Colossians 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.
When I say the word name, what is the first thing that comes
to your mind? For most of us, our first thought is about what we call someone.
My name is Dave. We see a name as an identifier.
Last Sunday at our church we sang a song about the name of
Jesus. It made we wonder what people were thinking as they sang that song.
For many people the name of Jesus is just that, his name,
his moniker. For some people the name Jesus is like a magic incantation that we
use at the end of their prayers to get God to act on our behalf. But the truth
is that the name of Jesus is far more than just an identifier or a period at
the end of a prayer.
In the Bible names were taken very seriously. A person’s
name shaped their life. God often changed a person’s name to reflect a new
direction. Abram became Abraham. Jacob became Isreal. Jesus gave Simon the name
Peter to reflect the role he would play in the early church. The name of Jesus is
significant; it represents the entirety of who He is.
The name of Jesus represents his identity as the Son of God.
When we call of the name of Jesus, we are accepting who he is and giving our
allegiance to him. As Jesus said in John 10:30 (NIV), “I and the Father are
one.”
Peter emphasized this quality of Jesus’ name in his first
sermon in Jerusalem when he called the people to call on the name of Jesus to
be saved. When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to
Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" Peter
replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus
Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the
Holy Spirit. Acts 2:37-38 (NIV)
The name of Jesus represents his character. We often say
that a person has a good name, meaning that they are trustworthy. When we
believe in the name of Jesus, we are affirming his character and worth. The
writer of Hebrews touches on this when he referred to Jesus as our great High
Priest. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with
our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we
are--yet was without sin. Hebrews 4:15 (NIV)
The name of Jesus also represents his authority. When we
send an ambassador to another country they act under the authority of or in the
name of the US. This is what Paul is referring to in 2 Corinthians 5:20 (NIV). We
are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal
through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. When
we invoke the name of Jesus was tapping into His authority.
The name of Jesus also represents his power. To call on
Jesus’ name is to tap into his power. When Peter and John met the crippled man
at the gate of the Temple, they called on the power of Jesus to heal him. Then
Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In
the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Acts 3:6 (NIV)
When we sing about the name of Jesus, we are acknowledging
something far more than just the name, Jesus. We are acknowledging who He is.
We are calling upon his power and authority to act in our world in our time.
The name of Jesus can unleash all the power of God into our lives and into our
world. It should never be used lightly or flippantly.
Philippians 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.
