Matthew 1:21,23: “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins . . . ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.'”

December 30th, 2021 by Pastor Ed in devotional

An angel came to Joseph to assure him that what Mary had said was true, she was going to give birth to the Messiah. The angel may have been speaking Hebrew here since there is a play on words in the Hebrew language. It could literally be translated “call His name ‘God Saves’ because He will save His people.” This name, Yes’-su-ha was a common Jewish name at that time, so it would not have had the same significance without the angel’s pronouncement. The main thing this Son would do is save His people. Jesus’ very nature is to save.

The most important thing Jesus came to do was save His people from their sins. How is He able to do this? His other name, Immanuel, is translated “God with us.” How simple, yet how profound. God came to die in our place so that we would not have to die and remain separated from Him for eternity.

The Great Exchange of His life for ours, announced by angels and prophets from ages past, is now fulfilled for us! Oh, the wonder of it all! The great Scottish Bible expositor Alexander MacLaren wrote:

We may have as much of God as we will. Christ puts the key of the treasure-chamber into our hand, and bids us take all that we want. If a man is admitted into the bullion vault of a bank and told to help himself, and comes out with one cent, whose fault is it that he is poor?

“Lord, we do not want to be found poor in eternity but instead recognize our spiritual poverty here and now. Save us from the consequences of our sin this day so we might serve You.”