Luke 1:31

You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.

From Background Notes [BN] for Dec 20th & 21st written by Pastor Bob Brown:

The name "Jesus" contains within it the notion that "Yahweh saves" or "Yahweh helps". To whom does this salvation extend?

"His people", the angel says. And if the readers wonder "Who are these people?", a simple re-reading of the genealogy will remind them. Jews? Of course! Gentiles? They are there as well! Remember the "ladies in the list"! Save His people from what? "Their sins". This is no small promise. As we have noted in our introductory discussions, the prophets of Israel knew full well that the sorry state of the nation was due to its long and unrepentant sins--the kind of sins for which Daniel sought forgiveness. Why does Israel "mourn in lonely exile here"? Is it not because "your sins have separated between you and your God" (see Isaiah 59:2). This is why Israel has not truly "come home", and why God seems distant and has not made His home among them once again. But with the joyful announcement of Messiah's name, Yeshua, the optimism for lifting sins judgment has finally arrived. For if the sins can be atoned and forgiven, God's people can be set free and at last make their journey home. The exile will have ended at last.  [BN,4]

Join us this week in Study, Worship, Praise and Celebration at Chicago First Church of the Nazarene:

* Saturday 6:00pm
* Sunday 8:30am & 11:00am