THE NAME OF JESUS

Philippians 2:9-11

Message #4

 

Introduction: Every one has a name.  Some people dislike their name.  I understand sometimes because I wonder what went through their parent’s minds when they named their children such names.  When a person names their child whatever, that parent ought to remember that the child is going to saddle with that name for life.  Even if they change their name, someone is always going to remember their name that they were given at birth.

  Let me give a quick review of the previous messages.  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.

  His name should be promoted.  His name should be promoted in our lives because of who He is.  He is creator, completer, counselor and contagious.  Secondly, His name should be promoted in our lives because of what He has done. He has saved us; He has secured us and He has spruced us up.  Thirdly, His name should be promoted in our lives because of what He is going to do.  He is going to return soon.

  I read this prayer by Brother Spurgeon in each of the other messages and plan to do so in each in that it is a theme prayer 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.”        

 

HIS NAME IS POWERFUL!

 

  As our text tells us that there is no name like the name of our Lord Jesus.  Since His name is above every name, then it must be the most powerful name in the world.  We have many illustrations in the Bible in regards to that name that is above every name and the power of His name.  I want to give a few of these for our message today.

 

I.     THE POWER OF THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS OVER THE DETAINERS.

      Turn with me to John chapter eighteen.  Let’s look at the first of these illustrations from the Bible.              John 18:1-8

“When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples. And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples. Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground. Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way”

      These men had come to arrest the Lord Jesus.  He knew what their intent was before they even known what it would be.   He asks the simple question.  “Whom seek ye?  But what happened surprised everyone except the Lord Jesus.  When they said “Jesus of Nazareth”, He answered, “I am he”.  Look at how that answer is in your King James Bible.  The word “he” is italicized.  Our translators for honesty sake and clarity placed it there.  In reality, He answers, “I am”.  He is answering with His name of deity.     No wonder the detainers were knocked down.  Who should be standing in the presence of Deity?  This is the same “I am” that set the children of Israel free from Egypt land.  This is the same “I am” that is seen throughout the book of John.  This is not bragging or boasting but the Lord revealing Himself strong in the face of the enemy.  This is the Creator of the universe speaking.  This is the one who raised the dead on more than one occasion.   I am not sure what Judas was thinking except he was not thinking about the power of Christ.  This is the same Jesus that walked on walked and calmed the elements in the storm. 

      It is almost funny that Jesus asked the second time “whom seek ye”.  I can almost see the soldiers and officers bracing for the answer.  But Jesus held back His power so the plan of God for the ages could come to pass. 

      I was thinking of something I read about some persecuted Chinese Christians in prison a few years back.  The Christians were tortured regularly in prison in China.  One of the favorite tools of one of the guards was an electric cattle prod.   One day after a prisoner prayed in regards to the torture, the guard took the cattle prod and tried to shock the Christian.  Nothing happened.  He tries again and nothing happens.  What happens next is really funny.  He turns the prod on himself and it shocked the daylights out of him.  After he picked himself back up, he tries to shock the Christian again.  Again, nothing happens.  He once again turns on it on himself.  You guessed it.  He shocks himself again.  The word got around the prison that folks should hang around with the Christians because nothing shocks them.  Of course, we know it was our Lord showing Himself strong on their behalf.

      The devil and his folks could not detain the Lord Jesus.  The only reason why they were able to arrest him is that Jesus allowed it.  Nothing that happened that night and the next day was not because of the detainers but Deity allowing it.  Why?  Let me answer with the chorus of one of my favorite gospel songs.

             He could have called ten thousand angels

        To destroy the world and set Him free

             He could have called ten thousand angels

        But He died alone, for you and me.

             His name has power over detainers.

 

II.    THE POWER OF THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS OVER THE DEVILS.

      I realize that I don’t usually have you turn unto many passages once we get pass our text but I feel that this is important for us to see.  Mark chapter one is the passage I want us to go.                  Mark 1:23-28

“And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him. And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee.”

      Over and over again, Jesus deals with demons or devils as we see in the passage.  Each of them fears the power of the name of Jesus.  He cleans their clock so to speak.  Business is bad for the demons when Jesus shows up.  But all of the folks that the demons or devils come out are grateful.  The devil is harsh taskmaster.  He takes more than you are willing to give.  He stays longer than you intended for him to stay and makes you give more than you wanted to give.  But Jesus’ name is greater than the devil and his demons.  It is only by His authority that demons are made to leave. 

      I have heard of men who brag that they cast out demons but they will come up short like that man did in the book of Acts one day when they come across a real devil.

                                                  Acts 19:13-17

“Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.  And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.  And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?  And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.  And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.”

      Why was the name of Jesus magnified?  It is because His name had power over devils.

