The Revelation of Jesus's New Name

Well, whether in the body or out of the body, I don't know. It's my delight to be here. Let me just say — I know this will be my last address to you — you have been so kind and gracious. There's so many expressions I wish I could give, but from the people greeting, to the people cooking the food in the back, to the kind words of people, to the rich word of Brother Martin that I've received from the other participants in this camp and the way that you've responded — my wife and I are going to go away from here enriched and strengthened in the faith, and I thank you for letting us be a small part of this great event.

I want to go to Revelation chapter 3, verse 12. I'll read one verse and then I'll let you be seated: "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name." That's what I want to talk about today: the revelation of Jesus's new name. Amen.

Would you do me a favor, just in our time together — I haven't done this, but let me just impose on you a little bit: would you just kind of bow your head and just ask the Lord to open your heart and your mind, so that you can be strengthened by the understanding of God that comes through the taught word today? Lord, we lean on You. We thank You for this great congregation, Lord — all of these great men and women of faith, God, serving, Lord, by their leadership and desiring to do the work of the kingdom. I pray You'd help me, Lord, to share what's in my heart; help me to be clear and concise, and let that word find deep roots so that they can be edified and encouraged in their faith. We'll be thankful, Lord, to give You all the praise and the honor and the glory, in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Thank you; you may be seated.

I text-message — I do that often. I have some wonderful friends, and we bounce around ideas, and sometimes a pastor friend will ask me a question, and I will be happy to do my best to try to either find an answer or give them the answer. And I had a pastor friend from Minnesota text me about a particular verse — this particular passage — and then I began to study some things. And then I was at a meeting, and I had a colleague get up, and he gave a wonderful talk about this type of thing, this topic that I'm going to talk on today. But in my view, there was just something that left me a little unfulfilled; it left me with a little bit of a question. And I thought, Lord, help me to understand what You're trying to communicate [in] this passage of Scripture. And every once in a while you get stuck with what the preacher's been looking at. So I apologize, Brother Martin — that may be what's happening today. No — I feel I want, from the Lord, that I need to share this. I'm going to give you seven points today on the revelation of Jesus's new name. Seven points.

First thing you have to say is, I want to frame the book of Revelation right. I appreciated the bishop — I should call him — his humor when he said, "I'm going to leave the book of Revelation for Brother Killmon." I get that, because it is kind of an intimidating book at some level, because if you don't have a background knowledge of the Old Testament, you're going to be lost very quickly, because John brings up all sorts of imagery, imagery assuming that you have a content knowledge of Ezekiel and Daniel and all sorts of other places in the Old Testament. But if that's not you today, don't get lost. What I want you to understand is, I believe that the book of Revelation is the most pastorally hopeful book in the New Testament. I know that's strange to say, but it's tied to the purpose of the book. I like the way the old-timers used to say it: "I looked in the back of the book, and [we win]." So that's what I want to do — I want to dive in with that type of framework.

Point number one, when we're talking about what Jesus's new name is — number one: Revelation, the book of Revelation, is difficult, but its purpose is clear. What is its purpose, Brother Killmon? It's right there in chapter 1, verse 1: it is the revelation of Jesus Christ. It's not the revelation of beasts; it's not the revelation of plagues; it's not the revelation of vials or bowls being poured out in judgment. It is the revelation of Jesus Christ. And I'm just going to say it like the old-timers used to say it to me: I get really concerned with prophecy when it seems like people know more about what Antichrist is doing than what Christ is doing. So you've got to get a revelation of Jesus Christ, and that's what this book is about. We can grapple with the understanding — and we should grapple with the understanding. Just in case you didn't know: God expects you to know all of the Bible. Not at once — it's going to grow; you're going to go from faith to faith, from knowledge to knowledge. But God expects you to read the book of Revelation and say, "What does this have to do with Jesus?" And so we grapple with understanding, and we [must not] lose the purpose of this revelation: that it is a revelation of who [Jesus is].

