The Name Above Every Name

The Name Above Every Name

Feast of the Holy Name
Archbishop Loren Thomas Hines
January 01, 2021

Readings: Exodus 34: 1-8
Romans 1: 1-7
Luke 2: 15 -21

The last part of the gospel today focuses on The Feast of the Holy Name. Even before Mary conceived, God, through the angel Gabriel already named the Child who was to be born, Jesus. God made certain that Israel had the law in the Old Testament. The law was set as a guideline and not as something intended to control the people. The law was written in tablets of stone and Moses was given the responsibility to take charge. God sets things in order from the very start. He intended man to live this kind of life, an orderly life. We know that the children of Israel did not do well in obeying the law and this is why God sent His Son.

Romans 8: 3 “For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh could not do. By sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh.”
Galatians 4:4 “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law.”

It was only during the time of circumcision that John the Baptist was given his name. Circumcision was considered a very sacred act. When Jesus Christ came as a baby, He had to be introduced to the people by undergoing the rituals of circumcision.

If we look today at our govt. officials, we can see that they are the first offenders of the law. They make the laws but do not follow. Is it any wonder why we have low respect for politicians because they themselves do not follow the laws? Christ was born “under the law” and had to follow it. There were three points proving this:
1) He was male and had to go through circumcision which was a covenant made with God.
2) He was the first born and was required to be a servant of God.
3) On the 40th day, he went through cleansing.

Circumcision was conducted on the 8th day from a child’s birth. It was very sacred because it was a covenant made with God. Christ “borrowed” the flesh of man in order to live out His divinity in the world but still followed the law. He had to do this to become flesh so that He could conquer the enemy. He fulfilled the law by living according to it so that we today can live in His righteousness and grace. Those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh but those who are set on the things of the Spirit are set by the Spirit.
His Name is the source of all things. There is power in the name of Jesus, His name is our salvation, our healing, our strength, our hope, our faith, our righteousness, our life, our provision. His name is holy and sacred, The name “Jesus” means Savior. We are saved not only from sin but from all forms of darkness. We need to hold on to His name. It is His name that covers us in the Judgment seat.

As the world calls today “New Year,” with Christ, it is “New Life.” All things are made possible to those who believe. Therefore, today is a day of growing and growing in the things of God. His Holy Name gives us new life. “Jesus, the name above all names.”

Above His name, there is no other name.
The one who is eternally the same
There is no other name.
The first and last, beginning and the end
He was the King who made the common man His friend
There is no other name
Let every tongue proclaim and sing the name of Jesus,
Magnify and praise the name of Jesus
No other name but Jesus
There’s power in the precious name of Jesus, Jesus
Messiah, King of kings and Lord of lords
Jesus.

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