Your name tells others about you. Those who know you associate your personality and outlook on life with your name.
Before Jesus was conceived God gave Him two names. Mary and Joseph were both given this information at different times.
Jesus means “to save His people from their sins”
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Immanuel means “God with us”.
When Jesus is received into your life He becomes the One Who saves you from your sins (and all people sin). More good news is also associated with the name of Jesus as Immanuel. He is God with you.
Your conscious choice is your responsibility…it is not your Pastor or Priest’s responsibility, it is yours. It is not your parent’s responsibility, it is yours. For Jesus to be your Savior you need to receive Him into your life as your Savior.
When you and I sin, it is ultimately against God. We need Jesus to save us from our sins and we need Jesus as Immanuel (for He is “God with us”, His Holy Spirit has been given to all those who receive Him as Savior).
As this important and historically true story unfolds, as it does especially at Christmas, is it so familiar that we miss its importance? Think about Mary, she is really perplexed with the message the angel Gabriel gave her concerning bearing a son. She knew that this was impossible for she was a virgin.
(NASB) Luke 1:34 “Mary said to the angel, “˜How can this be, since I am a virgin?'”
Mary’s question was not a question of a skeptic, but it was an honest question – a teen-age girl, who was chaste and waiting for marriage before engaging in sexual contact, would ask such a question.
(NASB) Luke 1:35 “The angel answered and said to her, “˜The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most high will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.'”
The angel told Mary “˜how’ this miraculous conception would take place – Mary knew that Jesus’ Father was God…she never doubted this.
As Luke was gathering information and facts for his letter to Theophilus, he probably interviewed Mary, the mother of Jesus. (See Luke 1:1-4). She gave him the facts and her faith in God was evident.
When you are asked where you were at the time the twin towers were taken down by terrorists, you can say exactly where you were and how you first heard of the horrendous circumstances. It is something you will never forget.
At the other end of the spectrum, Mary remembered the wondrous news of God reaching down to people to save them from their sins through His only begotten Son, Jesus. She would clearly remember where she was and how she heard the amazing message of God through Gabriel. Jesus would save His people from their sins as the Son of Man and be “˜God with us’ as the Son of God.
As Christmas fast approaches, how will you think of Jesus?
