Cornerstone Church July 4, 2004
JESUS – THERE IS JUST SOMETHING ABOUT THAT NAME!
Matthew 1:21
Imagine trying to distinguish me from the other Six billion people living on planet earth. It is almost an impossible task. There are several identification marks that will help you to locate me!
USA identifies which Country I live in from the other 200 or more Countries.
California identifies which state I live in from the other 50 States.
Yuba City identifies which city I live in from the other cities in California.
My street address and zip code help identify the street and house in which I live.
But there is one more additional mark which identifies me from the other seven people who live at 1605 Bradley Estates Drive, Yuba City, California - USA and that identifying mark is my name.
It is a very specific name. I am Richard Adam Finitzer, Jr. The junior is added so that you will not mistake me from my father.
Idea modified from: JESUS, WHO IS HE? by Tim LaHaye, pg. 178
NAMES ARE IMPORTANT!
NAME BRANDS – Starbucks, Levi, Nike, Sony, Liz Claiborne, Bayliner, Nintendo
NAME DROPPERS – People playing off of other people’s names. I know Bill Gates (I do, but he is a car dealer in Indiana!)
NAME RECOGNITION – FedEx, UPS, Microsoft, IBM, Ford, Honda, Michael Jordan
DOMAIN NAMES – www.google.com, www.yahoo.com, and your favorite www.considercornerstone.com
The Word of God says this about our name:
Prov 22:1 NIV A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.
Ecc 7:1 NIV A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth.
Names evoke feeling and emotion within us. This can be positive or negative.
George Washington Richard Milhous Nixon
Abraham Lincoln (honest Abe) William Jefferson Clinton (dishonest Bill)
Charles Haddon Spurgeon Jim Jones
Alexander the Great Genghis Khan
Dr. James Dobson Dr. Benjamin Spock
In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare asks the question:
“What is in a name?
That which we call a rose by any other name
would smell as sweet.”
There is only ONE NAME on all of planet earth that is worthy of honor and praise.
It is the NAME, Jesus! Jesus, what a Name!
Think about it!
“Jesus is the sweetest Name I know,
And He’s just the same as His lovely name,
And that’s the reason why I love Him so;
Oh, Jesus is the sweetest Name I know.”
Jesus, has by His enemies been called:
Lunatic Blasphemer
Fraud Beelzebub
Deceiver Glutton
Drunkard Mystic
Opportunist The illegitimate son of Joseph
FOR THOSE WHO KNOW HIM, HIS NAME SPEAKS:
COMFORT
“Jesus! the Name that charms our fears, That bids our sorrows cease,
‘Tis music to the sinner’s ears, ‘Tis life and health and peace.”
Charles Wesley – “O FOR A THOUSAND TONGUES”
STRENGTH
“All hail the power of Jesus’ name! Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem, And crown Him Lord of All!
Edward Perronet; adapted by John Rippon – “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name”
SALVATION
“Wonderful grace of Jesus, Greater than all my sin;
How shall my tongue describe it, Where shall it’s praise begin?
Taking away my burden, Setting my spirit free,
For the wonderful Grace of Jesus reaches me.”
Haldor Lillenas – “WONDERFUL GRACE OF JESUS”
OUTLINE (outline modified from an unknown source):
JESUS IDENTIFIES HIM WITH HIS PERSON
JESUS IDENTIFIES HIM WITH HIS PURPOSE
JESUS IDENTIFIES HIM WITH HIS PEOPLE
JESUS IDENTIFIES HIM WITH HIS PRAISE
JESUS IDENTIFIES HIM WITH HIS PERSON
Mary was espoused to Joseph and was found to be with child. You can imagine how Joseph felt. Betrayed! Hurt! Angry! Pregnant, and you didn’t even know a man! Even in the ancient world they knew where babies originated.
Joseph was a righteous man and wanted to keep the matter private. At night, an angel spoke to Joseph in a dream and revealed this fact to Joseph.
