FEBRUARY 24, 2015
Longing For
Rescue
She will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus,
for He will save His people from their sins. —Matthew 1:21
Read: Matthew 1:18-25
The movie Man of Steel, released in 2013, is a fresh imagining of
the Superman story. Filled with breathtaking special effects and nonstop
action, it drew crowds to movie theaters around the world. Some said that the
film’s appeal was rooted in its amazing technology. Others pointed to the
enduring appeal of the “Superman mythology.”
Amy Adams, the actress who plays Lois Lane in the movie, has a
different view of Superman’s appeal. She says it is about a basic human
longing: “Who doesn’t want to believe that there’s one person who could come
and save us from ourselves?”
That’s a great question. And the answer is that someone has already come to save us from
ourselves, and that someone is Jesus. Several announcements were made regarding
the birth of Jesus. One of them was from the angel Gabriel to Joseph: “She
[Mary] will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins”
(Matt. 1:21).
Jesus came—He did so to save us from our sin and from ourselves.
His name means “the Lord saves”—and our salvation was His mission. The longing
for rescue that fills the human heart ultimately is met by Jesus.
Shout salvation full
and free,
Highest hills and deepest caves;
This our song of victory—
Jesus saves! Jesus saves! —Owens
Jesus’ name and
mission are the same— He came to save us.
INSIGHT:
When the angel spoke to Joseph about Mary’s baby, he said that the child’s name
would be a clue to His identity: “You shall call His nameJesus, for He will save His people from their sins”
(Matt. 1:21). Jesus would also be called “Immanuel,” which means “God with us”
(v.23). Jesus came to rescue us.
Source:
Our Daily Bread 2012
