THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS

I have been studying the Gospel of Luke the beloved physician.  Looking closely at the healing miracles: The healing of the Leper, The Healing of the Paralytic lowered through the roof,  The healing of the Centurions servant, the raising of the widows son, The healing of the demonic, Jairus daughter and the woman with chronic bleeding, The healing of the crippled woman on the Sabbath,  the healing of the ten lepers, and the healing of the blind beggar.  Ten healing stories amongst the story of Jesus and his many other parables and miracles.  The whole thing is just amazing.  Jesus preaching the kingdom and healing the sick.

 I was in a dream state this morning just saying the word Jesus, Jesus, Jesus…. Half awake and half asleep… My imagination was going wild… it was strange, it was if I was seeing the name Jesus floating upwards like a stream of words… it was as if the person on earth who said the name Jesus enough times… got the attention of The Messiah.  I know that is not true, and that I was most likely more asleep than awake, but I must say that when I awoke, I was smiling… the name Jesus was still on my lips.  My waking thought then was, well I am just going to say Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, all day long… a constant stream of the beloved name of Christ.  I felt a bit like the blind man shouting, “Jesus, Son of David have mercy on me…” as he was getting the attention of Christ much to the embarrassment of the crowd.  

I felt it was a bit of a competition to get His attention, this I know is not true, he truly hears even one soft and whispered word, ‘Jesus” in someone who has never mentioned the name… I know that he hears us, 

I know that he is always with us and will never leave us. We know that Jesus went off to be by himself quite a lot.  Mostly to get away from the crowds but the main reason was to be with His father, to pray. 

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus… hear our prayer… call upon the name of Jesus…1 Cor 1:2 writes; To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the nameof our Lord Jesus Christ – their Lord and ours, Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  A community prayer… and greeting. 

This verse continues, I always thank God for you because of His grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way – in all your speaking and in all your knowledge – because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you. 

OK… got it so far… Jesus, Jesus, Jesus….

Now hear comes the icing on the cake…. Therefore, you do not lack anyspiritual gift as you eagerly (even as you) wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.  God does not want us to be ignorant in this: wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, distinguishing spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues. 

Verse 17 writes, for Christ did not send Paul to baptize, but to preach the gospel not with words of human wisdom, least the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.  The power of God.  It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God, that is, our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.  Therefore, as it is written; “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” 

Boast, to praise oneself or one’s possessions, to express pride in oneself or one’s accomplishments. To brag, blow, crow, gasconade, mouth, prate, puff and vaunt.  Today I am going to gasconade in the name of Jesus….

So, lets lift up the name of Jesus, Jesus, Jesus…. A prayer in itself.   Jesus, A prayer of help, Jesus, a prayer of thanksgiving, Jesus, a prayer to heal, Jesus, a prayer to get His attention, Jesus, here I am I need you, I am in pain, I need to be healed.  

Luke writes, “And everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled” the disciples did not understand any of this.  Well, I wonder where does this leave us?  If the disciples did not understand it, and they were with Jesus how do we get it?  Oswald Chamber writes: It is a fact that the Lord led the disciples to the cross of crucifixion in the end. No wonder they did not understand.  The things that happened do not happen by chance they happened entirely in the decree of God, God working out His purpose.  Just as we do not understand sickness.  But I do understand that He wants us to be well, He wants us to prosper, he wants us to live a fulfilled life in Him.  He wants us to draw closer to him, in saying the name of Jesus, the name that heals, the name that cures… 

the name that softens the heart… the name that I believe can even change a cell structure from sickness into health.  (someone say Amen)

This is what I have been thinking about, this is what the Lord put on my mind to talk to you about today.  When you take all the healing stories, looking at all the different angles Jesus comes from, the compassion, the method, the love, the calling of the name, the very presence of Jesus… the presence of Jesus…ah har…. Is that the common denominator, is that what our souls are craving for… the very essence and presence of The Christ Jesus… do we have a longing for that presence?  I think that is it… I think my soul longs and yearns for Jesus…(My body shook when I wrote that…I am now gasconadeing in the Lord)  a deep seated knowing of the need and desire of Jesus in my life… as my soul was calling out, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus… this morning… the very name of Jesus…  I long to have him stand next to me…

 to look over my shoulder… to watch Him heal… that’s what I want Jesus… to see thousands healed in you loving name.

Lets look at the name of Jesus in the bible:

She will give birth to a son and you are to give him the name Jesus…

And he gave him the name Jesus.

When two or three come together in the name of Jesus…

Blessed is he who comes in the name of Jesus…

Zacchaeus was short, he wanted to see Jesus, so he climbed a tree…

Many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name…

They took out palm branches and shouted, ‘Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord…”

Jesus said, “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men to myself… become sons of the light.  Was Christ drawing me to him as I slept? 

And here is my message for you today, here is the bottom line… from John 14:14

“You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” 

And from John 20:31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son Of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.  

And every one who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved…

***  Joel 2:32 (Old Testament) and Acts 2:21 and Romans 10:13

David said, I saw the Lord always before me.  Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken…

Peter said, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.  And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit… (Acts 2:38) 

Peter said, Silver and gold I do not have but in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Walk…

By faith in the name of Jesus  this man whom you see and know was made strong…

And the bottom line

It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.  

What more can I add to that, except that salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. 

And of course, the command in Acts 4:30 the reason for the healing service today, the reason we all come to worship the Lord.

“Stretch out your hands to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonder though he name of your holy servant Jesus”  (Acts 4:30)

Barnabas brought Saul now Paul to the apostles and told them that he preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus…

And the name of Jesus was held in high honor… 

Call upon the name of Jesus…

In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth be healed….

In the NAME of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit… Amen…