Don Cram

At the time of His birth, the name was relatively common, about the same as it is in Hispanic cultures today. It comes from Ἰησοῦς (Iesous) which, in turn, comes from the common Hebrew name ישוע (yēšūă‘), a slightly simplified form of the name Joshua.

Names in the Bible often have significant meanings, especially this one. The angel Gabriel, when he told Mary she would bear a child, specifically told her to name the child Jesus. “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.” (Luke 1:31)

The name means “salvation” and comes from the Hebrew verb meaning to rescue or deliver.

Joseph, too, was told to name the child Jesus. An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and told him, “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)

There is an emphasis in the Greek of Matthew 1:21 that may not be clear in the English translation. It is not just that Jesus will save, it is that “He Himself” will save. In faith we receive this wonderful gift from Him, but salvation is accomplished completely and entirely by Him.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8,9)

What I am talking about here is not at all what you are expecting. I am referring to “treasure” as a verb, as in:

“Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.” Psalm 119:11
“But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.” Luke 2:19

Hearing a message and thinking, “This is good,” is not enough, even if you make a note somewhere but never get around to looking at it again.

Underlining or highlighting a verse in your Bible, printed or electronic, is not enough, even if you happen to run across the marks at some point in the future.

To treasure something in your heart means to handle it there, turn it over and around, scrutinize it, think about its parts, and come back to it again and again. This is memorization.

Having been a teacher of science and mathematics among secondary students and of the Bible among adults for over fifty years leaves me with the settled conviction that memorization is almost a lost art. I understand the reasons for it. Electronic entertainment has taken the place of the time prior generations used in recalling a memorized poem or passage of Scripture, to ponder it, recite it, enjoy it anew. The ubiquitous electronic devices we carry also allow us to look up almost anything in the Bible or elsewhere with just a minute of research (and a good WiFi or cellular signal). But, this is not enough.

When you are praying, do you say, “Just a minute, Father, while I look something up?”

When you are telling someone about the salvation that is in Jesus Christ, do you say, “Just a minute. I know there is a good verse about this; let me look it up?”

When someone (perhaps Luke) asked Mary about raising Jesus, did she say, “I don’t remember, but let me flip through my photos on my phone?”

When Satan tempted Jesus (and when we are tempted), is “Let me look up a verse about that,” adequate?

To memorize a verse, here is what you do:

1. Write it out by hand.
2. Read it aloud.
3. Say the first word or words from memory, then check if you had them right.
4. Add the next word or phrase, saying everything from the beginning and checking it.
5. Repeat step 4 until you have the whole verse.
6. See if you can still say it a few hours later.
7. Say it before going to sleep that night.
8. Repeat it in the morning.
9. Treasure it in your heart.

There are eight necessary steps there; the ninth is the payoff.

When someone crosses the line and causes us offense or even harm, forgiveness is the last thing on our minds. When we cross one of God’s lines, forgiveness is preeminent in our thinking, even taking priority over guilt or remorse.

Our Lord Jesus left us a pattern prayer, often called the Lord’s Prayer. In it he taught us to ask for forgiveness for our transgressions in the same way we extend forgiveness to those who transgress against us. “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12)

The little word “as” can’t mean what it seems to, can it? That we are asking God to forgive us to the extent that we forgive others? We want total and complete forgiveness of our transgressions (“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:9), but who can extend the same kind of total and complete forgiveness to others?

Well, for little transgressions, sure, but forgiveness is a lot more difficult for the big offenses. And there is the problem; even the best among us carries around a carefully graded mental list of offenses from big to small. The big ones are harder to forgive. It is easier to hold the grudge and abandon the transgressor.

Few personal offenses flung at Jesus could match that of Peter who denied that he even knew Him three times as he warmed himself by a charcoal fire as Jesus was being condemned just a few feet away. They were so near to each other, Peter and Jesus, that when Peter denied knowing Jesus, denied it with a loud voice and curses, Jesus turned and looked at Peter.

Peter went out and wept bitterly.

After all Jesus had done for Peter, after all they had shared, this surely was an unforgivable offense. But, no. John records the Lord’s tender restoration of Peter in John chapter 21.

For it was not what Jesus and Peter had done together, their relationship and even friendship, but it was what Jesus was about to do that would become the basis for all forgiveness. On the cross He did away with all transgressions.

John the Baptist predicted it: “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

Our forgiveness extended to those who transgress against us is not to be determined by the severity of the offense or by the extent of our relationship with the offender. The measure is nothing less than the cross of Jesus Christ.