January 1 2023 —
The Circumcision and Naming of Jesus – New Year’s Day
Since Christmas fell on a Sunday this year, so does the event that happened on the 8th day according to the Law of Moses. Jesus was required to fulfill not only all the commandments perfectly as our Substitute, He was also required to fulfill all the Old Testament ceremonial laws. Those laws were in effect until Jesus had fulfilled them all for us and then died for our sins. At the moment Jesus died, the temple curtain was torn in two, indicating that those laws were no longer applicable.
On the 8th day, Jesus was circumcised according to the Law. That was also the day He was officially given His name in public. Jesus means Jehovah Saves. Jesus is the Lord God Jehovah, and He came to save us. The Gospel Lesson for this festival is one of the shortest of the church year. It is only one verse: “And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.” There is so much in this little verse, it will be our sermon text.
Our Epistle Lesson explains how and why the Old Testament ceremonial Law looked forward to Christ and how they no longer apply to us in the New Testament. They were like a chaperone for God’s people in their “childhood,” but now we New Testament Christians are “grown-ups,” and have new freedoms.
In our Old Testament Lesson we are reminded that the Lord has put His name on us, His people, and renews that wonderful truth each time we receive God’s benediction.
Our Sermon theme: “New Testament, New Name, New Year.”
This Week’s Lessons:
Numbers 6:22–27
Galatians 3:23–29
Luke 2:21 (sermon text)
Psalm 8