A More Excellent Name

Q: What does the Bible say about the name of Jesus?

The Bible highlights that Jesus holds a more excellent name than the angels, being the appointed heir of all things and the Savior of His people. The name of Jesus is significant as it expresses His identity and the work He accomplished for His people. Hebrews 1:4 emphasizes that He has obtained a more excellent name than the angels, being the only begotten Son of God. Acts 4:12 states that there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved, affirming that Jesus is central to salvation and the expression of God's glory. His name encapsulates His divine sovereignty, redemptive work, and eternal significance in God's plan.

Q: How do we know Jesus is the Son of God?

We know Jesus is the Son of God through Scriptural affirmations and His unique role in God's redemptive plan, as outlined in Hebrews and John. The identity of Jesus as the Son of God is established through various Scriptural affirmations and His relational dynamic within the Trinity. Hebrews 1:5 highlights God's declaration of Christ as His Son, affirming a unique relationship that sets Jesus apart from all creation, including angels. Additionally, John 1:1, which states that 'the Word was with God, and the Word was God,' reinforces His divine nature and eternality. The culmination of His work as redeemer, alongside the prophetic declarations of His coming, further solidifies His identity as the true Son of God, demonstrating God's faithfulness in His eternal plan.

Q: Why is the concept of Christ's sovereignty important for Christians?

Christ's sovereignty assures Christians that He governs all things for their good and His glory, providing hope and security. The sovereignty of Christ is foundational to the Christian faith because it assures believers that all aspects of life and history are under His control, fulfilling the divine will. Hebrews 1:3 affirms that He upholds all things by the word of His power, illustrating His authority and governance over creation. This sovereignty reassures believers that their salvation is secure, as nothing can thwart His purposes. Additionally, Ephesians 1:11 reinforces that God's plan unfolds according to His counsel, ensuring that believers can trust in His providential care amidst life's uncertainties and challenges. Knowing that Christ is sovereign empowers Christians to live with confidence, knowing He is actively involved in their lives.

Q: What does the Bible teach about election and predestination?

The Bible teaches that God elects individuals for salvation according to His sovereign purpose and grace. Election and predestination are central tenets of sovereign grace theology, emphasizing that God, in His infinite wisdom, chooses whom He will save before the foundation of the world. Ephesians 1:4-5 underscores that Christians were chosen in Christ before the creation, highlighting God's grace and purpose in determining salvation. This doctrine showcases God's initiative in our salvation, as it is not based on human effort or merit but solely on His mercy. Romans 8:30 further solidifies this understanding by linking predestination to calling, justification, and glorification, emphasizing that all whom God elects He ensures will come to salvation through His Son.

You're turning your Bibles tonight to Hebrews chapter 1 Starting verse 1 Hebrews chapter 1 Tonight Lord willing we're gonna We're gonna come love the one who loved us first the Lord Jesus Christ a more excellent name God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds, who being the brightness of his glory and the expressed image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high, being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. Lord Jesus Christ.

Even his name. Tells us who he is, his person. And what he has done for his people. He is the only begotten Son of God. He is the Word of God. He is the creator. An appointed heir of all things. He is God manifest in flesh. And by himself, he purged the sins of his people. He's the Redeemer. He's our Savior. He's appointed ruler over all things. He rules all things. He's sovereign. He's holy. He's God. And by an inheritance, he hath obtained a more excellent name than the angels. He's the Lord Jesus Christ, a more excellent name.

Acts 4.12 tells us, neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. He's all in salvation. What a name, what a Savior. And here in Hebrews chapter one, verse one, we begin.

God, who at sundry times and in divers manner spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets. God spake. God's word is power. God's words is action. He spoke to world and to existence. He spake in the Old Testament through visions and through dreams. He sent prophets. He spake in types.

And all these types, all these shadows, spoke of the Messiah to come, the Redeemer, the Savior of his people, the only begotten Son of God, Lord Jesus Christ. In verse two, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he hath made the world. God speaks to us by his son. His son came, manifest in flesh, the gospel, coming to preach the gospel to his elect.

