The Name of Jesus

if you would just remain standing for a couple of moments here the jewish people especially the scribes those who are the writers of the holy scriptures revered the name of the lord and they actually lived out that reverence in many ways including when those jewish scribes would copy the scriptures and they would come to any ref any of the names of god and there were various ones that were used in the old testament this is what they did first they prayerfully meditated and thought about god and that name they would literally change pens they were writing other words and other thoughts they would literally change the pen before they wrote the name and when they came to the name jehovah they would prayerfully consider that name they would actually get up and go and take a bath put on a clean change of clothes and then return to carefully write the name jehovah that's how holy and revered that name aren't you glad we know the name today if they made a mistake in writing the name they couldn't erase it they would draw a circle around it and that meant canceled and they had to put that whole page no matter where they were on that page the top of the page the middle of the page the lower part of the page they had to put that in a very special place that was set aside to bury their parchment papers and they picked up a whole new page and of course they didn't have typewriters or computers so it was all what we call longhand and so they would start all over again to write on a new page and when they began to write the name they couldn't stop until they had fully spelled out the name they could not be distracted there was no interruption and the law was even if the king and if you didn't stand to the king and if you didn't bow to the king and if you didn't reverence the king you went to the dungeon and there was an appointment with the headsman but in the middle of the name they could not be interrupted and even if the king came in and addressed them they must take no notice of him everything was focused on that name the name we know today as jesus the name of our god

two scripture texts from inside the christmas story are luke chapter 1 and verse 31 and the angel speaks to mary and behold you will conceive and bring forth a son and shall call his name would you say it with me jesus and the angel also spoke to joseph in chapter 1 of matthew and verse 21 and she shall bring forth a son he tells joseph your wife mary is going to have a son and you shall call his name jesus for he shall save his people from their sins the story of christmas is jesus and with that platform and basis i preached today very simply but yet very profoundly the name of jesus i'd like for us to to do what the scribes did is bring our focus on that one who bears that name right now and would you without distraction just say whatever you want to you can praise that name worship that name call out on that name ask in that name right now but let's make these moments right here a focus on your name lord i thank you i thank you for who you are and when we call your name we reference you ah the mighty god the mighty god of creation yes yes yes yes thank you jesus hallelujah we praise you jesus we are blessed o god we are blessed we are blessed i thank you jesus i thank you jesus i thank you jesus and you may be seated

names are for the sake of identity the purpose of a name is to identify it references the one who has that name where's that name when you say the name of a person you think about more than just the letters of that name how you've seen it written how it's spelled but when you hear someone's name you speak about that person or you think about that person what they are known for what they stand for their character their reputation that's what we mean when we say a name identifies you and i knowing his name the name of our god is especially important in the case of the almighty god the name jesus as the name of god was unknown through out history jacob at the wrestling match said tell me your name samson's father manoah when there was that manifestation to him said to the angel what is your name and then the wise writer of proverbs says what is his name and what is his son's name the name jesus that we know so well today was a secret for thousands of years the first christmas was the culmination of progressive revelation of the name of our god god progressively revealed himself through history by using various prophecies and varied names you and i can't fully comprehend god in his fullness but god wanted us to know him to the greatest extent possible he's not hiding himself today he has made himself very accessible today and one of those accesses is when we call the name jesus i just sensed the door open right here the access to what we may need that peace or that power pastor mentioned paul and silas singing in that jailhouse i don't know exactly what song it was some have conjectured it was give me that old-time religion even though it wasn't written at that time but that's a good thought but it was about the almighty god here's how i know because of the results that happened i love various christmas songs i call them the more secular white christmas i love that one i love to hear uh the christmas song i love to hear nat king cole sing that i enjoy those but i doubt they were singing those now he's coming but i doubt they were singing santa claus is coming to town i'm not preaching against singing it i'm just saying because of who they were singing about because of who you were singing about a while ago the peace of god is going to cover your life and your situation no matter how troubled you are or no matter how much trouble is around you so god begins to reveal himself in various ways progressively and all of the names that he uses in the old testament are portraits of his traits and powers and characteristics god was progressively revealing himself and i must stop and say i'm glad we live in this era i'm glad we live in this time where we know that precious name that was a secret for years but we know the name of our god as jesus christ so it was in those months leading up to and then at that first christmas time those verses that i read luke 1 and 31 the angel reveals the name of jesus to mary and then to joseph in matthew 1 and 21 the name of jesus we are blessed we are blessed to live in this time where we have experienced the revelation of the name of our god it would very be very easy to take it for granted and as i'm preaching this very point i'm wrestling a little bit because i know i preach to people that have known the name been baptized in the name have sung about the name have had heard messages like this one about the name of jesus and it can become almost commonplace to us but there's a god that is higher than any commonplace there's a spirit that is greater than any spirit of this world and we are blessed we are blessed to know the name but more blessed to know the god who bears that name

