Text: Philippians 2:5-11
Memory text:
“And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.””
Matthew 1:21 NKJV
Except for people who won titles in a contest, we all received our names from our parents at birth. Although, some people changed theirs at adulthood. However, for Jesus, beyond receiving His name by inheritance from God and His Father, He also earned His name, according to our text. The name is far more superior than the names of angels and far higher than any other names, both in heaven and on earth(Heb 1:4; Phil 2:9).
Today, let’s see one reason why the name, Jesus, is above all.
The name of Jesus brings salvation. “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”” (Matt 1:21). The word salvation in Greek is Soteria, which means deliverance, safety, and preservation. It is a word that is all-encompassing. For this point, let’s focus on its power to deliver from sin and from the power of darkness. Calling on that name, Jesus by faith, releases the greatest miracle of salvation. I have seen many hardened criminals, robbers, cultists, religious bigots, drug maniacs, sexually immoral, and all sorts of people who got saved by calling on that name. The name saved the adulterous woman from the stone of death and empowered her to go and sin no more (John 8:11). The name saved the despised Mary, who was called a ‘sinner’ and made her an honorable vessel (Luke 7:37, 47,48). The name brings out the helpless and hopeless from the horrible pit and miry clay of sin (Psa 40:2). There is no other name, whether on earth, underneath the earth or above the earth, or given among humans to save one from sin and change a life (Acts 4:12). Aside from Saul of Tarsus, many indoctrinated, hardened, and religious fundamentalists in our time have confessed how light shone on them, and they were saved from their religious bondage when Jesus appeared to them. A brilliant but reckless and godless lawyer confidently said to me after encountering Jesus in the most dramatic way on his sick bed, “I am not afraid of death anymore. I know where I am going!” Jesus wiped away his fear of sin and of death. Hallelujah!
Friends, no religion or psychological methods can save from the power of sin, except the name of Jesus. Give this year’s Christmas a meaning by sharing this salvation message with someone.
Prayer points
1. Father, please, save my family members, my loved ones, my neighbours, and my colleagues who are still wallowing in sin in Jesus’ name.
2. Father, please, appear to all and save all hardened sinners and religious fundamentalists during this season, in Jesus’ name.
Today’s declarations
1. A good way to show my gratitude to God for saving my life is by sharing the good news of salvation with someone else.
2. I make Christmas meaningful, not only by celebrating it with friends and families, but by telling others who are in darkness and in the bondage of sin that the Saviour is born.
Contact: pastor@thf.org.ng