He is the son of God. He is the firstborn among many brothers. Christ is the second person in the Trinity, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, and they're one. Christ Jesus was not created. The angels were created by him to serve him, to worship him. He has a more excellent name than that. He has always been He is and He always will be. He never changes. He's the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

And in Proverbs 8.22, He says, The Lord possessed me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old.

And then in Proverbs 8.30, He says, Then I was by Him as one brought up with him, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth, and my delights were in the sons of men. If he's loved you from eternity, he's always loved you, always will. His elect people have always been in him, It's important we understand that unity, that God chose a people because it pleased him for the foundation of the world and his son to be his people.

Electing grace of God, free and sovereign grace of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior. He is one with God, and all the fullness of the Godhead resides in Him bodily. He and the Father are one, and He is filled with the Holy Spirit beyond measure. He's God. He is the appointed heir of God.

Look here in Hebrews, where we're at here in 5, verse 5, "'Sis, run to which of the angels,' said he, "'at any time thou art my son? "'This day have I begotten thee. "'Then again, I will be to him a father, "'and he shall be unto me a son.'" God passed by the angels. Christ is the only begotten Son of God. Christ is the Word of God. power of God, that gospel of God. Christ crucified. Christ took on him the seed of Abraham, born of a virgin, born of the Spirit of God.

John 14 verse 10 tells us, Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not myself, but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. And look over in John 1. John chapter 1, verse 1.

In the beginning, in the beginning was the word, And the Word was with God. And the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him. And without Him was not anything made that was made. Creator of all things. Nothing was created. It wasn't created by Him. The world, the universe, everything in it, you're created by Him. And that new man in Christ is created in Him. Just like the world, it wasn't there. It was confusion. God made something out of nothing. He spake the world into existence. He is the creator of all things. seen and unseen. He is the appointed heir of all things. Psalm 2 verse 8 tells us, God said, ask of me and I shall give you the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Brethren, I got good news for you. for some of you. Hopefully, Lord willing, all of you.

We're the heathen. We're the heathen. We are Christ's inheritance. And he's ours. He's ours. If you look in Ephesians, look in Ephesians 1 verse 9. Ephesians 1 verse 9 tells us, having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he hath purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times, he might gather together in one, there's a unity, all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in him. in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will, that we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ, in whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession, and to the praise of His glory.

And that's the most important thing, that Christ gets all the glory. We belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. God only accepts us in His Son. And all those promises, that covenant that he made with himself for the foundation of the world, the one he promised Abraham, all those promises are in Christ Jesus. And in Christ we are made fellow heirs with the Son.

He's made us his people. He's our God and he has made us his people. It pleased him to make us his people. Isn't that wonderful? To worship and to glory Him. We who are God's elect in Christ, we are who is redeemed by His blood and called by His gospel, born again by His Spirit. We are His redeemed people. And we are His bought possessions with His own blood. And he has made our surety, our representative head. God chose him before eternity to be our surety, our representative head, our wisdom, our righteousness, our sanctification. He's our mediator of that better covenant. Last will and testament is no good until the testator is dead. Brethren, he died. But he rose again. Third day, according to scripture, he rose again. He rose again, and now he is our mediator. He's gonna make sure you get all the promises that are in him. Oh, what salvation. All of the Lord, before the world was made. We didn't know about it at all.

Secondly, he is God manifest in flesh, the only begotten son of God. God sent his son who voluntarily came. God came in the flesh. If you can wrap your mind around that. Holy and sovereign God took on him human flesh without sin. Wasn't born after Adam, he born of a virgin, born of a woman's seed. There's no sin in him. God reconciled us to himself. Came and reconciled us to himself. And his son in the flesh. Look here in Hebrews 1 verse 3.

Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power. He's the glory of God. He's the beauty of God. Everything God is, He is. Manifest in flesh. It's the only way you're gonna see God is to see His Son.

It says, as that sun shines in the sky, and those rays beam from it, those are two separate entities, yet they're inseparable. They're one. It's a poor illustration, but God, as that sun that shines, his son are the rays. They're two persons, two distinct persons. But they're inseparable. They're one.

