No other name

Acts 4:12 “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.”

It is common to be given a nickname when you are in college or the military. Think about some of the nicknames of your college friends or military buddies. Do you remember why those names were given?

My college friends had nicknames like Max, Zod, Wierval and Digger. Mine was simply Z. Max was from the movie Max Duggan. Zod was from Superman II. Digger was the cute little mole character on Shirt Tales. Wierval was some weird mash-up of last names given by upper classmen. Mine is pretty easy to figure out.

We still call each other these names decades later.

The Son of God was given nicknames, too. This morning we heard some of them – Immanuel, Prince of Peace, Branch, Word, King, Lamb and Shepherd. Each one of those nicknames was given to tell us something more about God’s Son. They help us to capture the uncapturable grandeur of God.

But none of these names tell us everything about God’s Son – who he is and what he has come to earth to do.

But there is one name. A name so common that today it might be John or Bob or Joe. There were probably plenty of carpenters and rabbis in Judah who shared the same name.

Though it was a common name, it was also a name that captures everything God’s Son came to do for humanity. It is the name Jesus. The very name Jesus means “God saves” – for the angel told Mary to name her Son Jesus because “he will save his people from their sins.”

Though this name was common, it is no ordinary name. The name of Jesus causes controversy, scandal and offense still today. When I’ve been invited to speak in public forums, I’ve been instructed that I can talk about whatever I want, as long as it isn’t controversial or that I don’t mention Jesus. I politely decline. I’ve been told by family members planning their mom’s funeral, that I should tell stories about their mom and not talk about all that “Jesus stuff.” I not so politely decline.

The name of Jesus causes thrones to topple and kingdoms to crumble. This name causes the politically correct to be on edge. No other name causes such a ruckus.

And yet, this is “the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11).

This is the name you need. Without this name, you remain in your own name – Sinner. The Bible has all kinds of nicknames for you, Sinner. Goat, Lost Sheep, Prodigal Child, Adulterer, Murder, Thief, Heathen.

Without Jesus’ name, you are alone, lost and damned.

Jesus is the name you need. It is precisely for you that this child was given the name Jesus. Mary’s child is named Jesus so he could place his name on you. God becomes a child to make us children of God.

Jesus put his name on you in your baptism. That’s when he washed away your sins and made you his dear child. It is this name that we invoke at the beginning of every worship service. You end your prayers in Jesus’ name so that Jesus can take your prayers and intercede for you before his Father’s throne. You are sent home from worship after receiving the blessing in Jesus’ name. You live your lives as parents, children, citizens, employers and employees as Christians – as those who have the name of Jesus Christ on you.

Jesus has lots of nicknames. They all tell us something important about him. But it is the name that Gabriel gave him that tells us everything about him.

Jesus. A common name. But no ordinary name. “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Amen.