Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Today let’s identify the name of hope.

In today’s scripture, Matthew 12:17-21 (NLT), God says…
[17] This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah concerning him:
[18] “Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen. He is my Beloved, who pleases me. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. [19] He will not fight or shout or raise his voice in public. [20] He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. Finally he will cause justice to be victorious. [21] And his name will be the hope of all the world.”

Consider…
Acts 4:11-12 (NIV) is a companion scripture to today’s passage. It declares…
[11] Jesus is “ ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ [12] Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

Matthew 12:21 & Acts 4:11 cause me to hear God saying “put some respect on my Son’s name”. However, God doesn’t say it like today’s slang which means to speak of someone with deference because of their accomplishments – often as a response to somebody being dismissive. Rather, God says respect the name because Philippians 2:9-11 (NIV) explains…
[9] 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 acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

While writing this, I hear Chris Tomlin singing…

Name above all names (how great is our God, sing with me)
Worthy of our praise (how great is our God, and all will see)
My heart will sing
How great is our God

To better understand the significance of the name Jesus, let’s read Matthew 1:20-23 (NLT), which says…
[20] As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. [21] And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” [22] All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: [23] “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”

Before you skim over this familiar passage, pause and notice the prophesied name of God’s son was Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us’. That’s important because God simply said that He would become flesh and dwell among us. (John 1:14)

Now the fact that God’s Son would become human is very important too, because Hebrews 2:14 (NLT) explains…
[14] Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death.

As I write this, I pause and wonder why didn’t God just go with the prophesied name of Immanuel? Well, after the Holy Spirit gave me the ultimate answer, which is because God is Sovereign and can do whatever He wants to do, I was shown the following.

The name Immanuel speaks to God’s only begotten Son’s diety, but the name of Jesus speaks to his humble and obedient humanity. Said another way, Immanuel only recognizes son of God, but Jesus recognizes the Son of God and Man. Yet another way to understand it is, Immanuel speaks to the Spirit of God in our midst, whereas Jesus represents the physical presence of God living among us.

One final thought on the two names of God’s Son, is that Immanuel is the promised hope of God and Jesus is the fulfillment of that promise.

So, today make sure you put some respect on the name of Jesus, because it represents God’s fulfillment of His promised hope of salvation.

Romans 10:13 (NLT) affirms…
[13] For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Not only does the name of Jesus fulfill the hope of being saved from sin, it also gives us direct access to God the Father. According to Jesus in John 16:23-27 (NLT)…
[23] At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. [24] You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy. [25] “I have spoken of these matters in figures of speech, but soon I will stop speaking figuratively and will tell you plainly all about the Father. [26] Then you will ask in my name. I’m not saying I will ask the Father on your behalf, [27] for the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from God.

Don’t miss that, Jesus’ name is the security access code to God the Father. Recall John 14:6 (NLT) says…
[6] Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

That tells me there are not multiple paths to our Heavenly Father. Indeed the only way to the Father is through His son Jesus.

The importance of having direct access to God the Father is that, as we discussed yesterday, He is the source of hope. (Romans 15:13)

So imagine being in a hopeless situation, and by simply speaking the name of Jesus you’re transported to the the place where “hope springs eternal”.

I like the encouragement 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (NLT) provides the downtrodden…
[16] Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, [17] comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say.

Paul’s encouragement reminds me of Psalms 43:5 (NLT)
[5] Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!

Notice the Psalmist said that his response to despondency was to put his hope in God, and praise his SAVIOR and God. What’s your response to difficult times and situations? Where do you put your hope?

As I personally answer those questions, I realize a couple of the massive benefits of knowing Jesus is that He’s the…

• Face of Grace
• Name of Hope

Please appreciate that just by saying the name of Jesus you unlock Heaven’s treasure chest of blessings and favor, which includes God’s…

• Unfailing love
• Endless mercy
• More abounding grace

Hebrews 10:19-23 (NLT) reminds us…
[19] And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. [20] By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. [21] And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, [22] let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. [23] Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.

I imagine when we call out the name of Jesus, God the Father’s ears tune in to hear what we have to say or ask.

As I think of calling out Jesus’ name, I hear Katy Nichole’s hope filled lyrics…

I speak the name of Jesus over you
In your hurting, in your sorrow
I will ask my God to move
I speak the name ’cause it’s all that I can do
In desperation, I’ll seek Heaven
And pray this for you

I pray for your healing
That circumstances would change
I pray that the fear inside would flee in Jesus name
I pray that a breakthrough would happen today
I pray miracles over your life in Jesus name, in Jesus name

I speak the name of all authority
Declaring blessings, every promise
He is faithful to keep
I speak the name no grave could ever hold
He is greater, He is stronger
He’s the God of possible

I pray for your healing
That circumstances would change
I pray that the fear inside would flee in Jesus name
I pray that a breakthrough would happen today
I pray miracles over your life in Jesus name
In Jesus name

All I keep hearing the Holy Spirit say is the answer to every question and situation of life is found ‘in Jesus name’.

Hopefully today’s post helps you remember that whenever you’re in need of hope, you can call His name, which is Jesus!

Today’s Song is…
Your Great Name

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)