In this sermon, “Meaning of Jesus’ Name (Matthew 2. 18-23),” Pastor Timothy R. Carter examines the biblical message of Jesus Christ being’ Immanuel,’ meaning ‘God with us.’ Expounding on the Gospel of Matthew, he explores the concept of Jesus being fully human and God.
Pastor Carter also elaborates on various Hebrew names for God and their meanings, asserting that these names embody characteristics of God that allow us to understand His character more closely. Moreover, he discusses how Jesus experienced every aspect of humanity—revealing his comprehension of our struggles, heartaches, and temptations.
Thus, pastor Carter reminds us of the significance of Jesus being ‘with us,’ and that his human experience enables him to identify with our pain and struggles — making him our perfect mediator with God.
Sermon Outline for “Meaning of Jesus’ Name (Matthew 2. 18-23).”
- Introduction
- Topic: The Birth and Naming of Jesus Christ
- Scripture: Matthew 1:18-23
- The Birth of Jesus Christ
- Mary’s Betrothal and Divine Pregnancy (Matthew 1:18)
- Joseph’s Dilemma and Angelic Revelation (Matthew 1:19-20)
- Fulfillment of Prophecy (Matthew 1:22-23, referencing Isaiah 7:14)
- Understanding the Meaning of Jesus‘ Name
- Significance of the Name ‘Jesus’: ‘God Saves’ or ‘The God Who Saves’
- Theological Implication: Every mention of ‘Jesus’ reminds believers of God’s salvific nature (Matthew 1:21)
- God as the Creator of All Things
- Creation Narrative: Emphasis on God’s Sovereign Role as Creator (Genesis 1)
- Relationship Between Creation and Jesus‘ Birth
- The Role of Jesus in Creation
- Jesus’ Integral Role in Creation (John 1:1-3)
- The Purpose of Existence: Living to Praise Jesus
- Bearing the Image of God
- Being Like Jesus as Bearing the Image of the Father (Colossians 1:15)
- The Call to Reflect Christ in Our Lives
- Understanding the Names of God
- The Name ‘Elohim’: Trinity and Creator (Genesis 1:1)
- ‘Jehovah Jireh’: The Lord Will Provide (Genesis 22:14, Philippians 4:19)
- ‘Jehovah Rapha’: The Lord Who Heals (Exodus 15:26, 1 Peter 2:24)
- ‘Jehovah Nissi’: The Lord is My Baer (Exodus 17:15, John 3:14-15)
- ‘Jehovah Shalom’: The Lord is Peace (Judges 6:24, Ephesians 2:14)
- The Significance of Jesus’ Humanity
- Jesus’ Experience of Human Struggles (Hebrews 2:17-18)
- The Incarnation: The Word Became Flesh (John 1:14)
- Jesus as Fully Human and Fully God
- Closing Prayer and Reflection
- Gratitude for God’s Presence and Salvation Through Jesus
- Call to Share the Gospel and Bear God’s Image in the World
0:00 Matthew 2. 18-23
00:06 Introduction to the Gospel of Matthew
00:08 The Birth and Naming of Jesus
01:46 Understanding the Meaning of Jesus’ Name
02:27 God as the Creator of All Things
04:56 The Role of Jesus in Creation
05:18 The Purpose of Our Existence
05:41 Bearing the Image of God
06:31 Understanding the Names of God
12:46 The Power of the Name Immanuel
15:30 Jesus as Fully Human and Fully God
19:01 The Significance of Jesus’ Humanity
25:36 Closing Prayer and Reflection
SERMON
The Birth of Jesus Christ and the Meaning of His Name (Matthew 2. 18-23)
Matthew 1:18. Now, the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with a child of the Holy Spirit.
Then Joseph, her husband, who was a just man and did not want to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, Son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
And she will bring forth a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.’ And all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’
Then Joseph, arising from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, took his wife to him, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.
Understanding the Meaning of Jesus’ Name
The naming of Jesus means ‘God saves’ or ‘the God who does save.’
Jesus. Every time we hear ‘Jesus,’ we should be reminded that God saves. I’ve seen a few signs that say ‘Jesus saves.’ And there’s nothing wrong with that sign. But the name Jesus itself doesn’t mean ‘Jesus saves.’ It means ‘God saves.’ To say ‘Jesus saves’ is not an inappropriate statement.
