In this special Christmas sermon, Pastor Joe Babij examines Matthew 1:21-25 so that you might see and respond appropriately to Jesus’ name, which is like no other. From the passage, Pastor Babij explains five truths in connection with Jesus’ name.
1. The name of Jesus is divinely ordered (v. 21a)
2. The name of Jesus is divinely explained (v. 21b)
3. The name of Jesus is prophetically connected (vv. 22-23a)
4. The name of Jesus identifies with his people (v. 21c)
5. The name of Jesus points to His main mission (v. 21d)
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this morning I would like to look at a passage of scripture that we read this morning and then take from that passage what the Bible says about the most important name that you’ll ever hear I me remember one time I I received a card from someone and that card said on the back if you meet me and forget me you you lost nothing but if you meet Jesus and forget him you lost everything for the Bible says she’ll bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus for he will save his people from their sins have you ever thought about the importance of a name in our culture we do not put a great deal of thought into the meaning and significance of names but the Bible but in the Bible names are always important take for example Abraham Abraham’s grandson Jacob his name Jacob meant Sur planter because he was a DE deer and a crafty man but after his spiritual encounter with the Lord he was given the name Israel and Israel means Prince of God his name came to represent the whole nation another example is the name of one of the apostles who was named Simon until the day he boldly proclaimed that Jesus was was the Christ the son of the Living God Jesus told him that from this point on you will be known as Peter which means little rock or stone because in his confession he had set forth the foundation of the Christian faith and would be given the keys to unlock the gospel specifically to the Jews But ultimately to everyone and the church would be built on the foundation of Christ in fact the scripture does say in Ephesians that the church is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ Jesus himself being the Cornerstone it’s still a good thing for Christians to pick biblical names for their children of course we’ve kind of gotten away from that practice it’s clear that human tradition has robbed so many of the truths concerning the birth of Christ and why he came see the birth of Christ was the only way God chose that he could provide a savior for lost and Fallen man how important that we sweep aside human traditions and Pagan errors and seek the truth as it’s found in the Bible we always have to keep coming back to the Bible so this Christmas season I would like to consider with you some delightful thoughts that surely come to come to our minds every time we hear the name Jesus if you think rightly about the name Jesus that is in the way the scriptures describe him and if you do so honestly I think we should walk away this morning with a new heart possibly or if you already have a new heart that you would have your heart strangely warmed and may we all find the name of Jesus to be a joy to our ears and to our hearts for that’s the reason for this season Jesus Christ and it is true that Jesus is the way to God therefore we should follow him that Jesus is the truth therefore we should hear him and Jesus is life there therefore we should in our hearts rejoice in him this time of year should be a time of rejoicing but our rejoicing should be for the right reasons scripture gives us a correct view of the name Jesus right in our passage and I would like to take a a few moments for you to notice at least five things in connection with the name of Jesus and the first one is this that the name of Jesus is divinely ordered for it says in our text she will bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus so the Lord God did not allow this name to be chosen by some mere mortal according to our text the angel of the Lord that says you shall call his name Jesus is the one who spoke the father made sure that the son’s name would not be fooled around with because the name given was for sure the very best name the most appropriate name that our Lord could have ever received Mary and Joseph were not consulted it as to the child’s name and what it should be the name Jesus came down from the highest ranks of heaven and from the very Throne of God that the name the father had chosen in infinite wisdom and gives it to his son the son might be given and might be able to meet the highest standards of that name because in the name the father had commissioned Jesus to rescue Sinners so see jesus’ name was divinely order secondly in our text the name of Jesus was D divinely explained the exposition will not be left to even the most learned scholar of the day no it is the Holy Spirit who explains for us and clearly tells us the reason for his name you shall call his name Jesus for he will save his people from their sin so savior is the meaning it is given to our Lord because he saves and don’t misunderstand this is no common temporary salvation from enemies or troubles no Jesus saves from the greatest spiritual enemies because he is this savior in a sense that no one else could be he saves his people from their sins and you know what our big problem is our sins our sins are the thing that separates us from God a holy God our sins are the things that keep us out of his