THINK TOGETHER.
What does your name mean?
READ TOGETHER
Matthew 1:21 21She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins…25And he called his name Jesus.
Do you remember who Joseph was? He was the earthly father of Jesus. Jesus’ mother was Mary, and his father is God THE Father. But on Earth, Joseph was Jesus’ dad. The one who watched over him, cared for him, and kept him safe.
Like Mary, Joseph was also wise. Joseph feared, loved, and obeyed God. God told Joseph to name Mary’s baby, Jesus. And Joseph obeyed. He called his name Jesus.
The name Jesus means “God saves.” Jesus is the same name as Joshua. Do you know anyone named Joshua? Often in America, we give children names that are popular or that sound nice to us. We don’t always think about what the name actually means. But in Jesus’ day parents would always think about what the name meant, or they might give a child a special family name. Why do you think Jesus was named “God saves?”
Well, the angel told Joseph why, didn’t he? Because he will save his people from their sins.
Have you been saved from your sins? The Bible says that the wages, or penalty, for sin is death. Because we sin against God we deserve both physical and spiritual death. But when Jesus died on the cross for us, he died both physically and spiritually in our place. Now, when we trust in his death for us and ask for his forgiveness for our sin, we can be saved from our sins, and from the penalty for our sins – death.
Jesus was born to die so that we might live.
Because of Jesus we can be saved from our sins.
With Jesus we can obey God not to be saved, but because we are saved.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Listen to the Sovereign Grace song, Away In A Manger (Glory Has Come).
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus, save me from my sins. I believe you died in my place and can forgive me of all my sins. Please forgive me and save me. Amen.
TLICfamily 