The Name of Jesus

Transcript

Rob McFarlane: 0:58

I'm going to talk about the name of Jesus. And as I do, I pray that Jesus would be exalted, that believers would be empowered, and that people would encounter God. Jesus has been given a name above every other name. Let's look at Philippians chapter 2, verse 9 through to verse 11. And I'm reading from the English Standard Version of the Bible. Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name. So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Our enemy, Satan, wants to diss the name of Jesus. Even though people use the word Jesus as a curse word, it does not diminish in any way the blessing that we can receive in the name of Jesus. Today I'd like to share three thoughts with us about the name of Jesus Christ. Number one, we have been given authority in the name of Jesus. As followers of Jesus Christ, we have been given authority in his name. And this is like the power of attorney. The power of attorney is an authorization to represent or act on behalf of another. And you and I have been given authority in the name of Jesus to act in his name. Let's look at verses that show us the authority that we have in the name of Jesus. First, Mark chapter 16, verse 15, and verse 17. This is part of the Great Commission. Jesus said to them, Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. And then he continues in verse 17, and these signs will accompany those who believe in my name they will cast out demons. And as we share the gospel, we must remember that we have been given authority as his representatives to go, proclaim the gospel, and pray for people to be free in the name of Jesus. Next, let's look at John chapter 14, verse 12 to verse 14. Here Jesus says, Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do. And greater works than these he will do, because I'm going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. Now I want you to notice the heart or motive in this verse. Let's look at verse 13 again. Here he says, Whatever you ask in my name, I will do this. Why? What's the motive? That the Father may be glorified in the Son. What wonderful authority we have been given in the name of Jesus to go and tell people about Jesus and to pray for them that they can be free, but also to ask things in his name so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. We have been given authority in the name of Jesus. Number two, we must proclaim and demonstrate the good news in the name of Jesus. We must proclaim and demonstrate good news in Jesus' name, and we must not give in to the pressure to not speak to others in the name of Jesus. So often people are open to us doing good works, showing acts of kindness, but don't want us to do it in the name of Jesus. What I really enjoy about one of our ministry partners, Compassion UK, is that they say they are releasing children from poverty in Jesus' name. We are Christians and we have good news and we are representing Jesus as his followers. We're not ashamed of the name of Jesus. We must do what we do in his name. Let's look at what happened in the early church. They were empowered by the Holy Spirit and ministered to others in the name of Jesus. Let's read selected verses from Acts chapter 2, 3, 4, and 5. Let's start with Acts chapter 2, verse 38. It says, And Peter said to them, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins, and then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Empowered by the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, he preached an awesome sermon, and three thousand people were saved and added to the church. He preached to them in the name of Jesus. A little later in Acts chapter 3, we see when Peter and John were going to the place of prayer, they came across a man who was lame in his legs. And he was begging, asking for something. And in Acts chapter 3 and verse 6, it says, But Peter said, I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. We see in verse 16 of Acts chapter 3 that Peter then explains what has happened when he was asked, How did this happen? And he says, And his name, and by faith in his name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. And the faith that is through Jesus has given this man perfect health in the presence of you all. Now I want you to notice in Acts chapter 3, verse 16 that the name of Jesus is not just a magical formula that we can speak out and somehow wonderful things happen like abracadabra or whatever the formula might be. The name of Jesus only has authority when we have faith in Jesus and we have a relationship with him. It's important for us to minister to others in the name of Jesus. In Acts chapter 4, verse 10, Peter again answering what had happened to the man who was begging at the beautiful gate, he says, Let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by him this man is standing before you well. He continues to tell them in Acts chapter 4, verse 12, and there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. There was a reaction to what they had to say. And in Acts chapter 4, verse 17 and 18, the religious leaders tried to stop them from speaking in the name of Jesus. And it says, But in order that it may spread no further among the people, they warned them not to speak to anyone in the name of Jesus. So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But their response in Acts chapter 4, verse 20 was, for we cannot but speak what we have seen and heard. They continued to speak in the name of Jesus. As a result, there were consequences. In Acts chapter 5, verse 40, it says, And when they called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus and let them go. But they determined to keep representing their Lord and Savior, kept on speaking in the name of Jesus. And we see in Acts chapter 5, verse 42, and every day in the temple and from house to house they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus. We must follow their example. We must proclaim the good news in the name of Jesus. We must demonstrate the good news in the name of Jesus. Even when we face opposition or obstacles or difficulty, let's keep on speaking to others in the name of Jesus Christ. Remember, He is the name above every name. Number three, what Jesus paid for on the cross is ours in the name of Jesus. Let me share three things that are available to us in the name of Jesus. First of all, salvation is available to us in the name of Jesus. In Acts chapter 4 verse 12, it says, and there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Jesus paid for salvation in the name of Jesus, and you and I can receive that salvation and be restored into a right relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ. Let's also remember that healing and freedom is available in the name of Jesus. In Mark chapter 16, verse 15 to verse 18, the Bible tells us that we should go and proclaim the gospel and that signs will follow those who speak in the name of Jesus. The signs include that they will lay their hands on the sick and they will recover, and that people will be set free from demonic oppression, things that hinder them and harm them in the name of Jesus Christ. This was paid for on the cross 2000 years ago, and we can walk in healing and freedom because of what Jesus did on the cross 2000 years ago, and it's available to us today. And finally, let's remember that prayer can be answered when it's prayed with the right motive in the name of Jesus. In John chapter 14, verse 13 and 14, Jesus said, Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do. I will do this so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. And if you ask anything in my name, I will do it. What a wonderful promise that we have in the name of Jesus Christ. We can have what Jesus accomplished on the cross in the name of Jesus, and that includes salvation, freedom, healing, and we have access to the Father, and we can pray boldly in the name of Jesus Christ. Wonderful. So let's summarize. We've been given authority in the name of Jesus. We must minister to others in his name. And remember what Jesus paid for on the cross is ours in Jesus' name. Today, what do you need from Jesus? Let's pray for it in faith, in the name of Jesus, trusting that the Father will be glorified in the Son. Let's pray. Father God, thank you for sending Jesus. Thank you for his obedience, that he humbled himself, he went to the cross, and he paid the price for us. We ask you for salvation, for healing, for freedom, and for answered prayer in the name of Jesus. Right where you are. In your own words, ask him what you want to see happen in your life, that the Father may be glorified in the Son, in the name of Jesus. Lord, we thank you that we can minister to others in your name. We ask you to give us boldness, that we would be empowered by the Holy Spirit, and we would not shrink back from telling others about your goodness and your love. Help us to minister to others like the early church did in the name of Jesus. And thank you for the authority that we have in your name. And we ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen.