By Pastor David Holland
“On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before I had conceived him.” –Luke 2:21
John Lennon mistakenly believed the Beatles were more famous than Christ. While the dead Beatle lies in the grave, Jesus’ Name is the most recognized Name in the world.
Two hundred and fifty years ago, the French Enlightenment philosopher Voltaire railed against the authenticity of the Bible. He said Christianity would be extinct within a hundred years. Ironically, within a hundred years of his death, Voltaire is all but forgotten. His home now belongs to the Geneva Bible Society, and that group distributes millions of Bibles from there.
Over two billion people on this planet believe the Bible and trust the Name of Jesus for salvation, hope, and healing. His is the Name that makes demons flee and believers rejoice.
Luke records the endowment of Christ’s Name at the Temple in our passage today. The Name of Jesus derives from the Hebrew name Joshua, meaning The Lord is Salvation. It is the Name world religions hate because Christians will not bow to Mohammed, Buddha, Krishna or secular humanism.
The Name of Jesus represents the man above all men—God of every God, Light of every Light. It is the Name that sometimes divides families, communities, and nations, dividing between unbelievers and believers. It is the Name above all names, the Name to whom every knee shall bow, and every tongue confesses, “HE IS LORD.”
There is power in Jesus’ Name to break every chain of addiction and unclean habit. The resurrection power exerted by the Name robs the grave, strikes the devil dumb, and sends demons scurrying like lizards on hot rocks. It is the Name by which every sickness must submit, and every affliction must bow.
Jesus demolishes evil kingdoms and causes dictators to tremble. Satan shakes with terror as heaven populates with new believers. Heaven’s armies engage the hordes of Hades in battle, reducing that dark dominion to rubble. At the very whisper of the Name of Jesus, Lucifer’s power evaporates.
It’s been said that Satan no longer recruits on Saturday nights at the local bars, but he goes to church on Sunday mornings. He employs demons of gossip, strife, and condemnation to tempt the faithful. Those fellowships that lift and worship the Name of Jesus cause the devil to flee.
A multitude of biblical metaphors tries to define the Name, but it transcends reduction to letters on a page. His Name is Creator God, Mighty Deliverer, and Silent Sacrifice. He is the Captain of Angel armies, the Dayspring, Desire of the Ages, Lily of the Valley and the Bright and Morning Star. Jesus is the Suffering Messiah and the Conquering Hero. He is our Healer, our Comforter, and our Mighty Baptizer with the Holy Spirit, our Burden Bearer, and our High Priest. Christ became sin for us that we might put on His righteousness like a royal robe.
Mary and Joseph were simply giving their little boy a name—Jesus. But one day, when the trumpet of God shall sound, the King with that Name will raise the dead and catch us up in the air to be with Him. He will parade us as trophies of His grace into the very throne room of God.
Do you intimately know the power of the Name of Jesus? Does your heart swell with the white-hot heat of His presence? Do you filter your life decisions through the Name of Jesus? Mary and Joseph showed us how to welcome the newborn King—name Him Jesus!
This article is an excerpt from Dave Holland’s devotional, “Christmas Jesus.” Start your new year in the word of God with Dave Holland and his daily devotional, “Every Day Jesus.” This devotional-Bible study is based on the Gospel of Luke. You can get a copy of his books from the website, DaveHolland.org or at Amazon.com. Pastor Dave is available to preach and teach at churches and conferences.
