A Great Big Boast

“You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21).

Back in the early 1900’s, a ship was built that was seen as a colossal human success. The largest liner ever built, the Titanic was instantly famous. Men spoke of its watertight compartments and seaworthiness, others spoke of the luxury of this floating five star hotel. It is reported that one crewmember in response to the uneasiness of a passenger even boasted, “Not even God can sink this ship.”

That was a great boast. And it was not entirely without warrant (from an unbelieving perspective), as the ship was a class act. Weighing in at an admirable 45,328 tons she wasn’t too shabby. If you were going to boast about something that humans made, this was not a bad choice. But obviously one of God’s ice cubes decided that God’s reputation was worth defending, huh?

But you want to see another great boast? It is this, Jesus has not even been born, yet the angel says, “He will save His people from their sins.” If you are not a Christian, your response is probably in the line of “that is no big deal.” But if you know anything about a holy God, and His hatred of sin and the wrath that was aimed at the people that partake and enjoy this sin, you would know what a big deal this really is. This is no ordinary rescue mission.

This boast contains the death of the God-Man. This has never happened before and will not happen again. Nor should it. For anyone to save numerous people from sin requires the death of a life worth all of those lives put together. Who then could do that? There is only One who could. But how can God die? Enter serious mystery exhibit A. How can God be three Persons and yet only one God? Enter perplexing and serious exhibit B. How can God become anything if He is unchangeable? Enter, well, you get the picture. Mystery is a huge element in this Divine rescue. The angel speaking carries faith in God, not necessarily understanding of how He will do it. After all, these are things “into which angels long to look” (I Pet. 1:12).

I will fail to get the weight of this boast across to you. It takes the Holy Spirit to bring such wonderful things with power to the mind of man. And even then our minds are simply just too small.

But I do know this: Jesus fulfilled His name. Jesus, or Yeshua, means Yahweh (or Jehovah) is salvation. That is why He was named that.

Maybe the difficulty of the task has not yet been portrayed. Walk beside Jesus for a moment then. Watch Him perfectly answer His parents with grace and truth—always. Even when Mary is being irritable. Watch Him being a perfect gentleman and care for His sisters in the flesh. Marvel at His perfect teen years; no lust, no perversion, no arrogance! Should I say no arrogance again? Obeying every law of the “thou shalt not” type, and every law of the later “consider one another more important than yourself” variety. No question about it, this Man is a Champion in every way. But there was a harder thing about this rescue.

Spurgeon mentioned the fact that many men have been martyred for what they believe, many killed wickedly. Men burned alive, sawn in two, even crucified. But they seem to be solemn affairs. I have not heard of many men who were mocked even at their deaths. Yet here is the Son of God; He has been physically destroyed. His breath is all but gone, His mouth parched from thirst, pain screaming through his arms and legs. Most momentous of all, His perfect relationship with His Dad is severed—entirely. Though we can’t see it, Jesus is experiencing hell. Literally. Let that sink in. Now throw in mockery. Can you think of a situation more tempting to respond to the jeer, “He saved others, but He can’t save Himself” and “come down if You are who You say You are.”

He held the Roman soldier’s atoms together as that man drove a nail through his Maker’s hand. At any time He could have wavered in His decision and everything would have bowed to His desire. For you and me a little indecision is unnoticeable, but if it had been Him the entire rescue would have been aborted. He drank the entire cup of wrath and did not vacillate in His desire.

And He said “It is finished.” With that, He displayed the quality of the angel’s boast. God cannot be thwarted. He speaks, and it comes to pass!

Is He not magnificent?!