«» 24 May, 2014 An Appropriate Name By Bill Crowder Read: Matthew 1:18-25 You shall call His name Jesus. —Matthew 1:21 The name of the southeastern Asian nation of Indonesia is formed by combining two Greek words which together mean “island.” That name is appropriate because Indonesia is made up of more than 17,500 islands spanning nearly 750,000 square miles. Indonesia—an appropriate name for a nation of islands. In the Bible, we find that people were often given names—sometimes at birth, sometimes later—that made a statement about them or their character. Barnabas, whose name means “son of encouragement,” continually encouraged those he encountered. Jacob, whose name means “schemer,” repeatedly manipulated people and situations for his own selfish ends. And no one has ever been more appropriately named than Jesus. When the angel of the Lord spoke to Joseph about Mary’s soon-to-be-born Son, he told Joseph, “You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). Jesus means “the Lord saves” and defines both who Jesus is and why He came. He was also called Immanuel, which means “God with us” (1:23). His name reveals our eternal hope! How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds In a believer’s ear! It soothes his sorrow, heals his wounds, And drives away his fear. —Newton The name of Jesus is at the heart of our faith and our hope. Insight In his book Miracles, C. S. Lewis answers the argument against the virgin birth that suggests first-century people did not understand natural law. To this, Lewis responds that the whole motive for Joseph considering breaking the engagement was that he understood where babies come from (v.19). It took an angel in a dream to point to the supernatural source of Mary’s conception. First-century people, like believers today, understood that for a virgin to give birth would require a miracle. Bible in a Year: 1 Chronicles 22-24; John 8:28-59 CommentsJournal
Posted on: Sat, 24 May 2014 01:30:07 +0000
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