Sermon Tone Analysis

I want us to spend some time this morning thinking about one thing.

I want us to spend some time this morning thinking about one thing.

In actual fact this sermon is about what every sermon should be about - the person of Jesus Christ.

Since all of scripture, all of the Bible is ultimately about none other than the person of Jesus it therefore means that every sermon should ultimately be about Jesus.

This morning I want us to think specifically about “the name of Jesus”.

I don’t mean that we spend time looking at the historical roots of the name and why He was called Jesus as opposed to another name.

However, in case you are interested:

The name Jesus used in the English New Testament comes from the Latin form of the Greek name Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous), a rendition of the Hebrew Yeshua (ישוע‎), related to the name Joshua.

The name is thus related to the Hebrew verb root √yšʿ "rescue, deliver" and one of its noun forms, yešuaʿ "deliverance".

Yet this morning I want to take some time considering the significance of “the name of Jesus” for every one of us here today.

Please don’t miss what I just said, “It has significance for EVERY ONE US this morning.”

The news in the papers and on TV is full of names.

Lately we have been treated to the names of Harry and Meghan, other names keep popping up such as Trump, Kim and Foster.

We are constantly hearing different names and we are expected to understand their significance to us.

When a child is born one of the first questions we ask is what are you calling him or her.

That name then travels with them throughout the rest of their life, it’s who they are, it’s how we identify them.

Some names are unique and stand out others such as John Smith are very common and if you happen to be called John Smith you are very popular as it is believed that there are over 80,000 of you in the world.

Sadly Alan Johnston is not that unique either so don’t worry.

We gave our three children ancient Irish, Scottish and English names - after the third one we decided not to go for the Welsh one.

The name Jesus is also a popular name in Spanish or Portuguese speaking countries and as such it carries a certain superstitious hope.

Manchester City have a Brazilian player called Gabriel Jesus playing for them.

It sounds like his parents we trying to cover a number of bases with his name.

There may be many people called Jesus in the world.

But there was only ever one Jesus, whose name was above all other names.

The question I want to ask this morning is, “

Why is the name of Jesus so important?”

In our reading this morning we read Paul’s plea is to those within the church to be united in Jesus Christ.

There were problems in the church and it would seem from the first part of Chapter 2 that Paul was pleading that there would be unity and that people would consider others more important than themselves.

He wasn’t telling them that they should be united because it was the right thing to do, or that it was socially more acceptable or that it would be more productive or that it would increase their prosperity…No!

None of these are mentioned, so then, where does their incentive come from to be united?

Verse 5: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.”

HE is simply saying to them and to every church today that we should not be thinking about ourselves as individuals but rather we should all be thinking of the person of Jesus and His life and witness.

He doesn’t leave them wondering what he’s talking about, rather he then goes on to make an example of Jesus:

“…who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Paul very clearly shows us the person of Jesus.

His humility, His submission to His Father, His sacrifice, even unto death on a cross.

In other words, Paul says, look at Jesus!

He had everything and yet gave it all up for us.

He could have come in power and authority.

He could have come demanding that people take notice of Him.

And yet He didn’t, He gave up everything and made Himself as a servant…

C.S Lewis:

Did you ever think, when you were a child, what fun it would be if your toys could come to life?

Well suppose you could really have brought them to life?

Imagine turning a tin soldier into a real little man.

It would have involved turning the tin into flesh.

And suppose the tin soldier did not like it.

He is not interested in flesh: all he sees is that the tin is being spoilt.

He thinks you are killing him.

He will do everything he can to prevent you.

He will not be made into a man if he can help it.

What would you have done about that tin soldier I do not know.

But what God did about us was this.

The Second Person in God, the Son, became human Himself: was born into the world as an actual man-- a real man of particular height, with hair of a particular colour, speaking a particular language, weighing so many stone.

The Eternal Being, who knows everything and who created the whole universe, became not only a man but (before that) a baby, and before that a foetus inside a Woman's body.

If you want to get the hang of it, think how you would like to become a slug or a crab.

So, what point was Paul trying to make here?

Paul’s point?

If Jesus was prepared to humble himself, then so should we.

But it doesn’t finish there.

Paul then continues with one of the most amazing passages in all of the Bible, some believe that these words may have been part of a well known hymn at that time:

Paul’s point?

If Jesus was prepared to humble Himself, then so should we.

But it doesn’t finish there.

Paul then continues with one of the most amazing passages in all of the Bible:

“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Christ humbled Himself even unto death...and because of this, God exalted Him and made the name of Jesus a name that was and is above all other name.

So, for us today, what is the significance of “the name of Jesus”.

I want to make three clear points from this text and also use other texts to support what this text is saying.

I want to make three points, and I know it isn’t very Presbyterian of me but each point is relevant and massively important.

Confession of faith in Jesus Christ is necessary for salvation

One commentator writes:

One commentator writes:

This describes an outward expression of inward trust.

Paul does not regard “believing in the heart and confessing with the mouth” as separate activities, but as parts of a singular expression of faith in Jesus’ lordship.

If you believe in Jesus as being the Son of God and you have repented of your sins and trusted Him with your daily life and with your eternal life then you have to confess Him as Lord and Saviour.

Story of Margaret.

The name of Jesus must be confessed by your mouth, signalling your salvation and faith in Him.

If you can do this Paul says “you will be saved”.

That’s how important the name of Jesus is.

When we confess Him as Lord, Philippians ch.2 says that every knee will bow, at that moment we give up ownership of our lives and hand everything over to our Lord and saviour.

Confessing Jesus Christ as Lord is only possible by the Holy Spirit

Baptism

See also ;

A change in lifestyle

;

See also ; ; ; ;

Persecution

See also ;

Demons confessed Jesus Christ’s divinity

See also

It is only by the Holy Spirit that anyone can hail Christ as Lord.

it is only by the Holy Spirit that anyone can hail Christ as Lord.

Obviously a mocking unbeliever can mouth the words Jesus is Lord.

Paul is not denying this.

He is saying that the words can be uttered with full meaning only under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

The Lordship of Christ is not a human discovery.

It is a discovery that is made and can be made only when the Spirit is at work in the heart.

PAUSE

There was a time when Jesus wanted to see what the disciples would answer to difficult question.