Point number two. Some of you are like, "Wow, this is going to be good — seven; he's not going to be as long." Some of these points are longer; I apologize. Point number two: the question is, is this a new name in terms of an unknown name? Is it a novelty? Is it something Jesus doesn't already have? I understand the question there. The issue around that is: does Jesus get a different, unknown name? And then the second issue that's tied to that problem is: what is the new name that we will only know — and we're promised to receive — when we get into that time of the book of Revelation? It's promised to be written on those that conquer, those that overcome. That's why in Revelation 2:17 he said, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." And then it gets very individual, because it's not your church — you're not going to heaven because you go to a church; you're going to have to choose to be not just the visible body of Christ; you're going to have to be that spiritual, that true believer. You can be surrounded by all sorts of other people, but the question is: to him that overcometh — are you going to overcome? He says, "To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna" — I wish we had time to tease out all these details, but I need to stay on track — "hidden manna; and I will give him a white stone" — that Urim and Thummim, that positive [verdict] from God; I just want to talk about being approved, but I've got to leave that alone today — "and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it." So when you're dealing with that new name, what you have to understand is: the only way you can know this name is to receive it.

All right, so point number three: if you're going to get what Jesus's new name means, you have to understand this. Point number three: how does Scripture use names? Scripture uses names and name changes for both good and bad. Let me give you an example from the Old Testament: in Isaiah 62, the prophet of the Lord writes by the inspiration of God, speaking of unfaithful Jerusalem, he says in Isaiah 62, verse 4: "Thou shalt no more be termed — called, named — Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed — called, named — Desolate." Why? Because your reality is your name, and your name is your reality. That's why Jacob is "supplanter"; that's why Jacob is the deceiver — because that was his name, that was his spiritual condition, that was his identity. But I just want to remind people in this room that know, that you serve a God who can change names. I understand, like my daddy, who was a Church of Christ boy and a bachelor — now, away from even that amount of knowledge that he knew of God, he was dying of cancer, and he was an alcoholic. And if you asked him, he would say, "Yeah, you might as well say my name is alcoholism." But I'm going to tell you, there's a God who can change names, because God goes on to say — and the prophet says — he says, "But thou shalt be called Hephzibah," which means "My delight is in her," "and thy land Beulah." How many remember that old song? "Beulah Land — I'm longing for you." I didn't know what that was when I was a kid, Pastor; I was just like, "I'm longing for it; I don't know what it is. I know I'm supposed to, because you're singing about it — Beulah Land." Now, what does Beulah mean? Beulah means "Thou art married." That means you can get into an intimate relationship with God; you can be in an agreement with God. I know you were desolate and destitute and sinful and unfaithful, but I can bring you back into an encounter and a relationship that will put you back in covenant agreement. That's why that naming celebrates redemption — redemption, because it's a new state of being. I'm trying to go slow, because I've got to teach. So that being — that new state of being — is a new state of knowing. That's why we sing songs like, "You don't know like I know what He's done for me." See, we're not just singing about Jesus. Because knowledge of God is not [just] knowledge about God. It's not until you come to an altar and you have an encounter [that you] can really know what the name of Jesus means. It's only as you find Him as your Savior [that] you have true knowledge of God.

All right, so what does that mean, Brother Killmon? Jacob goes from being deceiver to Israel, and his name [is] changed because his encounter with God changed the context of his being. He's no longer a deceiver, and that name change shows that you've got to know some things by experience, by encounter. To know is intimacy. That's why — I'll try not to get stuck here, but I just want to talk for a half hour on yada. You talked about it — you didn't know what I was going to say; you were talking about the guy over there, where you were witnessing [to] him about Jesus-name baptism, and he says, "Depart from me, ye that work iniquity; I never knew you." It's intimacy. Why? Because that Hebrew word is not primarily knowing something — thank you for the knowledge and the hooks and the [things] hanging [in my mind]. It's not about knowledge that way. The question is: do you know Him? Do you have an encounter with Him? "Adam knew his wife," and he conceived. It's only in that intimacy of a relationship with God [that] you know anything. Now, I'm trying to go slow, okay, because I don't want you to ever be intimidated by PhDs and XYZs or anything, because there are a lot of people that know about God and they've got degrees about God, but they don't know God. You've got to know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His suffering.