presence our sins are the things that get us in trouble our sins that we commit every every single day and we don’t even know how many we commit will be held against us in judgment see so Jesus saves his people from their sins and that means Jesus brings a great salvation to us as it says in Hebrews how will we escape if we next neglect so great a Salvation the the answer to that question is There Is No Escape and Jesus also brings us an eternal salvation where it also says in Hebrews and having been made perfect he became to all those who obey him the source of Eternal salvation so if our God divinely explains for us the meaning of the name Jesus to be savior then he will guarantee the success of jesus’ mission which is to save his people from from their sins and did you know that Joshua in the Old Testament that Hebrew form of the word Jesus Jesus is the Greek and Jesus and Joshua are similar names Joshua is actually in the Old Testament a type or a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ and what did he do in the Old Testament well when Moses could not lead the people people into Canaan Joshua did Joshua overcame the enemies of God’s people even though they were many and very strong with walled cities and Chariots of iron yet in the name of Jehovah the captain of the Lord’s army Joshua smote them Joshua conquered the land and obtained an inheritance for Israel and they settled in the land flowing with with milk and honey and enter into a temporary rest and Joshua caused the people to serve the Lord all his days but he could not save his people from their sin for after Joshua’s death the people grievously and quickly went astray they couldn’t do it they couldn’t save themsel Joshua couldn’t save them Moses could not save them so what does Jesus do our lord Jesus accomplishes what the law could never have done because the law was never designed by God to save only to show us that we’re Sinners so our glorious Lord Jesus smites our sins and all the powers of darkness and utterly destroys all our spiritual enemies see our lord Jesus gives his children also an inheritance more Divine he gives us infinite Eternal rest for he is our peace and all that know him have entered into rest but our lord Jesus went on to conquer where no one else could so that all his people have victory over sin and death through his blood therefore the name Jesus is a name above all names because he is the only one who will save his people from their sins and its penalty because he is the one who took the curse for sin and there’s a third thing in our passage about Jesus that Jesus had a significant prophetic Connection in our passage it says now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet well what prophet we talking about we’re talking about the prophet Isaiah that some 700 years before Jesus was born the prophet Isaiah already told us it would take place now that’s amazing in and of itself we can’t get things right from one day to the next and here’s 700 years later and it happens exactly the way the Bible tells us in fact Isaiah the prophet in Isaiah 7:14 says therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign that the child born would have a supernatural birth a birth unprecedented in human history something that would happen that never happened before and what what is that well Matthew is quoting Isaiah and this is what he says for Behold a virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son now of course the key word in that passage is Virgin well virgins don’t have children right they have to be impregnated first so the Messiah would be born a virgin if a woman became pregnant that would not be a special sign that would be normal but if a virgin became pregnant and brought a son into the world that’s a miracle it’s a miraculous sign that God gave us and Isaiah told us that long long long time ago hasn’t changed God’s plan hasn’t changed it’s just right on track so all these promises of God are like signposts on a highway they’re leading somewhere they’re pointing somewhere so by faith in the message of the signpost you follow its direction and you move toward its points so God’s promises point to a person which leads one to one important piece of information and it’s this that a male child will be God for it says in the same passage of scripture and they shall call his name Emmanuel which is translated god with us so we see in Scripture that the gospel is focused in on a person one person and it’s centered in on the cross so whether you’re born before the cross or whether you’re born after the cross you both have to look to the Cross to be saved and the person who was on that cross in other words Jesus Bears a significant tant amount to that of Emanuel which means god with us that he is Jesus the savior because he is Emmanuel and our savior is God and therefore able to save to the uttermost where it tells us in Hebrews therefore he is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through him how great is salvation like that there’s no greater message than this in all the world never has been never will be see God can save all immoral and moral christless people wherever sin and evil are found and by the way sin and evil are found everywhere why because humans are found everywhere and sin is already in our heart we have a bad heart and we have a bad record because we sin every day there’s a fourth thing about the name and it’s this that jesus’ name identifies with his people for it says you shall