Today the message is entitled “The Wonderful Names of Jesus!”
We will be looking at two names each week for a few weeks.
Today we look at “The Nazarene” and “The Carpenter”
Those songs that Barb just led us in really put across the truth of the wonderfulness of Jesus’s names. Singing them makes you think who Jesus is in a much larger way then just another man. Particularly, the song, “Jesus, Name Above all names”. Over the next few weeks, we will look at a few of the names mentioned in that song.
For the first name of Jesus to look at, I have picked “The Nazarene.”
Nazarene
*Webster’s New World Dictionary
“A native or inhabitant of Nazareth, a member of an early sect of Jewish Christian.”
The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church
“Nazarenes” occurs as a name used by 4th century writers of a group of Christians of Jewish race in Syria, who continued to obey much of the Jewish law.
Smith’s Bible Dictionary
“This appellative is applied to Jesus in many passages in the New Testament.”
“This name still exists in Arabic as the ordinary designation of Christians.”
Join me in looking at a few of them. We start in the book of Matthew where we see how Jesus came to be in Nazareth.
Matthew 2:22-23 NIV
22 But when he (Joseph) heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee,
23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: He will be called a Nazarene.
Next, we see followers of Jesus confirming Jesus’s name.
John 1:45-46 NIV
45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” said Philip.
Jesus lived and grew up in Nazareth. It was not a good town. In fact, it was almost an unknown town.
Warren Wiersbe, in his book “His Name is Wonderful,” gives us this thought on Nazareth.
“because the town is not mentioned anywhere in the Old Testament, in the Jewish Talmud, or even in Josephus. It was really an insignificant place as far as the Jews were concerned. No wonder Nathanial asked, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Jesus made the town famous.”
Now, we go to where Jesus intervenes in Saul (Paul)’s life and uses this name Himself.
Acts 22:6-8 NIV
6 “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.
7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’
8 “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.
“ ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied.
After some time teaching the people about God, Jesus was identified by the crowd as the Nazarene.
Luke 18:35-37 NIV
35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.
36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening.
37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”
So we have disciples, crowds and even Jesus calling Him “The Nazarene.”
For the second name today, we look at “The Carpenter.”
Carpenter
First, we see Jesus called “The Carpenter” by the crowd in the Synagogue. This was done in amazement for they could not believe a carpenter could be so wise.
Mark 6:1-3 NIV Carpenter’s son
1 Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples.
2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.
“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him, that He even does miracles!
3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.
Obviously, the people knew who Jesus was and what family He belonged to as a man among them. They brought broken furniture to Him to repair.
So, Jesus was a builder. What did He build?
Warren Wiersbe gives three ideas in his Book, “The Wonderful Names of Jesus.”
John 1:1-3 NIV Built Universe
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was with God in the beginning.
3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
Even before Jesus walked on earth, He was a builder. He made this planet and mankind. Take a look around at the incredible job and the fine detail of His work.
Matthew 16:17-18 NIV Built His church
17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.
18 And I tell you that you are Peter, [in Greek means rock] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
Two thousand years ago, Jesus started the Christian church. Jesus is the cornerstone and His disciples are the foundation.
John 14: 2 NIV Build a place for you in Heaven.
2 In my father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.
What a promise Jesus gives to us – He is not done with us yet! Jesus is getting ready to spend eternity with you! Are you ready to spend that time with Jesus?
Barb is leading us in another song about Jesus’s name. it is called “There’s Something About That Name.”
Benediction:
I am repeating the words in the 2nd verse of one of the first songs we did in this service.
“May Jesus’ name be lifted high. For the sacrifice of love has won my pardon. And His resurrection power gives me life.”
Let’s pray!
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