Number four. Now you're saying, "Brother Killmon, you're supposed to teach." Now, I know old-timers used to say preachers — or teachers — tell it and preachers yell it. I understand that. But probably preachers motivate; teachers explain. So even when I'm up here ranting and raving, I'm explaining. All right. So what do names reveal? Point number four: What do names reveal? They reveal the further character of God to creatures. They reveal God's nature to His creatures in time. So it's a further revelation for that person about who He is. So God's essential nature is revealed in His interaction with His people. God doesn't need — it's not like God doesn't know who He is, Brother Martin. He wants us to know. So what does He do? He reveals who He is by living up to His name. And that encounter, in that moment when God lives up to His name in your life — that's knowing. So then, Genesis 22: Jehovah Jireh — God will provide. That's not just an abstract [name] you can sing about: "Jehovah Jireh." But how many have ever been in need, and all of a sudden you're saying, "Nobody else can supply my need; nobody else can do what — I have friends, God, but they can't touch this thing that I'm wrestling with" — and all of a sudden Jehovah Jireh shows up in your life. And when somebody begins to sing about Jehovah Jireh, you know who God is, and you've got to step out in an aisle somewhere and give Him some glory. Why? Because I know Him. [It would] be dangerous, as Apostolics, for us to reduce God to cerebral knowledge. "Brother Killmon, you've got paper." Yeah — it's just paper; it's just a degree on the wall. [It] means nothing if I don't have an encounter with God. We can never get away with saying [anything else]: the only way to really know Him is to have an encounter with Him and let Him change the fabric of your life, because only that is yada — really knowing the Lord. That's why, in Genesis 17, Abraham has got a promise from God, but they're giving up on their promise because they're past the stage of productivity. But then they find out He's El Shaddai — He's God Almighty. When I'm way past the promise of God in my flesh to produce what He's promised me — it may be way past me, but it's not way past Him. And all of a sudden my faith begins to soar. Why? Because I have knowledge of God.

Okay, I'm trying to behave; my pastor's here. Thank you. Fascinating thing is: new names did not change God's essential character or His name. It's like, Brother Martin, Exodus chapter 6, verse 3 — one of my favorite verses: "And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them." It's not that they didn't know the covenant name of God; it's that what Moses was about to experience with two and a half to three million people was going to reflect a deeper knowledge of what His name is — what God's name is — when He gets them out of Egypt. So that encounter with God — He revealed Himself in a new name. Now let me say it again: by fulfilling the name, by filling His name full in their knowledge, through their encounter with Him. So it's not a novelty when Jesus talks about His new name. It's not a new invented name. He's still going to be Jesus. But there's something yet — even in our [present state], we have the earnest, the beginning, the start of our inheritance, and it does not yet appear what we shall be. There is a future aspect of this, Brother Henson, in which we're going to appreciate the name of Jesus in a fulfilled way.

All right, what is that, Brother Killmon? Well, that's the end; I've got a few more points. Number five: Why is it that God says — Jesus says — that this new name is only revealed in eternity? Because that new name — the new way of understanding the name of Jesus — is tied to a future event, and that fullness of that name remains undisclosed in some way until the end. Okay, Brother Killmon, what does that mean? Jesus says that's when both He and we will receive it. Okay — well then, that means the unfolding of the end of the age, the eschaton, and the ushering of us into eternity is necessary [for] knowing the issue of the new name. Revelation 19:12: "His eyes were as a flame of fire" — we dealt with that yesterday — "and on his head were many crowns." Oh, this is terrible — too many side tracks, Brother Martin. But there's only two people trying to wear a diadem in Revelation. A diadem is the crown; a stephanos crown is a laurel, finishing-race crown, laurel wreath. There's only two people trying to wear a crown in the book of Revelation: it's Christ [and] Antichrist. But this is about Him wearing many crowns — to wear the crown because He has stephanos victories too. And what he's saying is, on His head are many crowns. And I don't care what you're facing — He wears many crowns. He's got so many testimonies of victory in here already. You can look around and see the testimony of the victory of God in the house of the Lord, and you can say — like, I know I had issues, and I slip — but when I went into the house of the Lord and I looked at all of those banners on the wall that the kings had collected of the victories of past ages, I realized I don't need to slip; I don't need to look at the prosperity there. Why? Because I've considered the end, and I know we're going to be okay. Many crowns. "And he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself." Why? Because we haven't experienced it that way yet. He knows it, but we don't know it yet.