call his name Jesus for he will save his people from their sin so the name declares his relationship to people God is not far off where we don’t know who he is he’s near us he’s with us he’s given us a the word of God to tell us what we ought to know how to be right with God everything about what’s even going to come Jesus Jesus is coming again the world is being set up for the coming of Jesus Christ so it declares his name declares a relationship with people because it is to them he is a savior there is no knowing our Lord if he be not known as a savior for he is that or nothing you see that God does not save though everyone only his people those who have been set apart as God’s own treasure well who are they well those who are his own and personally belong to him and why do they because they have turned from what they were trusting in to save themselves and what do people usually trust in a religious system dos and don’ts their good works hopefully when I die my my scale will be heavier on Good Works than bad works that’s how people think today even all religious systems think like that if you talk to a Muslim today today they will say to you if you die are you going to go to the kingdom of God they said I hope my weights are heavy because they they hope their scale of good things they’ve done is heavier than their bad see people have to lay those things aside because it’s not a religious systems that’s going to save you it’s not any good works that are going to save you how many good works do you do before God will say I’ll save you there’s there’s no number because you can’t get saved by Good Works only by turning from trusting in those things and by embracing the only one who could rescue you from your condemning sin and that is Jesus Christ who are these people they’re his elect it says in scripture whom the father gave Jesus before the Earth ever was who are they they are those whose names are Graven on the palms of his his hands and written on his heart who are they they are those whom he paid the price for Redemption who are they they are those who know they need to be saved and from save from the justice of God’s Wrath and they shall be saved when they run to the Savior whose name name is Jesus so do you want to be saved if you don’t know you are today has the holy spirit of God actually taught you that you need salvation be encouraged today because it is the character of his people that they come guilt-ridden because of their sins that they come because they need to be washed in the savior’s blood and be made clean that they come to Jesus because there is no one else to save them from the penalty and condemnation of their own sin but see the thing is do you know that you must be saved if you are not saved by Jesus you will miss Heaven you will not be saved according to scripture so Jesus that name this part of his name really refers to his Humanity also it was the name Joseph and Mary gave their supernaturally conceived son in obedience to the Angel’s command she shall bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus the term expresses the Lord’s genuine Humanity he came as an infant he grew like other little boys learned and observed and studied became weary experienced hunger and thirst and you may ask well why that why is that important well Jesus becoming a real man made it possible in his role of Redeemer the only way God’s Wrath against sin could be satisfied was the death of a sinless man man who could be the substitute for sinners like you and I an angel could not die neither could animal sacrifices accomplish Eternal salvation Jesus the God man died and paid the price for for Sinners as a absolute sinless substitute which made his sacrifice acceptable to the father see the death of Christ for us was the ultimate sacrifice it paid the penalty for our sin in full it opened up the way for us to have peace with God to be made right with God and even in death Jesus was Lord his resurrection was proof of that and the Apostle Paul writes that Christ was declared the son of of God with power by the resurrection from the dead he’s the only one who Rose from the grave by his own power he was the only one who was virgin born he was only the only one prophesied 7even years before his birth he was the only one the point of scripture is that Jesus is the only way am there’s no other way to be saved to deny that Jesus Christ the Divine Son of God has come in the flesh is to deny his righteous sinless life as the real God man it is to deny his sacrificial substitutionary substitutionary death on the cross as a real man it’s to den deny his resurrection from the grave as the real God man it’s to deny his ministry as Prophet high priest and King so if you and me never sinned you and me would have never required a savior and therefore we would have no need for the name Jesus but the reality of the situation is this we are guilty of our sins and justly condemn them them so if you feel yourselves to need saving then today cast yourself upon the one who will fulfill his own name and will exhibit his power in you as you confess your sin to him he will save you from it only believe in him and he will be your salvation I know that I came to know the Lord myself I wasn’t born a Christian I was born religious but I wasn’t born a Christian I had to hear the gospel glory to the Lord had to open up my eyes he had to convict me of sin of righteousness of judgment and he brought me to the place where I called Upon Jesus as my