All right, let's look at Matthew
chapter 1. I've entitled the message, There's Something About
That Name. There's Something About That
Name. The Apostle Paul, when he was inspired by the Holy Spirit
to write the book of Romans, in one passage in Romans 10 and
verse 13, he quoted an Old Testament prophet named Joel. from Joel 2.32. And Paul quoted Joel in Romans
10.13 with this line, which says, whosoever shall call upon the
name of the Lord shall be saved. Whosoever shall call, well, thank
you, Rodney, appreciate it. Whosoever shall call upon the
name of the Lord shall be saved, excuse me. That feels better. Shall be saved. And I think about all kinds of
scripture that speaks of the name of the Lord. What is God's
name? What is it about his name that
is so powerful? Well, as you know, if you studied
the Old Testament and the New Testament, you know that God
has many names. And each name expresses a certain
facet of His nature, His attributes, describing who He is, His uniqueness,
His glory. In fact, you could say it this
way, God's name is His glory. You know, there are certain names
that we hear among men that just don't... evoke gloriousness,
isn't that right? I mean, if you heard the name
Adolf Hitler, that would certainly bring to mind anything but glory,
wouldn't it? And we could think of other names,
the name Judas. Go on and on. But when it comes
to God's name, as I said, He has many names because it takes
more than one name to describe the vastness, the multifaceted
Glory of God. So His name is His glory. It's
His honor. His name is His reputation. We spend our lives trying to
make a good name so that people know that when they hear our
name, they're hearing the name of an honest, noble person. Well, God's name is His reputation. It's His majesty. Here in verse
21 of Matthew 1, we read the name Jesus. Jesus. And we're told what that
name means. For he shall save his people
from their sins. This was the name given the Christ
child by God Almighty as it was communicated to Joseph through
the angel. Joseph did not name this baby.
And you want to know why? Because he wasn't Joseph's son.
He's the son of God. God named him. You shall call
his name Jesus. The name Jesus. If you would
get back to the original pronunciation, scholars say it would be Yeshua. Or it would be something like
the Old Testament equivalent of Joshua. Jesus for he shall
save his people from their sins. And what this tells us about
this name is that God's glory and God's honor and God's reputation
rest upon the salvation of his people and vice versa. Our salvation under glory rest
upon God's honor. God's reputation. Book of Hebrews
tells us that God swore an oath by himself because he could swear
by none greater. Nothing or no one greater than
God. So he laid his name on the line. to save his people from
their sins. And that's what the name Jesus
means. It's not a name of denigration. I heard a preacher say one time,
well, that's the name of his humanity. Well, you know what
Jesus literally means? It literally means Yahweh, which
is the Old Testament covenant name for God, or we transliterate
that sometimes as the name Jehovah. And as I told somebody last week,
technically speaking, that's a mistake. First of all, there
are no J's in the Hebrew alphabet, and there were no vowel points
back then either. But we say Jehovah, and that's okay because
we know what it means, what that name means. But it's Yahweh is
salvation. God is salvation. That's what
the name Jesus means. It means salvation is of the
Lord. So it's not a name that denigrates
him or brings him down or anything like that. It's not a name of
his humanity, it's the name of God who saves. And his name is eternal. Look
at it again, verse 21. He says, and she shall bring
forth a son, this son that was set up from everlasting to be
the salvation of his people, this son who was prophesied in
Genesis 3.15 as the seed of woman, who was typified in Abel's lamb. She shall bring forth a son and
thou shalt call his name Jesus. Savior, salvation, God saves. For he shall save his people
from their sins. Look at verse 22. Now all this
was done that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken of the Lord
by the prophets saying, behold, a virgin shall be with child.
That's quoted from Isaiah chapter seven, verse 14. That's Isaiah's
prophecy of the Messiah. And it says, and shall bring
forth a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel. There's another
name. His name is Jesus. His name is
Immanuel, and Immanuel means God with us. His name is eternal. He is the eternal word. He is
the embodiment of the word of God. In beginning was the word,
and the word was with God, and the word was God. His name identifies and distinguishes
Him as the one true Savior. Look over at the book of Luke
with me, Luke chapter one, when it was revealed to Mary what
His name would be. She came forth with a song of
praise, but listen to what happened before that. In Luke chapter
one, look at verse 26 of Luke chapter one. It says, in the
sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city
of Galilee named Nazareth to a virgin, espoused to a man whose
name was Joseph of the house of David, and the virgin's name
was Mary. Now Mary and Joseph both were
of the house of David, of the lineage of King David. The Messiah,
it is said, would be born of the lineage of David according
to the flesh. And it says in verse 28, the
angel came in unto her and said, Hail, that thou art highly favored,
the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women. Now that's
not worshiping Mary. That's not in any way showing
any praise to Mary. It is recognizing that she is
highly favored. She's highly graced of God, highly
used of God. Verse 29, and when she saw him,
she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner
of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her,
fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favor with God, and behold,
thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt
call his name Jesus. And he shall be great, and he
shall be called the son of the highest. There's his deity. The
Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David.
