Philippians 2:5-11

THE GLORY OF THAT NAME

Intro:  Names! We all have them.  They are important to our knowing one another and to others knowing us.  Most of our names are unimportant, that is, we could have any other name on earth and still be the same person we already are.  Our text tells us that there is a name that is above every name.  It is a name that prompts the citizens of Heaven to shout and the citizens of Hell to shutter.  A name that brings help to the helpless, peace to the tormented, rest to the restless, hope to the hopeless and comfort to the comfortless.  This name has cooled the fevered brow; broken the chains of sin; delivered the captive and thrilled the saint.  The one who bears this name has been called everything from Adam to Wonderful.  The name I am referring to is the name Jesus!  I want to explore the glory of that name.

      As I do, search your heart and if you do not know the Person Who wears that Name, you can meet Him today.  If you know Him, but aren’t as close to Him as you should be, you can get that fixed up today as well.  And, if you love Him already, you will have even more reasons to do just that this morning.  Let’s look into the glory of that Name.

 

 I.  v. 9                                 THE REALITY OF THAT NAME’S GLORY

A.  A Sovereign Glory – His glory is given to Him by divine decree.  The word “Exalted” means, “To be raised to the highest heights.”  All over the world, with every tick of the clock, men curse and despise the name of Jesus, but it is this name that brings forgiveness of sin, Luke 24:47; and that gives us access into the Father’s presence, John 16:23-24.  My friends, when we make much of the Lord Jesus, we are merely doing what God has already done.  God has decided that the name of Jesus should be lifted up to the heights of Heaven.  (Note:  Don’t ridicule that saint who loves to praise the Lord.  He is merely doing the Father’s business.)

B.  A Singular Glory – His name is “above” every name.  That means that it is “over, beyond, chief”.  Millions may wear the same name all over the world today, but there is only one Jesus.  Only He is the Son of God and the Son of God at the same time.  Only He can take the vilest of sinners and make them clean.  Only He can take a Hell bound sinner and reconcile him to God.  (Note: Whether a person acknowledges the glory of that name in this life or not, His is still a name that is chief among all names.)

 

 II.  v. 5-8                         THE REASON FOR THAT NAME’S GLORY

(Note:  “Wherefore” in verse 9 points back to the reason why God has given Jesus this place of exaltation and glory.)

A.  v. 6-7  His Station – These verses declare for us the truth that Jesus Christ is absolutely God, John 1:1.  He was always God, yet God the Son took upon Himself human flesh when He was born in Bethlehem, Matt. 1:21-23; Luke 2:8-20.  (Note:  Consider all the implications of that truth!  Think about the Creator becoming dependent upon a creature, etc.)  When He came, He did not come as a king, as a wealthy man or as a ruler.  When He came, He came as a servant.  He came as an ordinary man to serve all men, Isa. 53:2; Mark 10:45.  He came as a man so that He might die for all men.  (Note:  God exalted Him because He willingly humbled Himself to be a living demonstration of God’s love for fallen humanity, Rom. 5:8.

B.  v. 8a  His Submission – Jesus willingly came from Heaven to earth for the sole purpose of going to Calvary to die for you and me, John 18:37.  Man did not kill Jesus!  He willingly laid down His life, the innocent for the guilty, so that sinners might be saved, John 10:17-18.  Because He submitted all to His Father and became obedient unto death, His Father has exalted His name above every name in Heaven or on the earth.

C.  v. 8b  His Sacrifice – This verse tells us that Jesus willingly entered the jaws of death for you and me.  His death was no sanitary, painless affair.  He didn’t die in a hospital with drugs to dull His pain.  When He died, He died on a cross, the most horrible and cruel form of execution ever devised by man.  (Note: Describe the cross and all its horror.) He did this because He loves us!  Because He did this, God has “highly exalted Him, and given Him a name that is above every name.”  May those who have experienced the power of that cross join their voices with that of the Father and lift high the name of Jesus!

 

III.  v. 10-11               THE RESPONSE TO THAT NAME’S GLORY

(Note:  The word “should” vrs. 10 & 11.  This word indicates that there is a response that is expected when that name is encountered.)

A.  v. 10  An Acknowledgement Of His Position – Every being in all of the universe is called upon to recognize His position.  They are all called upon to bow in submission and surrender to this man named Jesus.  Every creature in Heaven, in Hell, and upon the earth is called upon to acknowledge Him and the glory of that Name.  (Note:  “Should”.  Every creature, including you, should bow the knee before Him in humble acknowledgement of His position, His power and His glory.  This is a call to acknowledge, but whether you do it willingly or not, there is coming a day when every angel, every demon, every saint, ever sinner, even Satan himself, will bow to that name.  Rom. 14:11) Have you acknowledged Him for Who He is?  Have you bowed to Him as Savior?  As Lord?  As your only hope? As everything?

B.  v. 11  An Acceptance Of His Person – The word “confess” means “to agree, or to say the same thing about.”  That is important because God has declared that there is only one way to come to Him, John 14:6; Acts 4:12; John 6:47.  Have you ever come to the place where you have humbled yourself and confessed the fact that you cannot save yourself?  Have you ever acknowledged your sins to God, Rom. 3:23?  Have you ever acknowledged you inability to produce salvation for yourself?  Have you ever called upon the name of Christ for your salvation?  Until you come to the place where you can confess Him as your only hope of salvation, you will never be saved!  When you do come to that place, everything will change, Acts 16:31; James 4:6; Matt. 18:3.  Have you responded properly to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ?

 

Conc:   In Heaven they know that Name!  In Heaven they praise that Name!  In Hell they know that Name!  Those in Hell will one day bow and praise that Name!  Satan knows that Name!  One day, even Satan himself will bow and praise that Name!  The only place where the Name of Jesus is not known in power and glory is in the heart and lives of lost men and women.  One day, even you, lost friend, will bow and praise that Name.  Doesn’t it make more sense to bow in this altar and acknowledge and accept that Name today and be saved, than to deny Jesus, die lost and still have to acknowledge His as Savior, Lord and Christ some day?  Don’t you want to do it when it can save you instead of when it can do you no good?  (Note:  This is a good time to sing “There Just Something About That Name.”)