In the midst of this gut-wrenching thought process an angel comes and begins to explain to Joseph that the Child has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. Now here’s the statement - Matthew 1:21 - the angel says to Joseph: “She - Mary - will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

All of Christmas is explained in this one amazing statement. All of what God desires for us - His purpose in coming. All of what He offers to us.

First, the angel says, “She - Mary - will bear a Son.” So great a reality put so plainly. Years ago someone wrote this about Mary’s Son.

He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another obscure village, where He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty. Then for three years He was an itinerant preacher.

He never had a family or owned a home. He never traveled more than two hundred miles from the place He was born. He never wrote a book, or held an office. He did none of the things that usually accompany greatness.

While He was still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against Him. His friends deserted Him. He was turned over to His enemies, and went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While He was dying, His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had - His coat.

When He was dead, He was taken down and laid in a borrowed grave.

Nineteen centuries have come and gone, and today He is the central figure for much of the human race. All the armies that ever marched, and all the navies that ever sailed, and all the parliaments that ever sat, and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as this one solitary life.

“She will bear a Son.” So much contained in so few words. We sing these words, “The hopes and fears of all the years are met in Thee tonight.” Mary’s Son born that night. In the centuries leading to His coming - people longed - cried out - for what He would bring. Today - in the midst of all that is occurring around us - we celebrate - longing for the realization of what He has brought - true love - real hope - lasting peace - God’s salvation from sin.

Second, Joseph is told, “You shall call His name Jesus.”

Joseph is given a command. It’s an imperative. There’s no choice. “You must call His name Jesus.”

So often when we read in our English or Armenian translations the names of Bible characters we forget that these names have great meaning and significance. Jesus comes from the Greek form of the Hebrew “Joshua” - literally - “yeshua” - which combines the name of God “Yahweh” with the word “yasa” - to help - to deliver - to save.

In Scripture, the “name” of God is the description of who He is - God’s reputation - His character - His nature. The Bible contains a number of different names for God that God uses to reveal different aspects of His character or how He deals with mankind. Here, God reveals the name of His Son - Jesus - as “Yahweh saves”.

When God meets Moses at the burning bush, Moses says to God, “You’re sending me back to Egypt to the people of Israel to tell them that the God of your fathers has sent me. They’re going to ask me, ‘What is His name?’ What should I tell them?”

God answers Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” Same name - “I AM” - “Yahweh”. (Exodus 3:13,14)

“Yahweh” describes God as the One who always has been - always is - and always will be. God who is - absolute - unchangeable - holy. “Yahweh.” is the most frequently used name of God in the Bible and yet the one name the Hebrews would never write or say. Its just too holy - too sacred to profane by writing it or speaking it.

Athanasius - one of the early defenders and explainers of our faith - Anthanasius once said, “Our Lord took a body like ours and lived as a man in order that those who had refused to recognize Him in His superintendence and captaincy of the whole universe might come to recognize from the works He did here below in the body, that what dwelt in this body was the Word of God.”

It is amazing to contemplate that God Himself is so in love with His creation - creatures who reject Him - who live in sinful disobedience of His will - that God Himself has come to be with us - to call us into a relationship with Him.

The third part of the angel’s statement is the bottom line of all this - the purpose of Jesus’ coming. The angel tells Joseph, “You must call Him Yahweh saves, for He will save His people from their sins.” Jesus saves - not just deliverance from physical danger - or disease - or physical death. Jesus saves - offers comprehensive salvation that can only come from God - forgiveness of our sins - freedom from guilt - restored purposeful life - the eternal relationship with God that begins the moment we receive Jesus as the Savior.

To many people that offer of salvation is offensive. America today is a plurality of religions and beliefs and philosophies. We hear people say “Happy Holidays” so that no one will be offended. Someone coined the word “Chrihankwanzadan” - to combine Christmas - Hanukkah - Kwanzaa - and Ramadan - “Happy Chrihankwansadan”. To believe that Jesus is “the” Savior isn’t politically correct - it’s not enlightened. But God cuts through the confusion of our society with His truth - the truth - His way of salvation.

That we need the Savior is offensive. It rubs against to our pride - our self sufficiency. We’re moral people - good Christians - reasonably successful in life. There’s nothing really wrong with who we are. Nothing really major anyway. We’re all a little rough around the edges. Everyone is. But, our need for a Savior has nothing to do with who we are outside. Its inside - who we are before God - in sin - that separates us from Him. God says we need to come to Him as He came to us - as a child. Laying aside our pride so that He can deal with the reality of sin within our hearts.

Some feel as though they’re unworthy of God’s salvation. They’re too sinful - too far gone - too many problems and needs. Which is true. We’re all unworthy. Paul writes in Ephesians 2: “For by grace - God’s undeserved favor - by grace you have been saved through faith - through trust in Jesus - through personally receiving Jesus as your Savior - and that - salvation - is not of yourselves - it’s not because of anything we’ve done or ever could have done - it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8)

God’s reality is before us. It’s here in this amazing statement, “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

Jesus is God’s personal offer of salvation to you. This morning - God in His grace is offering you this opportunity to know Him - to know His forgiving of your sins - to live life with Him each day - to spend eternity with Him.