My Birth Certificate reads “Mike Scott Martin.” I imagine that when the OB nurse asked dad what my name was to be, holding his second son in his arms, dad replied, “He doesn’t look smart enough to spell Michael... we better name him Mike.” That may, or may not, be a factual account! Regardless, I don’t have to remember if it’s a before e or e before a ... My name is easy. M-i-k-e.
My dad named me. Jesus’ Dad named Him.
“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David” (Luke 1:30-32, ESV).
The messenger from heaven also told Joseph, “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21, ESV).
The name Jesus translates to the Old Testament name Joshua. Both names mean “Jehovah saves” or “salvation is from Jehovah.” He came to “save his people from their sins.”
When Peter and John went to the temple, they encountered the lame beggar, saying, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” (Acts 3:6, ESV). Later, the disciples proclaimed, “Let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well” (Acts 4:10, ESV).
There is power in the name of Jesus!
The Apostles also declared, “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12, ESV).
Jesus! Salvation is from Jehovah!
We are taught to pray in that great name! “Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you” (John 16:23, ESV) and to live in the presence and power of the name! “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:17, ESV).
Paul reminds us, “You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 6:11, ESV).
Jesus! What a name!