Exalted Name

Philippians 2:9-11 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 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.
 
WHO is the person whose name you honor, the one whose name causes you to think, “Oh, yes! He/She is the one I hope to be as someday.” Do you ever answer, “Jesus Christ”?
    Why is the name Jesus so worthy of honor? There are many people in the world named Jesus. Why would we worship the name?
    In effect, Paul is not calling us to worship the name “Jesus” as it stands alone. We are, instead, to worship the name of Jesus when we confess Jesus is the Savior, who came to earth. As Paul wrote of Jesus’ humility in the previous verses, “Jesus” points to the humble, servant Lord God, who lived and died on earth to redeem sin. Paul then concludes, Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name.  “Jesus” means Savior, and he is most worthy of worship.
    There is more. “Jesus” also points to God as the end-time judge. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. When we hear “Jesus”, then, we must bow to our majestic, holy God. He is eternal. He is Life. Revelation 1:5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth…7 Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen.
    How do you respond to “Jesus”? Do you hear the Savior’s name and think, “I’ll get to Him later.” Do you pray to Jesus, and wonder, “Does He care?” Are you hearing Jesus’ commands and asking, “Is He talking to me?” Do you look at Jesus on the cross and say, “Must have been awful.”
    Paul’s words are a sharp reminder to us to worship  the Lord of Heaven. There is no other name in Heaven and earth greater than the name of Jesus, who is the Christ, the Savior of the world.
    Bow to him and live in peace.
 
Joy Link: Jesus is your eternal Lord.