THE NAME OF JESUS
Matthew 1:1
Introduction: A few months ago I went with Seth and the boys to the basketball court. Since I don’t play basketball with the boys, I usually read a book. (One reason I don’t play basketball with the boys because I am afraid that I will show them up with my skills.) Seriously now, I picked up a book from my library by the name of The Sword book of Treasures. It is a collection of sermons, articles and stories compiled by Dr. John R. Rice originally in 1946 from the Sword of the Lord newspaper. Recently I heard or read a statement by a preacher who encouraged preachers to read books that are older than we are. This book was first printed ten years before I was born. Most of the messages and material therein is even older than that.
The first message was “Pearl of Paradise” by Clinton Howard. As I read this message, I did something that most people think that Baptist preachers are not capable of doing. It caused me to think on what I was reading. Warren Wiersbe said the sign of a good book is one that you read and then you put it down and think. I took a scrap of paper and wrote down some thoughts that I was planning to use as my Christmas message this year. I had decided to preach on the name of Jesus. The more I thought, studied and wrote down ideas, the more I realized that this would not be able to preached in just one message. So for the next few weeks we are going to look at the name of Jesus. The more I read, study and meditate on this subject, the more I fall in love Jesus. It is my desire that you will do the same.
I read this quote from the mind of one of the prince of preachers of yesteryear- Charles Spurgeon. “Father, help us to speak of Jesus in such a way that others might see at least a faint outline of His incomprehensible beauty. Then, by thy Holy Spirit, shine through the mist of our cloudy language that Christ may be revealed in all of His glory.”
Psalm 119:27
“Make me to understand
the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.”
Psalm 119:171-172
“My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes. My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.”
Here is another quote I found that I don’t know who wrote it but it is on the money too. “Knowledge of His name is like to know Him. Our knowledge is partial at best. It is said to be “too wonderful”. Psalm 139:6
“Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.”
It is also considered unsearchable. Psalm 145:3
“Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.”
Romans 11:33
“O
the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how
unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!”
His name is also infinite. Psalm 147:5
“Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.”
One of the thoughts that ran though my mind recently was that when I read my Bible, I am getting to know the person I are reading. I have read some biographies of some famous people. I did not get to know them better, I just to know about them better. But when I read this Bible, I get to know Him better. The better I know Him, the more I can live in accord with His commands better.
Brother Clinton Howard was a Bible lecturer. He did not consider himself a preacher. But after reading this sermon, this man was a preacher. Brother Howard was asked by President Warren Harding to chair the World Peace Commission. This organization was a prelude to the United Nations but never got off the ground. One of the things that caught my attention that a President in this past century had asked a Bible lecturer to chair a position such as this. He did not try to ask a diplomat. He asked the preacher. How much different would this world be if presidents and rulers of countries of the world would get Bible believing preachers to leadership positions! I am getting sidetracked.
Brother Howard accepted the
position. During the beginning
prayer of the first session of the Conference for limitation of Armament that
President Harding called, all of the men that gathered in that place stood
except one man. When President
Harding was introduced, all of the men stood with their hats off but one
man. His white turban against his
dark face made him stand out.
Around his neck was a string of beads that he fingered with
reverence. He pushed them one
against another until he has moved the string around his neck completely. He was the delegate from
This made Brother Howard to come up with a “rosary” of his own. He took down his Bible, paper and pen and made a study of the names of the Lord Jesus. This study caused him to search the scriptures. This is a command from our Lord Jesus.
John 5:39
“Search
the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they
which testify of me.”
After a good length of study, he found over two hundred names. I promise you that I am not intending to read that entire list. I do plan to give a few so we will be more in love and upon speaking terms and more acquainted with our Lord and Saviour. His names really describe Him.
Just before I can get into the message itself today, I want you to look at few items that should excite your mind as they did mine. Let’s look at our text once again. Count with me the words. What is the seventh word? Once you count shout it out. Yes, it is Jesus. Think about this also, that this name is in the only book of the Gospel that has seven letters in it.
Now turn with me to the last Book and the last chapter and the last verse.