Point number six: the issue of the new name is attached to a throne. But we talked about it yesterday — Pastor preached about it yesterday. Whose throne is it? We already discussed that in detail, so I'm just going to hit this very quickly. Revelation chapter 19 depicts both He who sits on the throne and [the worship] of the Lamb. And like I said yesterday, I want to remind you: that's not a distinction of persons; it's a distinction of roles of manifestation. But when you get to the end of the book of Revelation, the language of distinction is lost; it's gone. Why? Because the revelation of the power and rule and kingdom won through humanity is proven. Okay, I'll show you. That's why, when the Bible says, "Behold the Lamb" — when you look at images in the book of Revelation: God is called the Almighty eight times; He's called the One on the throne ten times; He's called Jesus fourteen times; but He's called the Lamb twenty-seven times. Why? Because the Lamb is the revelation of redemption, and power, and the kingdom won through humanity. I'm going to read it again for you — Revelation 5:5: "And one of the elders saith unto me" — to John — "Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof." And verse 6 says: "And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain." So the Lamb is slain. Now why? Because He's the Lion who is the King by being the Lamb. Brother Cook didn't know what I was going to talk about today; I already had this done before I got here. Now, what does that mean, Brother Killmon? The central idea of the book of Revelation is there's only One worthy, and the One that's worthy is the Lamb. Now, why is the Lamb worthy? Because, again — the Lamb is [mentioned] twenty-seven times — because it is the revelation of Jesus Christ, the victory that was won. The kingdoms of this world [have] become the kingdom of His Christ. You ready? At the end of the day, Jesus is going to be the ruler of everything; He's bringing everything under His dominion now. And the last enemy that will be destroyed is death. How many of you know you still get sick today, and God [is] not stopping [that before] the rapture? How many know something's going to take me out of this life? But there's going to come a day where death [won't reign] — death [won't] have a sting anymore. But you ready? We're going to — we're not even subject to the second death; we're going to live forever. I'm going to try not to slip into preaching here, but every once in a while you've just got to remind yourself: there's going to come a day where we won't study war no more; there won't be any sickness or curse; there won't be any problems anymore; I won't have to fight this crummy flesh anymore, because mortal [shall] put on immortality. I'm going to have a changed body and a new context of living, and the name of Jesus is going to be proven in my life.

He is a Savior. So it is the revelation of Jesus Christ. The Lamb is the slain Man. The revelation is essential. Why? Because the Lamb can do what Deity cannot do: the Lamb can die; the Lamb can shed blood. The Lamb is worthy because only He pays for redemption and makes us the people of God. I'm going to quote it to you again — Acts 4:12: "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Why? Because there's only one Lamb. So He's not nameless; it's that name known by intimacy, by encounter. And there's two revelations attached to that. The revelation is, first of all, it's going to show the reality of the victory of Jesus Christ. That's what the book of Revelation is about: the revelation of the final victory of Jesus Christ. Victory is not in doubt. And even in the chaos of the tribulation period, John takes a pause — I wish we had time to go there — and he stops talking about the chaos of the revelation of the beasts, the Antichrist, the false prophet; he stops all of that, and he starts talking about how ultimately God is going to win. Why? Because I think God had to say, "I know it's looking bad on earth, but let me give you the vantage of heaven: I'm never out of control." Hell's best day in your life is still [under] Heaven's control [being brought] into your life. He is never off the throne.