Lord and Savior and from that day forward everything changed he is a true savior he will listen to your prayers he came for to do that to accomplish that mission and this brings me to my last point that the name of Jesus points to his main work and what is his main work it says you you shall call his name Jesus and he will save I like that there’s no confusion in that he will save see Jesus does save his people from their sin how does he do it he does it by taking all the sins of his people upon himself and because he took their load his people are free and no longer have the burden of sin to weigh them down he saves them by bearing the penalty due because of their sin Christ was made a curse for us he suffered for us he died the just for the unjust to bring us to God also he saves them by bearing the wrath of God’s clean Justice Jesus has taken the sin and paid the penalty which was due us he saves his people from the power and the Tyranny and the Dominion of sins which has Mastery over us and he saves us completely that is jesus’ work was so thorough everything was accomplished and nothing needs to be done we don’t get we don’t help God save us we cannot provide anything to God he does all the saving so completely does Jesus save those who receive him as Lord and Savior that he makes them fit to dwell with angels and better than that that he will make them fit to dwell with himself God himself and be one with Jesus through all eternity so yes Jesus Bears the name that he well deserves and no one else a name like no other the world and secular society has brought this holiday of Christmas into confusion and has successfully focused the attention of much of the population off the name of Jesus and onto fictitious glimmering elves and reindeer and blinking Santas which is so foolish has nothing to do with anything and yet still people need Jesus Christ to save them from their sin and it’s just condemnation Jesus the Savior has transformed millions of people who’ve come to him and asked him to save him vile and profane people he he made pure in speech all manner of people have been changed by the amazing name of Jesus Christ so we should be glad today that the scripture tells us that Jesus receives Sinners and we have many examples in scripture he did he always has and he still does receive Sinners his plan has not changed and I’m thinking of several people in scripture like Lydia she was a businesswoman was down by the shore praying one day but she was religious good probably a good lady good business lady but one of the Apostles came and preached the gospel to her you know what happened it says the Bible says God opened her heart and she believed so until that time she was religious but she was not saved and then you have the Samaritan woman she was an adulterer she’s been married now well her fifth husband uh that’s when Jesus met her and he kind of told her her sins and then she figured out this guy’s more than just a human being he’s he’s a prophet and of course that Samaritan woman gets saved goes back to her Brethren she tells them what he did and how much she told her about herself and they hear him and they get saved and then you have the man Maniac of garia possessed the Bible says possessed by a legion of demons the Bible says in scripture he wore no clothes lived in tombs he was insane he met Jesus the devil’s depart he sits there the scripture tells us clothe in his right mind and he became a witness to the power of Christ in the whole region imagine that see no sinner no sinner is beyond his saving power all these needed to be saved and all of them could be saved because of Jesus homosexuals can be saved all those in the LGBT community can be saved harlots can be saved Liars can be saved murderers can be saved the religious person can be saved the moral person who thinks he’s going to get made be made right with God in his in his morality can be saved the ethical person can be saved the religious self-righteous person can be saved we all fit one of those categories see the Lord Jesus is indeed someone who receives Sinners that’s what Christmas is about that’s why he came he receives them to Pardon them he receives them to save them he receives them to sanctify them to forgive them to make them fit for heaven it was to this end that Jesus came into the world in fact the Gospel of Luke says I have not come to call the righteous but the Sinners to repentance how much does God actually forgive sin well the grace is forgiveness of God is not limited and it’s it’s not a limited pardon when God forgives a person he puts out his hand and freely forgives when God forgives he draws the mark through every sin which the believer has ever committed or or ever will commit however many how however monstrous your sins may have been even the sins that you may have committed the moment you were saved all of them are blotted out all of them are gone see when God pardons the sins of the unbeliever there is not one single one left not even a half of one when God forgives he not only forgives all he forgives once for all see when God forgives there is never punishment afterwards by one sacrifice there is full remission of all sin that ever was against a Believer or ever will be against a believer so your sins are all gone that’s how God forgives never to bring it up against you again that’s why the Bible says there’s no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus they’re all gone and they’ll never return again that Jesus