December 24Thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins — Matt. 1:21.
The noting of those little incidentals by which Divine providence prepared for our Savior's birth and for the sending forth of the Gospel message, is strengthening to the faith of the Lord's people. Realizing God's care in the past over even the little things, gives a foundation for confidence in His wisdom and provision for the features of His Plan which are yet future—the fulfillment of all the exceeding great and precious promises which centered in Him who was born in Bethlehem. And so also a realization of the Divine providence in the larger affairs of the Divine Plan stimulates faith also in the Lord's providences as respects the personal and more private affairs of His people—Z '00, 8 (R 2555). Names given to Biblical characters, etc., are significant of the character, work, office, experience and typical relations of the person or thing involved. This accounts for the name selected for the Messiah by God. Jesus is the Latin word for the Hebrew word Joshua, or Jeshua (Jehovah is salvation), and signifies the office work of our Lord. His people are all that in this and the next Age approach God by Him. The race is under the condemnation, power and effects of sin. His merit, now imputed on behalf of the consecrated, delivers them from the condemnation of sin. By the Lord's Spirit, Word and providence, He gradually delivers them from the power or rulership of sin, and ultimately in the resurrection will deliver them from all the effects of sin. Later, by the application of His merit, He will deliver the world from the condemnation of sin; and by His Priestly, Mediatorial, Kingly, Legislative, Judicial, Prophetic and Paternal office, will deliver all who obediently become His people from the power and effects of sin. Hallelujah, what a Savior! He is mighty to save!—P '36, 167. Parallel passages: Gen. 49:18; Job 33:23, 24; Psa. 72:4, 12-14, 17; 80:17; 89:19; Isa. 28:16; 40:10, 11; 42:6, 7; 53:10-12; 62:11; Zech. 9:9; Matt. 15:24; 18:11-13; Luke 1:68-77; 2:11, 30-34; Acts 16:31; Rom. 3:24-26. Hymns: 132, 260, 144, 345, 342, 116, 347. Poems of Dawn, 23: Our Master. Tower Reading: Z '09, 375 (R 4534). Questions: What does the name Jesus mean to me? Why? How? What does it effect in me? |
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OUR MASTER
NO fable old, nor mythic lore,
Nor dream of bards and seers,
No dead fact stranded on the shore
Of the oblivious years;—
But warm, sweet, tender, even yet
A present help is He,
And faith hath still its Olivet,
And love its Galilee.
The healing of His seamless dress
Is by our beds of pain;
We touch Him in life's throng and press,
And we are whole again.
O Lord and Savior of us all!
O blessed Christ Divine!
We own Thy sway, we hear Thy call,
We test our lives by Thine.
We faintly hear, we dimly see,
In various phrase we pray;
But, dim or clear, we own in Thee
The light, the Truth, the Way.
Our Friend, our Brother, and our Lord,
What may Thy service be?
Not name, nor form, nor ritual word,
But simply following Thee.
To do Thy will is more than praise,
As words are less than deeds,
And simple trust can find Thy ways
We miss with charts of creeds.
NO fable old, nor mythic lore,
Nor dream of bards and seers,
No dead fact stranded on the shore
Of the oblivious years;—
But warm, sweet, tender, even yet
A present help is He,
And faith hath still its Olivet,
And love its Galilee.
The healing of His seamless dress
Is by our beds of pain;
We touch Him in life's throng and press,
And we are whole again.
O Lord and Savior of us all!
O blessed Christ Divine!
We own Thy sway, we hear Thy call,
We test our lives by Thine.
We faintly hear, we dimly see,
In various phrase we pray;
But, dim or clear, we own in Thee
The light, the Truth, the Way.
Our Friend, our Brother, and our Lord,
What may Thy service be?
Not name, nor form, nor ritual word,
But simply following Thee.
To do Thy will is more than praise,
As words are less than deeds,
And simple trust can find Thy ways
We miss with charts of creeds.