The Most Powerful Name

When I was learning to read, my parents gave me my first Bible. It was a blue Precious Moments one. With it, they gave me a bookmark that said, “Chris: Bearer of Christ.” They explained that my name had a meaning and that’s why they chose it. I kept that bookmark for years and it cemented in my brain how much my name meant. Then, when I was in sixth grade, I started going to a Christian school. Mr. Davidson, my teacher, had a bulletin board with our names written on scrolls. At the top, it said Proverbs 22:1, “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches” (NKJV). I then associated that with “Bearer of Christ” and knew I had a good name.

In Matthew 1:21 Joseph had found out Mary was pregnant and was going to break off the engagement when an angel visited him. Not only did the angel tell him to marry her, he said, “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” The name Jesus means “Yahweh saves (delivers, rescues).” The Jews were looking for God to save them from Rome, but the angel delivered a different meaning for saves, delivers and rescues. He said that Jesus would save us from our sin. He grew up with a divine mission attached to His name. Every time we use His name, we are declaring that God saves, rescues and delivers. It’s not just a name. It’s the most powerful name there is.

Seven hundred years before Jesus was born and given that name, Isaiah 9:6 prophesied the Messiah would be born. He said, “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Not only is He God’s salvation, rescuer and deliverer, He is all these things not just in general, but to you and me. You can call on His name today for what you need. He wasn’t just a baby born in a stable. He was God in the flesh coming to create a new covenant between God and man. He came into this world to show God knows and cares about you personally. He wasn’t just given any name. He was given the name above all names as a constant reminder to us of His mission and God’s desire to know you.

Photo by Gift Habeshaw on Unsplash