as jesus was revealing himself to the disciples including simon peter in matthew chapter 16. peter answered to the question who are you saying that i am and simon peter answered that he said thou art the christ he said thou art the christ the son of the living god and verse 17 is jesus's answer he said blessed art thou simon barjona i want to pause on jesus's first word right there blessed he said simon you're blessed to know what you know disciples you're blessed to know you want to know how jesus felt about it he felt like simon and the disciples were blessed apc you're blessed that's what jesus is saying today you're blessed oh come on pastor i've heard that simple message many times yeah but let it get fresh and new in reverence and faith you're blessed hallelujah hallelujah such a gretchen you're blessed pastor you're blessed brother fred you're blessed jesus said brother kill you're blessed sister smith you're blessed mark you're blessed to know the name of jesus brother sister davis you're blessed jim you're blessed you're blessed that means favor bless right there means fortunate and you're acting like this next definition happy i'm happy i know that name i'm happy we know how to sing about that name i'm happy we know how to run the isles in that name i love that little point when it comes by praise god i'm happy i'm not sad it's not stale it's not old i'm blessed blessed blessed blessed god god is in heaven saying apc sunday morning 12 12. you're blessed happy i know who jesus is fortunate i know who jesus is there's a song that says i'm glad i know who jesus is i'm glad i know who he is and there's some reasons that we're blessed one of them is we're in relationship with him because of that name we're on a first name basis with jesus aren't we we're as i kids to help somebody today god's not after you god's not mad at you we're going to treat him with respect you know i don't expect to round the house for sister becky to always say bishop or pastor not all the time really she can call me anything she wants we're in we're on a first-name basis amber you don't have to call me bishop all the time do you what do you call me that's a good safe answer what do you call me sister wilfred babe we used to call each other deer a whole lot both of us and we still use that term and we haven't you know we just we just called babe now more than but brother wayne huntley was staying in our home when he was preaching the revival for us one of our youth weeks and he and andrea was about three years old and she had heard us say dear so much so she addressed me one day and said dear he never has forgotten it's been about 30 years ago every time he sees me just about he said how you doing dear we're on a basis me and her that's like one god one god one babe whoo but this relationship that we have with him i want to help somebody i want to open a door today god's your father and the father's name is jesus the son's name is jesus but because there's only one god the father's name is jesus and the name of the spirit is jesus there's only one god and his name is jesus and

