Wednesday, December 17, 2025: Advent Four

“Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1: 20 21, New Living Translation)

                 Do you like your first name? Would you change it, if you could?

                These questions came to mind today when I read in a CBC report that the most popular names of the year were Olivia and Noah. Those are good, solid names. Interestingly, Mohamed is now on the top ten list reflecting our growing multicultural identity.  When our children were born, Susan and I bought a baby name book. We poured through it constantly to find just the right name for each child as he or she came along. Sometimes, a name that might appeal to one or the other of us would be eliminated because it had negative connotations with someone one of us had known by that name. Eventually, we found the” perfect” name for each child.

                I was never that wild about my first name, Dale.  Back in the 50’s, the only other person whom I knew of with the same name was Dale Evans, the wife of Roy Rogers, the cowboy star.  And she was a girl!  By coincidence, an article popped up this morning’s web site which cited the most popular names of the 1950’s. James, John or Michael were on that list. I would have made a good James, I think.  I always wanted a really cool nickname, other than “meatball” which my older sister, Elsie, called me when I was a kid. (Probably I shouldn't have told you that.) I don’t know why my parents chose my name; I never asked. But I got used to it. And of course, the name is commonly used for both men and women.

                It was not uncommon, in Biblical times, to name one’s fist born son after the father. Jesus might have been called Jesus Josephson, except in Aramaic or Hebrew of course. I find it interesting that many people didn’t really have last names. One’s lineage was important, whose line you were born in. Just check out the begats and the begottens of either Matthew or Luke for Jesus’ lineage. First names only. 

                In Luke’s Gospel, the people were totally surprised when Zechariah named his son, John. The naming seemed to even alarm the people, causing them to ask “What then will this child become?” (Luke 1:56) The circumstances surrounding the naming awakened an awareness that God was at work.

                The given name of Jesus was also a sign that God was stirring in the world. It meant” The Lord saves.”  Now we could get more elaborate such as Isaiah did in his prophecy about the coming of the Messiah. “And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6) But that is quite a mouthful, as majestic as it sounds.  The simple name, Jesus, really gives us all the information that we need to understand about what God is doing through Jesus, “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2: 10 -11)

                Jesus’ name is a powerful name, indeed, but let us not ignore how he lived out that name in his ministry and life. Jesus’ name is associated with compassion, love, healing, service, humility, sacrifice and self-giving. As we ascribe salvation to his name by his inglorious death on a cross, we get a far deeper understanding about who Jesus really is.  His grandeur comes not from power, armies, palaces, conquests, majestic clothes and superior strength.  Jesus, the one who saves, reveals the boldness of his name through his immense Love and Grace. “This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” (1 John 4:10)

                When we take on his name, i.e. Christians, we should become more like Jesus. “And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us.” (1 John 3:23)  We speak his name, we pray in his name, we act in his name, we bear his name by working out our own salvation in following his example. “Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You live this way already, and we encourage you to do so even more.” (1Thessalalonians 4:1)

                Will You Come and Follow Me
                If I But Call Your Name?
                Will You Go Where You Don’t Know
                And Never Be The Same?
                Will You Let My Love Be Shown,
                Will You Let My Name Be Known,
                Will You Let My Life Be Grown
                In You and You In Me? (Maule/Bell)

Dale