Two Names Needed for Receiving Your Saviour
Notes
Transcript
Dear Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Never forget a daughter of green house grower, so good had been sent to London before WWII, to grow for king of England. And this daughter in 80’s was losing her memory to Alhzymers, when I would sit at kitchen table with aerial picture of her town over us. Boskamp - she would go back in her old age - and her favourite story - walking in that green house through gardens, hand in and with her father - and her father would say I don’t call you Hey You. Teach her both the scientific and the common name for each flower. I don’t call you Hey You. Well I wonder not only if you know the names of the Son of God comes to you, but like old Mrs. VanWieren calling those flowers by name - whether you in full recognition call to the Living Lord by these names.
In the Bible says John Piper: a name … reveals the very essence of a thing, or rather its essence as God’s gift…. To name a thing is to manifest the meaning and value God gave it, to know it as coming from God and to know its place and function within the cosmos created by God. To name a thing, in other words, is to bless God for it and in it. Can you do that with the Son of God incarnate? The Bible says if you can in that way: whoever calls on the name of the LORD - shall be saved! THere is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved! Why Song of Songs 1:3 says: Your name is like ointment poured out.
The two texts we have been looking at Annunciation - birth announcements from God to Mary and to Joseph and to us. And it would not be surprising that Jewish couple would hope - maybe my child the promised - what CHRIST, not a last name, but a title position. Lot of false ideas about king, redeemer, save Israel from physical enemies the Romans. In the same way, if you said to a jew this one will be the Prophet Great than Moses- have a clear idea and category for the job as teacher and revealer that the child was to have. But what we have in the annunciation to Joseph is surprising two names, one a common perosnal name - Johsua, Jehsua or in Greek Jesus - nothing surprising in itself for after exile - top 10 names of Jewish baby boys. But what is surprising is that God himself give this name and its very particular meaning. And even more surprising a second name is given - much more rare, Immanuel, and though its given with its meaning, God -with-us, it also comes as a prophetic sign fulfilled from our OT text in Isaiah 7,8,9.
And Matthew records the giving of these names - 3x repeating that our act of naming this one, our calling out to Him is the central thrust of the text. Big deal of Name 3x in quick succession: you shall call his name Jesus’ (1:21); ‘they will call his name Immanuel’ (1:23); ‘he called his name Jesus’ (1:25). In the OT, for Israel’s sake, the high and holy God placed his Name in their midst; by virtue of that Name his people were blessed and sustained. That's what is going on now in our world, God putting His presence into the middle of our lives, as call on name of Jesus Immanuel. God is signalling signals outpouring power to save!!
Key Truth: We must anme and call on the Son of God as Jesus/REscuer and Immanuel- God with Us to be saved and blessed and sustained!
Let’s look first at the meaning of the personal name God gives His Son incanrate our LORD.
A. Jesus means God-to-the-Rescue from Sin to lead us into Real Rest
i. REST: There is no one OT text that explains why the Son of God come to us must be called Jesus, but rather a central biblical idea from the root word of the name. Je - is short form of Jehovah, Yahweh the covenant name of God, but th root of the name is in the sus -shua - which means to rescue or save, or salvation. The idea of Jeshua , Je sus is Jerhvah to the rescue, Yahweh the LORD saves. And who is the first person to bear that name? Back in the OT, God set His people free from slavery in Egypt - but that wasn’t the whole Exodus, a bunch of Israelites wandering around aimlessly in the desert. No the setting free was only the first part of the rescue plan, the coming to Mt Sinai to be constituted a new nation, and then to Cross the Jordan in miraculous way - to enter the Promised Land and live out God’s covenant ways - that was the full rescue plan for Israel. Well after Moses accomplishes the first half, who does God appoint for the second?
Joshua - and here the name gets tied to central biblical idea! Joshua 1:13b,
“Remember the word that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord your God is providing you a place of rest and will give you this land.’
God’s original design was a creation - in which we would reach final rest, what picture of 6 days of work - then the reward of a perfect rest with God showed. It is the picture after the Fall, when no rest in this world - like in this season always sighing - God said call him Noah - because it was the hope that this would be the baby sent by God - give us relief, Noah comfort, rest! Well in a small way, Joshua entering promised Land, was a picture of God’s plan and Isaiah summarized that saying: Isaiah 63:14
Like livestock that go down into the valley, the Spirit of the Lord gave them rest. So you led your people, to make for yourself a glorious name.
God gives them a godly king in the land and the goal is that 2 Samuel 7:11
from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house.