There's his Messiahship. You see his humanity. You see his deity. You see his
Messiahship. The one true savior, verse 33,
and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever and of his kingdom
there shall be no end. An eternal kingdom. Look over at Luke chapter two.
This is one of my favorite passages here. Talking about the shepherds. Verse eight of Luke chapter two.
It says, there were in the same country shepherds abiding in
the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo,
the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord
shone round about them, and they were so afraid. And the angel
said unto them, fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings
of great joy, which shall be to all people, not just the Jews,
but Gentiles too. For unto you is born this day
in the city of David a Savior, that's the same name Jesus, which
is Christ the Lord, Messiah, God who saves. And this shall
be a sign unto you, you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling
clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the
angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
verse 14, I look at, glory to God in the highest, in this Savior,
resides the Shekinah glory of God. Have you heard that term,
the Shekinah? That's an old rabbinic term. It's not in the scripture,
the actual term. The truth is there. But it's
an old rabbinic term, which means the presence of the Lord, where
God dwells. Well, the Bible says that in
Jesus Christ, as the savior of his people, dwells the fullness
of the Godhead bodily. That's what that means. It doesn't
mean glory to God up there. the highest it means in this
Savior is the highest manifestation of God's honor God's majesty
God's glory and how's it going to be how's it going to come
about in the salvation of his people by his grace glory to
God in the highest and on earth peace goodwill toward men Sad
to say that's not a very good translation of verse 14. It would
literally go this way, glory to God in the highest and on
earth peace to people with whom God is very pleased. Now with
whom is God very pleased? Only those who are in Christ. This is my beloved son in whom
I'm well pleased, hear ye him. You see, this identifies and
distinguishes Jesus Christ as the one true Savior as opposed
to all counterfeits. Paul spoke to the Corinthian
church about those who come preaching another Jesus. He doesn't fit
the biblical description of who God says he is and what he accomplished. Isaiah prophesied of it. He identified
him and distinguished him. He said in Isaiah chapter 9 and
verse 6, unto us a child is born. That's his humanity. Unto us
a son is given. That's his deity. And his name and all that list
of names that he gives back there. Jeremiah prophesied of him. In
fact, Jeremiah prophesied of him as the Lord our righteousness
in two places. In Jeremiah 23 verses five through
six, his name shall be called the Lord our righteousness. And then in Jeremiah 33, 15 and
16, he talked about his church being named the Lord our righteousness. How can Christ be named the Lord
our righteousness and his church be named the Lord our righteousness?
I'll tell you how, the church is his bride and when she's married
to him, she takes the husband's name. We're in him, our righteousness
is Christ. His name is salvation for seeking
sinners. You know, the first time this
term, savior, or salvation, that is applied to Jesus of Nazareth,
the one born in Bethlehem, as prophesied in the Old Testament,
the first time the word is used, is back in Genesis chapter 49.
Let me just show you that. Turn back there to Genesis 49.
What this is about is Jacob is on his deathbed, or his name
is Israel at this time, and he's blessing his sons in Genesis
49. And you remember, this is where he He blessed, in Genesis 48 and
49, this is where he blessed all of his sons. This is where
that great prophecy of the line of the tribe of Judah, a scepter
shall not depart from Judah until Shiloh come, that's a prophecy
of Christ. And over here in Genesis chapter
49 and verse 18, Jacob as he was blessing his
sons. He stopped and he makes this
statement in Genesis 49 18 I have waited for thy salvation O Lord,
that's the Old Testament word Yeshua Which translates in the
New Testament as Jesus Savior What's Jacob doing? What's he
doing? He's saying my hope is in the
one whom you've promised to send to save me from my sins. And
then the next time it's used, look over at Exodus chapter 14.
