There’s Something about that Name (Manuscript of May 1, 2011 PM Sermon)

Tonight’s sermon is 3226 words in length. Yet it really focuses on just one word. In fact, it focuses on just one name. It is the sweetest name ever spoken, and the purpose of this lesson is to remind us how wonderful the One who wore that name is. It is a name that we must magnify, glorify, and amplify. The entire manuscript from this sermon is available on my blog at www.faughnfamily.com right now if you want to read it later to help remind yourself of the wonderful name we are thinking about.

In English, the name is simply “Jesus.”

In China, they call Him ye su. (yay – sue)

In France, they call Him Jesus. (yez-zoo)

In Kenya, those who speak Swahili call Him Yesu. (yes-sue)

To the Spanish-speaking world, He is Jesus. (hey-seuss)

To those who read the Greek New Testament, He was Iesous.

He is Jesus.

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus;

There’s just something about that name.

Master, Savior, Jesus,

Like the fragrance after the rain;

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,

Let all Heaven and earth proclaim;

Kings and kingdoms will all pass away,

But there’s something about that name.

(Gloria and William J. Gaither)

He is the Christ. Christos. The anointed One.

He is the Messiah. The promised One.

He is the King. The coming One.

569 times He is called “Christ.” In Acts 19:4, He is “Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:8 calls Him “Christ Jesus my Lord,” while Romans 8:39 calls Him “Christ Jesus our Lord.” In 2 Corinthians 4:5, He is “Christ Jesus the Lord.” Luke 9:20 refers to Him as “the Christ of God.” Luke 2:11 calls Him “Christ the Lord, “ while Matthew 26:63 says He is “Christ, the Son of God,” and Mark 14:61 states He is “Christ, the Son of the Blessed.”

He is Jesus.

From the beginning of the Bible, His work was known. He, the seed of the woman named Eve, would be the One to crush the head of Satan (Genesis 3:15). And so, the Old Testament began to unfold the truth about the Messiah. Isaiah 11:1, Zechariah 3:8 and 6:12 called Him the “branch,” while Jeremiah 33:15 said He would be a “branch of righteousness,” and Jeremiah 23:5 calls Him the “righteous Branch.” The prophet Haggai called Him the “dayspring from on high,” in 2:7. Zechariah 13:1 described Him as a “fountain,” while Isaiah 60:1 said He was to be the “glory of Jehovah.” Earlier, Isaiah had said He would be a “leader and commander to the people” (Isaiah 55:4).

Jeremiah knew He would be from the Lord, and would be the Lord. Jeremiah 23:6 and 33:16 called Him “Lord, our righteousness.” Isaiah 49:6 declared Him to be both “the redeemer of Israel” and the Lord’s “Holy One.”

Daniel the prophet knew that He would be the One promised from the beginning, and thus called Him “Messiah” in 9:26, after calling him “Messiah the prince” in verse 25. Malachi foretold that He would be a messenger, and the messenger of a covenant, in 3:1. But His message would be hard for some to hear, thus Malachi said He would be a refiner and purifier of silver, in 3:3. He would be the redeemer of Zion, according to Isaiah 59:20. And, above all, He would be the one who was “salvation to the end of the world,” as said Isaiah 49:6.

But, He would also not be a tyrant, for Isaiah 42:1, 49:5-6, and Zechariah 3:8 foretold that He would be a servant, and Isaiah 49:7 said He would be a servant to rulers. Genesis 49:10 said He would be known as “Shiloh,” the One to whom tranquility belongs. Isaiah 55:4 calls Him “the witness to the people,” and 28:16, “a tried stone.” The final writing prophet, Malachi, sums it up by stating He would be a “Sun of righteousness,” in Malachi 4:2.

He is Jesus.

Maybe no prophet told us more of the One who was to come than Isaiah. Isaiah 9:6-7 tells us of the birth and life of Jesus.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government there will be no end, on the throne of David and over His kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

But, He would not live a life that would go unnoticed by enemies, and Isaiah made that clear. In chapter 53, He prophesied what would happen to this Wonderful Counselor:

For He grew up before Him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should despise Him.

He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as One from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.

Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.

But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to His own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth.

By oppression and judgment He was taken away; and as for His generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living; stricken for the transgression of my people?

And they made His grave with the wicked and with a rich man in His death, although He had done no violence, and there was no deceit in His mouth. (verses 2-9)

He is Jesus. The Messiah…who would bear the people’s sins and die for them.

He is the messenger called “the Angel of the Lord.” He spoke to Moses out of a burning bush, showing His power to call people to special service in Exodus 3. He provided direction and protection for the Israelites as a pillar of cloud in the day and of fire by night (Exodus 13 and 14). He made the donkey on which Balaam was riding to stop, and showed that He is to be obeyed (Numbers 22), and He was the commander of the armies of God who helped Joshua lead in Joshua 5 and 6.

He is Jesus.

He was born of a virgin (Matthew 1:23), thus being the Son of Man (Matthew 18:11). His physical family is known through both his mother, named Mary, in Luke 3:23-38, and his perceived earthly father Joseph in Matthew 1. But He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and was thus the Son of God (Luke 1:35), and showed the Father to the world. So, He was Immanuel, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23).