And so that's revelation number one: the final victory of Jesus Christ. But it's also got another revelation attached to it: His name is vindicated, because we are there. I'll prove it to you, because that second revelation is the full restoration and the revelation of overcomers. Look at what Paul says in Romans chapter 8, verses 18 and 19. He says, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory—" Now, I wish you'd go to John 17 on your own. Man, I'm trying to hurry here; help me, Jesus. John 17 is Jesus's high priestly prayer. It's bracketed in three different ways. And first of all, he says, "Father, glorify me with the glory that I had with you before the world was." For our Trinitarian friends: God doesn't pray to God. Prayer is a petition to a higher power for help. If God the Son is asking God the Father for help, God the Son's not very powerful. But when Hebrews says He offered up prayers in the days of His flesh, He's praying as a human being. "Father, glorify me" — as a man — "with the glory that I have with you before the world was." What glory did He have? To accomplish His mission; to be immediately obedient to the mission. How do you know that, Brother Killmon? Because then He turns around and He says to His disciples, "As you have sent me, so I send them." You're not sent from eternity as some part of the Trinity; you're sent as a human being commissioned by God, and through your obedience the glory of God is going to be manifested in the earth. And I'm going to say it again: that's why Satan is after your obedience — why he wants to rob God of demonstrating His glory in the earth. And you are His body, and that glory that He had, you have right now, to show what newness of life looks like — to exemplify that you can always do the will of your Father, to humble yourself and seek to make of yourself no reputation, and love people in such a way that they can say — as the bishop already taught, Brother Gleason, wherever you are — "That's a Christian, the likes of which I've never seen before." Matthew chapter 5, 6, and 7, and [the Sermon] on the Mount, is not an impossibility — all due respect to our wonderful friends who say that's about the millennial kingdom. No — it's about the potential of my life in the Spirit, now. I really can be conformed to the image of Christ; He can make me like Him. Thank you, Brother Martin, for challenging us to have the fruit of the Spirit multiply, because when the character of Christ begins to multiply, the love of Christ will multiply. And then, as you reach in love, the power of God will multiply. Why? Because where God's love is, and it meets needs, that's where God can work. Fruit of the Spirit. I've got to hurry. Turn to two neighbors and say, "Pray for him."

"The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which" — everybody say — "shall be" — "shall be revealed in us." Process over time: sanctification now, and eternity. And look at what Paul says: "For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God." I know we say it, and there's a whole lot of people I want to see get saved. But every once in a while, how many of you just say, "Lord, if You come today, I wouldn't be mad. Lord, [if] that trumpet sounds today, God, I would be ready to go. I'm looking for a city whose Builder and Maker is God." My life's getting less full; Brother Carr said that other world's getting fuller. My daddy — we just buried him a few months ago. And I'm going to tell you, my daddy was crazy; I love him. He was a wonderful Kentucky boy. And people would walk in the room, and he would say insane things to the common carnal man. He would say, "Well, I've got good news: I'm dying." He said, "But you know, the Bible says the dead in Christ will rise first, so I'm going to get in on that deal." He wasn't facing it without faith. It wasn't that he didn't have concerns — he was concerned: "Bobby, make sure your mom is taken care of." "I'll do it, Dad." You ready? He said — but he told my mama — Mama would [say], "Would you be sad if I just said — I'm just hurting" — somebody said — "would you just be sad if I said, 'Lord, go ahead and take me home'?" See, I'm going to tell you, there's going to come a day where we won't deal with all of the complexity. The earnest expectation of the creature — I'm waiting for that day where I stand on streets of gold. I'm waiting for that day where I change into a new body, and I can rejoice, and so shall I ever be with my Lord.

That's what we live with. But here's what I'm trying to say, as poorly as I can say it: it's the revelation of Christ in eternity — the revelation of Jesus as Christ, as Savior. Jesus means "God is my salvation." So the revelation of Christ is also the revelation of overcomers. Let me prove it to you — 1 Corinthians chapter 13, verse 9. The apostle Paul says, "For we know in part, and we prophesy in part." Now, this is the apostle Paul that had visions that God told him not to even write. He died saying, "Oh, that I may know Him" — intimacy — because even he was longing for that eternal thing. "For we know in part, and we prophesy in part." But the best of our work in the Spirit — whether it's a word of knowledge, word of faith, word of wisdom, or preaching under the inspiration of the Spirit — all of that's prophecy. We prophesy in part. But in eternity we're going to move from partial knowledge to full knowledge. Let me show you — go to verse 12 in your Bible. The apostle Paul writes: "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know" — intimacy, encounter, fulfillment — "when I see Him as He is, I'm also going to see His finished work in me." Look at what he says: "For then shall I know even as also I am known." Let me just cut to the chase today: the fact that you're going to be standing on the streets of gold is the greatest vindication of the name of Jesus there is. The name of Jesus would be useless and empty and false if He could not save. All right — I just came to encourage somebody today, and just remind you that if you want to be saved, His name is Jesus.

