(James Smith, “Streams in the Desert” 1849) LISTEN to audio! Download audio
“You are to name Him JESUS, because He will save His people from their sins!” Matthew 1:21
This verse teaches that Jesus came into the world having . . .
a definite people in His mind,
definite work in His hand, and
a definite principle in His heart.
He had a definite PEOPLE in His mind!
They are simply called “His people.” He had . . .
a special interest in them,
special right to them, and
a special concern for them.
They were given to Him as a pledge of His Father’s love, to be His associates, joy and delight, His crown and glory. They were . . .
sunk in sin and wretchedness,
under the condemnation of the law,
the captives of the prince of darkness!
They were His sheep, but lost sheep!
And They were His jewels, but jewels in a heap of rubbish!
They were His bride, but in a state of adultery!
He had . . .
the eye of His omniscience watching them,
the love of His heart pursuing them, and
the arm of His omnipotence protecting them!
His eye was upon them . . .
His eye ever was, and ever will be on them, from the beginning to the end of time–to save and to bring them safely to glory!
He had a definite WORK in His hand!
He had . . .
the law to fulfill,
justice to satisfy,
sin to remove,
Heaven to open,
Satan to conquer,
death to destroy!This work He proceeded to perform, until in triumph He exclaimed, “It is finished!”
He had a definite PRINCIPLE in His heart.
And what was that powerful principle, which brought Him . . .
from Heaven, to earth;
from unutterable bliss, into inconceivable sorrow?
It was LOVE! Love,
the ruling attribute of His nature,
the prominent feature of His character,
the rule of His conduct towards His people!
It was love that
eternally existed,
fanned His heart, and
directed His ways!
that led Jesus into our world and through all the stages of His redemptive work!
It was . . .
eternal,
immutable,
omnipotent,
unconquerable,
unfathomable love!
His name then, is ‘Jesus’, because He loves and saves all of His people!
It was not human misery, but divine love!
It was not man’s cries, but His own glory–which brought Jehovah Jesus into suffering circumstances and a miserable condition!
O the love! O the depth of the love of Jesus!
“I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge!” Ephesians 3:17-19