The Name of Jesus

 •  3 min. read  •  grade level: 7
 
AMONG the many whom we have known brought to the exercise of faith in this Name was one who, poor and aged and sick, had been conveyed to the Union Infirmary, where we first became acquainted with him. He had attained the advanced age of eighty-four years without having experimentally known the grace and power of the Name of Jesus; but he was now privileged to hear, on successive Lord's Day afternoons, earnest and scriptural testimonies to that grace and power, testimonies which referred to many precious truths of the gospel, including such facts as the following.
1. Before the birth of Jesus, God had said, “Thou shalt call His name JESUS; for He shall SAVE His people FROM THEIR SINS." (Matt. 1:2121And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21).)
2. Thirty years later, Jesus "was manifested to TAKE AWAY OUR SINS." (John 1:3131And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. (John 1:31); Matt. 3:13-1713Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. 14But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? 15And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. 16And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (Matthew 3:13‑17); 1 John 3:55And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. (1 John 3:5).)
3. Three and a half years later still, on the cross at Calvary, He "gave Himself FOR OUR SINS." (Gal. 1:47.)
4. This involved those three hours of darkness, from the sixth till the ninth hour, when Jesus "BARE OUR SINS in His own body on the tree.” (Mark 15:33, 3433And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Mark 15:33‑34); 1 Peter 2:2424Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. (1 Peter 2:24).)
5. Suffering was inseparable from bearing such a burden; consequently “Christ also hath once SUFFERED FOR SINS, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God." (1 Peter 3:1818For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: (1 Peter 3:18).)
6. And as "the wages of sin is death," so “Christ DIED FOR OUR SINS, according to the Scriptures." (Rom. 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23); 1 Cor. 15:33For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; (1 Corinthians 15:3).)
7. Finally, "when He had by Himself PURGED OUR SINS," that is, made atonement for them, and put them away from the sight and memory' of God forever, Jesus “sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." (Heb. 1:33Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (Hebrews 1:3).)
The good news contained in the foregoing and similar testimonies, rendered on those Lord's Day afternoons to the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ, was, received into the heart of that dear, aged man; and when, one afternoon, I said in his ear: "Do you believe in Jesus?" he replied, "Jesus! my precious Saviour," while a heavenly smile lighted up his face.
Thus he had right and title to be with his Saviour. He knew his title because he believed "on His NAME." (John 1:1212But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12).) And he had the blessed assurance that his sins were forgiven., according to the apostle John's comforting communication: "I write unto you, children, because your sins are forgiven you for His NAME'S sake." (1 John 2:1212I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. (1 John 2:12).)
The heart's desire of that aged believer was expressed in the lines which follow:
Oh! speak of Jesus, of that love,
Passing all bounds of human thought,
Which made Him quit His throne above,
With God-like, deep compassion fraught,
To save from death our ruined race,
Our guilt to purge, our path to trace.
Yes! speak of Jesus, of His grace,
Receiving, pardoning, blessing all;
His holy, spotless life retrace;
His words, His miracles recall.
The words He spoke, the truths He taught;
With life, eternal life, are fraught.
Oh! speak of Jesus, of His death;
For sinners such as me He died.
"'Tis finished!" with His latest breath,
The Lord, Jehovah-Jesus, cried.
That death of, shame and agony
Opened the way of life to me.
Dear Reader, have you too a title to glory by believing on the Name of Jesus? Have you the assurance of your sins forgiven for His Name's sake? C. H. F.
But lo! He's risen from the grave,
And bears the greatest, sweetest name;
The Lord, almighty now to save,
From sin, from death; from endless shame.