For those who were looking for Him and those who would believe in Him, He was a “son” (1 John 4:14), the Son of Abraham (Matthew 1:1), the Son of David (Matthew 15:22), the Son of Mary (Mark 6:3), the Son of the Father (2 John 3), the Son of the Highest (Luke 1:32), and the Christ, the Son of the Living God (Matthew 16:16).

His physical family was known, for He was the brother of men named James, Joses, Judas, and Simon, as well as of unnamed sisters (Mark 6:3). But there was something about Him that led people to know He was more than a man. From the beginning of His ministry, it was said that even John was not worthy to untie the sandals of Him (John 1:27). He was said to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:36), but confounded some, since He came from such a nothing-place as Nazareth (John 1:46).

But when He taught, He changed lives. They called Him “Rabbi” (John 1:38), as well as “Rabboni” (John 20:16),” and crowds stated that they had never heard anyone teach with such authority (Matthew 7:28-29). In fact, “No one ever spoke like this Man” (John 7:46). Nicodemus even acknowledged that He was a “teacher from God” (John 3:2), because no one could do the signs that He did unless He was from God.

He is Jesus.

Seven times in the Gospel according to John Jesus referred to Himself as the “I AM.” To His Jewish hearers, this was a statement of deity. To us today, we focus more on the pictures of each one. He said,

• “I am the Bread of Life” (John 6:35 and 48).
• “I am the Light of the World” (John 8:12 and 9:5).
• “I am the Door” (John 10:7).
• “I am the Good Shepherd” (John 10:10).
• “I am the Resurrection and the Life” (John 11:25).
• “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6).
• “I am the True Vine” (John 15:1).

He would further say, “Before Abraham was, I AM” (John 8:58).

He is Jesus.

Though He was a King, He was also a carpenter (Mark 6:3), and the Son of a carpenter (Matthew 13:55), and is often referred to as simply a Shepherd, though He is called the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4), and the “Great Shepherd of the sheep” (Hebrews 13:20). He is the Shepherd of the sheep (John 10:2), and the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls (1 Peter 2:25).

He came to show us God; thus, He is the “express image of His person” (Hebrews 1:3), and the “image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4). He is the “Lord from heaven” (1 Corinthians 15:47), and the One who has the “power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24). In fact, Jesus is the “Brightness of the glory of God” (Hebrews 1:3).

Matthew 13:57 and Mark 6:4 called Him a Prophet. Four times the Hebrews writer called Him not just a priest, but our High Priest and, further, “our great High Priest” (Hebrews 4:14). And He was also a King. He was the King of Israel (John 1:49), the King of the Jews (Matthew 2:2), and the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (1 Timothy 6:15).

He is Jesus.

The Apostle and High Priest of our confession (Hebrews 3:1). The Founder and Perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). The beloved Son of God (Matthew 3:17). The Blessed and only Potentate (1 Timothy 6:15). The Bridegroom (Matthew 25:1). The daystar (2 Peter 1:19), and the dayspring from on high (Luke 1:78). The Just One (Acts 7:52).

Though a man (Acts 17:31), He is Master (Matthew 8:19), Governor (Matthew 2:6), and the unspeakable gift of God (2 Corinthians 9:15). He is the Prince of Life (Acts 3:15), the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), and a Prince and a Savior (Acts 5:31).

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,–

Sweetest  name I know,

Fills my every longing,

Keeps me singing as I go.

(Luther Bridges)

He is the healer of those who were sick, and was known as the Physician (Matthew 9:12). He is the One who raised the dead. He is the One who held children and sat with the outcasts, even a “friend to publicans and sinners” (Luke 7:34). He is the One who shattered religious hypocrisy and touched the untouchable. He is the One whose love led Him to weep and whose zeal caused Him to pick up a whip and drive out religious profiteers. He is the One who slept, ate, drank, wept, talked, taught, and prayed, even throughout the entire night.

He felt pain and was so intent that He sweat drops of blood. He walked on the water, and caused a storm to cease. He fed multitudes with next to nothing, yet had nowhere to lay His head.

The crowds yelled out “Hosanna!” (Matthew 21:9), but then turned and yelled “Crucify Him” (Mark 15:13). So, He carried His cross and went to Calvary. There, He became our Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7). There, He proved Himself to be the Lamb of God (John 1:29). There, He paid for our iniquities (Isaiah 53:5). There, He saved a thief (Luke 23:43). There, He died (Luke 23:46), while a Roman soldier declared Him to be innocent (Luke 23:47). There, He purchased the Church with His own blood (Acts 20:28). There, He ransomed the world (1 Timothy 2:6). And there, He proved Himself to be the Savior of the world (John 4:42).

He is Jesus.

He is the One whose name we wear as Christians (Acts 11:26). He is the Head of the Church (Colossians 1:18). It is His Church (Matthew 16:16), which He loves.

