- Overcomer Literature Trust
- Swindon
- Wiltshire
THE SECRET OF HIS NAME.
From an old magazine.
What the Name of Jesus meant to the Church at Pentecost is clearly seen in the record of the Acts of the Apostles. The Lord told them, as almost His last words, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in His Name to all nations” (Luke 24v46-47), showing Calvary, resurrection, repentance and forgiveness to be all linked and bound up together in the preaching in His Name.
On the Day of Pentecost Peter said, “Repent and be baptised, every one of you in the Name of Jesus” (Acts 2 v38). To the lame man at the Temple gate he said, “In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk” (Acts 3 v6). The power of the Name was emphasised again to the crowd who ran together to see the miracle, for he said it was “faith in the Name of Jesus" (v16) which had brought about this mighty work. “It is by the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised", Peter later told the high priest, “that this man stands before you whole”. Calvary and Resurrection linked with the power of the Name.
The battle raged round the Name. "Speak no longer to anyone in this Name" said the council, but the faith of the Church, in the power of the living Lord in whose Name they spoke, grew so that with prevailing faith they pleaded, in the face of the opposition of the rulers of this world, that signs and wonders might be done “through the Name” of Jesus (Acts 4 v30). "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this Name” said the high priest and “they had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the Name of Jesus”, but the disciples only rejoiced that they had been “counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name” (Acts 5 v28 & 40-41). The first stripes had fallen upon men ready to suffer for the Name, for the Name stood for the person behind it, the risen, ascended Lord.
Again as we follow on in the Acts we find Philip preaching good tidings concerning the Kingdom and the all-powerful Name (Acts 8 v12), and gladly all who believed were “baptised into the Name” (v16). We find Saul the persecutor changed into Paul the disciple, and the Lord saying of him that he was chosen to bear the Name before the Gentiles and kings, and to suffer for the Name (Acts 9 v15). We soon read of him “preaching boldly in the Name” (v29), and later on commanding the spirit of divination to come out of a slave girl “in the Name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 16 v18).
All this, and much more, shows how the early Church wielded the Name of Jesus in prayer to God over Satan’s power, and in preaching the Gospel of the Cross.
But what is the reason for the power of the Name? The Apostle lifts the veil in his letter to the Philippians where he says that the Father gave the Son this all-prevailing Name because of Calvary. He "became obedient to death, even death on a cross! 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”. Then comes again the threefold power of the Name in heaven, on earth and the world below (Phil. 3 v10).
The Name therefore represents, not only the living Lord on the throne, but on the Cross in His victory over sin and over Satan. It was because He was obedient to death, even death on a cross, carrying through to the bitter end the only way of victory for fallen man over sin and Satan, that God gave Him the Name.
Jehovah-Jesus He was named at His birth, as potential Saviour-Victor, but He had to carry His task through. He had to reach the end, death on the cross, before the birth name could become surcharged with all the force and power of His finished work. Then God gave Him the Name which eventually shall conquer all and in the fulness of time shall “every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”.
THE EDITOR’S LETTER.
My Dear Friends,
The blessing of the Lord be with you as you go forward with Him into this year. May you know more and more of His love surrounding you.
In this edition of the magazine we look at some of Names used in the Bible for our Lord and the wonders and implications of their meanings.
May the Holy Spirit teach us in knowledge and depth of insight and bring us into closer fellowship with our wonderful Saviour and each other.
Yours in the Saviour’s Name,
Michael Metcalfe.