Revelation 22:21
“The
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”
Count back with me again. Count backward to the seventh from the last word. What is there? It is what? Jesus!
This whole Bible is full of the Lord Jesus. Here is another tidbit. Who gave Jesus His name? Look down the page of the first chapter of Matthew.
Matthew 1:20-21
“But
while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto
him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee
Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she
shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for
he shall save his people from their sins.”
Joseph
did not name Jesus. Mary did not
name Him but the Father gave Him His name.
Glory to God in the highest!
These truths that I just gave you are not some coincidence but they are
there for the harvesting. At the
beginning of the New Testament we find Jesus and at the end we find Jesus. If we were making a “rosary”
like that Muslim, our “rosary” with its golden cord would be twice
as big as his with Jesus at the beginning and Jesus at the end. After all this is where Jesus said He is
and this is were He belongs.
Revelation
1:8
“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”
Revelation
1:11
“Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.”
Revelation
21:6
“And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.”
Revelation
22:13
“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end,
the first and the last.”
So
let us bring this journey about the name of Jesus.
HIS
NAME IS THE PRIZED NAME!
I want to give several thoughts in regards to His name being
a prized name. To have something
prized means that it is high esteemed.
So let me give you three reasons why His name should be prized. By the way these three reasons are not
the only reasons why His name should be prized. We could go on for a long time. If I sparked your mind to search the
scriptures for reasons, then I have fulfilled my responsibility as your pastor
with this message.
I. HIS NAME IS PRIZED
BECAUSE IT IS THOUGH HIS NAME THAT WE HAVE THE ANSWER OF OUR SUPPLICATION.
John
14:13
“And whatsoever ye shall
ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the
Son.”
When we bring our
petition before Him, we have the assurance of answering of these petitions
because we are not approaching the Father in our name. The answer may not be what we want but
what we need. I am not coming to
the Lord as a mere mortal but as one of His family. What exhortation did Paul tell us in
regards to prayer?
Hebrews
4:16
“Let us therefore come
boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to
help in time of need.”
Ephesians 2:18
“For
through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.”
Ephesians
3:12
“In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.”
Hebrews
10:19
“Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus”
Think about where
we are going with our petitions for answers. We are going "The throne of
grace!" What a beautiful
expression! A throne is the seat of
a sovereign; a throne of grace is designed to represent a sovereign seated to
dispense mercy and pardon.
As believers, we
may come boldly, and with confidence to this throne of grace. We have the liberty to do it. We have the authority to do it, and we
have the confidence and assurance of audience in the doing of coming to this
throne. Who is sitting upon this
throne? It is our Father who
delights in answering prayers. But
the answer may not be to our liking.
His answer may be yes, no or wait.
Let me give you
quickly seven reasons why prayers may not be answered. For time’s sake, I will not be
able expound upon each reason with the exception of the scripture.
1. My prayers will not answered when I
have unrighteousness in my heart.
Psalm
66:18
“If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me”
2. My prayers will not answered when I
have unforgiving attitude.
Matthew
6:14-15
“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
3. My prayers will not answered when I
have unspiritual motives.
James
4:3
“Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”
4. My prayers will not answered when I
have unbelief.
James
1:6-7
“But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.”
5. My prayers will not answered when I
have unconventional family relations.
1st
Peter 3:7
“Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.”
6. My prayers will not answered when I
have unprayerful idleness.
1st
Thessalonians 5:17
“Pray without ceasing.”
7. My prayers will not answered when I
have unrighteous spirit.
Psalm
78:8
“And might not be as
their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not
their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.”
His name is prized because it
is though his name that we have the answer of our supplication.
II. HIS NAME IS PRIZED BECAUSE IT
IS THROUGH HIS NAME WE HAVE THE ASSURANCE OF OUR SALVATION.
Acts 4:12
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
Many people lack
the assurance of salvation because they are looking for it in the wrong
places. They think that they are
saved by reformation but reforming only cleans the outside basically. It will not stand the test of time and
eternity. No wonder they doubt they
would go to heaven when they died.
So they are saved
through their religious rituals.
