Notes of Faith December 24, 2025
Named on Purpose
And [Mary] will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.
Matthew 1:21
Abraham means “father of many nations” which reflected God’s purpose for him (Genesis 17:5). Similarly, Jesus’ name reflects God’s purpose for Him. Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua (Hebrew Yeshua) which means “the Lord [Yahweh] saves.” So Jesus was given a name which meant “the Lord saves” because it reflected His purpose: “He [would] save His people from their sins.”
This purpose of Jesus was pictured beautifully in Isaiah 53 where the Servant of the Lord (the Messiah) would take upon Himself the sins of Israel and by extension the sins of the Gentile world as well. Jesus took upon Himself the terrible burden of bearing the sins of mankind, being judged in our place so we would not be judged. At the right time God sent forth His Son to redeem those who deserved the judgment the law demanded (Galatians 3:13; 4:4). He came to seek and save all who were lost (Luke 19:10).
God’s purpose for you is to make you like Christ (Romans 8:28-29). Thank God today that Christ fulfilled His purpose so you may fulfill yours.
Salvation, the salvation of man, is the final purpose of the whole Bible.
J. H. Bernard
Luke 19:10
10 "For the Son of Man (Jesus referred to Himself by this name) has come to seek and to save that which was lost."
Rom 3:23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (We were or are lost!)
Rom 5:8
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
1 Cor 15:3-4
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.
(THE GOSPEL)
Rom 10:9-13
if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13 for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."
Rom 8:1-2
Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
2 Cor 5:18-21
18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Matt 28:19-20
19 "Go…(tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere)… and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Pastor Dale