The Names of God

      Jesus

       

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"Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."  Philippians 2:9-11

Behold Jesus, our Lord, the flawless expression of God's perfect love:

Long ago, from His heavenly kingdom, Jesus saw man's broken lives, desperate need and spiritual blindness.  He longed to open our eyes, free us from bondage and enable us to come to Him.  So He left His heavenly throne and entered this fallen world of physical pain and spiritual poverty.

To save us, Jesus had to surrender what humanity has always craved -- power, honor, comfort and beauty. He chose to be born as a helpless babe, walk our humble paths, share our struggles, feel our worst pain and become our servant. He suffered shame so that we might share His triumph.

The needy, the sick, the broken and the oppressed flocked to Him. Filled with compassion, He healed, fed, taught and encouraged -- pouring out His life and strength until His own body ached for rest and stillness.

But the strong and proud rejected Him, and many loved ones failed Him. Those who expected a conquering King showed little interest in a simple carpenter born in a stable. Even His close friends misunderstood His words and questioned His identity.  Multitudes who heard His teaching and received His gifts ignored His call and refused to follow.  The Pharisees despised Him and plotted His death. Together, they betrayed, mocked, denied, scourged and crucified Him.

Jesus submitted to their cruelty and willingly gave His life.  Bleeding and dying -- tortured  by those He came to save -- He spoke a simple prayer for His tormentors, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." Luke 23:34

But Jesus knew well what He had to do. His assignment was to carry our sins to the cross, suffer our judgment and redeem us from the power of sin and Satan. Having endured the agony and finished His work, our precious Savior cried out, "Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.”  Then, as darkness blanketed the earth, He died.  To His heart-broken followers, death seemed to reign. 

But not for long. Having conquered both death and Satan, Jesus was raised up into the heavenly places far above all rule, authority, power and dominion.  Everything in heaven and on earth would be subject to Him. Nothing --  "Neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,  nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, [would] be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39

His amazing love and His victorious Life are now in you and me -- and in all who put their faith in Him!

But His overcoming life is not ours to use to satisfy our own will and pleasure. The Bible compares it to a Fountain of Living Water that flows into the hearts of those who share His purpose, will and work -- those who are willing to "follow in His steps." 1 Peter 2:21-23

 Listen to the words of Jesus, for He shows us the way of surrender and enables us to follow in His steps: 

“Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does." John 5:19-20

“I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me." John 5:30.

Those who would follow Jesus are called to serve and to suffer as He did -- always according to our Father's will.  When we walk with Him, "þlooking unto Jesus," God fills our lives -- earthen vessels set aside for His holy purpose -- to overflowing.  Then the life He pours into us may flow like a spring of water to His lost and thirsty ones along the way. Hebrews 12:2

    Jesus, my Lord, how wonderful you are! I don't deserve your gracious gifts and amazing love. Yet I pray that you would purify my heart, guide my feet, and fill me to overflowing with your precious Holy Spirit. Enable me, by your grace, to look "unto Jesus" until your beautiful life transforms my soul. Cleanse and empty this earthen vessel of all that would hinder the free flow of your living water into my heart and out to your people. I love You, Jesus, my Savior and my King!

References:  Eternity

 

Isaiah 53;  Matthew 28:18;  Mark 16:19;  Luke 1:31, 23:34; 

John 6:64-65;  2 Corinthians 3:18;  Ephesians 1:20-23;  Philippians 2:5-11,

 Hebrews 2:14-18,  4:14-16,  5:6-11 and  12:1-3.

What it means to be a Christian