Preparations for Christmas

“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)

In getting ready for Christmas there has to be much planning and preparation. There is the getting the ingredients for baking. There are the days and nights of shopping for gifts. There is the mailing of Christmas cards. Just getting ready for Christmas is part of the excitement and celebration.

There was much preparation for the first Christmas, also. The visit of the angel Gabriel to Zacharias and Elisabeth,  his visit to Mary and his announcement to her, followed by his visit to Joseph, telling Joseph of God’s plan for him.

Ah, the visit to Joseph. “Fear not to take Mary to be your wife. She is going to give birth to God’s Son. You will call His name Jesus.”

The name, “Jesus” was a common name in that country in those days. It is the equivalent of the Old Testament name, “Joshua.” The name Joshua means deliverer or Savior. One thinks of the name Jesus from Philippians 2:9-10 which says, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”