Lesson 1: Call His Name Jesus

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NAME OF JESUS

Before the Son of God was born, an angel gave Joseph the name by which He was to be called – Jesus.  God chose this name to reveal Himself in flesh as Savior, for the name Jesus literally means “Jehovah-Savior,” “Jehovah our Savior,” or “Jehovah is Salvation.”

Christ fulfilled its meaning as no other man could, for He was God manifested in flesh in order to redeem us. The prophetic message of Isaiah 7:14 said that the name of the Messiah would be called Immanuel, which means “God with us,” and the name of Jesus literally fulfills that meaning (Matthew 1:21-23).  When we look at the two components of the name of Jesus, we find that “Jehovah” corresponds to “God,” and “Savior” corresponds to “with us” (for the purpose of salvation).

Jehovah (Yawheh) was the unique, personal name by which the one true God identified Himself to His people in the Old Testament and distinguished Himself from false gods.  “I am the LORD [Jehovah]: that is my name” (Isaiah 42:8).  In Hebrew, that name is derived from the verb “to be,” meaning “He is,” or “He will be.”  As such, it is the third-person equivalent of the first-person name that God used to reveal Himself to Moses – “I AM” (Exodus 3:14).  The connotation of this name – Jehovah or I Am – is the Self-Existing One, the Eternal One, the One who is and who always will be.

By incorporating the supreme Old Testament name Jehovah, the name Jesus encompasses everything the Old Testament reveals about God.  In addition, it proclaims the essential truth that the Old Testament God Himself has become our Savior.  To see and know Jesus is to see and know God, the Father, in the only way that God can be seen and fully known.  Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me…He that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:6, 9).

The name of Jesus is the supreme revelation of God’s character, for Jesus perfectly manifested the divine nature and attributes, including holiness, righteousness, mercy, truth, love, grace, omniscience, and omnipotence.  For example, the Old Testament proclaimed God’s love, but only by the revelation of God in Christ do we realize the depths of God’s love: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son” (John 3:16).  “God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).  In Christ, God demonstrated His love in a greater measure than ever before.  “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).

The name of Jesus is invested with all of God’s power and authority.  Jesus is “far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come” (Ephesians 1:21).  Jesus said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth” (Matthew 28:18), and “I am come in my Father’s name” (John 5:43).

The miracles of Jesus demonstrated His divine power and authority over nature, disease and sickness, death, the devil and demons, and sin – in short, over every force that can afflict or conquer humanity.  “Jesus of Nazareth [was] a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you” (Acts 2:22).

The teachings of Jesus likewise revealed His divine authority.  “The people were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes” (Matthew 7:28-29).  Even the officers sent to arrest him on one occasion confessed, “No man ever spoke like this Man!” (John 7:46, NKJV).

The works and the words of Jesus were actually the works and words of the Father, who was incarnate in the Son (John 5:17; 8:28; 10:30, 37-38).  “Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works” (John 14:10).

The name of Jesus also represents God’s very presence.  “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20).  In Jesus we have the fullness of God’s Spirit.  “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.  And ye are complete in him” (Colossians 2:9-10).

To know the name of Jesus, then, is to know the supreme revelation of God in human history.  For this reason, the apostles understood Christ’s command to baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (that is, in the name of God) to be a reference to the supreme, singular name that reveals God in redemption – the name of Jesus.  The Book of Acts records that water baptism was always performed in the name of Jesus Christ.

Consequently, the saints have the name of Jesus invoked over them and are called by His name (Acts 15:17; James 2:7).  Not only is this name invoked upon them during the initial act of water baptism, but it remains with them to give power and authority that comes from the presence of Jesus Christ, who abides and actively works in their daily lives.  Praying in the name of Jesus expresses faith in His divine character (love, compassion, and desire to help), power (ability to help), authority (right to help), and presence (immediate attention and availability to help).

But the name of Jesus is not a magical formula; prayer is effective only if we have faith in, and truly know, the One whom the name represents (Acts 3:16; 10:43).  As the sons of Sceva learned, the devil flees from Jesus and from those who belong to Jesus, but not from those who merely profess Jesus verbally (Acts 19:13-17).

OUR RESPONSE TO THE REVELATION OF THE NAME

What should our response be to the wonderful revelation of the name of Jesus, a revelation that focuses upon the Incarnation?  First, we recognize that salvation and eternal life come through faith in His name (John 20:31).  After we repent of our sins, we receive remission of sins at water baptism in the name of Jesus (Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38); and the conversion process is complete when we receive the Holy Spirit through the name of Jesus (John 14:26; Acts 2:38).

Second, we can receive everything we need to live for God through the name of Jesus, including power over Satan, divine healing, and divine protection (Mark 16:17-18).  We can pray boldly and confidently in Jesus’ name, thereby invoking His character, power, authority, and presence.  Jesus promised, “If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it” (John 14:14).

Finally, we are to walk worthy of the name we bear.  The apostolic church rejoiced to be counted worthy to suffer for the name of Jesus (Acts 5:40-42).  We, too, are willing to endure persecution, opposition, and reproach for His name.  We are to live separated, godly lives and proclaim the whole gospel to the whole world.

            In everything we say or do, we ask for the Lord’s blessing participation, and assistance.  In our speech and conduct, we acknowledge the lordship and deity of Jesus, thereby glorifying the one God who chose to reveal Himself through the name of Jesus.  “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Colossians 3:17).