has taken them all away as far as the East is from the West they’re all gone gone eternally that’s the god I want to save me because that’s the kind of God who forgives like that nobody forgives like that but Jesus does so on this Christmas Eve if you desire salvation maybe you don’t know where you’re at if you desire salvation and want to know what to do I advise you to go this very day to the Lord Jesus Christ tell them that you heard that you he received Sinners where the Bible says he who comes unto me I will no wise cast out tell him that you are a poor sinner helpless can’t help yourself and that you come to him on faith of his own invitation tell him that you put yourself wholly entirely in his hands that you feel helpless and hopeless in yourself and that except he saves you you have no hope of being saved at all and then ask him see the Bible says we’re to call upon the Lord not just have a bunch of information on how to be saved but ask him to save you Lord I’m a sinner ask him to Pardon you to wash you in his own blood and make you fit ask him to give you a new heart and plant the holy spirit in your soul ask him to give Grace and Faith and will and power and be his disciple and servant for the rest of your days until he takes you so my friend don’t wait until you feel unworthy wait for nothing waiting wait for nobody if he’s calling and tugging upon your heart today today is the day of salvation waiting comes from the devil because you know what the devil says hey you’re young you have plenty of time don’t worry about it and I’ve done many F funerals for young people and babies teenagers and then when you’re too old he says you’re too old and crotchy and set in your ways don’t worry about it that’s what he says see that’s what he does I say to you go as you are are to Christ the worst you are and You’ll Never Mend Yourself by staying away from Christ one other thing before I pray come and ask Jesus to save you in your own words Jesus can understand you he he understands and reads A sigh he knows the meaning of a groan come today to the one who Bears the Grand and glorious name of Jesus Christ and then you know what the last verse says in our passage that we read today and Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took Mary to be his wife and kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a son and he called his name Jesus it’s a name that we preach to this very day and it is a name that will be preached preached until the last day to those who are faithful to it for Acts 4:12 says and there is salvation in no one else for there is no other name under Heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved given by divine order given by Divine explanation given by prophetic Proclamation given for his people and given because it was his mission it’s always first and foremost of all the name because it is The Only Name that people are saved so the word of God is clear and emphatic concerning the centrality and exclusivity of the preaching of the name of Jesus and for those who know Jesus you know what the Bible tells us it says in Hebrews through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God that is the fruit of our lips that gives thanks to his name so if anybody we have to thank in our life for anything it would be to thank Jesus Jesus for salvation that’s what Christmas is about so we can never forget that no matter all the distractions the world wants to bring us in this direction that direction every year it seems to be different you know it’s all commercial consumerism that’s all it is and you get wrapped up in that you know I mean I’m I think I I feel more an anxiety during Christmas than any other holiday I got to do this I got to do this I got to go there I got to see just rest in Jesus he’s a savior amen go away today and honestly ask yourself where do you stand with Christ today may be the day of salvation for you I know several people that have trusted Christ as Lord and Savior on Christmas Day and Christmas Eve because they heard a message from the word of God because there’s nowhere else to go brethren but there’s no other place I would rather go than Jesus Christ let’s pray Lord thank you this morning you are so kind to us you are so patient with us longsuffering and Lord we thank you that in scripture we do not have to go very far we just open up Matthew in the first chapter we find the very message message we need that brings us to a place to see where we stand with you Lord have we come to know you as our savior have we called upon you and asked you to save us I pray if there’s someone here today who has not done that yet today would be the day and thank you Lord that on the authority of the word of God you receive Sinners that’s your mission and Lord I’m a sin sinner I came to know you you saved me and I know many people they saw themselves a sinner they saw Jesus the Savior and they asked you to save them and you did thank you that anyone who comes to you like that you will in no wise cast out so I thank you Lord for this day bless these people bless their families bless this holiday as they meet with other people in their family and I pray Lord allow them to be honest and true with themselves as to where they stand with you and then go on from this day forward and every day to live for you with all their heart all their mind all their soul and all their strength and I pray this this morning in the precious and holy name of Jesus Christ amen let’s Stand Together