Why is a name so important?
- Proverbs 22:1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold.
What about the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? The importance of His ‘good name’ was prophesied in the Old Testament and declared by angels in the New Testament!
- The prophet Isaiah to King Ahaz
- Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
- An angel of the Lord to Joseph
- Matthew 1:21-23 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” 22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
- The angel Gabriel to Mary
- Luke 1:31-32 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.
Jesus Christ is a name and a title.
- Jesus (His Name) – Savior, the Lord is Salvation
- Psalm 9:10 And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.
- Acts 4:12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
- Christ (His Title) – Messiah, Anointed One
- Isaiah 61:1-2 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,
- Matthew 16:15-16 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
God the Father gave God the Son His name – a name to be reverenced above all other names.
- Philippians 2:9-11 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
- John 14:13-14 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
- But there is no magic formula here; no secret password. We pray in faith, and by the authority and power of His name. God answers prayers according to His will. We pray to align ourselves with His will, not to manipulate things according to our desires.
- 1 John 5:14-15 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
Understanding and appreciating the name Jesus and the title Christ is a blessed journey that starts with truth, continues in faith, and is experienced for eternity!
