December 24th 2017
What’s In A Name?
Matthew 1:19-23 (NIV)
Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"— which means, "God with us."
Merry Christmas is a term we hear this time of year, and to most of us it means we expect to receive gifts of earthly value. We busy ourselves to go buy that special gift(s) that our loved ones want or need. Buying gifts for other people is difficult, because their tastes may be different than ours, and thus, we try to imagine what type of gift they want. And then, we try to get it in the right size or correct version, so they will like it, and appreciate it! There was a time in my life when buying gifts was a lot easier, because the gifts being bought were something that the person needed! Most of the people reading this commentary today, have little or almost no needs to speak of! Today, people walking around with jeans with torn-out knees cost them a lot of money already in that condition! What a rip-off, in more than one way! Some years ago, someone who had ripped jeans needed new ones, not a spectacle of wealth, but of poorness.
It seems that we are hearing Merry Christmas more than we are hearing Happy Holiday this year! Have you noticed that too? Should we blame that on Mr. Trump too? Even Santa Clause in the mall wished me a Merry Christmas recently. How about you are you brave enough to do likewise? Okay, enough about the worldly event we refer to as Christmas, let’s change the subject a bit, and start to think about the real reason for the season. And what is that reason? It started over two thousand years ago, as a baby was born. A baby was born, “what’s the big deal about that?” Babies are born every day on his earth! This one was different, as there was no sex involved, as the mother was still a virgin. Modern science tells us that is impossible! The Bible tells us “nothing is impossible with God.” So, who do YOU believe God’s account or man’s story? Joseph the man betrothed to take Mary as his wife had to decide this too, and he was ready to believe man’s story, when God stepped into Joseph’s dreams to assure him that no man was involved in Mary’s pregnancy.
In the selected verses we read about an angel delivering God’s assurance to Joseph. Mary was still a virgin, which Joseph required, and so did his society, but this child was very special! Joseph was also told “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." This baby boy being born into this world will be named Jesus and He “will save his people from their sins." Then the angel told of another name this baby would be called by people, “and they will call him Immanuel"— which means, "God with us." Therefore, this baby being born in Bethlehem will have the ability to forgive peoples sins, and He will reside on this earth, and His presence here will be a present from God, allowing Him to be "God with us."
John writes about this wonderful present to all mankind from God, and John records what Jesus told Nicodemus about His coming to this earth, and why God sent Him! "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.” There is no judgment awaiting those who trust him. But those who do not trust him have already been judged for not believing in the only Son of God. (John 3:16-18). Did you get that? God so loved the world that He sent His Son, so that everyone who believes in His Son “will not perish but have eternal life.” Then God farther stipulated that “There is no judgment awaiting those who trust him.” If you trust in Jesus then there will be no judgment required, as your sins a forgiven and forgotten, because of Jesus’ perfect sacrifice!
Jesus once told His followers about gift giving and that God our Father in heaven will give gifts to those who ask Him. If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:11). Paul wrote about the wonderful gift from God of life after death. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23). Thus, without the gift of grace we are destined to go to hell when we die, but “the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Matthew wrote what Jesus said about how we need to depend upon God for our daily needs on this earth, and not to worry about those needs. So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:31-33)
So, in this Christmas season we need to be depending on God for our needs and thus take more of our time to work on building treasures in Heaven not amassing more possessions on this earth. This does not preclude giving gifts to our loved ones, but may cause us to look at people who may not receive any gifts, because of not being able to afford it. Is there someone you may be able to help, either directly or through financial giving to some group who does help those in need. It is the thought that counts in such giving. God is showing us the way to giving, by giving His Son so that we may have eternal life with Jesus. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. (1John 4:9). It is true, Jesus did come into this world, and be born as a baby, and grow to be the God/man who changed the world forever.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14). Does having Jesus in your life cause you to be in the Christmas Spirit? The Holy Spirit does indwell all those who accept Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior. Now that is the greatest gift you will ever receive!
