As we celebrate Christmas, the story of Christ’s birth offers profound insights into God’s plan for humanity. In the Gospel of Matthew, we encounter two names for the Messiah: Jesus, meaning “the Lord saves,” and Emmanuel, meaning “God with us.” These names encapsulate who Christ is and what He came to accomplish.
Jesus: The Lord Saves
The name Jesus reflects His ultimate mission: to save humanity from sin. Often, we focus on earthly challenges such as sickness, poverty, or injustice, hoping Christ will rescue us from immediate struggles. While He cares deeply about our present lives, His priority is our eternal destiny.
Matthew 1:21 says, “He will save His people from their sins.” This salvation addresses the core of our brokenness—our rebellion against God. Jesus didn’t come merely to address external problems or victimization but to offer redemption to sinners. His mission was to restore our relationship with God by defeating sin, death, and the works of the devil through His life, death, and resurrection.
By focusing on eternity, Jesus calls us to live with an eternal perspective. Life on earth, though significant, is like a dime at the start of an infinite timeline. The rest of eternity depends on how we respond to Christ’s gift of salvation.
Emmanuel: God With Us
The name Emmanuel reveals the closeness of God. While many religious systems depict deities as distant and impersonal, Christianity declares that God came near. Jesus, fully God and fully man, walked among us, experienced our struggles, and demonstrated God’s personal love.
This truth is further emphasized in Matthew 28:20 when the resurrected Christ assures His disciples, “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” The word behold commands us to pay attention, to fix our eyes on the reality that Jesus is present in every moment of our lives.
For believers, this promise is life-changing. Christ’s Spirit dwells within us, and we live in Him. This intimate relationship empowers us to face challenges, comfort others, and live out our faith with purpose.