here's how that relationship developed john 1 but as many as received him to them gave ye power to become the sons the children of god here's how it happened even to them that believe on his name whoa the reason we believe on his name is because we've got his name verse 13 explains it because we were born this spiritual experience is not of blood you may have been in the church from your birth but were not born into the church by a natural birth but were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of god we become his children we have this relationship because of believing on the one who bears that name i tell somebody today believe on the name and obey that name and you will find salvation and here's how jesus described being born of god that he used in john 1. in john 3 he talks about being born again so to be born again here's what it takes to have this relationship to be on that first name basis with him it takes faith believing in god takes repentance seeing that we've sinned and done wrong and make asking his forgiveness and it takes being baptized by immersion in the name of jesus and receiving the precious gift of the holy ghost as one speaks with other tongues as the spirit gives the utterance so in the early stages of a relationship with him when a person is baptized when you take on his name you identify with him the name of jesus and not only that but when you're baptized all your sins he he said that he said that to joseph he said call his name jesus for he shall save his people that's why we baptize in the name of jesus he's the only one the one and only who died for us and who gave his life and the only one that can take away all of our sins that's what this relationship is about how did you get on a first name basis with jesus we started believing we started repenting we were baptized in his name whoa somebody ought to be baptized today in the name that is above every name peter said there's no other name under heaven whereby we must be saved there is great power there's the power of forgiveness but there is there are other powers you know

when we say or when we act in the name of someone we are acting in their authority and with their authority when we use the name of jesus we are acting in his authority we are acting as his representative when the when the officer brother mike i don't know what phrase i didn't get to ask you before service but there used to be an old phrase and i don't know if they do this anymore but it was basically stop in the name of the law or when you come to a door to serve a a warrant or something i don't imagine you necessarily you may say officer phil singer but i don't probably you probably don't usually say hey it's mike but somehow you identify yourself as a representative of the law system because the powers of that system are with that person we can do the very same thing if there is something that needs to be arrested in your life there's too much stuff running free messing with the people of god messing with our faith and our minds but you can use the authority of heaven's law system that's what david did he said you're coming goliath i see your sword i see your shield but i'm coming in the name of the lord and i am convinced that there was some flesh doubt in david's mind he's bigger than i am but god is bigger than he is whatever you are facing whatever you are coming up against you can say i come to you in the name of the lord i come to you in the name of jesus darkness flee lack of sleep you've got to depression you've got to go aggravation you have to go i come in the i'm not coming on my own i'm coming as the representative and the child i want us to pray together in the name of jesus i want us to resist darkness right now use that name right now it may not be for you but it may be for someone else go ahead in the name of jesus pray as the holy ghost leads you that's right pray as the spirit of god lead you oh yes in the name of jesus darkness ah hallelujah hallelujah i stop that robber i stop that thief that comes to steal and to kill and to destroy yes i've got scripture for this isn't preacher conjecturing there's scripture for this the enemy believes there is one god he knows what that name is he knows what it is and he believes and the scripture says he trembles you may have some fear mixed in but the enemy has a greater fear and he wants to rob our reverence of the name he wants to take the name of jesus out of our lives out of our families parents keep praying in the name of jesus over your home it's not some magical phrase that's the name of the great god of heaven that's the name of the one who spoke and there was creation that's the one that took a mess and made it a wonderful universe he can still do the same thing today i claim it in the name of jesus christ for every family that is in this room and you are watching on the internet the power of jesus is with you right now yes it is call that name right where you are call it call it call it god here's another reason we're blessed here's another reason we're blessed it's relationship but we're blessed because

god associates his name with miracles the psalmist 75 and 1. unto thee oh god do we give thanks we thank the lord we've been doing that today unto you he wants to make sure first he said god we're giving thanks to you but then he wants to make sure he stays focused he said unto you god do we give thanks and now he's going to tell us why he's given thanks because or for that thy name is near your wonderful works declare in other words wondrous things are happening and the psalmist said what that's telling me is your name is near these things don't just happen like that prison break and those foundations shaken they don't just happen but those wondrous works that are being declared and manifested the reason is because your name is near put his name in your house back up put it first in your life pray it sing about it think about it put it in your family put it in your house put it in your car whoa put it in your place of employment and some have the liberty to be able to maybe tack a scripture attack the name of jesus other places may not allow that that's all right it's already written on the tables of your heart your faith saying i'm putting the name of jesus i want jesus near i want the god of the universe near that's how wondrous works jesus as we know associated miracles signs and wonders with his name he said in my name in my name they're going to cast out devils they're going to speak with new tongues they're going to take up serpents drink deadly things lay hands on the sink and recover and the lord will be working with them the god who bears that name whoo jeremiah said there's none like you oh lord you're great and thy name is great in might it's great in force it's great in power it's great in strength isaiah chapter 12 and verse 4 in that day shall you say praise the lord let's do it yeah you're ready in that day in this day shall you say praise the lord call upon his name declare his doings among the people make mention that his name is exalted his miracles his doings his supernatural his in doing the impossible is all tied to calling and exalting his name we are blessed to experience the name of the lord