But just the definition of the Word means that ‘God saves.’ Now, why is that important?
God as the Creator of All Things
It’s important because we understand that God is the one in control. God is the one who is the creator of all things. I know some scientists want to claim that God didn’t create things, but as you read through the Bible, you see, over and over again, the writers of the Bible believe that God created all things. And if you take the Bible seriously, you must agree that God is the creator. God created everything. Every single item God created it. God created the heavens and the earth.
God created light and darkness. God separated the waters. He divided the waters above from the waters beneath. God created all of the creeping, crawling things. He made the animals in the sea. He created all of the animals on the land, and he created humanity. Did you know that humans are the last thing God created?
The last thing. What’s the first thing He created? The heavens and the earth. In the begiing, God created the heavens and the earth. So, God created the heavens and the earth, and there was chaos in the heavens and the earth, darkness was over the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
What’s the face of the deep? That’s the oceans. The Spirit of the Lord hovered. That’s the Holy Ghost. He hovered over the sea to that chaos as He brought order. We see things starting to happen. One of the first things that occur is that God sets time in order or establishes time, which is another way to say it.
God establishes time and brings things into order. He separates light from darkness. When He separates light from darkness, He calls this day and night, starting the invention of time. God is the one who did this. God is the one who brought order. Everything around us is because of the vision and power of God.
God brought everything into existence.
The Role of Jesus in Creation
We see in John that the person who helped God create all things is Jesus. All things are completed through Him, for Him, and by Him. God created all things through Jesus and for Jesus. We are designed for Jesus.
The Purpose of Our Existence
The reason we exist. The reason we live is to give Him praise. The reason we exist is for Jesus. Isn’t that wonderful? Isn’t that amazing that we have that? We ought to bring Him praise. If we don’t, we’re not living up to our potential. If we’re not, we’re not doing what we were created for.
Bearing the Image of God
We were created to bear His image. How do we bear His image? By being like Jesus. As we become more like Jesus, we are bearing the image of the Father. Because Colossians tells us that Jesus is the image, or the replica, of God Himself, Jesus is the image of the invisible God. So, if you want to know what God is like, look to Jesus.
Jesus said, ‘If you have seen me, you have seen the Father. If you know me, then you know the Father. If you believed me, you would believe the Father,’ because Jesus and the Father are one. Jesus is the image of God. How do we know this?
Understanding the Names of God
One way we know this is by the name of God. Looking back at creation, we can see that God is the creator.
And He’s simply named as God. Some of you may already know this, but in Hebrew, that name is Elohim. Elohim can be understood in two ways. One, anything, or anybody in the spirit world is Elohim, but it’s also the plural name for the Trinity. Elohim is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit working together.
That is Elohim. There are other names for God. What is the best name for God? When you think about the names of God, what’s the one you hear most of the time? Jehovah, because Jehovah is usually tagged with some other word to help describe God. Did you know that the names of God? God isn’t just a name; they’re characteristics of God.
The names of God are given so that we can understand His character more closely. The words of God are provided so that we will know Him more clearly. The names of God are given so that we can draw closer to Him. What are some names of God? Jehovah Jireh, The Lord will provide. Jehovah Jireh means the Lord will provide. In Genesis 22:14, we read, ‘And Abraham called the name of the place, The Lord Will Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”’
Philippians 4:19, ‘And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’
In the New Testament, the Lord provides. And how does He provide? He gives by Jesus Christ. Jesus is our provider. Jesus is the one through whom God gives all things. It’s through Jesus and in Jesus that we have that relationship with the Father. Jehovah Rapha, the Lord that heals.
Do you believe in the healing power of God? Jehovah Rapha, the Lord that heals. Exodus 15:26, ‘For I am the Lord who heals you.’ God declares this of Himself. So, in this name, as He reveals Himself, God will heal you. He is promising that He is the healer. He is promising that He is your healing.
He shares His creative power with you for your healing. Now, some people want to say that’s just the Old Testament. But He also does it in the New Testament. We see in 1 Peter 2:24, ‘who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.’
We were healed by the stripes He took on our back. We can participate personally and know Him as our healer, the Lord God who heals us. We don’t have to stay bound by sickness, but we can call on Him and believe, and we have every reason to believe that He will provide healing.
Because He is the Lord who heals Jehovah Rapha. He’s Jehovah Nissi.