And He is the Risen One. He is raised from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:20), which offers us the hope of the same. He is our Advocate (1 John 2:1). He is the stone which was rejected that is now the Chief Cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20). Though He is often a stumbling stone to those who refuse to obey (Romans 9:32-33), those who have tried His way know He is the true and sure foundation (Isaiah 28:16).

He is the Word (John 1:1), who was God but thought equality with God nothing to be held on to (Philippians 2:7). So, He came and dwelt among us (John 1:14), and took upon Himself the form of a servant (Philippians 2:7).

He is Jesus.

The baby (Luke 2:12) who was God (John 1:1) and who would be the Consolation of Israel (Luke 2:25), and the Deliverer (Romans 11:26). He is the Heir of all things (Hebrews 1:2), the Holy One of God (Mark 1:24), the last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45), who brought and was Light (John 1:7-8).

Now He reigns in heaven. Now He is our Mediator. He is the Mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5). He is the Mediator of a better covenant (Hebrews 8:6), which is the new covenant (Hebrews 12:24), the new testament (Hebrews 9:15). He is the propitiation for our sins (1 John 2:2), whose blood continues to cleanse us from all sin (1 John 1:7).

In a world that is dark, He is the true Light (1 John 1:9).

In a world that lacks true wisdom, He is the Wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24).

In a world with few connections, He is the True Vine (John 15:1).

And in a world with little real justice, He is the One who will judge the living and the dead (Acts 10:42).

The entire Bible is about Jesus. The Old Testament points to His coming. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John tell of His life, works, teachings, death, and resurrection. Acts tells of the beginnings of His Church. Romans through Jude tell us how He would desire to live.

And Revelation exalts Him in a way that should cause us to realize His majesty on a regular basis. In Revelation, we read that Jesus is:

• The Faithful witness (1:5).
• The First begotten of the dead (1:5).
• The prince of the kings of the earth (1:5).
• Almighty (1:8).
• Alpha and Omega (1:8).
• The Beginning and the ending (1:8).
• The First and the Last (1:11).
• Son of Man (1:13).
• He who was living though He had been dead (1:18).
• He who holds the seven stars in His right hand and who walks among the seven lamp stands (2:1).
• He who has the sharp sword with two edges (2:12).
• He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars (3:1).
• The Amen (3:4).
• He who is holy, true, has the key of David (3:7).
• The beginning of the creation of God (3:14).
• The Faithful and True Witness (3:14).
• The Lion of the tribe of Judah (5:5).
• The Root of David (5:5).
• The Lamb (5:6).
• He who reaps (14:16).
• Lord of Lords and King of Kings (17:14).
• The Faithful and True One (19:11).
• The Word of God (19:13).
• The King of Kings and Lord of Lords (19:16).
• The Beginning and the End (22:13).
• The Bright and Morning Star (22:16).
• The Root and the Offspring of David (22:16).
• Lord Jesus (22:20).
• Lord Jesus Christ (22:21).

He is Jesus.

He was the agent of creation (John 1:3). We count time from His birth. History revolves around Him. No one has influenced more people than Him.

Dr. S.M. Lockeridge put it this way:

My King is a King of knowledge. He’s the wellspring of wisdom. He’s the doorway of deliverance. He’s the pathway of peace. He’s the roadway of righteousness. He’s the highway of holiness. He’s the gateway of glory. He’s the master of the mighty. He’s the captain of the conquerors. He’s the head of the heroes. He’s the leader of the legislatures. He’s the overseer of the overcomers. He’s the governor of governors. He’s the prince of princes. He’s the King of kings and He’s the Lord of lords. That’s my King.

His office is manifold. His promise is sure. His light is matchless. His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes. His Word is enough. His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. I wish I could describe Him to you . . . but He’s indescribable. That’s my King. He’s incomprehensible, He’s invincible, and He is irresistible.

(http://across2u.com/ThatsMyKing.html)

He is Jesus.

A name so simple is rolls off the tongue with no effort. A name that was as common as any other in ancient days. Joshua in the Old Testament. Jesus in the New Testament. It is a simple name.

But,

• Just as the man named Adam brought sin into the world, so the Man named Jesus gave the way out of it.
• Just as the man named Moses brought a law filled with commandments and ordinances that were against us, so a man Jesus brought the law of grace.
• Just as men named Abraham, Isaac and Jacob searched for a land they did not find, a man named Jesus gave hope of a better heavenly country.
• Just as countless prophets and teachers were rejected, so was the greatest Prophet of them all.
• Just as John the forerunner was killed, so was Jesus.
• But, just as Jonah the prophet could not be kept in the whale because of God’s power, so the grave itself could not hold the man named Jesus.

And because of that, it is the simple name of Jesus which all men, in all times, from all places will finally confess as Lord. It is at the name of Jesus that every knee will bow. Jesus is the name above every names (Philippians 2:9-10).

All hail the power of Jesus’ name!

Let angels prostrate fall!

Bring forth the royal diadem,

And crown Him Lord of all.

(Edward Perronet)

Will you speak His name now? There’s just something about that name.

He is Jesus.