Naming Christmas: Who Is This Christ?

"What's in a name?" That is the question that Shakespeare asks through the voice of Juliet. In the asking, though, the Bard implies to us a simple truth - There's a lot in a name. The name can tell us about the person, or what he does. The name becomes synonymous with who someone is. The prophet Isaiah knew this too, as he was shown the coming of the Christ down through the ages (long before the first Christmas). And knowing, the old prophet named for us the Christ of Christmas. He said that Messiah would be called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (9:6). Elsewhere, the prophet says that the Christ's name will be "Immanuel" (7:14) which is to say, "God with us."

Over the next weeks during the Christmas Season, we will be examining what the coming of Christ brought us by studying these names one by one. As you think of Jesus, born of a virgin, placed in a manger, this year, think more of who He came to be.