Christmas: Name Him Jesus

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Do you know what your name means? My name, Gareth - (Welsh, medieval times) "might" of a spear-ruler with the "calm" of a gentle knight!

 While names today are highly personal and often chosen for their popularity in antiquity, names were often seen as functional blueprints for a person’s identity, destiny, or social status. In ancient cultures, a name wasn’t just a label; it was believed to capture the essence of that which was being named.

The Meaning of Jesus’ Name

Do you know what the name Jesus means?!

Matthew 1:21

She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

Luke 1:31-32 

Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David

• Jesus comes from the Hebrew “Yeshua” - a combination of Yahweh + Shua (salvation)

  • Means “Yahweh saves” or “I AM saves.”

  • Same name as Joshua in the Old Testament

  • Every time we say “Jesus,” we declare that God brings salvation

    
    

The Seven O Antiphons (Great O’s)

• Ancient prayers from the 6th-8th centuries form verses of “O Come Emmanuel.”

• Each focuses on a different messianic name (title) for Jesus:

  1. O Sapienta (Wisdom) - Jesus as truth, Word of God, Logos

  2. O Adonai (Lord) - Mighty rescuer bringing order from chaos

  3. O Radix Jesse (Root of Jesse) - Royal lineage of David, brings followers into royalty

  4. O Clavis David (Key of David) - Has the key to set captives free, overcome sin & death

  5. O Oriens (Morning Star) - Light of the world, illuminates darkness

  6. O Rex Gentium (King) - King of all nations, brings unity as the cornerstone

  7. O Emmanuel (God With Us) - Saves through presence, God becoming human, continued through the Spirit

     
     

Hidden Message in the Antiphons

• First letters in reverse order spell “ERO CRAS” (Latin)

  • Translation: “Tomorrow I will come.”

  • Promise looking ahead to Christmas - Savior will come

  • Christmas means the wait is over, salvation has arrived!

    
    

Application

• Jesus provides everything needed:

  • Wisdom, order from chaos, royal family invitation

  • Freedom from sin and death, light in darkness

  • Unity in his kingdom, constant presence through the Holy Spirit

• May these truths become real, God’s grace and favor