Jesus: A Name of Power

I love reading through the Christmas stories in the gospels each December, asking God to speak to me. God seems to reveal new subtle truths to me each year that amaze me in light of His plan of salvation through Jesus.

Recently, I was struck by what the name “Jesus” means. In Matthew 1, after contemplating divorcing Mary quietly, an angel visits Joseph telling him to take Mary as his wife because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. Then the angel says, “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.”

Upon further research I learned that “Jesus” is the Greek translation of the Hebrew name for “Joshua” and it means “the Lord is salvation.” Thus, the angel’s description of why the Messiah should be named “Jesus” is right on –…