Jesus - Yahweh Saves

       I had the privilege of preaching at the nursing home again this week. It's a wonderful ministry our church has - every Monday at 3:30, one of our church's pastors is at the nursing home leading singing and preaching. You would think that the residents were the ones who are invaluably blessed, but most of the time, it's us. It is such an honor to sing and preach the Word of God to those delightful people. I often walk away filled with joy, comfort, and encouragement just from the 45 minutes or so that I'm around these friends. They bless my heart. This week was our Christmas service. I had the privilege of speaking on the name of Jesus... what does it mean, and why is it important?...

       'Tis the season, so they say. The "Most Wonderful Time of the Year," as the familiar song goes. We have been - and will be over the next few days - singing familiar Christmas carols, gracing the doors of shopping malls and specialty stores, sending and receiving Christmas cards, wearing the clothes/jewelry we only get to wear once a year, decorating our houses with Christmas cheer, and visiting with family and friends. We'll experience the Christmas story a hundred times this year via many different mediums: songs, decorations, church services, family Bible reading, you name it. It is the greatest story ever told. There's a song that says, "Love came down at Christmas." Exactly.

       You know the story of the manger. You know the story of the shepherds, the angels, the wise men, the trip to Bethlehem, and the shining star ("But do you recall the most famous..." - kidding. Hahaha). But do you know the story of the Name? That's right - the story of the Name - the name, Jesus.

Matthew 1:21 - "And she shall bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name 'Jesus,' 

for He will save His people from their sins."

       God hatched the plan and carried it through. The Angel's job was to deliver the news. The Holy Spirit's job was to conceive the Boy. It was Mary's job to birth Him. It was the shepherds' job to announce His birth. It would be Jesus' job to do the saving. What was Joseph's job? Where did he fit in? He had only one job. A very important one, at that. It was Joseph's job to name the Boy, "Jesus."

       Why "Jesus?" Ever thought about that? Why not Jeremiah, Josiah, Jairus, Jacob, or Jehosaphat? We know that in scripture, Jesus has many names: Emmanuel, Prince of Peace, the Christ/Messiah, Son of David, Son of God, Lord, Master, etc. Why was Joseph to name Him "Jesus" instead of one of these others?

 יְהוֹשׁוּעַ   =   Ἰησοῦς   =   Jesus

(Yĕhowshuwa`= Iēsous = Jesus)

       The three names above are a progression. The first name is written in Hebrew, the second in Greek, and the third in English. Our English word "Jesus" is basically a transliteration of the Greek name written before it. And that Greek name is basically a transliteration of the Hebrew name before it. Go ahead and pronounce the Hebrew name out loud, woth a soft "o" for the fourth letter (the pronunciation is in italics below it). What does this name sound like? Yep, you guessed it... Joshua. Jesus' name is the same name we translate "Joshua" from the original Hebrew text of the Old Testament. Why is this important? Well, the name Joshua has a very special meaning itself...

       The name יְהוֹשׁוּעַ means "Yahweh saves," or "Yahweh is salvation." Who is Yahweh? Yahweh is the name God chose for Himself. Jesus' name literally means, "God saves." Now read the Matthew 1:21 text again...

Matthew 1:21 - "And she shall bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name 'Jesus,' 

for He will save His people from their sins."

Simple leading questions: 
1. Who will do the saving in Matthew 1:21?
2. Who does the saving in the meaning of the name "Jesus?"
3. What does this imply about the relationship between Yahweh and Jesus?


       As we used to say in Middle School... "Winner, winner, chicken dinner." You guessed it. Jesus is God. When referring to the Old Testament Joshua, never does the Bible say that he would "save his people from their sins." Only Jesus can do that. Only Yahweh can do that.

WHAT YOU NEED TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS:
       From eternity passed and especially in the birth of Jesus, we can see God's plan for salvation through Jesus. You may see a Baby in a manger on a hundred different lawns in your neighborhood this week. But whenever you do, you need to know that without the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, it would just be a pretty picture. Without the propitiatory work of Christ in the reconciliation of mankind with God through blood sacrifice, that Baby in a manger would be nothing more than a yard decoration.
    
       You will hear the name "Jesus" countless times this Christmas season. What does it mean? Why is it important? Yahweh saves. This baby in a manger is God's wonderful plan to reconcile you to Himself. When you hear the name "JESUS" this season, think... "Yahweh saves."


Grace and Peace,
Tony

Let 'em Fly!