He's the light. He's the light that shines in our darkness. He's those rays that warm us. Because we're blind, we're born blind and in darkness and seeing. And we can't see. He is the brightness of His beauty. God manifest in flesh. If you see Jesus, He says you've seen the Father. John 1, 4 says, in Him was life, and the life was the light of man. There's life in that light. He is the light. He is the express image of His person. God manifest in flesh. God said, let us make man in our own image. And God created Adam. Created him from the clay, from the mud. And he breathed life into his nostrils. And God created him upright. He had communion with God. Put him in the garden. And God made Adam our first, our representative head. Every one who came after Adam, your representative head in the flesh is Adam. And Adam failed. Adam sinned against God. And by his disobedience, never say your sin doesn't affect everything.

We pollute everything we touch. Sin is ever-present with us. That old man, those two natures at war against each other, we fell spiritually dead in our representative head, Adam. We're born sinning from the womb. He could not keep one commandment of God's, and neither can we. We never have, we don't now, and we never will. Christ did that for us, for his elect people. So we're born with Adam's God-hating, sinful nature. And we don't have a free will, our nature. Our nature directs what we do, and all we do is sin. We lost in Adam our ability to obey God.

Romans 8, 7 says, because the carnal mind is at enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be. The law was added. to magnify your sin as its purpose. But thank God it didn't do anything but that covenant of grace, that covenant of promise.

Do you see our helplessness, our hopelessness? You're born spiritually dead, blind, in captivity, and your nature, you don't have We are totally depraved. We have no righteousness. What we think we have is nothing but filthy rags. Even our best works that we think are our best works are sin. Anything we do is sin. We have no ability. We don't have any want and we don't have any desire to please God. We can't. Romans 8, 8 says, so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Doesn't get any simpler than that, does it? It just don't get any simpler than that. But God, but God. Oh, God gave his son a papal God gave his people another representative head before he ever created Adam. God made a way to be just and justify the ungodly. In that more excellent name, The Lord Jesus Christ, His Son.

And do you see how He upholds? He upholds all things by the word of His power. Everything was spoken into existence. Everything is going totally according to His will and His sovereign purpose. that he purposed in himself for the foundation of the world.

To save his people that he chose in his son. To send his son to save those people, redeem them with his own blood. To call them by his gospel preached. That's the means he uses. And to born you again. Create you anew. Flesh, prophets, nothing. That new creation. Because He is the life, and He is the truth, and He is the way. He's our only hope of salvation. God only accepts us in His Son. And His Son, His Son is salvation.

You look in Romans 5, verse 10. And again, You'll see we have nothing. We had nothing to do. We don't have anything to do and we never will have anything to do with God's salvation. No part at all. Because we were enemies. We were born enemies against God. And here in Romans 5 verse 10. For if when we were enemies, We were reconciled to God by the death of his son. Much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. That don't leave anything for you to do at all, does it? Wasn't nothing in you. God didn't depend on you for anything. The Lord Jesus Christ, he's that resurrected, Successful Savior.

Firstborn among many. And you know, we ran him from eternity. We ran him when he came to this earth. We ran him when he went to the cross, when he suffered, when he was tempted. We ran him when he died. He really died. And we really died in him, that old man, crucified with him. He's our substitute. He really was our substitute. He was buried.

But on that third day, when he arose, because he put all the sin away, God accepted his sacrifice. That one time sacrifice he accepted for you, for me, for all of his elect. God satisfied. How do we know? Because he raised him from the dead. He justified you. He sanctified you in himself. We belong to God. He bought us with his own blood. We are his redeemed people.

He is the express image. And he holds everything in his power by his word. He is that more excellent name. Do you see that more excellent name? And we're just scratching, we ain't even scratched the surface. But what a glimpse He just gives us that little glimpse by His grace, His free and sovereign grace, that unmerited favor by us. It was merited by His Son. Get a glimpse of the Lord Jesus Christ. Consider that. Look at Him on that cross. You want to see who God is? You look to Him on that cross. You want to see who you are? You look to him on that cross. And when the angels fell, he has a more excellent name than that. More better. When the angels fell, judgment was swift. They were cast out. And there's no redemption for them. They will not know the redemption. They won't know redemption. But look what he's done for his elect people. Look there in Hebrews chapter 2 verse 14.

