“A Name Above Every Name”
October 16, 2005 (Philippians 2:9-11) Lighthouse Baptist Church
There are some names that mean more to me than others. For example, the name Dawn is special to me. It means “sunshine.” I just happened to marry “Sunshine” 31 years ago. When I hear the name I think of my lovely wife. The name Gina and Steven are special to me. Our two children carry those names. Gina was named after her grandmother and grandfather Siceloff, (Jeanette and Colin), and Steven was named after me. The name David is special to me because that was my father’s name. I love and miss him. He’s in Heaven and one day I will see him again. The name Martha is special to me because that is my mother’s name. She is the woman who brought me into the world.
Joke: Speaking of mother, I heard a story of a young preacher. I had gone to hear an older preacher speak and thought he would repeat something the older preacher said in one of his sermons. It was this. The older preacher said, “I have spent the best part of my life in the arms of another man’s wife. That woman was my mother.”
That young preacher liked that so much that he couldn’t wait to get home to tell it. When he got home he went before his congregation and said to them, “I have spent the best part of my life in the arms of another woman’s wife,” and then his mind went blank. He could not remember the rest of the statement the older preacher made and so he said, “But for the life of me, I cannot remember who she was.”
I’m simply saying that there are some names that mean the world to us and there are other names that don’t. When you hear certain names they give you certain responses. We all have different names that do that.
What about the name “Jesus”? What does that name do for you? What response does that name trigger? Doesn’t the name Jesus the set of bands of love singing in your heart? Doesn’t the name Jesus cause the act of appreciation to swell within you? Isn’t the name Jesus the sweetest name on earth to you?
That’s what Paul is speaking of in this passage. He’s talking about the name above every name. There are three things about the name of Jesus that I would like to share with you this morning. I simply want you to understand this:
BI – “The sweetest name in Heaven and on earth is the lovely name of Jesus: there is no equal by any measure.”
Please notice first:
I. The Dispensing of His Name – (2:9)
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: (Philippians 2:9 KJV)
Why is the name Jesus so special? For one, it was given by God the Father in Heaven Himself. Listen:
And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. (Luke 1:26-31)
And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:35 KJV)
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14 KJV)
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 KJV)
And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. (Luke 2:21)
I’m sure some people here today have special names because of the ones who named you. You might have been named after someone important. You might have been named by someone really important.
I was at a preacher’s seminar. The instructor asked us all to tell our full name and why we were named thusly. It was interesting to hear the men tell who they were named after or why they were named that way. Some of the men had great stories to tell. I began to think who I was named after. I couldn’t think of a soul. I began to wonder why they named me Tony when there were no Tony’s in our family. I began to wonder why they named me Steven when there were no Steven’s in our family. Then it dawned on me: my parents gave me the name they gave me because they had run out of family names when it was my time to be born. They had to name me something.
However, the name Jesus is special because it was the Father in heaven that named Him so. His name was dispensed from Heaven to the angel and the angel carried it to earth to tell Mary what it would be. I cannot think of anyone else with a name as sweet as Jesus that was dispatched from Heaven. There are Bible characters with great names, but none with this special relationship with the Father Himself. It was He that dispensed the name Jesus for His Son.
o The name “Jesus” is so special because of the dispensing of His name. Secondly, it is extraordinarily special because of:
II. The Distinction of His Name – (2:9b)
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: (Philippians 2:9 KJV)
Not only is the name Jesus so special because it was dispensed from Heaven by the Father Himself. It is special because it is distinguished above every other name on earth. Through inspiration of the Spirit of God, Paul said that the name given to Jesus was “a name above every name.” And it is a name above every name above every name on earth and in Heaven. Through His name and His alone there is:
A. Redemption for Our Souls
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12 KJV)
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. (1 Timothy 2:5-6 KJV)
I know what men are saying, but it is not right! There is salvation through none other than the Lord Jesus Christ! There is no plan “B.” There is no second route. Going to Heaven is not like a post office where everyone may travel a different route but arrive there just the same. Jesus Himself said that he was the Way, the Truth and the Life. He also said in that same passage that no man could come unto the Father but by Him!
Why is the name Jesus so, so sweet? It’s distinctive because it is the only name by which a man’s soul can be redeemed.
o His name is above every name because only through it is there redemption for our souls. Secondly, it is so because only through it is there:
B. Remission of Sin
To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. (Acts 10:43 KJV)
And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (Luke 24:47 KJV)
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9 KJV)
I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. (1 John 2:12 KJV)
C. Recognition in the Body of Christ
And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days. (Acts 10:48 KJV)
When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. (Acts 19:5 KJV)
(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) (Acts 8:16 KJV)
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? (Romans 6:3 KJV)
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:13 KJV)
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (Galatians 3:27 KJV)
D. Royalty above that of the Angels
Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. (Hebrews 1:4 KJV)
E. Reception of Answers to Our Prayers
And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (John 14:13 KJV)
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. (John 15:16 KJV)
And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. (John 16:23-24 KJV)
F. Reward for Our Labor
And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. (Matthew 10:42 KJV)
And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great. (Luke 9:48 KJV)
For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. (Mark 9:41 KJV)
For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. (Hebrews 6:10 KJV)
G. Restoration for Our Pain
Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. (Acts 3:6 KJV)
And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. (Acts 3:16 KJV)
Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. (Acts 4:10 KJV)
Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: (James 5:14 KJV)
H. Rejuvenation of Our Courage
And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him. (Acts 9:29 KJV)
For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. (1 Thessalonians 1:5 KJV)
But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention. (1 Thessalonians 2:2 KJV)
I. Relevance in Our Calling
And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. (Acts 16:18)
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 KJV)
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. (Matthew 28:18 KJV)
o The name “Jesus” is so special because of the dispensing of His name. Secondly, it is extraordinarily special because of:
III. The Disclosure of His Name – (2:10-11)
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:10-11 KJV)
At the disclosure of His name there will be:
A. Contrition – “every knee shall bow”
I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. (Isaiah 45:23 KJV)
For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. (Romans 14:11 KJV)
And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, (Ephesians 1:22 KJV)
Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. (1 Peter 3:22 KJV)
B. Confession – “every tongue shall confess”
For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. (Romans 14:11 KJV)
Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. (Revelation 5:12 KJV)
Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. (Revelation 15:4)
C. Celebration – “to the glory of God the Father”
BI – “The sweetest name in Heaven and on earth is the lovely name of Jesus: there is no equal by any measure.”
Do you know Him this morning? If you do, don’t be ashamed to mention His name. Don’t be ashamed to bear His name. Don’t be ashamed to serve in His name. Don’t be ashamed to witness in His name.
