On That Name

There is power in the name of Jesus. What do I mean by that? Through his powerful name people are healed, delivered from generational curses, set free from sin, and filled with joy. The apostles Peter and John could testify to this. They witnessed firsthand the healing of a man who was unable to walk for over forty years, a healing that occurred in that name -

Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead.¹

This healing was a sign pointing to the one whose name is power and to the blessings that come from salvation in Jesus' name.

But there is also character in the name of Jesus. A person's name represents who they are - how they act, the manner and content of their speech, and what they value. The name of Jesus is not an incantation but a way of living. Paul, the apostle, writes in his letter to the Colossian church,

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.²

Paul is encouraging us to be sure that our actions and words line up with who Jesus is. This is important because Jesus the Son perfectly communicates to us who God the Father is. And in our doing and talking we don't want to misrepresent God or be misaligned with what the name of Jesus represents: the character of God, who he is.

Scoliosis is a medical condition where the spine instead of being straight curves to the side. This misalignment can cause physical issues such as breathing problems and pain. The word scoliosis comes from the Greek word, σκολιός (sko-lee-os') which means warped or crooked. Peter uses this word to describe harsh or crooked masters, those who in their treatment of others, are not aligned with God's way of treating people.³

We can avoid that type misalignment (whether it is small or large) by being aligned to the character of Jesus, the one who only did what he saw his Father doing.⁴ This happens by spending time with the Lord in prayer and allowing the Gospel, the message of Christ, to impact our lives. May our living be aligned with "the name of Jesus!”

There is power in Jesus' name and his name is who he is. As his followers, we must remember that. This will help us to live out our faith in a balanced way, walking in power and character.

References

¹ Acts of the Apostles 4:10

² Colossians 3:17

³ 1 Peter 2:18 - Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.

⁴ John 5:19 - Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does."