For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same. that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is Satan. Remember we were born bound, captive by Satan. And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

For verily he took not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham, that promised seed. Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren. He calls us his brethren. That he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself has suffered being tempted more than any man. He is able to succor them that are tempted. He knows what you are. He knows the thoughts and intents of your heart. He's known your name from eternity, Auntie Sister.

And God demands, we lost in Adam, we lost our ability communion with God, we lost our ability to worship God, we lost our ability to know God. But God did not lose his right to demand perfection. Demand perfect righteousness and demand perfect holiness and perfect obedience. That didn't change anything, except in us. Sin must be punished. God will not. He couldn't be a just God if he let one sin go unpunished. Beloved God purposed his son to be the redemption, to be the propitiation for his elect people. He truly was our substitute, is our substitute. We all became sinners in our representative head, Adam, but God gave his elect the last Adam. Turn to Romans 5, verse 18. Romans 5, verse 18.

Therefore, as by the offense of one, Adam, judgment came upon all men, you and me, everybody. That does mean all. All men to condemnation. Even so, by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. That all means all of God's elect, all that God gave his son to die for. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. He is our only righteousness.

Look what grace and mercy and love, pre-sovereign, unfavored, or favor, unmerited favor God gives to his people. He is the Lord. He is the Christ. He is that Jesus. He came and he saved his people to the uttermost on that cross. Because look here in our text in verse Hebrews 1 verse 3. who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins. And again, that R is not every man. That R is the ones God gave him. God chosen him before the foundation of the world. that he died for and shed his blood for.

Sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high. Rather than he by himself on that cross. He was forsaken of God. He was forsaken of his disciples, apostles. Hated by men, rejected by men. He was alone. He alone. Christ alone, grace alone, Christ alone, through faith alone. Look here in Romans 3, 23. Romans 3, 23.

For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. whom God has set forth to be the propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are passed through the forbearance of God. And he says to declare, I say at this time his righteousness, that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth. in Jesus. He glorified His Father on the cross. He declared Him to be a just, holy, sovereign God.

That's when He said He made His Son to be sin for us who knew no sin. And no, I don't understand that, but thank God believe it by faith that He gives. When He made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin, He poured out His wrath on His Son. He pleased Him to bruise Him. He punished His Son for every sin that you commit, every sin that I commit, and all that God Chosen Him before the foundation of the world and gave Him to shed His blood and die for every one of those sins. And we know, we know, it's important to know, an eternity in hell cannot pay for one.

God, God, manifest in flesh, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, satisfied the holy justice of God with his bloodshed, with his one-time sacrifice. He was chosen of God. He's the only sacrifice that could please God. God chose him to be that sacrificial lamb before the foundation of the world. That's why we say behold the lamb of God, slain before the foundation of the world. When did God save you? He saved you before you ever knew it, before you ever existed. He saved you in eternity when God made Him your surety.

Because it's as good as done. He don't lie and He don't change. It was done in eternity, but it was accomplished when He came in the flesh. God manifested in flesh, the Son of God came. He was that. He is that sacrificial lamb. He made it known. Everything that God is. Mercy, love. Look what he's shown you in his son. On that cross. You can't get away from that cross. You can't not get away from Christ crucified on that cross. That's God. God in the flesh.

Well, he, he came and he fulfilled that. He obeyed God's law. The only one, only man who ever did. Only man who could. He obeyed God's law perfectly. Did he need to prove to God that he could? No, he did that for us, for his people. And he made the law on them. The law was good, if it's used lawfully.

Perfect righteousness. He's holy, he's sovereign, he's perfect. He's spotless, he's blameless. He's the Lamb of God. It has to be a perfect spotless lamb to be a sacrifice to appease the holy justice of God that we offended. And he did. He did. Did he need to be taught? Did he need righteousness? No. There's no gall in his mouth. He never never murmured against the will of God. Ain't that something? I can't say that, you can't say that, no man can. Isn't that better? Isn't that better than all those Old Testament shadows and types?