acts 3 here's another blessing and it's been here all morning and it's here right now there is healing in the hands of the god who bears this name acts 3 verse 6 at the gate beautiful the temple gate peter and john the man's begging and in verse 6. peter says apologetically but confidently i just need to let you know sir i don't have silver and gold to put in the container that you're holding i don't have that today but what i do have church let's not worry so much about what we don't have but let's focus on what we do have and what we do have is a revelation of that name jesus and the blessing of that name jesus such as i have i give you in the name of jesus christ of nazareth rise up and walk and you talk about blessed and you talk about happy whoo you think brother john was happy and he was when he ran these aisles but that man did some running in the temple that day too his ankle bones were made straight his legs were strengthened and he had just been healed and miraculously delivered from being lame from all of those years hey folks we must never forget what the lord has done for us yes salvation and healing and he went through the temple leaping and jumping and praising god don't ever look at somebody strange when they worship the name of the lord his name through faith and then down later they're wondering and just peter wants to nail it down here's here's how this happens verse 16 and his name through faith in his name has made this man strong his name and faith in his name has made this man strong yes the faith which is by him has given him this look at those two words perfect soundness god knows how to do a complete work if you need a healing today get ready the god of that name is in this room right now ooh hallelujah and either for yourself and he's with you that are watching on the internet and either for yourself or somebody that's two or three hundred miles away or 20 miles away or five miles away if you will claim it in the name of the lord

one of our pastors wives sister carney her husband just passed last year they have pastored in woodlawn mississippi sister carney's grandfather several years ago was stricken with severe dementia he was the pastor of an apostolic church had been previously before his retirement he was a presbyter in the louisiana district and he had been used by god in a ministry of faith and healing he had trusted that name that we're believing in today but the dementia the disease had caused him to totally shut down that can be almost one of the cruelest diseases because of how it makes its effect on individuals it closed him up there were very little communication anywhere in his life or response they were able to take the elder to church but even there there was hardly any response a man of god that had once walked the aisles and preached from the pulpit and that disease taken that from him during that time of his sickness he was about eight or nine years into the dementia when there was a one of the young girls in the church became very sick and she went into in the service a diabetic coma and the family brought the girl to the front of the church for prayer we still believe in prayer sister carney was playing the organ at that time and in that particular service and she says the lord prompted me to go and ask my grandfather who was there to go and pray for that girl and she said at first my flesh pushed that thought aside as many of us would have because papa has dementia papa has basically shut down but she said the lord just kept urging her just kept urging her doesn't he do that go ahead and and we are flesh and we tend to push it aside and sister carney did but the lord kept on so she went down she whispered in his ear papa the lord told me to come to get you so that you would go up and pray for that young girl and he immediately responded at least he had this wherewithal he knew that everything was not right and he said no he said no but sister carney kept urging him the way the lord had urged her on the organ bench go ahead god will never embarrass you she said papa i believe the lord will heal her if you will pray for her papa responded he got up he went to the front everyone in the congregation was surprised he hadn't done this in years as soon as that elder laid his hands on that little girl and spoke the name of jesus she came out of that coma she awoke she was strengthened and she was healed whole at that very moment the power is not in us folks the power is not limited by our limitations i don't have all of god and i know that you don't either i don't have it all figured out and i would like to quickly deduce said well if he could believe for her what about him you know what that's not up to me what's true is there's a power that even if a person with dementia he probably could not have explained everything that had just transpired and was happening right there you couldn't put him in a debate about divine healing at that point in time i don't think but i don't know i'm just saying when god speaks obey it yield to his name

