Read Philippians 2:5-11

What’s in a name?

My dad had a cousin in Melbourne whose surname was Nutt and if that wasn’t bad enough, her parents named her Nora! (Think about it – “gnaw a nut!” And this story is 100% true! Sometimes I think parents should be forced to do some sort of community service for the names they inflict on their children!)

In our culture, names are generally used as a way of identifying who a person is, but in the Bible, a person’s name was filled with depth and meaning.

For example, when you named someone, it demonstrated that a relationship existed between you and the other person, such as when a parent names a child.

A name was also a way of describing a person’s character. Jacob’s name meant “deceiver” and for a large part of his life he is precisely that – a liar and a cheat.

There are also instances where God changed a person’s name. Abram – “exalted father” – is re-named Abraham – “father of a multitude” – indicating his status as the father of the nation of Israel, and ultimately of all those who put their trust in God.

Which brings me to the baby in the manger. Most of us know His name is Jesus, but Who is He?

A prophet?

A fictitious character?

The Son of God?

Or something else?

This Christmas, I am asking the question, “Who is this baby in the manger?” and to answer that, we will spend some time reflecting on a few of the Names of Jesus and what they tell us about Who He is and what He came to do.

My sincere prayer is that you will discover that Jesus has brought the light of God into our dark world, and as today’s reading says, “His name is above all names!”