Name Above Every Name
By Dean Honeycutt
Mitchell County
“There is a name I love to hear’ I love to sing its worth; It sounds as music in my ear the sweetest name on earth Oh how I love Jesus oh how I love Jesus.” (Oh, How I Love Jesus, Frederick Whitfield).
Your name has meaning, and your name is tied to who you are, your character, and your personality. We often hear a person’s name mentioned and we have thoughts about that person. The type of person they are and if we like them or do not like them. When we hear the name Kyle Rittenhouse, we immediately think about the teenage boy who shot and killed two men in self-defense in Kinosha, Wisconsin. His name was spoken across the nation in a high-profile case thousand, if not, millions of times. His name will not soon be forgotten. When we hear the name Martin Luther King jr. (1929-1968) we think of peaceful protest, a man that loved God, and equality. The name Joe Biden for some brings thoughts of praise while for others disdain. The same for Donald Trump. The mention of his name either brings contempt or adoration. If your name is mentioned in conversation what do people think of you?
November 17, 1918, a son was born to a dairy farmer in Charlotte, N.C… At the age of 15 he would commit his life to the Lord Jesus Christ. By the time of his departure from this life he would preach the Gospel to over 215 million people, in 185 countries. He wrote 33 books, met with many U.S. presidents and world leaders, and would be listed as one of the top ten most admired men in the world for many years. You guessed it Billy Graham, and his name will live on for a long time.
Another name was given to a Son the name Jesus. For some, this name means everything, Savior, Friend, King, Lord, Master, Prince of Peace, and Almighty God. The Bible says at the “name of Jesus every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord”. The Bible says that God the Father has given His Son a “name that is above every name”. How often do we mention the name Jesus, and what feelings or thoughts does He recall?
When sin entered the world through the deception of satan and the disobedience of Adam and Eve humanity was lost and without hope. Our sin and disobedience have separated us from a loving God whose desire is to redeem us and restore what sin has destroyed. The Bible says we are sinners, and our sin separates us from God, and we are dead in our sin. We can not save or rescue ourselves from death.
God the Father, in His great love for us, makes a way for us to be saved and remove our sin. In a sense the Father asks the Son will you empty yourself and go to earth and humble yourself and sacrifice your life as a payment for sin? (Philippians 2: 6-8) And the Son says I will be obedient and take on human flesh as a servant and die on a cross. So, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lord’s leaves glory removes His kingly robe, takes off His crown, and replaces them with swaddling clothes. God is born in human flesh. This is Christmas and the Immaculate Conception of the virgin birth. The Son voluntarily restricts deity, leaves glory, and is born in a stable. The Father gives his Son the name Jesus because He will save people from their sin.
I am in debt to Jesus because he saved me and gave me eternal life. God knows my name because I am saved. My name is written in the Lambs Book of Life. The Bible says, “for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved”. The Bible says, “whosoever shall upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
I praise God for Christmas; it is all about Jesus. Jesus, Jesus the sweetest name I know. Lift high the name of Jesus. When you put out lights, do it in the name of Jesus, when you give a gift, do it in the name of Jesus, when you serve a meal, do it in the name of Jesus, when you send a card, do it in the name of Jesus. The King of kings and the Lord of lords, His name will be glorified.
Merry Christmas from my family to yours.
Pastor Dean Honeycutt.
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Pastor Dean Honeycutt shepherds Snow Hill Baptist Church in Bakersville, NC. He may be reached at 828-385-0213, snowhillbaptist@gmail.com, or visit their website at www.snowhillbaptist.com.
You can read more good Christian news from Dean HERE.
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