Philippians 2:9-11

Message # 6

Introduction: 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.

Then we saw the name of Jesus as powerful. His name is more powerful than His detainers. I used the passage in John 18 when they came to arrest Him and when He spoke His name as Deity; His detainers were knocked to the ground. I would have loved been there to see that. Doctor Wallace challenges folks to put themselves in the passage and it will make it more alive and I have done this with this passage. Even I reflect upon it, I have a smile come to my face. His name is powerful over the devils. His name is powerful over disease and doubt. You can see the name of Jesus used when the man at the gate Beautiful was healed.

Last time we looked at the plurality of His name. I said this several times in these messages that there are over two hundred names ascribed to the Lord Jesus. First of all His name described His necessity in coming. Secondly His name denotes His nurturing. Thirdly His name delivers His nearness. Fourthly His name depicts His nature. Last of all, His name declared His nobility.

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.”

This time I want to look the purity of His name.

HIS NAME IS PURE!

We will be looking at a few areas in which we can see how His name is seen as pure.

I. HIS NAME IS SEEN AS PURE IN THE DECREES OF THE FATHER.

Luke 3:22

“And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.”

Matthew 17:5

“While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.”

In the ministry of the Lord Jesus, there was a literal voice that proclaimed that Jesus was the Son of God. It is not a son of God like is written in the Jehovah Witness’ Bible. But He is the Son of God. Since the Lord is holy and pure, so the Lord Jesus is pure and holy. I have always wondered how anyone would doubt the Lordship of Christ with those proclamations. Even the disciples doubted or they would not have been hidden after the death of the Lord Jesus.

There are two of these references that I pulled out for our message today. The first of them was at His baptism. After Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan River, the Father made the first public proclamation in regards to the Sonship of the Lord. John the Baptist must have forgot this great blessing while he was in prison because he wanted to make sure Jesus was who he had preached He was. A brief walk away for a few moments is put here. Many times we forget what the Lord promised in the calm while we are in a storm.

The second one we have here is the voice at the Mount of Transfiguration. Peter looked at the transfigured Lord as He was talking to Elijah and Moses. He makes the same mistake we make many times. He thought he had to say something. Instead of speaking he should have just took in the moment with the Lord Jesus. This is when the Father proclaimed that the Lord Jesus was His beloved Son. Here is a great lesson in the last three words from the Father- “hear ye him.” Instead of talking all the time, we ought to be listening to the Lord Jesus speak to us through His word. In fact, Peter makes reference to this time on the Mountain in his second epistle. 2^nd Peter 1:16-21

“For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

Peter is not downplaying this privilege of seeing our Lord Jesus transfigured or the voice from heaven. In the New Testament, whenever you have a writer giving a second epistle, he is dealing with some error. People are always saying that they hearing a voice from heaven. But Peter said that we have a more sure word of prophecy. This more sure word of prophecy is our Bible.

The Father declares the purity of the Lord Jesus’ name because He shows that the Lord Jesus is equal to Himself.

II. HIS NAME IS SEEN AS PURE IN THE DECLARATIONS OF THE DISCIPLES.

Acts 2:22-24

“Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.”

Acts 4:10-12

“Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

Acts 10:36-42

“The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.”

Everywhere the disciples went they declared that pure name that saved men from their sins. Romans 10:9-10, 13

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

It is the same pure name that we ought to be just like them. They went everywhere preaching the Word of God. The Word of God is another name of the Lord Jesus. In fact when He returns at the end of the tribulation, He will be riding a white horse as the Conquering King. Revelation 19:11-13

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.”

Many Christians make a lot of declarations. They are wasting their time in the public making declarations about Washington, the war, the weather and the coming elections when they ought to be taking the time to give the gospel to folks who need it. Brother James Earls says that you cannot witness to the wrong person. The only person who the gospel will not change is the one that does not want it.

Throughout the entire book of Acts, you find the name of Jesus declared to people and they getting saved. If it was a polluted name, then the gospel would not gone anywhere for any length of time. If the name of the Lord Jesus were not pure, why would the disciples be willing to die for the cause of the Gospel?

First of all we saw the purity of the name of the Lord Jesus by decrees of His Father. Secondly we saw the purity of His name as declared by His disciples.

III. HIS NAME IS SEEN AS PURE IN THE DETESTING OF THE DEVIL.

Turn with me to the Gospel of Matthew chapter four.

Matthew 4:3-11

“Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.”

Satan detested Jesus so much that he makes these temptations in order to discredit the Lord Jesus at the time Jesus was the weakest physically with the exception of the scourging at the day of His death. Jesus shows Himself strong by using the Word of God to escape the temptation. Each of the stages of life is answered in each of the temptation of Jesus from the cradle to the grave. 1^st John 2:16

“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

The first temptation shows the temptation of youth- the lust of the flesh. Many of a young man get a young lady in trouble because of the lust of the flesh. As man gets older, his eyes will roam and this will get him into trouble. But as a man gets old, he can just brag of his lust and is proud of it.

Throughout the life of the Lord Jesus on this earth for those thirty-three years, Satan tried to discredit the name of the Lord Jesus. Why is this? Jesus was pure in His wisdom. Think of the time He is confronted in regards of the tribute money.

Matthew 22:15-22

“Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s. When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.”

If He had answered that the tribute money was just, then the Pharisees would have exposed Him as a traitor to His own people. If He had answered that it was not right to pay tribute money, then they would have reported Him as a criminal against the Romans. But He showed purity in His wisdom.

Jesus was pure in His way of life. No one could point to any sin in His life. They had to get a few liars to testify against Him in His religious trial. I wonder as I was typing this if this was some disgruntle members of the crowd that left Him in John chapter six.

No wonder the devil detested His name.

First of all we saw the purity of the name of the Lord Jesus by decrees of His Father. Secondly we saw the purity of His name as declared by His disciples. Thirdly we saw the purity of His name because the devil detested it.

IV. THE NAME OF THE LORD IS SEEN AS PURE IN THE DELIGHT OF THE SAINTS. Revelation 5:6-14

“And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.”

Our praise will be loud, long and loving. Many times praise is nothing less than flattery. But this praise will be honest and heartfelt. Only the redeemed will be able to sing this song. I wonder what it sounds like. But every one will be on key and no one is going to be exalted but the Lord Jesus. Why would we spend this time and eternity praising anyone who was not pure?

Conclusion: I wish I would been able to tell my father that I only saw one time since I was ten years old that I did nothing to dirt his name I was given. Jesus’ whole life spoke that He never did anything to do anything that brought dirt upon His pure name.

You can live for the Lord Jesus if you get saved.