High priest, they had to come yearly, sacrifice for the sins of the people. They had to, their sins too. They're sinful men. And they died. But he's our high priest after the order of Melchizedek. Has no beginning. He always was, always is, and always will be. What a perfect high priest. What a perfect high priest. And he didn't offer up Because God said he don't want the blood of lamb, blood of goats, blood of bulls and heifers. That'd never please God.

He was talking about him, wasn't he? He was talking about his son. He was talking about that lamb slain. His blood, his blood is the only blood that could atone for our sins and satisfy God's holy justice. You go to Hebrews 10 verse 12. But this man, and that's important too, he's as much God and he is man. He's the God man. But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, forever sat down on the right hand of God, from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. He truly is our substitute.

Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us, for after that he has said before, here's this covenant, this is the covenant that I will make with them. After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts. Oh, that's that gospel. That's his son crucified. I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them.

And look here, and their sins and inequities will I remember no more. Because we're, now where the remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin, it's gone. Christ himself, by himself, purged the sins of his people. So far away, that God says, I will remember them no more to come. There's no more condemnation for them, for us, who are in Christ, who love God, who love Him through faith. Your sins have been forgiven. And yes, we have that two natures at war with each other, and we sin constantly.

That's why we need the Savior. That's why we need a high priest. That's why we need one who sits on the right hand of the throne of God and intercedes for us. That's the one we confess our sins to and he is faithful, faithful. It's his faithfulness to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Isn't that wonderful? He was delivered for our offenses and he was raised again for our justification. He justified us. He sanctified us. He made us holy and blameless before God in him.

And he rules. He's ruling everything right now on his throne. Now look here in verse four. who being the brightness of his glory and express image of his person and upholding all things by the word of his power. Now, can't you see his providence, his purpose being done? When he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high, being made so much better than the angels. as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. He's a successful, he's the successful savior.

Go to Philippians 2 verse 5. Philippians 2 verse 5. Says, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God. Look here what he did, but made himself of no reputation. You know, when we find ourselves so many times being blessed of God and we bless, we put more glory in the blessing than we do in the blesser. Brother, dear pastor, God moved him to say that line. Oh, don't it hit home. Don't it hit home.

Why would we make ourselves a reputation when God Almighty, what do we have to glory? Everything, even the praise of our lips is given to us by Him. We only give Him what He gives us. We glory in Him. But He made Himself, God Almighty, the Son of God, made Himself of no reputation and took upon Him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of man. Consider that. Consider that. Consider Him in human flesh. without sin, and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, bearing our sin and our shame and our guilt, by himself purging it.

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him. Here's the joy. Here's what he came and given him a name, which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth, things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Christ Jesus glorified his father and his father glorified his son. And he saved us. Who gets all the glory? All right, beloved. He truly, he truly is. He truly is the son of God.

He truly is that Messiah that was to come, that was spoken of in the Old Testament. He truly is that one who came in the flesh and saved his people to the uttermost. He truly is the only begotten Son of God, the heir of all things. He does, He holds everything by His power.

He is the Word of God. He truly is. He is the brightness of God's glory. He is the express image of God. He's God manifest in human flesh. He's God. He's the son of God. He's the son of man. He is the God man, the Lord Jesus Christ, our righteousness. He upholds all things by the word of his power. And he alone truly purged everyone of God's elect, chosen in him before the foundation of the world, given to him by God, trusted He trusted his son to be our surety. He's responsible for all of our salvation.

Aren't you glad? Aren't you glad that he is in sovereign control of everything? And we have no part in it whatsoever other than being a recipient of his unmerited favor, his grace, his love, his mercy. Because he promised, he promised himself, he promised his son for the foundation of the world. And he is better, he is better than the angels. He does sit on the throne right now and he rules and reigns sovereign, full control. And he, by inheritance, has obtained a more excellent name. Didn't they? All right. May God bless His word. Brother Bill.

A More Excellent Name

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about the name of Jesus?

How do we know Jesus is the Son of God?

Why is the concept of Christ's sovereignty important for Christians?

What does the Bible teach about election and predestination?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

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A More Excellent Name

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about the name of Jesus?

How do we know Jesus is the Son of God?

Why is the concept of Christ's sovereignty important for Christians?

What does the Bible teach about election and predestination?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

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