… in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Summary: Coming in the name of Jesus carries with it both responsibility, and power and authority.
What does it mean to do something “in the name of Jesus Christ?”
Paul has asked us to do the following things in the name of Jesus:
• Be filled with the Spirit
• Speak to one another with psalms
• Speak with hymns
• Speak with songs from the Spirit
• Sing
• Make music from your heart to the Lord
• Give thanks to God the Father for everything.All this we are to do “in the name of Jesus Christ.”
So what does this mean? To do something “in the name of” someone else means that you represent that person. In the olden days, a herald would bring a message “in the name of” the king. If you get pulled over for having a brake light out on your car, the officer stops you “in the name of” the law. If I am not acting in anyone else’s name, I act in my own.
To do something “in the name of Jesus” carries a lot of weight. Jesus is, after all, “King of kings.” (Revelation 17:14) It is easy to underestimate the power and authority of Jesus because of his humble nature. He presents himself to us, not as a powerful tyrant, but as a humble shepherd (John 10:11).
But practically speaking, what does this mean?
If I come in my own name (in the “name of Jeff”), I come as “king of my castle.” It may not be the biggest castle on the block, but whether I sleep in a car or a mansion, that space is mine. It is my “castle.”
Being my own “king” is great, but I must defend my castle and kingdom from others. Being “king” means I must try to “one up” others. If I am an insecure king, I can only find security in controlling others.
Oh, and one other thing: Kings like to have their way. If I am “king of my castle” when I go to church, I want things my way. I expect people to behave the way I want. I want to hear the music I like and for people to dress the way I think they should dress. If things aren’t the way I want, I should be able to complain to the pastor, and he’d better get right on it and fix it NOW!
But what if I come in Jesus’ name?
What if I am not a “king,” but the servant of a king? What if I am the king’s brother? What if I am his ambassador? What if everything I do represents Him?
If I come in Jesus’ name, I come in peace (John 20:21). I also come with the power and authority granted to representatives of God’s kingdom (Luke 9:1-2). Representing Jesus, carrying his power and authority, brings with it responsibility. We are responsible for representing him well. And so we do all the things Paul tells us to do in Jesus’ name, and we do them as Jesus would have us do them.
Application: Serve the King faithfully and humbly.
Food for Thought: What happens if we misuse the authority Jesus has given us?
What happens if we misuse the authority Jesus has given us?
Then the bad feelings associated by our misuse are put on Jesus, hinder acceptance of the gospel, and hinder our spiritual growth.
Thanks Angela!
Excellent answer!
I agree with A, if we represent our King poorly, people may think less of Him.
In the passage below from Ezekiel 36: 16 – 32, we can see how the King felt about His name and reputation being damaged by His subjects:
16Again the word of the Lord came to me: 17“Son of man, when the people of Israel were living in their own land, they defiled it by their conduct and their actions. Their conduct was like a woman’s monthly uncleanness in my sight. 18So I poured out my wrath on them because they had shed blood in the land and because they had defiled it with their idols. 19I dispersed them among the nations, and they were scattered through the countries; I judged them according to their conduct and their actions. 20And wherever they went among the nations they profaned my holy name, for it was said of them, ‘These are the Lord’s people, and yet they had to leave his land.’ 21I had concern for my holy name, which the people of Israel profaned among the nations where they had gone.
22“Therefore say to the Israelites, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. 23I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I am proved holy through you before their eyes.
24“ ‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. 25I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. 28Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. 29I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you. 30I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine. 31Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices. 32I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign Lord. Be ashamed and disgraced for your conduct, people of Israel!
Interesting passage, Rich.
It is not so much that God condemns us, but that we condemn ourselves in the light of God’s righteousness.
Yes. Notice that God is still faithful to Israel and will protect His name. And He wants faithfulness to His name so that others know Him, because they need to.
Amen and amen!
My heart longs to be more faithful to his name than I am. Yet, even though I see my shortcomings, I also see how far the Lord has brought me in this life. My prayer is that he continues his work in all of us.
09-04-2023, What happens if we misuse the authority Jesus has given us?
There is a great difference between acting within the boundaries of authority given to a person by men, and living in the supernatural power of God, acting in and by power and authority of Jesus Christ in us.
God’s Word teaches believers have been crucified with Christ, and today it is not us but Christ who lives in us by faith. His Devine power has been given to us to serve God as the presence, the body of Christ to the world.
Galatians 2:20, Colossians 3:3,1 Corinthians 12:27, Luke 10:19,
We misuse this authority anytime we choose to take actions in our own power which take advantage of others for our personal benefit.
Matthew 20:25-27, Ephesians 6:9, 1 Peter 5:2-3
I believe we must give very serious thought to all God has given each of us, as we progess into the full knowledge that there is no good thing in us. Only Christ in us can serve God as we exchange being slaves to sin, to becoming slave to God, as bond servants of Christ in all things.
Romans 7:18, 7:25, Galatians 1:10
Well thought out, Ron.
Thank you!
I like how you point us back to relying on Jesus. That is where we belong.