In the first chapter of Matthew’s Gospel an angel of the Lord comes to Joseph in a dream after Joseph had decided to “dismiss” Mary quietly.  The angel has a mission, to convince this good and righteous man to take Mary, pregnant with child, as his wife because the child is conceived of the Holy Spirit.  The angel instructs Joseph to name the child Jesus, a name which means, “God saves”.  The child will save his people from their sins.  The angel then quotes the prophet Isaiah as witness, “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel”, which means, “God is with us.” 

The angel succeeds in his mission.

The names carry depth and weight, a significance that both answers the yearning of Joseph’s heart (the honest heart of a good and righteous man) and gives courage to do the right thing. 

The name “Jesus” means, “God saves” and specifically he saves, “people from their sins”.  The messiah is long expected and yearned for and many people in Israel were looking for his coming but most thought in earthly terms – the messiah would be an earthly king ruling by might and power.  The messiah would defeat all of Israel’s enemies and would establish the kingdom in peace and security.  But God is about something so much more than all of humanity could imagine.  God’s Anointed One would not merely be an earthly king but, rather the eternal king, priest and prophet who would overcome the great wound of sin itself, that which fundamentally separates us from God.  Jesus will save the people from their sins and will heal the great separation. 

Joseph and Mary, two faith-filled Jews, were the first to hear the great promise of the gospel.  How it must have called forth wonder and inflamed their hearts with joy! 

How does God save?  “Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.”  This is the incarnation; God saves by being with us.  As we are lost, as we are separated from God, God comes to us.  God enters into the darkness caused by our sin.  Jesus is born that we would live.  God saves us by being with us.

Here is an invitation to prayer in preparation for the celebration of Christmas and in preparation for our Lord’s return in glory.  Reflect on the name “Jesus”.  What are the sins I cling to?  What are the sins I need to be saved from?  There are no pedestals here.  How do I need Jesus as Lord and Savior?  Reflect on the name “Emmanuel”.  How is God with me, right now, in the season of life I find myself in.  Can I recognize and find comfort and encouragement in God’s abiding presence?  Can I welcome God into where I am now and indeed trust that God wants relationship with me? 

A final thought to this exercise of the holding together of the names in which we realize that God saves us by being with us.  From the angel’s proclamation to Joseph in the first chapter of Matthew’s gospel, we look to the end of the Book of Revelation.  By doing this we find that the image of the heavenly Jerusalem fulfills the proclamation of the angel.  In Revelations 21:1-4 we read,

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.  And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “See, the home of God is among mortals.  He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes.  Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.”

God himself will be with them…  Death will be no more…

“Jesus” – God saves.  “Emmanuel” – God is with us. 

God saves us by being with us. 

Come, Lord Jesus!