…HIS NAME WAS CALLED JESUS…"

Luke 2:1-21

    I don't believe there has ever been a more momentous event in the history of the world than the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. His birth changed the world.
    Some years ago, the distinguished publishing house of Grosset and Dunlap brought together a panel of 28 educators and historians and asked them to select the hundred most significant events of history, then list those events in order of importance. After months of labor, the panel reported that they considered the most significant event of history to be the discovery of America. In second place was the invention of movable type by Gutenberg. Eleven different events tied for third place, and five events tied for fourth place. The events tying for fourth were the writing of the Constitution of our country, the development of ether, the development of the x-ray, the discovery of the airplane, and the life of Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus tied for fourth.
    There has never been a name like the name of JESUS. Our Lord has many names. Among them, here are a few…

    The name that He is best known by is the name given at His birth-- "JESUS."  It is found over 935 times in the New Testament. 
    The first time Mary heard the name "Jesus,"  it was announced to her by the angel Gabriel, "Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS" (Luke 1:31). The first time Joseph heard the name "Jesus," it was when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife; for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins" (Mt. 1:20-21).

I. The MEANING of His Name. 
    A.    "JE" = abbreviation for Jehovah. Jesus is Jehovah in the flesh.
        1.    This describes the NATURE of Jesus. Deity.
        2.    This was only made possible via the virgin birth.
    B.    "SUS" = abbreviation for Savior. This speaks of His MISSION…

II. The MISSION of His name."…he shall save his people from their sins" (Mt. 1:21). "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
    A.    He is the answer to our NEED. 
        1.    Our problem is SIN! 
        2.    Our need is a SAVIOR.
    B.    He is Jehovah the Savior. (Cf. Isa. 43:10-11)
    C.    He is not just Israel's Savior (John 4:42- "…This is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world").

III. The MESSAGE of His name. "Then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture and preached unto him JESUS!" (Acts 8:35).
    A.    The message is JESUS (2 Cor. 4:5).
    B.    The wrong message:
        1.    Secularized sermons, 
        2.    Psychological sermons, 
        3.    Self-help sermons. 
        4.    User-Friendly sermons, but of no use. 

IV. The MINISTRY of His name (Acts 15:26). People don't put their life on the line for just any name.
    A.    We don't minister in our own name. 
    B.    Everything we do should be done in JESUS name (Col. 3:17).
V. The MAJESTY of His name (Phil. 9:9-11).

Bill Gaither was right when he wrote the song "There's Something About That Name."