But that didn’t last, straying from really living with God punished in exile - and yet God still says to Israel and to the nation exiled in the fall: Jeremiah 46:27
“But fear not, O Jacob my servant, nor be dismayed, O Israel, for behold, I will save you from far away, and your offspring from the land of their captivity. Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease, and none shall make him afraid.
That’s what Israel was waiting for - and some of the prophets even said that God himself would come and bring this rest on the earth.
This is the great day predicted not just in weekly Sabbath, but also in Sabbath year, after 6 years of work - let it rest, and 7 x7 = the fiftieth year was to be what a the Year of Jubilee.
Not just rest, but release of all the captives. Cancellation of all debts. A picture of ultimate Rest God would bring!
Well, listen carefully, the NT book of Hebrews said ultimately Joshua of the OT couldn’t bring them into that real rest, only a foreshadowing. Hebrews 4:8-9
For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God,
And the point is that the NT Joshua, JESUS he would really spiritually and one day fully for all creation bring the Sabbath Rest. And indeed in one our favourite gospel passages Jesus says: Matthew 11:28-30
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
He was the one alone who can bring about real shalom! God to the rescue!
ii. SIN RESCUE: But this child not only to be God ot eh resuce leading to real rest, the big surprise cam ein how how God would save. Call him Joeshua - Rescue, because he shall save his people from their sin.
Yes, Jesus showing what his kingdom will look like coming healing disease, he comes feeding the hungry, he comes comforting the broken hearted, he comes even raising the dead. But listen that is not the core of his rescuing. They were all signs of God’s great mission and agenda in coming in this Christ Child. Jesus who saves from the root of all other calamities in this life. Sin is the root cause of you and me and the world around us disordered because of sin and its consequences. He comes to because we are at odds with God because of sin and he will deal with that. This is what Psalm 130:8 promised God himself would come to do: O Israel trust in the LORD!
He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.
How will he do save from sin.
Listen carefully at the root two ideas. There is the guilt of your sin and mine that he will wash clean through forgiveness of his atoning blood on the Cross. Do you know it? Then there is rescue from the dominion, the ruling power of sin, in your heart and mine - How does Jesus do that? This is Jesus sending the sanctifying, the cleansing and healing Holy Spirit to live and work and communion within us by His Word.
And so to receive Jesus, celebrate his coming to deal with your sin, to lead you to shalom and rest. It is to receive Him now to do that work in our lives. And if we are cleaving to our sin, we are not yet naming Him Jesus!
But it is the second and more surprising name that the angel says, not only does the Son of God need to be named, but His people, as they experience His ministry they will call out the Sn of God with this name.
B. Immanuel means Jesus is ‘God-with-us’ in the closest way for blessing!
And here we do have a very specific Old Testament prophesy in Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
So we have examined the Son of God coming as truly human ancestor of Abraham and David, his role as heir of God, the Second Adam as Daniel 7 Son of Man. We have pondered at the mystery that He is nor both miraculously fully God and truly conceived as fully man. This Incarnate Son is not just a witness to God’s presence, but He embodies it = in unprecedented wa. In the OT this happened only spiritually and in shadowy way: Exodus 29:45
I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God.
God’s presence localized, of course God present everywhere but now in more intense way with people cleansed, forgiven, being restored; like tabernacle and temple - God in the middle of the the camp. But do you see a change in the fulfillment: Matthew 1:23
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
Not Isaiah or the prophetess his young wife,, calling his name Immanuel, now who calls him Immanuel . Who is the they in Matthew 1, call his name Jesus save HIS PEOPLE - LAOS = people whom he saves from sin. They will experience this very Jesus as God with them, even in them!
I wonder if not just naming Him Jesus, tonight you can really calling on Him in faith because experiencing the reality of God with us, in Him.
Let’s see what that would mean from this prophesy in Isaiah’s day. King Ahaz of Judah (Jerusalem, southern two tribes, was about to be attacked by 10 tribes of Israel and by Syrians. Isaiah is sent to King Ahaz, don’t fear live by faith, I will bring deliverance, only ask of me a sign I will provide. Ahaz said, nah, just live by my own resources, calls on Assyria nation to come. God says. Either way my presence will com by this sign. Don’t have faith, turn to me in trust - then I will come in judgment on you Ahaz and Judah - Assyria will make this place a wasteland. Exile. Turn to me and I will bring deliverance and shalom. And he instructs Isaiah to go in Isaiah 8:3 prophetess who bore a son either virgin born, or born to them before the King of Assyria would come - a wonder and sign. And it happened in judgment because Ahaz would not turn to the LORD. And listen to Isaiah 8:8
and it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass on, reaching even to the neck, and its outspread wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel.”
