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7DECEMBER2013BODYOFCHRISTNEWSBeholdthevirginshallbewithchildandbearaSonandtheyshallcallHisnameImmanuelwhichistranslatedGodwithus.Matthew123NKJVAnewspaperadreadLost--onedog.Brownhairwithseveralbaldspots.Rightlegbrokenduetoautoaccident.Lefthiphurt.Righteyemissing.Leftearbittenoffinadogfight.AnswerstothenameLucky.Withusanameisoftenhardlymorethananidentifica-tiontagalabelandaswithLuckyisnotareflectionofourcircumstance.Rarelyisitsmeaningamajoritem.Itischosenratherforitsassociationsaswhenachildisnamedafterarelativeorafriendorforitssoundaswhenwelikethename.HowevertheJewschoseanameforitsmeaninginGodtoacknowledgeHisgiftortoexpresshopeordestinyinHim.Inourdaychildrenareusuallybornbeforethefinaldecisionofwhattheirnamewillbeismade.Inthispassagewefindthatthechildsnamewasaccordingtoanangelsdeclaration.GenerationsbeforethechildwasbornHisnamewasgiven.THEDECLARATIONOFTHECHILDSNAMES.AsthelegalfatherJosephwouldnameMarysSonbutHewouldnotbefreetochoosethename.TheangeltoldHimthatHewastonamethechildJesus.ThisnameistheGreekequivalentoftheHebrewnameJoshua.ThisnamecontainstheHebrewnamefortheGodofIsraelandthewholenamemeansJehovahissalvation.MaryschildwouldbearanamethatdescribedHisroleasSaviorHeshallsaveHispeoplefromtheirsins.InthefulllightoftheNewTestamentrevela-tionitisclearthatGoddidnotintendtorestrictthispromisetoanyonepeople.HispeopleareallthepeopleoftheworldwhowillacceptJesusWhosoevercomestoHimwillbesavedfromtheeternalconsequencesofthewrongstheyhavedone.ThenameJesusrepresentsaproph-ecyofaworkwhichameremancouldneverdo.YouandIcanandshouldforgiveinjurydonetousbutwecan-notforgivesinsforsinsareultimatelynotagainstourneighborsorourselvesbutagainsttheCreator.Wehaveexpe-riencedinourownlivesGodssavingpowerthroughJesusChristHisSon.DidtheangelsayHeshallsaveHispeopleWecansayHesavedHispeopleandwearethosepeople.Jesusbirthhadnotonlyasuper-naturalconceptionbutalsoasuper-naturalprediction.HundredsofyearsbeforeHewasbornHisbirthwaspre-dicted.TheOldTestamentreferencetowhichMatthewrefersisIsaiah714NKJVThereforetheLordHimselfwillgiveyouasignBeholdthevirginshallconceiveandbearaSonandshallcallHisnameImmanuel.ThemeaningofthetermImmanuelGodwithusisaconceptthatoftenappearsintheNewTestament.TheepistleofHebrewsisonethatnoteshowJesusChristiswithusinthesenseofhavingexpe-riencedwhatwemustfaceashumanbeingslivinginabodysubjecttowea-rinesspainanddeath.Hesharedinourhumanity.HewastemptedandisthereforeabletohelpthosewhoarebeingtemptedHebrews21418NIV.IfGodisapersonwecouldexpectthatHewouldmakehimselfknown.IfHeisindeedlovenothingcouldkeepHimfromHischildren.TheIncarnationbecomesanecessity.ThereforeGodtooktheonewayinwhichtorevealHisloveHebecameoneofus.ThroughthelifeofJesusChristHespoketousbyhumanlipsandlookedonuswithhumaneyes.ItisofHimandHimalonethatwesayImmanuelGodiswithus.WHATDOYOUCALLHIMSincetheangelsaidthatJosephshouldcalltheSonsnameJesusandtheprophetsaidHeshouldbecalledImmanuelisthereacontradictionOfcoursenotForJesusmeansJehovahissalvationJehovahisGodandthewordImmanuelmeansGodwithus.JesuswasGodintheflesh.JohndevelopedthesamethoughtAndtheWordwasmadefleshanddweltamongusJohn114.WhatdoyoucallHimManycallHimJesus.ThiswasthepersonalnameofHimwhowasbornofavirginandisoneusedofHimmoreoftenthananyotherintheNewTestament.ToHiscontemporariesitwouldnothavetheuniqueassociationsthatithasforus.ItisanamethatdescribedHisworkonearth.Itwouldbemerelythedesignationofanindividual.JesusmeansJehovahSalvation.ManycallHimChrist.ChristwastheofficialtitleoftheSavior.ThenameChrististheGreekequiva-lentofMessiahmeaninganointed.ProphetspriestsandkingsofoldwereanointedbeingprophetictypesofHimwhoastheChristcombinesallthreeofficesinHimself.HeisprophetpriestandKing.ThroughouttheNewTestamentthereisthecon-firmationthatJesusistheChrist.ManycallHimImmanuelanamerevealingHischaracterandHiscon-tactwithman.HispropheticnameisImmanuelonethatrevealsthedeep-ermysteryofHismission.InJesusweseetheunionofGodandman.GodisnolongeradistantbeingseatedonHisthroneabovetheheavens.Hehaddescendedtothisearth.ItisdifficulttothinkofGodastheInfiniteOnewhoinhabitseternitytheveryideaissovastthatitseemstomeltawayintovagueness.Itisintangiblewecannotlayholdofit.ButChristwecanseeandunderstand.InChristGodlooksatuswithhumaneyesspeakstousinanearthlytonguetouchesuswithabrothershand.Thisissowecanbelieve.WhenwecometoknowChristforourselveswecanseeGodinHim.GodiswithusinJesusinthesensethatHebecameoneofusandlivesrighthereamongus.MorethanthatGodiswithusinJesusinthatHeisonoursidestandingshouldertoshoulderbesideusinthetroublesoflife.OurGodisnotremotenorisHeunconcernedaboutourneeds.TothecontraryHecaredsomuchforusthatHebecameoneofussowemighteventuallybecomelikeHim.ImmanuelmeansGodwithusandJesusmeansSavior.ThisholychildspersonandworkwereindicatedbyHisnames.HewasthepromisedMessiahsentfromGod.HisnamesrevealedHismissionamongus.EveryonemustmakehimLord.ItissadlypossibletocallonthepersonalnameJesustoacknowledgeHimasaSavior.ItissadlypossibletocallonthenameChristtoacknowledgeHimasprophetpriestandking.ItissadlypossibletoknowHimasImmanueltoacknowledgeHimasGodwithusyetnothonorandobeyHimastheLordofallweareandhave.NomatterwhichnameyouchosetocallHimbyeveryonemustnotonlycallHimLordbutalsomakeHimLord.ThistitleLordindicatesauthoritydominiondeityandisequivalenttoJehovahintheOldTestament.AsHudsonTaylorusedtoputitIfHeisnotLordofallHeisnotLordatall.HowblessedwearewhenwefullyrecognizeHimasourLordJesusChrist.GodhathmadeJesusbothLordandChristActs236.HaveweacknowledgedHimasLordIsHeLordofourlifeaswellasGodofoursalvationWhoisHetoyouTheScripturecanbesummarizedinathreefoldwaynIntheOldTestamentitisGodForusnIntheFourGospelsitisGodWithusnIntheActsandEpistlesitisGodInusThepresenceofGodwasmanifestedinJesusThepresenceofJesusismanifestedintheHolySpirit.WiththeHolySpiritinusJesusiswithusGodiswithus.WhenGodiswithusthenweknowGodisforus.WhoisHetoYouRev.WilliamT.GolsonJr.HaveweacknowledgedHimasLordIsHeLordofourlifeaswellasGodofoursalvationSERMONByRev.WilliamT.GolsonJr.WilliamT.GolsonJr.MDivisPresidentoftheGreaterMetroDenverMinisterialAlliance.