Palm Sunday or Sunday of the Passion
Notes
Transcript
What’s in a name? We seldom are concerned about the literal meaning of our name, for instance David—beloved one, Elizabeth—God swears/promises, Kelly—warrior, Gregory—watchful, etc. Some names, however, are worth millions of dollars: Larry Bird, Tom Brady, Brett Farve. Some names announce a person’s fame, like George Washington or Abraham Lincoln. Then again some names have no honor at all, because of what a person with the name has done (i.e., Judas or Benedict Arnold).
What’s in your name to the people around you, family, coworkers, friends, neighbors?
The special focus of today’s gathering is a name, a name we have spoken often, a precious name that promises life, hope, peace, and joy, a name we will cling to through all eternity. It is truly
“The Name above All Names”: Jesus!
Jesus—Equal with the Father in every way.
Jesus—Equal with the Father in every way.
He is deity—God—in his very being (v 6a).
He is one with God in essence and nature (Jn 1:1–2, 14).
He is one with God in works
All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
He is one with God in glory (Mt 17:2).
In contrast, we sinful humans cannot make any of these claims.
Jesus did not take advantage of who he was (Philippians 2:6
who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
He did not seek personal gain or fame.
However, we, with our sinful nature, tend to do just the opposite.
Jesus—Deliberately took on a humbled status.
Jesus—Deliberately took on a humbled status.
He became part of his own creation and took on the role of a servant (Phil 2:7
Philippians 2:7 (NIV84)
He made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
He usually did not make use of the majesty and glory that was his as God.
Illustration: Your computer stores important and precious information, but unless you turn it on all you get on the monitor is a blank screen. The information does not appear to be there because it is temporarily hidden. So it was with Christ’s divinity during his humiliation.
To all appearances he was empty of divinity and was only human being of flesh and blood.
Instead of power and prestige, he took the position of a servant—literally “slave.”
His choice to descend to the lowest place took him even to death.
He faced what every one of us faces—the end of this life by death (Heb 9:27; Eccl 3:1–2a).
Amazingly, death is the “wages of sin” (Rom 6:23) and he did not have that stain (Heb 4:15; 1 Pet 2:22). He took on himself the sin of all humanity.
Jesus’ death was on a cross, the Roman method of execution reserved only for the lowest of humanity (Jn 19:17; Heb 12:2b). The painful torture he endured is unimaginable.
What driving force moved the eternal God to become a man and put himself into such a situation, such an end?
The answer is you and me — the entire world.
He loved all sin-entangled, hell-bound people so much that he was determined to rescue us from sin’s destruction (Jn 13:1; 15:9, 13; Eph 2:1–5; 1 Jn 1:7b–9).
And, He was obedient to his heavenly Father (Jn 4:34; 14:31; Rom 5:9; 2 Cor 5:19a, 21) — all of this suffering and death was the Father’s good and gracious will, because He wanted back what sin stole away, and that is you!
Although we are undeserving He still wanted to free us from us from the power of sin which separates us from God. The power of his grace enables us to love each other (1 Jn 3:16; context in Phil 2:1–4; Gal 5:13–14; 1 Thess 4:9; 1 Pet 4:8).
Jesus—Elevated to the Highest Status in Earth and Heaven.
Jesus—Elevated to the Highest Status in Earth and Heaven.
Christ Jesus is still our human brother. He has been elevated and honored according to both his human and his divine natures.
He ascended, that is, returned to heaven from which he came (Acts 1:9–11).
He has entered into the full power and authority of his Father at his very right hand (Eph 1:19b; 4:10; Mt 28:18).
“Jesus” is truly “the name that is above all names”!
From the heights of heaven to the depths of hell whether they want to or not, one day:
All will worship him.
All will acknowledge him as God and Lord.
Can we who by faith confess and bear his name by virtue of our Baptism do anything less?
Let us stand and sing: “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name,”