would you stand with me please there's a name here's the key seek hear me everybody this this this is a help if you have a need today if you need peace don't seek peace seek the peace speaker if you need deliverance don't seek deliverance i'm not saying we can't pray for these things i'm saying our focus must be on who the deliverer is seek if it's healing seek the healer if it's oppression or depression the word deliverance is right and real but seek the deliverer focus on him the one that bears that name the one who has all power would you just lift your voices right now and however else you want to praise him and let's praise this one yes you're greater lord you're higher you're above all yes you are you're above all yes you are jesus you're above all hallelujah hallelujah there's none higher there is none greater there is no other name lord whether it's for baptism that can do what your name can do in forgiveness there's no other name there's no other name like your name for healing we believe you now lord we believe you we believe you jesus i would you just with eyes closed for just the next couple of moments here be sensitive the faith and trust in someone that you go to pray with or go to pray for if their faith is in alignment they're not going to think that you're odd or strange but their faith and alignment is with the same god that you have felt a prompting from to agree to pray there may be a situation it may not be about somebody else but a situation that you've avoided in your own life to pray about and pray for go to that in the name of the lord goliath has a shield goliath is tall goliath has a sword but you have the name of the lord god almighty the name of jesus hallelujah would you once again just totally focus on jesus and let words that come out of your mouth at least contain that name of jesus right now there's an atmosphere being created by his spirit which is named by his name lord i thank you jesus oh i thank you jesus i thank you lord you're victorious yes yes you are you're victorious lord hallelujah yes oh jesus jesus jesus jesus hallelujah your name is life break every stronghold shine

you have a need it's altar's open time of prayer you don't even have to come all the way down here agree with a sister agree with a brother that's right yes claim that name don't turn off this service or leave this building with a need hanging that you have not put his name upon yeah yes yes shine through the shadows your name is healing your name is that's right obey the spirit right now yes you may not have a minister's license you have the name of jesus you may not have been have years of experience but you have the name of jesus you may not have the same gifting as somebody else but you have the name of jesus we focus on who you are and what we have yes shine through the shadows your name is

we're going to sing some more just a moment and i want us to turn this whole place into a temple of jesus christ there are needs all around us there's a press i feel the pressure of various needs we need some folks that will hold the banner of the lord and march onto some territory and plant that flag for your own sake and for the sake of the family and for the sake of a need plant the flag of his name there claim that territory for the god of jesus jesus jesus for my family i sleep the holy day jesus shall jesus run the mountains jesus in the street jesus jesus jesus in the streets jesus jesus your name is shine through the shadows is shine through the shadows jesus in the streets jesus in the darkness jesus family i speak the holy name jesus in the streets jesus jesus in the streets jesus and the darkness i speak the holy day jesus is shine through the shadows is jesus in the darkness jesus jesus in the darkness no other name i know no other name no other name no other day no other day magnify i higher no other day i know no other day i know higher higher

the body's still ministering to one another you're not praying specifically for something in your own life would you just stretch a hand towards someone who is right now and if all you can get in that prayer is the name of jesus why don't we go to prayer right now for some individuals who are desperate and seeking after god would you speak the name of jesus over a brother or sister maybe someone nearby that's got their hand lifted in need of prayer why don't we go to prayer as a body right now in jesus name this is why don't we take a moment i know you've already done this but would you exalt that name together we can take some time here and lift up the name i wonder if a fresh appreciation for the name of jesus would come over you right now if you're thankful that you know the name that you can use the name maybe that you've been washed or healed in the name would you take a moment and praise him and glorify him from your own experience with that name oh we exalt you jesus we exalt the name that's above every name we worship that name hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah thank you jesus

we've got several that are still praying in that name we thank the lord for his word we thank the lord for it he's spoken to us today and aren't you thankful that you're blessed to know the name yourself and you know the name of jesus and you know the power behind that name