Exodus 17:15 says, ‘And Moses built an altar and called its name, The Lord is My Baer.’
John 3:14-15, ‘And as Moses lifted the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.’
Jesus was lifted as the baer of God so that just as the people who were bitten by the serpents were healed from the poison of the deadly viper when they looked to the bronze serpent that was lifted. They lifted their eyes to that bronze serpent. They were healed just as we raised our eyes to Jesus.
We find healing. We caot find healing any other way except in Jesus Christ.
Jehovah Shalom, The Lord is Peace.
Judges 6:24, ‘So Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and called it The Lord Is Peace.’
Ephesians 2:14, ‘For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation.’
He is our peace. He is the one in whom we find unity. He is the one in whom we find peace with others. He is the one who gives us peace between us and the Father. Did you know that as siers, the person who is a sier is at war with God? The person who is a sier is the enemy of God? The person who is a sier stands in opposition to the very reason they were created.
But in God, we find peace in Jesus through Jesus’ work on the cross and with the Father. We are no longer enemies with God. We are no longer separated from God. Here’s your text with grammatical corrections:
But in God, we find peace through Jesus and His work on the cross. We are no longer enemies with God, nor are we separated from the righteousness of God. We find peace in Him. He is our provider and the Lord of our peace.
Jesus is even called the Prince of Peace because He brings that peace to us—the power of Immanuel.
I believe the most potent name among the hundreds for God is Immanuel. Immanuel tells us not just that God does things for us or to us but that God is with us. He wants to be with us. One could argue that Jesus is the most excellent name because it means God saves us. Jesus is both Immanuel and the God who saves us. He chose to come and be with us, as Philip Yancey explains.
The name Immanuel indicates that the creator of all things became an iocent, helpless infant to be with us. When Jesus became human, He did so in every way that we are human.
Jesus bore every aspect that makes us human. As we see in Hebrews, He is fully God. Jesus became human, the creator of all things. He brought order out of chaos and created everything, yet He became a bag of dirt, which humans are made from the dust of the ground. And Jesus poured Himself into this human form to be among us and identify with us in our suffering, as Hebrews tells us.
Jesus as Fully Human and Fully God
He is with us, which is the essence of Immanuel: God with us. He became one of us.
Locate, please, John Chapter 1.
We will read one verse, and I encourage you to read these verses in context later.
John 1:14, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”
That is, the Word became human and lived among us. And we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, speaking of Jesus. Jesus became one of us.
Look to Hebrews 2:17-18, “Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things of God, to make propitiation for the people’s sins. For He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He can aid those tempted.”
He is with us, saves us, and even understands our temptations. He was fully and completely human, a fact some misunderstand. Jesus is wholly human and ultimately God, a divine mystery.
He could choose right from wrong, as Isaiah prophesied. Jesus, fully human, experienced every temptation, struggle, and pain we face.
The Significance of Jesus’ Humanity
Jesus understands our struggles, temptations, and weaknesses because He is fully human. He emptied Himself of His glory, becoming fully God in a human body, as we see in John 17. He was like us in every way and remains human, sitting at the right hand of God, making intercession for us.
He is Immanuel, God with us, the only mediator between us and the Heavenly Father. Through Him, we can boldly approach the throne of God, not intimidated but reverent, because of Jesus’ work.
We become like Him, bearing His image as He shares Himself with us, reflecting more of Him.
Look at Philippians 2:6-7, “Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.”
Jesus is fully human, and God identifies with our pain and experiences. He knows what it’s like to suffer, be hungry, and feel pain, experiencing everything first.
Closing Prayer and Reflection
Let’s go to holy prayer. Heavenly Father, we praise You. Lord, we thank You. You are our God. We thank You, Lord, because You are with us. You chose to be slain before the foundation of the world and came of Your free will.
You came and gave Yourself to us. We struggle to understand this mystery, but we know you did this because God loved the world. Teach us to worship You fully and honor You. Help us be Your image bearers and reflect this during the holiday season.
Give us opportunities to share Your gospel and remind people that You are Immanuel, God, with us. Thank You, Lord. Thank You, Lord.
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- #DivineBirth
- #GodWithUs
- #CreationAndFaith
- #SalvationInJesus
- #ReflectingChrist
- #NamesOfGod
- #EmbracingHumanity
- #TransformativeFaith
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