Each time Kaye and I discovered we were having a kid, the naming process began. Each time, we picked out a girl name and a guy name so that we would be prepared regardless. We talked about middle names, put the initials together to see what would be spelled, and sounded out the whole name.
Joseph and Mary never discussed names. They never went out to dinner and talked about what they would name their child. They didn’t do an Internet search on baby names, watch the credits at the end of a movie, or order a book filled with potential baby names. They didn’t even search the Scriptures looking for a great and meaningful name.
Through an angel, God told Joseph exactly what the Child’s name would be. “She will give birth to a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” (Mat. 1:21)
You are to name Him Jesus …
While Jesus was a very common name in the culture, the name also carries a lot of weight and meaning. Jesus comes from the same root as “Joshua,” which means salvation. Jesus literally means savior or rescuer. The name Jesus defines why He was on the planet, why He entered our broken and messed up world. His name is Jesus because He saves His people from their sins. His Name is His mission.
