“The Name of Jesus”

"THE NAME OF JESUS"
"Far above…every name that is named…" (Eph. 1.21)

     INTRO.: A hymn which praises the name of Jesus Christ as the one which is far above every name that is named is "The Name of Jesus" (#137 in Sacred Selections for the Church). The text was written by William Clark Martin who was born on Dec. 25, 1864, at Hightstown, NJ, and became a Baptist minister. After working with the Noank Baptist Church in Noank, CN, from 1894 to 1900, he served with the East Albany First Baptist Church in Albany, NY, and later in Boston, MA. The tune was composed by Edmund Simon Lorenz (1854-1942). The song was apparently produced in 1901 and was first published in the 1902 Joyful Praise edited by Charles H. Gabriel for the Lorenz Music Co. Other relatively well-known songs (though not among us) by Martin include "I Remember Calvary" with music by James M. Black; "My Anchor Holds" with music by Daniel B. Towner; "Still Sweeter Every Day" with music by C. Austin Miles; and "Land of the Unsetting Sun" with music by Gabriel. Cyberhymnal credits Martin with some 32 different songs. In 1912 he moved to labor at the First Baptist Church in Ft. Myers, FL, and remained there until his death on Aug. 30, 1914, at Rialto, FL. Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord’s church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, "The Name of Jesus" appeared in the 1921 Great Songs of the Church (No. 1) and the 1937 Great Songs of the Church No. 2 both edited by E. L. Jorgenson; the 1935 Christian Hymns (No. 1) and the 1966 Christian Hymns No. 3 both edited by L. O. Sanderson; the 1963 Christian Hymnal edited by J. Nelson Slater; and the 1963 Abiding Hymns edited by Robert C. Welch. Today it may be found to my knowledge only in Sacred Selections.

     The song identifies several blessings which come to us in the name of Jesus Christ.

I. Stanza 1 says that His name brings joy
"The name of Jesus is so sweet, I love its music to repeat;
It makes my joys full and complete, The precious name of Jesus!"
 A. The name of Jesus is important because salvation is found in no other: Acts 4.12
 B. We should love its music to repeat as we sing with grace in our hearts to the Lord: Col. 3.16
 C. The reason that we can rejoice always in the Lord: Phil. 4.4

II. Stanza 2 says that His name brings comfort
"I love the name of Him whose heart Knows all my griefs and bears a part,
Who bids all anxious fears depart–I love the name of Jesus!"
 A. Jesus knows our griefs because He share in flesh and blood and was made in all things like us, so having suffered, he is able to aid those who suffer: Heb. 2.14-18
 B. Thus, He bears a part because we can cast all our cares on Him: 1 Pet. 5.7
 C. As a result, He comforts us by bidding all anxious fears depart: 2 Tim. 1.7, 1 Jn. 4.118

III. Stanza 3 says that His name brings cheer
"That name I fondly love to hear, It never fails my heart to cheer;
Its music dries the falling tear: Exalt the name of Jesus!"
 A. Christians should love to hear the name of Jesus because at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue should confess: Phil. 2.9-10
 B. Because of what He has done for us, He brings us good cheer: Jn. 16.33
 C. This cheer will dry the falling tears: Ps. 116.8

IV. Stanza 4 says that His name brings sweetness
"No word of man can ever tell How sweet the name I love so well;
Oh, let its praises ever swell, O praise the name of Jesus!"
 A. No word of man can ever tell the fulness of the blessings that we have in Christ because God’s gift is unspeakable: 2 Cor. 9.15, 1 Pet. 1.8
 B. The name of Jesus is like the word of God, sweeter than honey and the honeycomb: Ps. 19.10
 C. Therefore, we should always offer up the sacrifice of praise to Him: Heb. 13.15

     CONCL.: The chorus reminds us how worthy of praise the name of Jesus really is.

"’Jesus,’ Oh, how sweet the name! ‘Jesus,’ every day the same;
‘Jesus,’ let all saints proclaim Its worthy praise forever."
In the Bible names are important because the name of someone or something usually represented what that person or thing actually stands for. We should always be praising the name of our Savior because we can have salvation and all other spiritual blessings only in "The Name of Jesus."