If you're facing a struggle, a temptation, a trial — I understand all of the issues of being conformed, and I don't see how everything's working out. Yeah, it's like through a glass darkly. But on those streets of gold, we're going to understand everything — that we are, in fact, the sons of God. And even when we don't feel like it down here, as we're under the pressure of being shaped, we're going to know one day, even as we're known, that He worked all things for His will and His purpose and His good pleasure — and it's to produce us saved and right and shaped for eternity. That's why the apostle John writes in 1 John chapter 3, verse 2: "Beloved, now are we the sons of God" — turn to your neighbor and say, "Right now" — "and it doth not yet appear what we shall be" — turn to your neighbor and say, "That's why you need to keep praying for me" — "but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." Jesus — and the revelation of the Victor is also the revelation of my victory.

That's why, in the Old Testament, where the Bible — Isaiah chapter 45, verse 23 — the prophet Isaiah, this beautiful passage of Scripture — he says that every knee will bow to God, the Lord God of the Old Testament: "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." God inspires the apostle Paul to apply that in holy writ in Philippians chapter 2, verse 9: "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name" — and every knee shall bow. Who to? To Yahweh of the Old Testament — to Jesus. Now, what are you saying? "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him" — see what Philippians 2:9 does is, [it] shows us when the name is won, when the name is secured, when the name is purchased as the Lamb. [For] in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Remember, team: the Word couldn't just stay abstract in the mind and the heart and the plan of God. The Word was made — the plan had to be acted out in history — and our Lord came and purchased the right to the name of Jesus. So His mission as a Lamb secures the name and the initiation of the reign. But the reign is not complete yet, because He's going to reign and rule and be on the throne. But Revelation chapter 3 reveals not when He earns it, but the moment He finishes it. Because the revelation of the Victor is the revelation of our victory, and the victorious Lord is only vindicated by His victorious people. And the Lamb slain shows the redeemed saved. And he who overcomes also has the presentation of the overcomers. And when Brother Martin and I see Him as He is, I will see His final work in me. We'll take you back to Sunday school: He's still working on [me] — but "He that hath begun a good work in [you] will" — turn to your neighbor and say — "will finish [it]." I'm going to try to hasten to a close. This is the shortest I've gone, Brother Martin.

