from the Christmas Candlelight Service, December 21, 2025

For the past month, we’ve explored miracle births in Scripture: Abraham and Sarah’s Isaac, Manoah’s Samson, Hannah’s Samuel, and Zechariah and Elizabeth’s John the Baptist. Tonight, we arrive at the culmination of them all: Jesus.

What’s in a Name?

Names carry profound meaning. The name we know as “Jesus” comes from the Hebrew Yehoshua, or Joshua, meaning “the Lord delivers.” Just as Joshua brought Israel into the promised land, Jesus would fulfill an even greater mission, delivering all of God’s people into eternal life.

Jesus is the fulfillment of every story we’ve studied. Through Isaac, God turned sorrow into laughter. Through Samson (“little light”), God sent light into Israel’s darkest times. Through Samuel, God showed He hears individual prayers. Through John, God demonstrated His grace. And now, through Jesus, God delivers His people.

Continue reading → The Lord Delivers: Finding Meaning Beyond the Manger