THE NAME OF JESUS
Philippians 2:9-11
Introduction: A name is the title by which one person is designated from another. It is a way for us to tell people, places and things apart. In our day, manes do not hold much significance. William Shakespeare said, "A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet." For us, names are just a way to tell thing apart.
It was not always this way. In Old Testament times, a name stood for a person's "reputation, their fame and their glory." Parents often gave children names that described the parent's hopes and future expectations regarding that child. The word translated "name" in the Old Testament literally means "A mark or a brand." People were given the names they were given for a reason. A study of Bible names often reveals much about the personality of the people mentioned in the Bible. For instance, David means "Beloved." Abraham means "Father of a multitude." Jacob means "Trickster." Goliath means "Splendor." All of these people proved true to their names! But when you look at the name of Jesus, you know that He not only lives up to His name but also exceeds it.
We have looked at parts of the name of Jesus. Research and studying is as enjoyable message as I have ever done for years. We looked at the name of Jesus prized. His name should be prized because He is the answer to our supplication, the assurance of our salvation and the abundance of our supply.
His name is praised because His name is reason for the conversion of our souls, the comfort of our suffering and a commander in our soldiering. He should be praised at all times. He should be praised with our lips, lives and love.
I read this prayer by Brother Spurgeon and it is a theme of sorts with this series of messages. “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.”
Today’s message is to exalt Jesus higher.
HIS
NAME IS PROMOTED!
We see from our text that He was given a name that is above all names. In fact, the day will come when everyone will bow before Him and call Him Lord. This will probably the first act we do in Heaven. Have you ever done something that seemed odd the first times you did it? It felt strange. But the longer you did this, the easier it became. We ought to get into practice of bowing before the Lord so when we get home it will not seem odd to us.
I want to give some thoughts along these lines. His name should be promoted in our lives because of who He is. Secondly, His name should be promoted in our lives because of what He has done. Thirdly, His name should be promoted in our lives because of what He is going to do.
I. HIS NAME SHOULD BE
PROMOTED BECAUSE OF WHO HE IS!
As I have mentioned in the previous messages, I am only giving a few points. You should do some of your own thinking. In fact, it would not hurt my feelings if you tell me some after services so we can rejoice in our Great Saviour.
A. He is Creator. Colossians 1:16-17
“For by him were all
things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and
invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers:
all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him
all things consist.”
John 1:1-3
“In
the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and
without him was not any thing made that was made.”
Genesis 1:1
“In
the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”
Psalm 33:6
“By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host
of them by the breath of his mouth.”
We know we are living in the time of all the theories in regards to the beginning of the world. They strain at a gnat and swallow a camel trying to prove their theory. What we believe is nothing but plain fact from the pages of our blessed old Bibles. Jesus spoke it and it was made. If it were not for the Lord Jesus, this world would come apart. Remember what Colossians chapter one and verse seventeen? It said plainly – “by him all things consist.” If it was not for the Lord Jesus, the protons and the electrons would repeal themselves but Jesus holds them together.
Just think about perfect the body is! Just our hands and how it moves and grips things is beyond us. Even man has not been able to duplicate it.
We could spend a ton of time on the Lord Jesus as Creator. But we must move on.
B. He is Completer. Colossians 3:4
“When Christ, who is
our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.”
He completed creation and it was good. He completed our conversion and it is very good. He completes our commitment and it will be very good. He completes our life. How does He do that? It is because He is our life. So completely are we renewed by regeneration that we are dead to the old life, and only live in Jesus! We cannot love the things of earth; our hearts are in heaven, our very life is there, where Jesus is, and until he comes we live a hidden life, which worldlings cannot perceive or comprehend.
C. He is Counselor. Isaiah 9:6-7
“For unto us a child is
born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder:
and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The
everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and
peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to
order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth
even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”
He uses three avenues in which He counsels us.
1. He always uses Holy Scriptures.
Psalm 1:2
“But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”
“The Bible is a harbor where I can drop down my anchor, feeling certain that it will hold. Here is a place where I can find sure footing; and, by the grace of God, from this confidence I shall never be moved.” –Spurgeon
Some people put more stock in dreams and visions other than the only true place to get counsel. I mentioned some time back but it bears repeating about dreams and visions. Let me show you the superiority of the Bible over dreams and visions.
a. Unlike a
vision or dream, the Bible is pure.
Psalm
119:140
“Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.”
b. Unlike a vision or a dream, the Bible is perfect.
Psalm
19:7
“The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.”
c. Unlike
a vision or dream, the Bible is powerful.
Hebrews
4:12
“For the word of
God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even
to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and
is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
d. Unlike a
vision or dream, the Bible is permanent.
Psalm
119:89
“For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.”
e. Unlike a
vision or dream, the Bible is profitable.
2nd
Timothy 3:16-17
“All scripture is
given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be
perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”
Jesus
always sends to the Holy Scriptures to get our counsel. After all, He knows all and can reveal
what we need to know through the scriptures. Anything contrary to His Word is not of
the Lord.
2. He uses the Holy
Spirit to counsel us.
John
16:13
“Howbeit when he,
the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall
not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he
will shew you things to come.”