 

III.   THE POWER OF THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS OVER DISEASES.

      Once again, Jesus ran across a lot of sick folks in His day.  He still has the same power to heal as He did when He walked upon the face of the world.  Some people think that all illnesses are sign that person is not right with God.  But that is not in line with the Bible.  Ultimately all sickness is result of sin.  All sin is result of our father Adam’s sin.  He was not deceived.  He sinned willfully.  But not all sickness is because of sin.  What sin did a baby just being born commit when he or she is born with AIDS or cancer?  None is the correct answer.  Now the parents may have sinned but this is not always the case.  Some are sick for the glory of God.                           John 9:1-3

“And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.”

                                                  John 11:4

“When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.”

      Not every one that prays for healing will be healed.  There are three types of healing.

1.   There is the healing that comes from the Lord when our body heals a wound.  If it was not for the Lord, you could bleed to death.

2.   There is that healing that comes from the Lord when the elders of the church pray over you as prescribed in the book of James.  This could come immediately or slowly.  It depends upon the will of God.

3.   Then there is the ultimate healing that comes when we get to heaven.

             Once again, I want us to turn to another passage.  Turn to Acts chapter three.

                                                          Acts 3:1-8

“Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.  And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.  And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.  Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.  And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.  And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.”

      By the way, this fellow was having a spell.  We would probably be embarrassed with this behavior.  I had a spell too if I had been lame all my life and now could walk and leap.  But it was the name of the Lord Jesus that showed the power of His name over disease. 

      Let me interject this last thought in regards to sickness and the child of God.  Paul had a thorn in the flesh.  We are not sure what it was but he asked the Lord to remove it three times.  Here was the Lord’s answer to Paul and it should be our answer too.

                                                  2^nd Corinthians 12:9

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

      It is not always God’s will to heal us here.  He uses the weakness of men to show the strength of His power.

 

IV.   THE POWER OF THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS OVER DOUBTERS.

                                                          John 20:24-28

“But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.  The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.  And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.”

      Many times the devil sends his friend and ally Mr. Doubt by to visit us.  What are some of the causes of doubt?

1.   Doubt is caused by failing to trust God's Word.

2.   Doubt is caused because they didn't have a certain feeling or experience when they were saved. Feelings are fickled.  Feelings can and will change.  Feelings can change with weather.  Feelings can change with circumstances.

3.   Doubt can be caused by of the remoteness of their experience of salvation.  Children who are saved very young in life may experience this doubt.

4.   Doubt can be caused by a lack of prayer.

5.   Doubt can be caused by a lack of Bible study and reading. 

6.   Doubt can be caused by a lack of activity for the Lord Jesus.

7.   Doubt can be caused by disobedience to God's will and plan for your life.

      What causes Mr. Doubt to leave?  When Jesus shows up, doubt knows he has to leave.  Even though the scriptures do not say, I am sure that Brother Thomas fell to his knees when he uttered those heartfelt words “My Lord and my God.”  Doubts had to leave because the power of the name of the Lord Jesus.

      Let me give you four practical tips how to overcome Mr. Doubt.

1.   Have Faith in God.                    Mark 11:22

      "And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God."

      "Our Heavenly Father is too good to be unkind and too Wise to make mistakes."

                                                  Psalm 62:8

"Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah."

                                                            Isaiah 26:3-4

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.  Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength"

2.   Stand Firm on God's Word.

    God's Word is the ultimate answer to the Doubt Monster. When the doubt monster comes in and tries to get you down, go to the Word. Don't be afraid to exercise your authority when the Doubt Monster comes. You have every right as a child of God to tell the enemy to get out, and he must obey and do what you say.  But this will not happen if you don't stand firm upon the Word of God.

3.   Don't Give the Enemy Any Room.

                                                  Ephesians 4:27

      "Neither give place to the devil."

      The Greek word for “place” emphasizes that we can actually give ground in our lives to satanic control. If you've got a negative attitude, an attitude that says, "I don't believe" in any way, then you've given the enemy room to whisper thoughts of doubt in your head.   

4.   Verbalize your faith and trust, not your doubts, anxieties and worries!  If you are worried about something then replace the thoughts of worry that come with promises. Speak out loud your faith in WHAT God has said. Learn to rest in the words of our great Heavenly Father. Then memorize the verses that will bring peace, inner assurance, and trust. Do battle with the thoughts of distrust. Only be memorizing, meditation and living these truths of the Bible will change take place. Isn't that what you want?

 

Conclusion: The name of Jesus is the most powerful name of the world.  Satan cannot destroy it.  Sickness should not distract us from it.  Situations will not defeat it.  Salvation is made greater by it.