Mary

August 31

Luke 2:21-32

Jesus is dedicated

A week after Jesus was born, Joseph and Mary took Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem. He was to be dedicated and given the name Jesus—the name the angel had given Him.

Joseph and Mary did this to obey God’s Law given by Moses, which said that every first born son was to be dedicated to the Lord. They also offered a sacrifice as the Law said they should.

While they were at the Temple, a godly man named Simeon was led by the Holy Spirit to go to the Temple. The Spirit of God had told him that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s promise of a Savior.

When he saw Mary’s baby, he took Jesus in his arms and gave thanks to God, saying, “Lord, You have kept Your promise. Now I can die in peace, for I have seen Your Salvation with my own eyes.”

What does the name “Jesus” mean?

After the angel had told Mary that she was going to have a baby, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him what would happen to Mary. “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save his people from their sins" Matthew 1:21.

The name Jesus comes from the name “Joshua”, which means “God is our Salvation”. God saves us through Jesus. Jesus became our Salvation when He died for our sins and saved us from death—eternal death.

When we ask Jesus to save us, He takes away our sin and gives us eternal life. And that means, when we die, we go to live with Jesus in heaven forever!

Verse for today   

"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" --which means, "God with us." Matthew 1:23