25 – The Name of Christ
The name Jesus means “Saviour”. It is given to our Lord because He saves His people from their sins. This is His special job. He saves them from the guilt of sin, by washing them in His own blood. He saves them from the dominion of sin, by giving them the Holy Spirit. He saves them from the presence of sin, when He takes them to heaven to be with Him. He will save them from all the consequences of sin, when He shall give them a glorious body at the last day.
The name Immanuel means “God with us.” It describes who Christ is as the God-man. He has a nature like ours in all things, except sin. But even though Jesus is perfect man, He is also perfect God. We often find that Jesus could be tired, hungry and thirsty, could weep, and feel pain like us. In all this we see the man Christ Jesus. But we also find that Jesus knew men’s hearts and thoughts, He had power over devils, He could work the mightiest miracles with a word, He was ministered to by angels, He allowed a disciple to call Him “my God”, and He said He was one with the Father. In all this we see the eternal God.
If we want to have a strong foundation for our faith and hope, we must remember that our Saviour is God. All power in heaven and earth is His. No one can snatch us out of His hand. If we are true believers in Jesus, our heart doesn’t need to be troubled or afraid. If we want to have comfort in suffering and trials, we need to remember that our Saviour is a man. He has Himself experienced Satan’s temptations; He has shed tears; He has felt pain. We can trust Him with our sorrows. He will not despise us. We may pour out our hearts before Him in prayer, keeping nothing back, and He can sympathise.
Questions
- What does Jesus mean?
- What does Immanuel mean?
Prayer Points
- Give thanks that Christ is both God and man.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.