Jesus - His Name ... His Mission ... His People

Jesus - His Name…His Mission…His People

Matthew 1:18-25

(Focus - vs. 21)

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. 19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. 20 But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 "She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." 22 Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 "behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, "God with us." 24 And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, 25 but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus. (NASB)

“She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

INTRODUCTION

A. What’s in a name?

1. It is how we are known to others -

(a) Our Tag for Life – Cradle & Grave

We are not just a number – we have a name

Especially when addressed by our mom using our full name

(b) Our Statement – Introduction & Signature

Hello my name is …, I sign my name by … (It is who we are)

(c) Our Identity – Title & Deed

Official documents must bear our name to be legal

2. It carries importance -

* Parents labor for months choosing “just the right name” for their child –

(a) After Presidents – George Washington Carver

(b) After Automobiles – Mercedes

(c) After Family Name – Uncles, Aunts, Cousins, Friends

(d) After Biblical Meanings –

1 Samuel 1:20

Hannah … gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel [heard of God], saying, Because I have asked him of the Lord.

3. It testifies of a good reputation -

* We should strive to maintain a good name.

Proverbs 22:1a

A good name is to be more desired than great wealth.

It is better to have men speak highly of your character than to just speak about your money. (Ex. D. Trump – lots of money, lousy reputation)

4. It is something we hope others will remember -

(a) Such as –

Winston Churchill – FDR

John F. Kennedy – Martin Luther King, Jr.

Ronald Reagan – Bill Clinton – George W. Bush

(b) But not as –

Hitler - Mussolini

Stalin – Lenin

O’Sama bin Laden - Saddam Hussein

Proverbs 10:7

The memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot.

5. It is something we try to memorialize –

Our Headstones testify to this …

Traditional:

Name – date Born – date Died

Non-Traditional:

[Source: Internet – Failed to make citation]

(a) In memory of Anna Hopewell:

Here lies the body of Anna

Done to death by a banana

It wasn’t the fruit that laid her low

But the skin of the thing that made her go

(b) Jedediah Goodwin - Auctioneer

Born 1828

Going!

Going!!

Gone!!!

1876

(c) Jonathan Blake

Here lies the body of Jonathan Blake

Stepped on the gas

Instead of the brake

(d) Pa

Here lies Pa.

Pa liked wimin.

Ma caught Pa in with two swimmin.

Here lies Pa.

(e) Hannah Proctor

Here lies old Aunt Hannah Proctor

Who purged but didn’t call the Doctor:

She couldn’t stay, She had to go

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

B. HOWEVER – UNDERSTAND –

OF ALL THE NAMES THAT MEN AND WOMEN HAVE USED

OF ALL THE NAMES EVER RECORDED ON THIS EARTH

OF ALL THE NAMES THAT WILL EVER BE UTTERED THROUGHOUT ETERNITY

THERE IS NONE MORE IMPORTANT TODAY TO US THAN THE PRECIOUS NAME OF

JESUS!

There’s Something About That Name

(William J. and Gloria Gaither)

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus;

There’s just something about that name!

Master, Saviour, Jesus,

Like the fragrance after the rain;

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,

Let all Heaven and earth proclaim:

Kings and kingdoms will all pass away,

But there’s something about that name!

[Hymns of Faith, Tabernacle Publishing Co., 1980, 71]

TEXT

“She [Mary] will bear a Son; and you [Joseph] shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”