       I am constantly reminded of how great a joy it is to have two handsome, healthy children. About a year ago, Vanessa, Ethan, Aaron, and I were in Guitar Center. We were doing some reconstruction on our stage at church, and I took my family to look for some microphone cable to run underneath the stage. We had been there for about 30 or 45 minutes, and the boys had been excellent. But you know how little boys are - they started to get bored.
       If you've never been to guitar center, men, you are missing out on one of the great pleasures in life. There are so many instruments to pick up and play, drums to hit, cymbals to crash, and buttons to push... it's like a massive candy store for men. Even if you're not musical, it's fun just to go push the buttons and drool on the electronics. Well, Aaron (three years old at the time) had resisted long enough.
       There was a giant mixing board which controlled four massive speakers in a little tiny room. Soft music was playing in the background as people were shopping and dreaming. This sound board was invitingly positioned in the center of this relatively small room. Vanessa, Ethan, and I were at the checkout desk in the same room - me, a little perturbed by the amount of time it was taking. All of a sudden, I hear the music getting louder and louder and LOUDER!!! And very soon, it was so loud I thought my eardrums were going to bleed. In a split second, all kinds of thoughts raced through my mind... "That's loud enough, you idiot!" "I can't concentrate - turn that mess down!" "Whoever is doing that needs to be kicked out of this store!"

       So I turn around in anger and frustration to see my handsome, healthy three year old Aaron with his fingers on the yellow "Main" sliders of this mixing board in the center of the room. The other hand had become a plug for his left ear, and his eyes were ten times the size they normally are. So I did what any good, calm parent would do. I yelled at him. And then it clicked, "Oh, he doesn't know he's making the music do that..." So I raced over to the mixing board, grabbed his hand and threw it off the sliders, and abruptly turned the music down to a more sensitive level. I don't know if Aaron was more in shock because of the loud music or my evil-penetrating eyes that had become fixated on his childlike innocence. After a few seconds of bewildered speechlessness, I looked up to meet the eyes of three different couples who still had their hands over their ears and their jaws on the ground.
       "I'm so sorry," I mustered up. Making eye contact with each individual... But none of them said a word - or even moved for that matter. I told myself their reaction was probably because they couldn't hear me... then I had one of those light-bulb moments. First of all, I hadn't been watching my three-year-old son - he could've been anywhere in the store at all. Secondly, I had been so frustrated with the amount of time my trip was taking, and my perceived incompetency of the staff, yet my child was the one who made everyone else's shopping experience horrendous that day. And lastly, I looked back to see my three year old Aaron resembling a frightened little puppy-dog in the corner, who had just been beaten by his unforgiving master. My ears hurt. My pride hurt. But that was no excuse to let loose on Aaron the way I did. I held him for a while. He's such a blessing - my reaction was my problem, not his.

Psalm 127:3-5a says:

"Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord, children, a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the sons born in one's youth. Happy is the man who has filled his quiver with them."

       In that moment, I forgot that God had blessed me with these two adorable children. They are a heritage from the Lord. A reward of which I am obviously unworthy.

       As I continually reflect on what this passage means, I am reminded that arrows in the hand of a warrior are not very productive, useful, or valuable if a few things do not become reality.

1. These arrows have to be constantly cared for. If the same arrows sit in a quiver for eighteen years, unattended, un-oiled, and largely neglected, their feathers will fray, their points will dull, and their shafts will bend or become weak. My children are needy and deserving of my constant attention, affection, and direction.

2. It is one thing for arrows to be in a quiver. It is something completely different for them to be "in the hand of the warrior." The warrior who hold arrows in hand is ready for battle. His arrows are not just "with" him. They are part of him. Without him, the arrows would be useless. And without them, he would be weapon-less. If his arrows are not in hand, he's not really an arrow-wielding warrior. He's just a guy who owns some sticks with points and feathers on them. Children are an extension of who we are as parents. It is impossible to be good parents without children. I have to hold them "near and dear." It's not the rest of the people in Guitar Center that need my apology, attention, empathy, and affection the most. It's Aaron. It's Ethan. They, for this period of time, are a part of who I am.

3. At some point, the warrior will have to let the arrow fly. If he holds his arrows in hand, or in quiver, and never lets them fly, he has done an injustice to what they are and their inherent purpose. The day will come. At some point, my boys will be ready to fly. I'm actually tearing up just thinking about it. Will I have trained them astutely? Will I have cared for them sufficiently? Will I have wielded them truthfully? It's difficult for me to think about right now, but one day, these handsome, healthy arrows my God has blessed me with will be ready to fly. Their time will come, and I will not be a true warrior if I don't let 'em fly.

       I have the best two little boys in the world. I'm thankful for every second God gives me with them. And I pray that He gives me the wisdom to be thankful, the ability to be educative, the passion to be effective, and the faith to be obedient. Thank you, Lord, for Ethan and for Aaron.


Grace and Peace,
Tony