Message by Larry Thacker Jr. from June 28, “The Name of Jesus”
What’s so important about His name? It has to be more than the combination of letters that make it up. that changes with language, and is actually a rather common name. It was not that uncommon even in His day. When we talk about Jesus’s name, we are talking about the power and authority of His name. We are making reference to the person behind the name, and that is where its power comes from.
There is much teaching on this subject, and I think some of it actually encourages the misuse of his name, violating the commandment of Exodus 20:7. The most important thing we need to know about the name of Jesus is that it carries with it the power to save souls. His name can only be used to accomplish His purposes. It is not a magical incantation to be applied at our whim. It is holy, powerful, and praiseworthy. When we pray in His name, we are asserting that the things which we have asked are within His authority to grant and also according to His will. As His children, we carry His name. Everything we do reflects on Him, and we are to be about His business.
We’ll read from Acts 4:9-12. Peter and John have been arrested, jailed for a night, and are now being questioned by the Jewish leaders. Their crime, the healing of a man who was lame and begging at the gate of the temple. They might have let that go, but the disciples were attributing this miracle to Jesus and preaching in the temple. These rulers thought they had stopped all that by crucifying Jesus, but it didn’t work! We are dropping in as Peter responds to the question back in verse 7, “”By what power, or in what name, have you done this?” Peter boldly proclaims that it was by the name of Jesus, and that there is no other name by which we must be saved.
