Who is this Man Named Jesus

Christianity without Jesus Christ would be like Judaism without Jehovah God. It is an impossibility. The name Jesus cannot be substituted because it is the name God the Father gave to Him. Listen to the angel speak to the Virgin Mary about her part in becoming His earthly mother and naming Him at birth, “And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary for thou has found favor with God, and behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring for a son, and shalt call His name ‘Jesus’. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David (maternal grandfather several generations removed) and He shall reign over the House of Jacob forever, and of His Kingdom there shall be no end” (St. Luke 1:30-33). Before He became the Son of man, He was the Son of God. His name as the son of man is Jesus Christ, but His name as the eternal Son of God is the “Word.” Saint John shows the transition of the Son of God to become the Son of man (St. John 1:1-5; 14). The simple fact is that the eternal “Word of God” became flesh to dwell among men and His name is Jesus.

The Father gave His Son this name and it cannot be changed or substituted. The name itself conveys exactly what the Father declared His Son to be and what His Son is to do. The Name and the Person are synonymous. Other names by which we call Him are acceptable as long as we use them in connection (not just connected in words but in thought) with His authoritative name. The name Christ means “anointed one,” Lord means “Master” or “one of authority,” Savior means “delivered,” and Emanuel means “God among His people.” All of these names are beautiful additions to the proper name Jesus. They are never substitutes. All of these title names have been used for many other individuals and can mean different things to different people. The only name that evil men continue to hate is the name above all names, Jesus.

In the final triumph of Calvary and the Resurrection, Jesus is declared to have obtained all the glory and excellence that the name He was given signifies. While the name Jesus was glorious from His birth, it was the finished redemption that elevated the name to such a position of authority that even devils flee when that name is properly involved. The writer to Hebrews said, “Being made so much better than the angels as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they” (Hebrews 1:4). The word for name in the Greek is onoma. It means “a name as a representation or substitute for the person or a name that carries all the weight and power of the individual it represents.” No wonder Jesus said, “Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name He will give it you” (St. John 16:23).

PaulÂ’s letter to the Philippians made it clear that the name Jesus is an eternal name for the Word or Son of God. It was not just for the period between His birth to Mary and His death on the Cross. While He is still the Word or Logos — GodÂ’s express image in appearance and truth, He is also Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of Man. He represents God to man (The Word) and man to God (Jesus). He is both perfectly God and perfectly man. Do not ever reduce Him to anything less if you value your salvation. All of this great truth is supported with these words, “Wherefore God also, hath highly exalted him and given Him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee shall 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 2:9-11).

There is not a preacher big enough, a businessman rich enough, or a brilliant man smart enough to reduce this name to less than Eternal God. “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Don’t ever forget that, “There is none other name under heaven given among men whereby ye must be saved” (Acts 4:12). His sacrificial death for the sins of all was either the greatest deception or the grandest act of Redemption in all the annals of human history. He was a fool or He was God.

He was GodÂ’s gift to redeem the fallen race of man. He was crucified for our forgiveness and raised from the dead for our justification. The sacrificial offering of His blood spilled by His death on a cross — suspended between heaven and earth — was absolutely required to save mankind. There could be no substitute for the way He died or the fact that His blood was actually spilled (poured out) on the earth. Actual sins required an actual blood offering. “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:18-19).

The prophet Isaiah said, “It pleased the Father to bruise Him” (Isaiah 53:10). God the Father saw the travail and accomplishment of His cross and rejoiced in the grace shed forth to man. It was like the opening of a fountain from which spiritual waters might issue forth unto all the earth. Calvary was the Mount Everest of human perfection answering to the demand of offended holiness. The result was a door of salvation and forgiveness for whosoever will receive and follow the Lord Jesus Christ. No one need be lost in sin or consigned to an eternal hell. Jesus is calling you to take up your cross and follow Him.

He is the captain of our Salvation. It is an army that we join as believers and He has earned the right to be the commander. Our duty is equal and superior to that of a common soldier. To believe means to utterly forsake all other options for our life. We donÂ’t join for a two or four-year enlistment. The writer of Hebrews perfectly describes JesusÂ’ position.

“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto three” (Hebrews 2:9-12).

A soldier of the cross is not content to profess His name. The true soldier wants to wear His uniform. Note the words in the above quotation, “For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one.” His name becomes our scepter and His lifestyle becomes our nature. When the church lives in sanctification the Lord Himself declares His name in our midst and the voices of His Spirit (Holy Spirit) sing the praises of His person right in the church of God — the pillar and ground of the truth. This is worship in Spirit and in Truth. Such worship is known only vaguely in todayÂ’s worldly and compromising church.

When Jesus is Lord in His church, deliverance in His name is both normal and expected. The Father fully expects the kingdom to experience victory over the evil powers of Satan. He said to His son, “Sit on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (Hebrews 1:13). An effeminate church — powerless before the god of this world — is of no kinship to the Book of Acts.

His promise is clear.

“And he said unto them, go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover” (St. Mark 16:15-18).

SatanÂ’s devices are numerous, but only our ignorance leaves us subject to their control.

“But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness” (2 Corinthians 2:1).

Here are a few of SatanÂ’s devices already identified in the Word:

• He stands at your right hand to resist you.
• He constantly accuses you.
• He seeks to bind you with afflictions.
• He lies to you.
• He steals the Word from your heart.
• He puts bitterness (or every human carnality) in your heart.
• He perverts the right way of the Lord.
• He blinds you to GodÂ’s promises.
• He will deceive with signs and lying wonders.
• He will set a snare for you.
• He steals, kills, and destroys.
• He walks about seeking to destroy.

You are subject to Satan only if you are not victorious in the power and name of Jesus Christ. The world around us is writhing in sorrow, sickness, unbelief, brokenness, bitterness, and every imaginable bondage. All of human heartache is but a breath away from the glorious victory of Jesus. Everything Satan did to destroy, Jesus has redeemed to victory and new life. Many of these victories are available right now, and final and complete redemption is just over the next hill (Jesus is coming!). You can be delivered from the guilt and power of sin now; and, if you trust Him, you can be delivered from the presence of sin on that glorious day of “Hopes Fulfilled” and His earthly Kingdom experienced.

This same Jesus is coming back again. No wonder the devil’s crowd is constantly seeking ways to reduce His authority or destroy confidence in His name. The angel’s message to the crowd who watched Him ascend into heaven was very clear. “Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner, as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). The return of Christ is the actual coming of “this same Jesus” to receive His own redeemed family unto Himself. He is our example, our blood sacrifice, our sanctifier, our intercessor before the Father, and our soon coming King.

There is none like Jesus. We may name our dog after Herod, our cat after Caesar, but no one dares to name even his or her sweetest son the name Jesus. It is a name above every name and He is the fairest of ten thousand and the Lily of the Valley. “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it, and is safe” (Proverbs 18:10).