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give
him the name Jesus, because he will save
his people from their sins.”
Matt. 1:21 NIV
Imperative: You are to give Him the Name Jesus.
Greek = Iesous (which is a transliteration of the Hebrew)
Hebrew = Yeshu’a (OT Joshua)
JEHOVAH will save
JEHOVAH is help
Isa 43:11 NIV I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior.
Isa 9:6 NIV For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Further testimony:
Angel to Shepherds
Luke 2:10-11 NIV But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
Simeon
Luke 2:30 NIV For my eyes have seen your salvation,
Anna
Luke 2:38 NIV Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
John the Baptist (the forerunner)
Luke 3:6 NIV And all mankind will see God’s salvation.’ ”
All of this should have made sense to the people! One named Joshua (JEHOVAH saves) was here! Just like Joshua, their national hero who led the people under God’s direction from the wilderness into the Promised Land, so to would Jesus, lead HIS people out of the wilderness of sin into the Promised Land of Eternal Life.
JESUS IDENTIFIES HIM WITH HIS PURPOSE
“…give him the name Jesus, because
he will save his people from their sins.”
Matt. 1:21 NIV
Save = “to save, to deliver, to make whole” (spiritual salvation)
WHAT WAS JESUS’ PRIME DIRECTIVE?
Luke 19:10 NIV For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”
Mankind’s number One problem is sin!
This is true for those who need salvation
This is true for those who know the Lord
Sinners are not the only ones who need to deal with sin. As Believers, we like to focus our eyes on others who sin and say that they need to be saved. We forget that one lie, one moment of lust, one morsel of gossip is enough to separate us from the Lord if it were not for His saving grace.
Jas 2:10 NIV For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
WHY DID JESUS HAVE TO DIE FOR US?
Perhaps this story can illustrate this for us:
“There was an engineer who operated a drawbridge across a mighty river. With a control panel of levers and switches, he set into motion a monstrous set of gears that either lifted the bridge for river traffic or closed it for the oncoming train.
One day he took his young son to work with him. The fascinated boy hurled question after question at his dad. It was not until the span had opened to allow the passage of a ship that the father noticed the questions had ceased and his son had left the room. He looked out the window of his control cabin and saw the young boy climbing on the teeth of the gears. As he hurried towards the machinery to get his son, he heard the whistle of an approaching train.
His pulse quickened. If he closed the bridge there would be no time to retrieve his son. He had to make a choice. Either his son would be killed or a train of innocent passengers would be killed. A horrible dilemma mandated a horrible decision. The engineer knew what he had to do. He reached for the lever.”
Max Lucado, GOD CAME NEAR, pgs. 60-61
It is true that God could not save mankind without killing His Son.
It is true that the heart of God the Father did twist in grief as He slammed the gears of His fierce wrath down on Jesus.
And it is sad, yet true, that individuals daily whiz by the message of the Cross of Christ oblivious, like those on the train, to the sacrifice that was made to save them from certain death.
A FLAW , HOWEVER, EXISTS WITH THE STORY I JUST TOLD YOU:
The engineer on the bridge sacrificed his son because there was no other way to save the people on the train. He didn’t wake up that morning planning to sacrifice his son.
God the Father, from eternity past, before mankind was on planet earth, loved lost sinners so much that HE sent HIS SON on a rescue mission to save us.
John 3:16 NIV “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Acts 2:22-23 NIV states:
“Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.
God did this out of design and planning!
Jesus the JUST died for the unjust so that He might be THE JUST and THE JUSTIFIER
It is on the Cross of Christ that His Love and His Justice meet!
The beams of the cross are where God’s Holiness and God’s love intersect. It is where the Judge, because of righteousness sentenced the guilty to death, and then because of Judge’s great love for the individual, was put to death instead of the guilty. I am speaking of Jesus Christ, the propitiation for our sins.