Wishing you all a
Merry Christmas!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
Matthew 1:19-23 (NIV)
Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"— which means, "God with us."
Merry Christmas is a term we hear this time of year, and to most of us it means we expect to receive gifts of earthly value. We busy ourselves to go buy that special gift(s) that our loved ones want or need. Buying gifts for other people is difficult, because their tastes may be different than ours, and thus, we try to imagine what type of gift they want. And then, we try to get it in the right size or correct version, so they will like it, and appreciate it! There was a time in my life when buying gifts was a lot easier, because the gifts being bought were something that the person needed! Most of the people reading this commentary today, have little or almost no needs to speak of! Today, people walking around with jeans with torn-out knees cost them a lot of money already in that condition! What a rip-off, in more than one way! Some years ago, someone who had ripped jeans needed new ones, not a spectacle of wealth, but of poorness.
It seems that we are hearing Merry Christmas more than we are hearing Happy Holiday this year! Have you noticed that too? Should we blame that on Mr. Trump too? Even Santa Clause in the mall wished me a Merry Christmas recently. How about you are you brave enough to do likewise? Okay, enough about the worldly event we refer to as Christmas, let’s change the subject a bit, and start to think about the real reason for the season. And what is that reason? It started over two thousand years ago, as a baby was born. A baby was born, “what’s the big deal about that?” Babies are born every day on his earth! This one was different, as there was no sex involved, as the mother was still a virgin. Modern science tells us that is impossible! The Bible tells us “nothing is impossible with God.” So, who do YOU believe God’s account or man’s story? Joseph the man betrothed to take Mary as his wife had to decide this too, and he was ready to believe man’s story, when God stepped into Joseph’s dreams to assure him that no man was involved in Mary’s pregnancy.
In the selected verses we read about an angel delivering God’s assurance to Joseph. Mary was still a virgin, which Joseph required, and so did his society, but this child was very special! Joseph was also told “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." This baby boy being born into this world will be named Jesus and He “will save his people from their sins." Then the angel told of another name this baby would be called by people, “and they will call him Immanuel"— which means, "God with us." Therefore, this baby being born in Bethlehem will have the ability to forgive peoples sins, and He will reside on this earth, and His presence here will be a present from God, allowing Him to be "God with us."
John writes about this wonderful present to all mankind from God, and John records what Jesus told Nicodemus about His coming to this earth, and why God sent Him! "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.” There is no judgment awaiting those who trust him. But those who do not trust him have already been judged for not believing in the only Son of God. (John 3:16-18). Did you get that? God so loved the world that He sent His Son, so that everyone who believes in His Son “will not perish but have eternal life.” Then God farther stipulated that “There is no judgment awaiting those who trust him.” If you trust in Jesus then there will be no judgment required, as your sins a forgiven and forgotten, because of Jesus’ perfect sacrifice!
Jesus once told His followers about gift giving and that God our Father in heaven will give gifts to those who ask Him. If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:11). Paul wrote about the wonderful gift from God of life after death. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23). Thus, without the gift of grace we are destined to go to hell when we die, but “the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Matthew wrote what Jesus said about how we need to depend upon God for our daily needs on this earth, and not to worry about those needs. So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:31-33)
So, in this Christmas season we need to be depending on God for our needs and thus take more of our time to work on building treasures in Heaven not amassing more possessions on this earth. This does not preclude giving gifts to our loved ones, but may cause us to look at people who may not receive any gifts, because of not being able to afford it. Is there someone you may be able to help, either directly or through financial giving to some group who does help those in need. It is the thought that counts in such giving. God is showing us the way to giving, by giving His Son so that we may have eternal life with Jesus. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. (1John 4:9). It is true, Jesus did come into this world, and be born as a baby, and grow to be the God/man who changed the world forever.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14). Does having Jesus in your life cause you to be in the Christmas Spirit? The Holy Spirit does indwell all those who accept Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior. Now that is the greatest gift you will ever receive!
Wishing you all a
Merry Christmas!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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