Billy Joe Daugherty - The Name of Jesus

Contents

"God raised him [Jesus] to the very highest place, and gave him the Name which stands above all other names, so that in adoration of the Name of Jesus every knee should bend, in Heaven, on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should acknowledge JESUS CHRIST as LORD....

Philippians 2:9-11 TCNT

Salvation: Available Through Jesus Alone

In Acts, chapter 2, Peter was preaching on the Day of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit had been poured out just like the prophet Joel had prophesied and like Jesus had revealed to His disciples. As they began to speak with other tongues, people wondered what it meant. Peter stood up and began to preach the word of the Lord. At the end of his message, Peter told the people about salvation through the name of Jesus: "And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Acts 2:21).

To be saved , you must call on the name of the Lord. It is true that Christ's death, burial, and resurrection paid for salvation for every person in the world, but no one receives salvation until they call on the name of Jesus in faith. Each individual must believe. This is why Jesus commanded the disciples to go preach.

Paul talked about salvation in Romans, chapter 10:

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?

And how shall they preach unless they are sent?

As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!"

Romans 10:14 ,15

The message of salvation must be proclaimed . People must hear it. After they hear it, they must believe. After they believe, they must call on the name of the Lord. It is a call that is in faith, in sincerity, and in repentance.

There are people who use the name of Jesus in cursing. Some use the name of Jesus as filler when they don't know what to say. And others use the name of Jesus when they are surprised, angered, or disappointed. It is called taking the Lord's name in vain.

Anytime someone uses the name of Jesus in a way other than to praise or to speak honorably of Him, it is breaking one of the Ten Commandments. Jesus' name is too precious to be spoken out when you hit your finger with a hammer or when someone pulls out in front of you in traffic, unless you are calling out His name in faith, saying, "Jesus, save me," or "Jesus, help me."

Jesus: Approved Through Signs, Wonders, and Miracles

After Peter told the Jewish people how to be saved, he spoke some very powerful words: "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know" (Acts 2:22).

The word "attested" means approved, verified, or confirmed. God approved Jesus by signs, wonders, and miracles. The supernatural evidence that God had sent Jesus and that He had God's anointing upon His life was in the visible evidence of transformed lives.

Him [Jesus], being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.

Acts 2:23 ,24

Peter makes it very clear that Jesus was crucified, dead, buried, and then raised from the dead . Death could not hold Him. Romans 1:4 says Jesus was declared to be the Son of God by the resurrection from the dead. The resurrection was the undeniable acclamation of God, "This is My Son. He is alive forever more."

Peter continued preaching and explaining the life of Jesus. At the conclusion of his message, he said, "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36).

"Lord" means Jesus is boss. He is the King of the universe. He is in charge. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. God made Him Lord and He made Him Christ, the Anointed One and His anointing. "Lord" means ruler of all, while "Christ" means anointed of all. He saves, heals, delivers, redeems, empowers, and liberates.

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles,

"Men and brethren, what shall we do?"

Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Acts 2:37 ,38

To be baptized in the name of Jesus is to identify with His name. It is a visible demonstration of calling on the name of the Lord and declaring His lordship.

Identifying with Jesus' Name

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.

John 1:12

When you believe in Jesus' name, your sins are remitted and you become a child of God. God puts His Spirit inside of you when you are born again.

In certain Buddhist and Moslem countries, if you commit and submit to the name of Jesus and become a child of God, you are disowned by your family and you are considered as dead. In some places, to be baptized in the name of Jesus is a death warrant. Persecution and possibly even execution often follow baptism in Jesus' name in certain places.

We need to understand that taking on the name of Jesus is similar to taking on the name of another in the marriage covenant. You commit your life to your mate. When you are born again, you take on Jesus' life and His name. You commit yourself to Him. To be baptized in the name of Jesus is to identify with His death, burial, and resurrection, and the benefits He provided for those who would receive Him as Lord and Savior and obey God's Word.

A few years ago I was invited to pray at a City Prayer Breakfast honoring police officers and officials in our city. Hundreds of people and many law enforcement officers were in attendance . It was a special time to honor and thank those who literally lay their lives down every day for the protection of those who live in our city.

When I arrived I was met by a designated city official and told, "We don't want you to use the name of Jesus in your prayer." I just looked at this person and said, "It's too late." With that, I went on stage and prayed in the name of Jesus.

What other people desire or what they dictate does not rule my life concerning the name of Jesus. What they want to do or not do is up to them, but when it comes to the name of Jesus, other people do not dictate how and when and where I should use that name!

Using Jesus' name is related to His commandments. In the Great Commission, every believer is told to preach the remission of sins and Jesus' resurrection from the dead and what it means to us today. We are to witness of His name in every area of influence, ultimately covering the entire earth.

This Commission to proclaim the name of Jesus was not given based upon people's acceptance or rejection of it. It was given on the basis of people's need to hear it.

The Name Above All Names

In Philippians, chapter 2, Paul tells us that because Jesus was obedient to the Father, even to the point of death, the Father gave Him a name which is above all names:

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.

And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.