The next time that term is used is right here. Here's Moses leading
the Hebrew children out of Egypt. Pharaoh has let him go, but Pharaoh
changed his mind and he comes after him and here they are standing
on the shore of the Red Sea and the people are murmuring And
they're worried and they're in unbelief and they attack Moses
and they say, you took us out to be killed, we should have
just stayed where we were. And that's man by nature, that's
us, isn't it? And look at Exodus 14 and verse
13. And Moses said unto the people, fear ye not and stand still and
see the salvation of the Lord. That's the next time that term's
used in the Old Testament. That's Yeshua. He said, which he will show you
today for the Egyptians, which they are metaphorical for bondage,
which you have seen today, you shall see them again no more
forever. The Lord shall fight for you and you shall hold your
peace. Salvation. Salvation. Look back at Luke
chapter two. I know I'm having you jump back
and forth, but I want you to see this. You remember the story
of Simeon. There was an old man in Jerusalem
named Simeon. God the Holy Spirit revealed
to this man that he would actually see the Christ child before he
died. And so Simeon was there at the
temple and it says there that when Mary and Joseph brought
the babe to the temple to do the rites of the law to the babe,
that Simeon was there And it says in verse 27, look here,
Luke 2, 27. It says, and he came by the Spirit
into the temple, that is Simeon, and when the parents brought
in the child Jesus to do for him after the custom of the law,
then took he him up in his arms, this is Simeon taking the Christ
child up in his arms, and he blessed God, it means he worshiped
God, he praised God, and he said, Lord, now let us thou thy servant
depart in peace according to thy word, for mine eyes have
seen thy salvation. Looking at that bag. His name shall be called Jesus. Peter wrote, there's none other
name given among men whereby we must be saved. John wrote, he said, these things
are written that you might be saved. Salvation. Salvation is
of the Lord. And this name Jesus, look back
at Matthew 1 now. Verse 21, she shall bring forth
a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save
his people from their sins. When the scripture speaks of
Christ as our salvation, it's speaking of the covenant God,
God who entered into covenant with himself, Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit, before the foundation of the world for the salvation
of his people who set this up by promise, by his own honor
and glory and majesty to bring a people unto himself, a people
fallen and ruined in Adam, a people fallen into death and condemnation
who cannot save themselves who have no way unto the Lord by
their own ways or their own works or even their own will. A people
who are totally depraved, as I say, who have no righteousness,
who cannot work righteousness, and who are so ignorant and self-righteous
that we don't want it God's way, but we want it our own way. But
this salvation was freely and fully provided in a surety. King David in 2 Samuel 23, when
he was on his own deathbed, he said, this is the covenant that
God has made with me that is ordered in all things insure.
And he said, this is all my hope, this is all my salvation, this
is all my desire. Jesus of Nazareth. And His name
is our full and final victory. Look over at Philippians chapter
two. The very reason that Jesus Christ
came into this world was to establish by his obedience unto death as
the substitute for his people, as God the Son incarnate, God
in human flesh, was to bring forth an everlasting righteousness
whereby God could be just and justify the ungodly. Look at
verse five of Philippians 2. Paul writes, let this mind be
in you which was also in Christ Jesus. Now listen to the words
of this text, because this describes only one person and one person
alone, God the Son incarnate, Emmanuel, God with us. And it
says, who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to
be equal with God. That term being in the form of
God is a term that does not indicate that he is sort of like some
apparition or some semblance of God. But it's a term that
identifies him as God shown forth in the fact that he thought it
not robbery to be equal with God. In other words, it would
be robbery for you and I to act as if we're equal to God. Stealing
from God, stealing his glory, taking things that don't belong
to us. But it was not for this, this
name, this person. And he says in verse seven, but
made himself of no reputation. You can see that from his birth
and on through his ministry. When he was born in a manger,
we talk about born in a manger, in a cattle stall and all of
that, all those things that were not appropriate to any human
king. And he says, took upon him the
form of a servant. He's the servant of Jehovah.
He's the angel of the covenant. He's the servant of the covenant.
What does that mean? That means that he was sent to
accomplish for his people in the service of God what God requires
of them for our salvation. And what does God require? God
requires that justice be satisfied. God requires that the debt be
paid. God requires that righteousness
be established. So he took upon himself the form
of a servant. He who is God, he who is a servant. And he was made in the likeness
of men, that's his humanity without sin. He was made of a woman,
made under the law, Paul wrote in Galatians 4. Jesus Christ,
the one who this name identifies and distinguishes, was fully
God in every attribute of deity, and he is fully man in every
attribute of humanity without sin. And he had to be in order
to do the duties of his servanthood. He had to be in order to establish
righteousness for his people. He had to be in order to shed
his blood as the full payment of our sins. And verse eight
says, and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself
and became obedient. And here's what's required for
salvation. Obedient unto death, even the
death of the cross. Jesus Christ had to die. His death was the plan from eternity,
from the beginning. It was no afterthought. It was
no plan B. It was no mistake. God was not
taken by surprise by the death of his son. He was set up from
everlasting to do what he did. And his name and his reputation
and his honor was on the line. And verse 9 says, for this reason,
because he accomplished the salvation of his people, God also has highly
exalted him and given him what? A name which is above every name. There's no name above his name.
