July 14, 2020
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My parents didn't put much thought into what they named me. They decided on the way to the hospital when they saw "Ronnie's Used Car Lot" along the way. Come on! "So could I interest you in a little '95 Chevy with low mileage?" It was just driven by a little old lady...never mind. Well, my wife and I, and then our children, have put a little more thought into the names of our kids. Sometimes we pick names that reflect something about the child's heritage. We buy those books that tell you the meanings of thousands of names. We'd pick one that says something. You know? For example, our daughter's name means "consecrated to God," which she really is. Sometimes a person's name is more than just a name; it's actually a statement!
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Name That Says It All."
There is no name in the world like this name - Jesus - as in Jesus, the Christ. If you know what that name means, you respond accordingly, it will change your life forever. It will change where you spend your eternity.
Mary and Joseph, Jesus' earthly parents, did not pick His name. God did. In Matthew 1:21, our word for today from the Word of God, the angel of the Lord is explaining to Joseph that his virgin fiancee is going to have a miracle baby, the Son of God, come to earth in a human form. And here are the angel's instructions to Joseph: "You are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins."
The name of Jesus means something. It means "Jehovah saves." Or, to use a word we understand very well these days, "Jehovah Rescues." We see it over and over again on the news - rescue stories after a disaster. Of course, the ultimate example might be the World Trade Center on September 11, and the men who risked everything to bring out the people trapped alive there - the rescuers. God doesn't ever want us to forget who Jesus is and why He came to "save," to "rescue His people from their sins." Which clearly implies that we will die because of our sins unless there's a rescue.
There's no way to get yourself out of the rubble, out of the death penalty for hijacking the control of your life from your Creator and, as a result, repeatedly breaking His laws and putting bricks in the wall between Him and you. No amount of religion, no good deeds, no spirituality, no Christian activity is enough to dig you out. Your only hope is the one whose name is "Jehovah Rescues." And unless and until you abandon all other hopes and cling completely to God's Rescuer, Jesus, you are headed for hell's eternal punishment. But see, Jesus already took your punishment when He gave His life for you on the cross. What you have to do is reach out in faith and take for yourself what He did for you there.
So every time you speak Jesus' name, you speak why He came. It's what His life is all about - rescuing the dying. It's what our life should be all about if we belong to Him. Philippians 2 tells us that "at the name of (Jehovah Rescues) Jesus, every knee will bow." John 1:12 says, "To all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God." To believe in His name is to believe that this One named "Jehovah Rescues" is your only hope.
Has there ever been a time when you've done that? There is no other kind of relationship with Jesus that will get you to heaven; not Jesus as your teacher, not Jesus as your religion, not Jesus as your example, not Jesus as your belief. But Jesus as your rescuer from your sin. If you've never really thrown your arms around God's rescuer and said, "Save me, Lord," don't wait another day to do that.
It would be my great joy to help you do that if I can. And that would be through our website ANewStory.com where many have found out how to begin a relationship with Him. I encourage you to go there today.
This could be the day of your rescue! This could be the day you trade death for life, because life has a name - one name. The name you need to call on - Jesus.