Revelation 22, verse 3 and 4 — we looked at it yesterday. Let me give you a story on this. I was in California — a pastor — I've got some great friends planting churches there. Man, so raw, all first generation; I love it. And a young girl walked in; her name is Roxanne. She has a sister that was at the church, Stephanie. Stephanie had already got the revelation of the Oneness of God and Jesus-name baptism. Nate and Tina — they were helping her. And she had already converted; her two sisters decided to come to the church. I need to set the background a little bit: Roxanne and Shirley and Stephanie and their mom — they were in Africa originally, and their grandfather was a witch doctor, and he owned slaves. And there was — you guys know that still goes on, right? — there was a slave revolt, and they took — Brother Martin — the mom and the three girls, and they tied them up and poured gasoline on them; [they were] going to set them on fire. And fortunately, the grace of God, they let them go, and they fled from that area for their life. They joined the Catholic Church. Brother — I don't know if the bishop's in here; oh, he had to leave. Okay. Oh, Brother Gleason's right [here]. Listen to me: thank God for every step someone takes toward truth. It's not enough to make them saved yet, but thank God for every step they take. That's why they're going to bump into you — because He wants to validate His name in every life that's hungry, Brother Martin. They joined the Catholic Church. Where their grandfather says, "I'm going to kill you" — he tried. And they fled to America; they were granted asylum by the United States, and they landed in Illinois somewhere — Pastor, where you're from. And there's an Assembly of God preacher over there somewhere, from Africa, that is teaching holiness — he's teaching everything that we believe except for the doctrine of essentiality and the Oneness of God and Jesus-name baptism. It's got holiness, speak in tongues. So they come to Sacramento to visit their sister, and they're already speaking in tongues, and Nate and Tina begin to teach Bible studies, walk them through the book of Acts. And much like with your friend, they get Jesus-name baptism very quickly, and they're baptized in Jesus' name. Well, they just don't understand the Oneness of God yet. And so Brother Roy — you reached out to me, said, "Hey, Brother Killmon, I know you're coming to teach; would you mind dealing with father-son language, like what I taught yesterday? And he said, maybe teach a couple of lessons on it." So I just started walking through the Gospel of John. I remember the first night they went home — Stephanie looked at her sister and said to Roxanne, "So, what do you think?" She said, "It sounds too simple." I'm like, sis, if the one that's — it sounds simple — you're in trouble; you're hooked already. So God began to deal with her. And she walked up to me — Mary, and you need to be gracious and kind, and "he that winneth souls is wise." And I remember, Pastor, she walked up to me, and she was contrite but serious. She said, "Brother Killmon, I want to believe what you're teaching, but if God is a Trinity, I don't want to blaspheme." I said, "Oh, Sister Roxanne, I understand. But you don't need to be worried about that. That's why the apostle John said, 'He that hath the Son hath [the Father] also.'" We had a move of God that night. And I watched [as] she came over to Tina's house, and they said, "You know, we're hanging out with people; we're trying to make connections" — and we're there to preach to the church, but we're going in the downtime; we're going to be reaching for people. Brother, they're coming over for a barbecue, and we're [talking]. And so they walk out, and Tina comes back, and she's bubbling over, and she said, "Roxanne just told me, 'Y'all see me ugly-cry at church — I'm all in.'" [And] she got the revelation. Why? I mean, this particular passage of Scripture — I've already read it yesterday, but let me read it again — Revelation 22:3: "And there shall be no more curse" — okay, don't rush past that, good Apostolic; you just need to say, "What a hope!" — "but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it" — there's going to be a reign forever, and that throne of God and [of] the Lamb is attached to a "his" — "and his servants shall serve him: and they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads." What are you saying, Brother Killmon? God already has worship: on the first couple days of creation He's made all sorts of stuff; He made the heavenly realm — wherever you're at, Brother Hughes, we were talking about that yesterday, I believe that — so He already had the worship of angels; there're the four beasts crying out constantly, worshipping, "Holy, holy"; He's got cherubim and seraphim flying around. But here's what I want to show you tonight — this afternoon: all of those beings could worship God, but [we] could not be there unless that was the throne of God and the Lamb. See, when we get into eternity, you're going to understand that the name of Jesus is proven true, because the worship of heaven is magnified, because we vindicate His name as true.

So I come to encourage somebody tonight — this afternoon. Exodus 20, verse 7: God says, "Don't take my name in vain; I will not hold them guiltless," Brother Martin, "who takes my name [in vain]." And I just want to tell somebody this afternoon: God will not be guilty of doing what He commands against. His name will not be empty in your life. Would you stand with me? I feel like I'm layering into a couple things; I don't want to be overly [long]. This may be very gentle, if you'll let me give a little challenge here. I just came to tell somebody: your situation cannot make His name a lie. You will not be the one person in eternity that proves His name wrong. He will vindicate His name in your life. So here's what I want you to do: if you've never been saved, here's what I want you to do — I just want you to slip up your hand and say, "Jesus, make Your name real in my life." If your problems are tempting you to doubt and fear, and to doubt His lordship, here's what I want you to do: just slip up your hand and say, "Lord, remind me that Your name is real in my life. Give me the strength to see that no matter what I face, no matter what road You have me to walk through, I am going to be an overcomer. I am going to vindicate Your name, because Your name is not empty; Your name is not vain. And I'm not calling on Your name in vain, because You're a God who will show me in my life that You can live up to Your name." One more time: just lift the need up; just say, "God, You see it; You see it, Lord. Be the Lord of my life. Vindicate Your name, Lord, in every church." We give You praise. Well, let's just entertain the presence of the Lord in a minute. Let God live on your spirit today. Make Your name great among us, Lord. Vindicate Your name through us, God. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.