Our
Lord gives us the Holy Spirit to counsel us. Once again this bears to repeat. The Holy Spirit will never counsel apart
from the Bible. Many people have
said that the Holy Spirit led them to do such and such or write such and
such. If this were so, then the
Lord would not have left us with a completed Bible. So all that the Holy Spirit counsels
will always go the way of this Bible.
Some people tell the lie that God led them away from a church but they
don’t go to any church. This
is a lie from the heart that is deceived and not in tune with the Bible. How do I know this?
Hebrews
10:25
“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
I
wish I had the time to explore this further. I may do so in another message. But let us move on.
3. He uses helpful
saints to counsel us.
Proverbs
11:14
“Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.”
Proverbs
15:22
“Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.”
Proverbs
24:6
“For by wise
counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is
safety.”
What
are some of these counsellors that God uses? He uses parents. He can use pastors. He can use personal friends. But any counsel contrary to the Scriptures
is not godly counsel. When I was
praying over the matter of nursing school, I asked the counsel of all three of
these groups. With the exception of
the personal friend and our pastor, the others did not know each other and had
no contact with each other. Each of
these groups felt as I did that this was of the Lord. In retrospect, it was one of the wisest
decisions that we made as a family.
God has used that training to provide for my family and I.
D. He is contagious. I realize that this is not one of His
names but once you see Him for whom He really is, you can see how He is viewed
as contagious. Let’s turn to
a passage that I have already used but it will help drive home the point.
Isaiah
9:6
“For
unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon
his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty
God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
Look at the first name that
Brother Isaiah recorded for us- “Wonderful”. If something is wonderful, you want
others to try it or in this case, Him.
Psalm
34:8
“O
taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.”
I
could never count the times my wife will try to get me to try something new to
eat. Some times she succeeds and
other times she fails. But she
still keeps trying to get me to try it.
She will say that something tastes wonderful. When I try it and like it, I want others
to try it too.
It
rarely leaves my mind when I read this verse or her it read that my mind does
not travel back to my Bible Institute days. We had a congress of
Fundamentalism. There was a great
deal of speakers. Some of them were
stuffed shirts. But one night Doctor
Slighter was one of the speakers of the evening. He did not preach on fundamentalism but
chose this text. I remember the “Amens”
ringing all over the church. He
preached on “Zeal of the Lord”. It was a great message but one part has
stuck in my mind and let me repeat it.
It will not be like Dr. Slighter’s but it thrills my heart when it
comes to mind.
“King
Jesus has returned to earth and defeated the armies massed against Him. He holds a press conference in
Isn’t
that a great memory? He is wonderful
and if He is seen clearly in our lives, He will be contagious.
So
His name should be promoted because of who He is.
II. HIS
NAME SHOULD BE PROMOTED BECAUSE OF WHAT HE HAS DONE!
What
has He done? Once again the
constraint of time will not allow us to go long in this thought.
A. He
saved us. Romans
10:13
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
He
saved us from the penalty of sin.
We are heaven bound with the hammer down. He saved us from the person of sin. We left the devil’s family for the
family of God. He saved us from the
pain of sin. We will not have to go
to hell. Every one that goes to
hell is a trespasser. The Lord
created hell for the devil and his angels.
But every lost man, woman, boy and girl who dies without accepting the
Lord Jesus as his or her Saviour.
I am
saved by the blood of the Crucified One.
That sounds great and it is true of every saved person.
B. He also secures us. It is found in our salvation.
John
1:12
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
John
3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
We
are secured for eternity.
Everlasting is eternal and eternal is forever.
C. He spruces us up. This is the pruning that the Lord does
for us. Pruning is not easy but necessary
for Jesus to be seen through us.
John
15:2
“Every
branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that
beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.”
He
uses many tools to prune us but none any greater than the Word of God. He will uses people that irritate to
prune us. Some times it is these
people who show us our place of growth even they don’t know it. It is the Lord using them to prune our
rough edges.
III. HIS
NAME SHOULD BE PROMOTED BECAUSE OF WHAT HE IS GOING TO DO!
We could speak on
a lot of things that we hope that the Lord could do. We could speak on church growth. We could speak on increase in
missions. These are important but I
have one thing in mind when I said what He is going to do with certainty. He is going to return one day. Acts
1:8-11
“But
ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye
shall be witnesses unto me both in
A. He will come suddenly. It could be at any moment. In fact, it could be before I finish preaching
this message. I know that some may
be happy for that. The Bible says
He will come like a thief in the night.
B. He will come shouting. He will call “Come up hither”
and we will go up to meet our Lord in the air.
C. He will come silently. That almost sounds like a contradiction
of the last point but only the redeem will hear the call to come up
hither.
He
is coming back. We have His
promise. We should live in that
promise.
Conclusion: What shouldn’t we promote His
name? I was thinking about the manic
of Gardara. What happened after he
was saved? He wanted to go with the
Lord when He left. Here is the rest
of the story so to speak. Mark
5:18-20
“And when he was come
into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he
might be with him. Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home
to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and
hath had compassion on thee. And he
departed, and began to publish in
He
exalted the name of the Lord. In
other words, he promoted the name of Jesus. Should we do less?
Next
time, I want to preach on the power of His name.