Luke 2:21 * January 1, 2006 * New
Year’s Day * Pastor Leyrer
Dear Friends in Christ,
You may find this interesting. According to information provided on the internet by the Social Security Administration, the top five names given to boys born in the year 2004 were: 5) Ethan, 4) Matthew, 3) Joshua, 2) Michael, and number one: Jacob.
50 years ago from the year we are entering today (1956) the most popular boys names were: 5) John, 4) David, 3) Robert, 2) James, and number one: Michael.
100 years ago (1906) the most popular boys names were: 5) Robert, 4) George, 3) James, 4) William, and number one: John.
While we may find this interesting, today we are more interested in the name given to a special child approximately 2006 years ago. So for the next several minutes let us spend our time together contemplating
THE NAME – AND NAMES – OF JESUS
1. What they tell us about Him
2. What they mean to us
On the eighth day,
when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had
given him before he had been conceived.
For Jewish parents who had been blessed with a newborn son, the eighth day of their child’s life was especially significant. It was the day of circumcision (the outward physical symbol that designated entrance in the family of God); it was also the day when the child “officially” received his name.
Expectant parents, especially first time parents, put a great deal of time and thought into what they will name their child. Those who have been there may remember the procedure. Parents carefully weigh the options available to them, oftentimes consulting books containing hundreds – maybe even thousands – of names. They will consider how a name sounds or what it means or if it is to have some family significance. Finally, sometimes after a considerable period of indecision or gentle debate or veto power on the part of one parent or another, a name emerges. And from that time on, that is what the child will be known as.
Well, Mary and Joseph went through none of that. The name of their child had been chosen for them. In a dream well before He had been born, an angel had instructed them to give their miracle-son the name Jesus. The name was chosen not because it sounded nice or it began with same initial as his foster father, Joseph, but because of the message it conveyed. The name Jesus literally comes from a Hebrew verb which means “he will save;” or in the short version, simply “Savior.”
Because that is who and what He is. Our Savior. Which of course presupposes the question, “What do we need to be saved from?” And the answer is: We need to be saved from “the wages of sin [which] is death.” Sin is our problem; Jesus the Savior is our solution. I’ve always appreciated the sentiment expressed on a Christmas card we received years ago:
If our need had been information, God would have sent us an educator.
If our need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist.
If our need had been money, God would have sent us an economist.
If our need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer.
But our greatest need was forgiveness, So God sent us a Savior.
And every time we say his name the whole plan of how He saved us comes to mind. His perfect life in our place. His sacrificial death to pay the wages of our sin. His glorious resurrection that proclaims “mission accomplished” and that we are now free to live forever in heaven. That whole plan of our forgiveness and eternal life is replayed every time we say or hear the name “Jesus.”
So there is absolutely nothing more meaningful to us or necessary for us than knowing that name. That name means we are safe and secure both now and throughout eternity.
But you know what? Jesus has other names that fill us with hope and comfort and speak to our greatest needs. And it will be worth our while to consider some of them as well. In the introduction to this sermon I mentioned the top five names of boys during different years. Counting Jesus as one, let’s follow that pattern and consider four other names of Jesus found in the Bible and what they mean to us. This will be an especially good exercise as we enter the new year…
First let us consider the name Jesus used for Himself more
than any other. Depending upon who your
source is, either 81 or 84 times in the Gospels Jesus
refers to Himself as the “Son of
But He certainly also was declaring that He was also true
man, just like us. And that brings us
comfort. Because it
means that Jesus, Son of Man, relates to us. He understands us. So we don’t have a distant, aloof, uncaring
God. We have one who was like us in
every way; one who can sympathize with our weaknesses, yet was without sin
(Hebrews
Related to that, let’s consider this Christmas title for Jesus: “Immanuel.” That name means “God with us.” What does that name tell us? Just what it says: God is always with us.
I’m sure somewhere along the line I’ve told the story about a young woman I had the privilege of taking through a Bible Information Class . She had grown up with no religious background whatsoever and it was really her first introduction to Christianity. The Holy Spirit worked through the Word and this young lady came to faith and was baptized.
Shortly after her confirmation I asked her to reflect upon what had just taken place. Specifically, as one who had come to faith from no Christian backround what difference her new faith made in her life. Her answer is one that I’ve never forgotten. She said, “I never feel alone anymore.”
As pilgrims making our way through life there are times and circumstances where we may feel alone or lonely or disconnected to the rest of the world because of our personal circumstances. But we’re never alone. We always have “Immanuel,” God with us. And that gives us strength and encouragement for the journey.
Another helpful name for Jesus is “Prince of Peace.” If we are
looking for Jesus to bring external peace on earth, then He has failed. There are
But that is not the kind of peace the Prince of Peace provides. He brings us a higher peace. A deeper peace. A more lasting peace.
Shortly before His crucifixion, Jesus comforted His disciples with these words found in John 14: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” The disciples heard that, but they didn’t process it. Because a few hours later they found themselves very scared and very frightened; very much not at peace.
But we do too, don’t we? Troubles come. Life veers from its regular routine or order. Difficult decisions have to be made. Uninvited and unwanted change forces its way into our lives. And we become scared that something bad is going to happen to us. Then we need to remember Jesus is our Prince of Peace. Not peace from trouble, but peace in the midst of trouble. Not the absence of difficulty, but the presence of the One who loves us with an everlasting love.
Our Prince of Peace provides us with the peace of knowing we are loved, we are cared for, we are protected regardless of how we perceive any given situation. So our hearts do not need to be troubled and we do not need to be afraid. The Prince of Peace reigns.
Finally there is this name for Jesus. He is the Lord. One source claims that the word “Lord” occurs 696 times in the New Testament and that it almost always refers to Jesus. The word itself in the original language has a range of meanings. At times it can simply be another word for “sir,” while at other times it is a much stronger term which indicates power and position and might. In that sense, Jesus is Lord.
Which means nothing is outside of His power or His control. Since we are His and He is ours, that’s a pretty good place to be.