What is his name? Well, we could talk about all
the different names. Somebody said over 250, I think
there's more than that, that describe God our Savior. But it's summarized in that one
phrase that Paul writes by inspiration of the Spirit in Romans chapter
one, for therein is the righteousness of God revealed. Somebody asked
me, One time I'd say, well a lot of people ask me, they say, why
do you emphasize the righteousness of God so much? Because that's
Christ, that's the gospel. That's what this is all about.
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone
that believeth. Where he was made sin, that is
our sins imputed, charged to him, that we might be made what? The righteousness of God in him. And because he did that, he has
a name which is above every name. There's no name above him. Look
at verse 10. That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow,
things in heaven, things in earth, and things under the earth, and
that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. To
what? To the glory of God the Father. Let me show you one more scripture.
Turn to Revelation 22. Revelation 22. The last words of God in his revealed
written scripture. Look at verse one. It is impossible for sinners
to do anything to the honor and glory of God apart from this
name. In other words, apart from his
name, apart from Jesus Christ and him crucified and risen,
apart from his glory, apart from the Lord our righteousness, all
religion is idolatry. All obedience is legalism. All service is sham religion. Look at verse 21 of chapter 22. It says, He showed me a river,
a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding
out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. That's Jesus Christ,
the Lamb of God. And in the midst of the street
of it, and on either side of the river, there was a tree of
life, that's salvation, unto eternal life, which bear 12 manner
of fruits, 12 meaning the completeness of the church, His people. and
yielded her fruit every month. In other words, there's no fall,
winter, summer, spring. It yields fruit all year long. And the leaves of the tree were
for the healing of the nations. God has a people of every tribe,
kindred, tongue, and nation. And there shall be no more curse.
The curse is removed because Jesus Christ has become a curse
for us. But the throne of God and of
the Lamb shall be in it, and his servants shall serve him,
and they shall see his face, and look at verse four, and his
name shall be in their foreheads. What does that mean? What does
the forehead mean? It means the mind. It means the heart. His name is written on our hearts. Our mind, affections, will. That's
what we're all about. Somebody said one time, said,
well, won't you get off of that and get on what we're supposed
to do? I'll tell you why, because his name's written on my forehead.
And I can't get him off my mind. Not even when I'm up here. I can't get him off my heart.
God the Holy Spirit has written that name in the hearts of his
people. And what are we doing here? We're
glorifying and honoring him as the Lord our righteousness. as
the Lord our salvation, God our salvation. There is something
about that name. It's not just in saying the name. It's not just some kind of a
magical thing. People say, well, just say the
name Jesus, you know. No, it's what it means. He shall save his people from
their sins. We sing the hymns about his name.
There is a name I love to hear. I love to sing its word. It sounds
like, it sound as music in my ears, the sweetest name on earth.
I love that. And then there's a chorus that's
called Something About That Name. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, there's
just something about that name. And there is. But it's not just
in saying the name. There are those whom the Lord
spoke of in Matthew 7 who said they came preaching in His name.
But they didn't know His name. They didn't know Him. How do
you know they didn't know Him? Because they pled something before
God other than His righteousness as their ground to salvation.
They pled their preaching. Their wonderful works. Their
casting out, but not Christ. Paul said this, he said, Oh that
I may know Him and be found in Him. His name, not having mine
own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through
the faith of Jesus Christ. All right. Turn to hymn number 85. I thought about this hymn I was
looking at, Silent Night, Holy Night. You know, there's nothing,
when you talk about holiness, there's nothing holy about a
night. if you're talking about moral perfection. That's what
a lot of people, when they say something's holy now, they mean
moral perfection. That's really not what the word
holy itself means. The word holy means separate. That's what it means, separated,
sanctified, set apart. I don't know when our Lord came
to this earth I don't know what day it was. I don't believe it
was December 25th. I can tell you that. There was
a time I really got bogged down in things like that and really
studied them, but I found out it was just a waste of time.
It's not really important when he was born, but that he was. But there was a day and a night
that God appointed, that God set apart for that purpose to
bring the Savior into the world. And that's what we're singing
about here. It's not any moral perfection. That night, don't
you thank God that Christ came to this world? Well, sure we
do. Doesn't end there. We believe
in His name as the one who was born, but He lived and He died
and He was buried and He rose.