The Name of Jesus
17/03/03

 What goes through your mind when you think of the name of Jesus? Does your mind think of the name of the one that you love and the one you have come to know as the true and living God? What does the name of Jesus mean to you?

 God the Father sent His one and only begotten son into the world and He gave Him a name - Jesus. It was a common name that is why He came to be known as Jesus of Nazereth. Yet there was something majestic about this person who bore this rather common name. He was born in Bethlehem as foretold by the prophets, He was in the royal line of David in the flesh and hence was called the son of David, He had a great knowledge of the scriptures and people regarded Him as Rabbi, He had a shepherds heart and crowds followed Him wherever He went. Certainly one would observe that the person with the rather common name was remarkably unique.

 In Mattew 16:20 Jesus gave a charge to His disciple "to tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ" - This was the first record in Matthew's gospel where the  term 'the Christ' was used. For the term Christ means "the annointed/chosen one" or better read Jesus the Annointed One. This bore a striking confirmation to His identity. David was annointed as King while he was a shepherd. Now the son of David - the annointed of God was disclosing the great truth concerning Himself. He was their King.

 On the triumphal entry into Jerusalem Jesus in fulfillment of prophecy came riding on a donkey. Zechariah 9:9.

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter
of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is
just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass,
and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

 And the people waved  their branches and sung "Hossana in the Highest" blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Jesus the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth came into the world to lay down His life willingly for us.

 Thereon the cross the charge by man was written in a placque and placed on the top of the cross - King of the Jews. On the annointed and chosen one, God the Father placed His charge for the sin of the world past, present and future. From the morning till the evening sacrifice Jesus bore the wrath of an almighty God. He was the only innocent person God ever punished and He took our guilt and shame and paid our sin debt in full.

 

Due to the faithfulness and obedience of Christ even to death on the cross - God the Father raised Jesus and gave Him the name above all names. The uniquenes of this name being the only name under heaven by which man can be saved.John 1: 12 states

"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"

 Believe me, there is something about that name. That is why scripture tells us to not take His name in vain. Whenever one swears and profanes the name of Christ they are cursing the name of the only begotten of the Father - the name that is beloved, the name that gives man access to the Father and the name that is above all other names. 

 The greatest privilledge we have today is to believe on His name and if we call on that name in truth- the Father will hear us and will answer us for His name sake. Amen!