What Does Jesus Saving His People From Their Sins Mean?

Explaining Matthew 1:21

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We don’t like to be the ones needing to be saved.

We want to be the hero and save the day. If you don’t believe me, note how many kids dress up as superheroes for Halloween.

You don’t have to read very far in the New Testament before pride takes an uppercut on the chin.

And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)

Even the name “Jesus” means “God is salvation.” The Old Testament equivalent to Jesus is “Joshua.”

After Moses died, the Lord spoke to Joshua.

Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:2-9)

A couple of things are emphasized by God to Joshua.

• He would succeed in his mission.

• He must be strong and courageous.

• God would be with him.

While God promised to be with Joshua, Jesus Himself would be “God with us” (Matthew 1:23; Isaiah 7:14). The name “Immanuel” means “God with us,” emphasizing the strength and power of the Almighty God of the universe.

So, as we think about Jesus saving His people from their sins, here is what we have seen:

• Jesus is means “God is salvation.”

• He is “God with us.”

• He is the strength and power of the powerful LORD God.

There is an immense amount of power and strength connected with Jesus just in these handfuls of verses in Matthew 1.

But - why such an emphasis on the strength and power of God?

Because sin ultimately means death.

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned (Romans 5:12)

For the wages of sin is death… (Romans 6:23)

For us to be delivered, or saved, from sin - someone would have to be more powerful than death itself. Influential individuals existed throughout history, and every one of them was powerless in the cold face of death.

Enter “God with us.” Enter the strength and power of Jehovah. Enter “God is salvation.” Jesus enters the scene to do what no one else could do.

Jesus died on the cross for our sins - taking our place.

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Jesus was resurrected from the dead - demonstrating His victory over death.

But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)

“Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:54-57)

This is why it’s so important to follow the example of Jesus’s death, burial and resurrection by being baptized (Romans 6:1-7). Jesus saving His people from their sins means you get to stand with the Lord and taunt death.

How many people has death taken away from you? How many hearts have been shattered beyond repair because of death?

Death has taken some precious people out of my life. Because Jesus has saved His people from their sins, I will get to stand over a defeated death and point to my resurrected Savior. I don’t taunt others very often - but I am very much looking forward to that day.

All thanks to Jesus - the salvation of God, the power and strength of God, the One who saves us from our sins, the One who gives us the victory.

So what does Jesus saving His people from their sins in Matthew 1:21 mean? It’s means God called His shot before it happened. It means God is so powerful He announced to Satan, “Here is what I’m going to do,” and then He did it.

Nothing and no one can compare to His power and might.