Jesus is our propitiation (offering, sacrifice, payment)
1 John 2:2 NIV He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
1 John 4:10 NIV This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Praise the Lord!
Simeon
Luke 2:30-31 NIV For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people,
John the Baptist
John 1:29 NIV The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
JESUS IDENTIFIES HIM WITH HIS PEOPLE
Jesus first came to reach His own people. Remember, He had a Jewish name, a Jewish Lineage and was raised in the Jewish traditions under The Law.
Jesus was the Messiah for which the Jews looked. Isaiah 53 speaks about the Messiah’s first Advent. He will come again one day as the conquering King for which they are looking.
He is the God of His people (Israel) and the God of those who believe (Gentiles)
John 1:9-13 NIV The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
DID YOU CATCH THAT? Born of God’s will, not man’s works!
John 6:37 NIV All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.
Truth illustrated:
“Donald Barnhouse tells a terrific story of a young man who went to the employment office of Western Union looking for a job delivering telegrams. The manager said that he needed someone to start at once and asked if the young man would be willing to begin right then.
‘Well,’ said the boy, ‘there’s one thing I must warn you about before I get started. I am psychologically so constituted that I cannot stand any scene of unhappiness. I’m only willing to deliver good news. Birth announcements, that’s fine. Congratulations for success, fortunes that have been received, promotions, acceptance of marriages – all the joys and bliss news, that I’ll deliver. But sickness and death and failure and all that, that’s alien to my nature. I just won’t deliver them.’
It didn’t take the manager very long to say, ‘I guess I’m still looking for the one that’s gonna fill this job, because the responsibility requires that you also announce bad news.’
That’s the job of the one who delivers the gospel. It is wonderful Good News, but it isn’t complete until the bad news is also delivered.
–Donald Barnhouse, MAN’S RUIN, Romans Vol. 1
JESUS IDENTIFIES HIM WITH PRAISE
Phil 2:9-11 NIV Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 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.
JUST THINK OF THE NAME OF JESUS!
He was Jesus at His birth – Matthew 1:21
He was Jesus while He ministered on Earth (Philip speaking to Nathanael) – John 1:45
He was Jesus on the Cross as our Propitiation – John 19:19
He was Jesus after His resurrection – Mark 16:6
Jesus is the Name we proclaim with the Gospel – 2 Cor. 4:5
2 Cor 4:5 NIV For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.
He is Jesus at His Second Coming
Rev 22:13-15 NIV I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
Rev 22:16 NIV “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”
He is Jesus when you need comfort
He is Jesus when you are afraid
He is Jesus for Salvation
He is Jesus for Protection
WHERE WOULD YOU BE WITHOUT JESUS?
Praise His Name today! No wonder so many songs have been written about Him!
All Hail King Jesus
All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
Fairest Lord Jesus
Take the Name of Jesus with You
Oh, How I love Jesus
Praise the Name of Jesus
My Jesus, I love Thee
Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee
Jesus is the Sweetest Name I know
Jesus Shall Reign
May Jesus Christ be Praised
Jesus, We Just Want to Thank You
Jesus, Name above all Names
Come, Thou Long-expected Jesus
Tell Me the Story of Jesus
Beneath the Cross of Jesus
Jesus Paid it All
O The Deep, Deep Love of Jesus
Jesus is Coming Again
Living for Jesus
Jesus, I am Resting, Resting
The Word of God states that Jesus is to be a part of every aspect of our lives!
Col 3:17 NIV And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Did you catch meaning of that verse?
Everything we go is suppose to bring God glory!
How we live!
How we work!
How we raise our children!
The grades we get in school or college!
All done in the NAME of JESUS!
If you do not know Him, you too will also one day praise Him. Why not do it willingly, today?
The Bad News? We are all sinners, condemned to death without Christ.
The Good News? The Lord Jesus Christ paid it all! He offers eternal salvation to all who will believe!
“Jesus is the sweetest Name I know,
And He’s just the same as His lovely name,
And that’s the reason why I love Him so;
Oh, Jesus is the sweetest Name I know.”
