What's in a name?

There are 117 different names for Jesus Christ in the Bible, each one a description of who he is, and what he desires to be in our lives.

The Prophet Isaiah said he would be called Immanuel, which means “God with us.” When the Angel spoke to Joseph he said, “You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. The name Jesus means “God is salvation.” And, contrary to some popular belief, Christ is not Jesus’ last name. It is a title that means “The One come from God.”And in John chapter one Jesus is “The Word,” which, in the original language, means “The expression of God to us.”

When Jesus was baptized, the Father spoke from heaven in Mathew 3:17 saying “This is my Beloved Son.” And when John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him he said in John 1:29 “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

Jesus’ most powerful display of who he really is came in just two English words. In John 8:58 he said simply “I AM.” Then Jesus went on to expand this all encompassing name throughout the book of John. He said “I am the Bread of life,” “I am the Light of the World,”“I am the Door,” “I am the Good Shepherd,” “I am the Resurrection,” I am the Way, the truth, and the life,” and finally “I am the True Vine.”

And then, there are the most personal names; In Hebrews 12:2 Jesus is “The author and finisher of our faith.” In 1Timothy 2:5 he is our “Mediator.” In 1John 2:1 he is our “Advocate.” In Isaiah 59:20, as the one who paid the full price to set us free, he is our “Redeemer.” And 24 times in the New Testament Jesus is called “Savior,” which means “One providing salvation.”

It took 117 names in the Bible to try to describe all of who Jesus Christ is. But the one that leads to eternal life is “My personal Savior.” I pray that is who he is to you. - - Pastor Dave

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