But God then says the suffering and Israel’s plans won’t last, but God’s promise of Immanuel will Isaiah 8:10
Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing; speak a word, but it will not stand, for God is with us.
He instructs Isaiah and God's faithful to wait out the conspiracies and suffering and exile, waiting on the promises of the Lord. And then it comes in Isaiah chapter 9 a promise about not Isaiah and prophetess’s little foreshadow of Immanuel, that was a type for Isiah’s time, but now he prophesies not of a type but of the fulfillment of the Immanuel prophesy: You know these words about the coming and fulfilling promised child, the one who would be God Himself having taken to himself our human flesh and human nature for us and for our salvation:
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Do you get it, there was a first Immanuel child, but he was an example and sign for Isaiah’s day, but the full promise was for a child who would be God Himself come to with His people. God come for full blessing for all who will put their faith in this child King.
This is God entering human history in a new way in power and in blessing. This is the heart of the gospel of God.. God has gotten through to us in His own way and its not through mere teaching like Gandhi or Mohamed, its through God truly entering our human situation to rescue us.
The Immanuel fulfillment spoken of by Matthew in 3 places in his gospel. The very beginning, the virgin born child is God with us to rescue us. Then near the turning point and middle of the gospel, Jesus says, Matthew 18:20
For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
In our worship but also in the agony of dealing with sin in our lives, in discipline, seeking transformation of you and me to turn from sin, Jesus promises I will be with you. And then last the very end of the gospel, as Jesus is about to send the Holy Spirit to be His presence with us, and as He takes up the throne in heaven, bringing us as it where into the Father’s presences, - he says, Matthew 28:19-20
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Do you get that in the seemingly impossible task of bringing the good news to the world, I will be with and in you - to empowerment you to make other disciples! God in the flesh, you and I must receive Immanuel - he knows every temptation, took on every suffering so he can empathize and sympathize as a perfect high priest, He has felt our pain and so you and I must unreservedly turn to him with our sorrows. But He is fully God and so he can say all who come to me I will never drive away. He can say to all who turn to him in faith: NO one can snatch them out of my hand. This is Jesus, God manifest in human flesh like our own, God come to us to be with us and for and in us.
How do you respond to the promise? Like Ahaz - I want no dealings with God - no gifts no signs, no blessings no prayers. I do my own destiny. thank you very much. No, that life is destined for destruction. Don't reject this sign of deliverance and salvation Don't seek your deliverance like Ahaz in salvations of your own making: money, career, bodily health and strength, having perfect family, fun social life - All may work to a degree for a season, but can’t save you. But God’s sends Immanuel so that God can be with you to bless and save for ever, to the utter most. Don’t be an Ahaz, responding to the Immnauel birth, with indifference. Be like Mary and Joseph - with wonder and amazement at the mystery, but trust obedience and joy - believe God has gotten through and entered my life in the most intimate way - and I will follow this One who is Joshua not military conquer, but Joshua Jeshua God with Us Spiritual conquer establishing His kingdom among us!
CONCLUSION:
So there you have it to name by which we now and call on the Son of God now incarnate for . Jesus and Immanuel. I dare say we know that saving part from sin better than the God dwelling with us part of Immanuel. Years ago, a competition was held to find out how people would describe friendship. The winning answer was, A friend is someone who’s walking in when everyone else is walking out. That’s the message of Christmas in Jesus God is drawing near to us to dwell with us, even when all else in this world pulls away and fails. The Immanuel promise is like when Jacob encountered God when he was running away from his problems, penny-less only a stone for a pillow, and God appears to him and says
Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
Jesus has come to be the God of Jacob to us, and you will only really be home for Christmas, when receiving Jesus as Immanuel - you make Him your dwelling place too! This child was God perfectly and forever united to humanity, a wonder only the Holy Spirit could work, and He can work it in you! So that now and always you will be able to says: Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. for you are with me. Absolutely amazing and rock solid comfort - ‘the Word became flesh and dwelt among us’. And he still does as by faith and the Holy Spirit you get united to this Jesus! For he is Immanuel - God with us. ‘To you., this day in that Davidic town - born to you a what SAVIOUR, A RESCUE - and He is Christ and He is the LORD!. , because Jesus is Immanuel! Is he yours? • Underline the words ‘to us’. Then write in the margin ‘to me’ and the government of my life because He is my Wonderful Counsellor,
EMMANUEL IS FOR US!
To ____________, in the city of David, a Saviour is born, Christ the Lord.
For to ___________ a child is born,
to ____________ a son is given;
and the government of _________’s life shall be upon his shoulder,
because he is ____________’s Wonderful,
he is ____________’s Counselor
he is ____________’s Prince of Peace
he is ____________’s Everlasting Father