What's in a Name

What's truly in a name? This exploration of Matthew chapter 1 reveals that the names surrounding Christmas aren't just labels—they're declarations of God's magnificent plan for humanity. We journey through an unexpected genealogy that includes prostitutes, foreigners, and adulterers, discovering that God's redemptive power works through broken people to accomplish His perfect purposes. The name Christ reminds us that Jesus came as our anointed King, not just a distant deity but the ruler worthy of our complete obedience and worship. The name Jesus—Savior—marks the eternal moment when God the Son humbled Himself to become our rescue from sin, wrapped in the vulnerability of human flesh. And Emmanuel, God with us, restores what was shattered in Eden: the intimate presence of God dwelling among His people. These names together paint a portrait of Christmas that transcends tinsel and tradition, calling us to recognize the staggering reality that the Creator of the universe chose to enter our world as a helpless infant. As we navigate a culture increasingly intent on removing Christ from Christmas, we're challenged to anchor ourselves in the magnitude of what these names represent and to live differently in this season.