Today's Scripture Reading (December 26, 2023): Matthew 1
Most of us have dreams for our kids. If we were asked what our dreams are for our kids, we would probably reply that we would be happy if they stayed healthy, but our dreams most likely go just a little deeper. We want them to make a difference in their world. We want them to find a suitable spouse to complement and strengthen them and help them achieve their dreams. We may not wish great financial success for them, but we do want them to be comfortable, to be able to pay their debts, and save enough money to purchase a house and someday retire in some degree of comfort. We don't want them to spend their lives living from paycheck to paycheck. All of this is part of our dream.
Things haven't changed much in this respect.
We still dream for our kids like the parents of centuries past dreamed for their kids. So, when Mary
and Joseph discovered they would have a baby, they were given a
name. The name described all that the baby boy was meant to be. The angel told
them to call him Jesus. A few years ago, archaeologists found a grave marker of
a family that contained the names of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. A thrill went
through the world as people wondered if we had found the burial spot of the
holy family. Then, we started to do the math.
Mary was the most popular name for girls in Jesus's time. A quick look through
the bible confirms that Mary was not an unusual name. Joseph and Jesus were
also very popular names. Israel 2000 years ago was filled with little boys
named Jesus. The probability of a family having the names of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus was actually relatively high, probably higher than
any other combination of names.
Parents would name their sons
Jesus, or a variant of the name, simply because they desperately wanted a name
that would sum up all their dreams and hopes for their child. By naming the
boys Jesus and the girls Mary, they gave a name indicating that their children were
important. But no one was giving their children the name of Immanuel. No one
wanted to claim that their child would be "God with Us." Sometime in
the future, one would come who would be "God with Us." No doubt,
parents would have loved to name their children Immanuel, but that seemed a little too forward.
The angel spoke to Joseph. Mary
will have a baby, and you will call him Jesus,
just like so many other boys he will grow up with, but he will also be Immanuel.
He is God coming to us and being with us.
We don't worship Jesus; there are too many of them. We worship
in the name of Jesus, who is also Immanuel. God has
come to you and me. And no one is more worthy of my praise.
Tomorrow's Scripture
Reading: Luke 8
Originally
Published on December 26, 2010
No comments:
Post a Comment