This is part of the problem with the worshippers of Allah. They pray three five times a day toward
So what is the
assurance that we have? It is in
the name of Jesus as Peter preached to those Jewish leaders at the
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
John
3:36
“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”
Some churches try
to teach that you cannot know that you are saved for eternity. Here is what the Bible says in one of
many places. Let’s turn to it
together.
1st
John 5:10-15
“He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
It is the name of
Jesus that gives me the assurance of my salvation.
First of all we
saw that His name is prized because it is though His name that we have the
answer of our supplication.
Secondly, His
name is prized because it is through His name we have the assurance of our
salvation.
III. HIS NAME IS PRIZED BECAUSE IT IS
THROUGH HIS NAME WE HAVE THE ABUNDANCE OF SUPPLY. Philippians
4:19
“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
1st
John 5:14-15
“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”
Matthew
7:7-11
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”
This is not a big
wish list. It is genuine needs in
the life of a Christian. The key to
this whole train of thought is found in 1st John chapter five. It is the phrase “according
to his will”.
The will of God is supreme over my desires or it should be. If we are in the will of God, doing the
work of God according to the Word of God, we can have the abundance of supply
in our life. It is because of our
Lord Jesus. Jesus delights to show
Himself strong on behalf of His children in ways that cannot be explain except
by Him. Elijah is out by the
brook. There was not a McDonalds or
Hardees anywhere around, yet the Lord fed him twice a day with the raven
delivery service. When the brook
dried up, God led him to the poorest widow in Zarephath. You cannot explain how the cruse
of oil and the meal never ran out except God supplied.
How do you
explain the feeding of the five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes
except Jesus supplying? No other
explanation fits. God takes care of
His children. You find it from
Genesis to Revelation in the Bible.
You find it in the lives of His children even today. In fact, some of my fondest memories as
a Christian is how miraculously God showed Him strong and kind in my life by
supplying my needs and sometimes my wants when they were in the midst of His
will even if I did not even know it.
The Lord supplied
the money for my first computer through the kindness of our church. Then He supplied the upgrades or the means
for the upgrades. Some people see
what I own in regards to my computers and tell me that I am woefully behind the
times. I don’t see that. I see the next opportunity for the Lord
to advance on my behalf when it is in His will to do so.
Let me give you a
couple quick thoughts in regards to His supplying my needs. Supplying my needs is not supplying my
selfishness. To think that I need a
brand new BMW would be selfish on my behalf. Supplying my needs is not supplying my
sin.
Sometimes
supplying my needs is supplying the way to get my needs. I have seen overtime come up just about
the time I have a need. Supplying
my needs is supplying the wisdom how to obtain them.
One day the Lord
put on a rich man’s heart to send a preacher a thousand dollars. Then the rich man thought that as much
as the thousand dollars would be, it would be a greater blessing if the
preacher would get the money in smaller sums each month like fifty
dollars. So that he did. It was a great blessing to the
preacher. But with each check, the
rich man wrote a note with these words “there is more to
come”. Think about how our
Heavenly Father supplies our needs through the name of our Lord Jesus in what
seems to be small ways but it seems to be the message “there is more to
come”. When the ravens came
and brought Elijah his breakfast and supper, it seemed have a message from the
Lord that there was more to come.
Each meal at the widow lady’s house seemed have the message that
there was more to come. When the
children came out of their tents each morning and the manna was on the ground,
it was a message that there was more to come.
First of all we
saw that His name is prized because it is though His name that we have the
answer of our supplication.
Secondly, His
name is prized because it is through His name we have the assurance of our
salvation.
Thirdly,
His name is prized because it is through his name we have the abundance of
supply.
Conclusion: As I said in the beginning of the
message, you could list more and more reasons why the name of our Lord Jesus
should be prized. But if you are
not saved, His name is not prized in your life. He died to save you. He came out of the grave to be your
victory. He wants to your supplier. He wants to be your assurance of your
salvation. He wants to be your
abundance of supply. He wants to be
your answer to your supplications.
Christian
friend, this is the time of year that we remember His birth. But His birth is not greater than His
death. Ecclesiastes
7:1
“A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.”
Next
week, if the Lord is willing, I want to preach on why His name should be
praised.