Jesus' identity

Matthew 1:20-21
But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. ²¹ And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.”

This passage does not contain a few simple words of encouragement to a nervous and confused young man who is about to raise another someone's child. These words are prophetic declarations to the rightful, yet displaced, king of Israel. As a "son of David" Joseph's firstborn son would, like him, have a legal claim to Israel's throne. Yet, Jesus would not only be an earthly king, He would bear divine blessing because His conception was "of the Holy Spirit." And so that Joseph would not miss this divinity, Israel was referred to as "His people." Only God could claim Israel as His own and this prophesy clearly gives Joseph's child this right. Furthermore, His name was to be Jesus, literally "savior." And not only would Jesus be savior in a royal, kingly role, but also in regard to sin. As Savior, Jesus would fulfill the very first prophesy regarding God's people back in Genesis 12:1-3. Israel would once again, through Jesus, be a blessing to the world.
These were not simply encouraging words to a nervous young man, these were powerful declarations that God was doing something new. God was once again speaking to Israel, establishing them as a nation, reorganizing them as a blessing and saving them from the curse of sin.

How difficult it must have been for Joseph to keep this to himself and quietly wed Mary. I wonder who he did tell? I wonder how this changed his parenting of Jesus? I wonder how this colored his view of Israel and the Roman control of that day? How could Jesus identity not change all this?

I ask myself a similar question. When we read of Jesus identity... how can it not change how we see and interpret the world?

Jesus, let Your identity change me. Let me see the world differently because of who You are. Let who You are change who I am. Make me more like You. Amen.