Our First Advent

Names Matter. Don’t believe me? Ask first-time parents.

Parents toil over what name to give their child. They do Google searches and read countless name books to find their meanings and origins.

Many names have family significance. In our family, the name William has significance. And not just the name William, but the initials, JWN. My dad’s name is John William Norton, my name is Jeremy William Norton, and my son’s name is Jude William Norton.

Names can spark different thoughts, depending on culture and background. Most people often think of The Beatles, and their hit song “Hey Jude” when they hear my son’s name. I’m always excited to see their faces when I tell them,

Although that’s a great song, and one that we sung to him as a baby, we actually named him after Jude in the Bible; who some scholars believe to be Jesus’ youngest brother.

I love hearing their response, leading to a great conversation, and an opportunity to share the Gospel!

Zechariah and Elizabeth

This week, as we enter our first Advent, we’ll discover how much names really do matter. Before we focus on Mary and Joseph, and the Christ-Child. We must first, focus on Zechariah and Elizabeth, and their child, John.

John, who would become a Prophet, and the forerunner of Our Coming Saviour, Jesus.

57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, 60 but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” 61 And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.”

Luke 1:57-61 (ESV)

A First Century Child Dedication

In verses 57-61, we see an ancient child dedication ceremony. One that had been passed down through their Jewish tradition for many, many years. Then when they get to the naming of the child, there’s a huge plot twist!

Zechariah’s family was stunned! Family traditions and expectations were about to be broken! Friends and relatives went into this ceremony full expecting that their son would be named after his father or at least some distant relative. What were they thinking?

Remember that names matter!

God’s plans and preparations are vastly more complex than ours, lasting over generations! And in the Bible, names can be significant pointers to God’s planning.

Consider Zechariah, which  means, “God remembers.” Zechariah, who was past typical years of fatherhood, was visited by an angel (Lk. 1:5-25), who told him his wife would have a son! Zechariah doubted, and for that, became mute.

Now consider Elizabeth, which means, “God is my oath.” She could not have children; what first-century culture would call barren. A harsh term that carried the understanding of being cursed, and being socially outcast.

Imagine her joy when Zechariah communicated the angels’ message to her; God making a promise, an oath that she would have a child!

God, in fact, remembered Zechariah in his old age. God fulfilled His oath with Elizabeth. God never forgot them, and their desire to have a son would intertwine into God’s much greater Gospel plan.

Too shocking to be true!

The friends and relatives didn’t believe Elizabeth! Somehow, they had to clarify with Zechariah!

62 And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. 63 And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered.

Luke 1:62-63 (ESV)

Interesting that “they made signs” to Zechariah. Clearly, he must have been deaf, as well as mute. Nevertheless, Zechariah was so adamant to follow God’s instruction, he had to literally, spell it out for them!

“His name is John.”

Zechariah and Elizabeth sacrificed their family name for God’s plan. But following God’s plan pays off!

Names Matter. Consider the meaning of John, “God has been gracious.” How true was that for this couple, past child-bearing years, seemingly no hope of ever having a child. And yet, “God has been gracious“!

And so, Advent begins with 3 names:

• God remembered.
• God is my oath.
• God has been gracious.

64 And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. 65 And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, 66 and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.

Luke 1:64-66 (ESV)

Remember that Advent is a pointer!

The Advent season is all a pointer to our coming Saviour, Jesus. And today’s account, the birth of John, is also a huge pointer to Jesus!

John would grow to be the forerunner of Jesus. Many years later, John would be the prophetic voice, calling out to the world, prepare yourselves; calling people to baptism for repentance. Calling people to prepare for the coming Messiah.

Then, John would receive the honour and privilege, to baptize our Lord Jesus. (But that’s for another post.)

What about Jesus?

If names matter, what about the name of Jesus?

As we take this Advent journey toward Christmas, and the celebration of our coming Saviour, we must note that His name is the most important name of all!

Instead of unpacking all the reasons why I will simply give you the Scriptural defence:

“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11)

“This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:11-12)

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved…For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'” (Romans 10:9, 13)

Something about that Name!

As I writing this, I was taken back to my childhood. When I was a kid, sitting in church, there was an old song we used to sing about the Name of Jesus.

“Jesus…there’s just something about that name.
Master, Savior, Jesus, like the fragrance after the rain;
Jesus…let all Heaven and earth proclaim.
Kings and kingdoms will all pass away,
But there’s something about that name.”

“There’s Something About That Name” by Gloria & Willam J. Gaither

Do you need Jesus this Christmas?

I don’t know about you, but for me, this Advent season, I need Jesus. This Christmas, I feel like I need Jesus more than ever before. Maybe you feel the same way?

Take some time to pray right now. Join me, in choosing to lean on Jesus, and pray in His powerful Name, submit our fear and anxiety to Him. Join me, in trusting in the prophetic hope that only He can provide.

Join the Conversation; Share Your Thoughts

What’s your name? Why did your parents choose that name? What does it mean to you?

What does the name “Jesus” mean in our culture? What does His name mean to you?