An Appropriate Name

The name of the southeastern Asian nation of Indonesia is formed by combining two Greek words
which together mean island. That name is appropriate because Indonesia is made up of more than
17,500 islands spanning nearly 750,000 square miles. Indonesiaan appropriate name for a nation
of islands.
In the Bible, we find that people were often given namessometimes at birth, sometimes later
that made a statement about them or their character. Barnabas, whose name means son of
encouragement, continually encouraged those he encountered. Jacob, whose name means
schemer, repeatedly manipulated people and situations for his own selfish ends.
And no one has ever been more appropriately named than Jesus. When the angel of the Lord spoke
to Joseph about Marys soon-to-be-born Son, he told Joseph, You shall call His name Jesus, for He
will save His people from their sins (Matt. 1:21).
Jesus means the Lord saves and defines both who Jesus is and why He came. He was also called
Immanuel, which means God with us (1:23). His name reveals our eternal hope!
How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds
In a believers ear!
It soothes his sorrow, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear. Newton
The name of Jesus is at the heart of our faith and our hope.
Insight
In his book Miracles, C. S. Lewis answers the argument against the virgin birth that suggests first-
century people did not understand natural law. To this, Lewis responds that the whole motive for
Joseph considering breaking the engagement was that he understood where babies come from
(v.19). It took an angel in a dream to point to the supernatural source of Marys conception. First-
century people, like believers today, understood that for a virgin to give birth would require a
miracle.
Daily Bread, May 24
th
2014