Your Invitation, Part 4

If you have your Bible, turn with me to John's Gospel, John chapter 1. As you're turning there, I want to remind you of the words of some Greeks in John chapter 12, who had come to Philip and asked him a question, and they said, Sir, we wish to see Jesus. I would hope today that you are here to see Jesus. I would hope that that's the only reason you are here, is that you might behold the glory of the Lord.

Because if that's the case, then I have good news for you, is we're going to show you Jesus. For the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 3:18, that we all with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed from one level of glory to the next level of glory, even as by the Spirit of God. In other words, that when we open the mirror, the scriptures, we behold the glory and beauty of the Christ.

And as you behold Him, you are changed from one level of glory to the next level of glory. You're being changed into His image, because you are beholding the King in all of His glory. And so, John's Gospel is all about beholding your God.

And John promises that if you behold your God clearly and correctly, you will believe in your God convincingly and completely. And if you believe in your God convincingly and completely, then you will bow before your God compliantly and cheerfully. And if you bow before Him compliantly and cheerfully, you will behave congruently and citizenly as children of God, because you beheld the God of glory.

That is all wrapped up in John's Gospel. And so, he opens his Gospel with the identity of the Christ. And then he moves to the responsibility of man to the Christ.

And that's where your invitation comes in, verses 9 to 13. That's been our topic for the last several weeks and will be our topic at least this week and probably even the next. And who knows how much longer we'll be in these set of verses.

Only the Lord knows that. I don't even know that. But the bottom line is, He gives this invitation, and He wants you to understand the revelation of the true light.

For the true light has come into the world and enlightened every man in the world. That's the revelation of God. God has come.

God is here. And yet there was a rejection of Him. There was a rejection of Him by the world.

But worse, there was a rejection of Him by His very own people, the nation of Israel. And so, He moves from the revelation to the rejection to the reception. But, He says, He says, but in verse number 12, as many as received Him.

This is your invitation. But as many as received Him. We told you the word means to seize Him, to grasp Him, to embrace Him, to envelop Him, to totally wrap yourself up in Him, to accept Him fully.

To as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God. When you receive Him, and that's synonymous with believing in His name later in the same verse, you become children of God. That is so important.

Why? Because if you're not a child of God, then you are a child of Satan. In fact, this is how Paul says it in the book of Ephesians, the 2nd chapter, the 1st verse. He says, and you were dead in your trespasses in sin, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air.

Who's that? That's Satan. Before you were saved, you were walking according to the course of this world. You were under the domain of Satan, the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.

You're either a son of obedience or a son of disobedience. And those who are walking according to the prince of the power of the air are sons of disobedience. Verse 3, and among them, we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath.

You were once a son of disobedience. You were once a child of wrath. But now, because of grace, he goes on to say this, he says these words, but God being enriched in His mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ, by grace you have been saved.

Because of the grace of God, we are no longer children of wrath. We're no longer sons of disobedience. We are children of God.

That's why John says, oh, what manner of love is this that the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be called the children of God. That's who we are. And because we are children of God, we behave congruently as children of God and citizenly as children of God. In other words, we are citizens of another realm. And so, we behave accordingly.

Look what it says in Ephesians chapter 2, verse number 19, so then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and are of God's household. We are citizens of God's household.

Over in Philippians chapter 3, you know these verses, Philippians 3, verse number 20, for our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.

So you see, we are citizens of another country because we are children of God. We are citizens of God's kingdom because we are children of the King. And so, because we beheld Him correctly, because we beheld Him completely and convincingly, we believe in Him. And because we believe in Him, we bow before Him, and then we behave according to all that He says because we are children of the living God.

But as many as received Him, to as many as embraced Him, to as many as laid hold of Him, to them He gave the honor to be children of God. And then He says this phrase, even to them that believe in His name. What does that mean? It's synonymous with receiving Him.

If you receive Him, you believe in Him. But what does it mean to believe in His name? This is an enormous topic. This is an enlightening topic.

This is an encouraging topic. In fact, once you begin to grasp it, you will say, I am so glad I came to church today. Why? Because you will have beheld the glory of the Lord.

What does it mean to believe in His name? Now, if you have been with us for any length of time, you're going to understand what I'm going to say. The name in referring to God Himself is used 800 times in the Old Testament, 200 times in the New Testament. So in other words, a thousand different times, there's a reference to God's name.

And every reference is singular and never plural. Because God doesn't have names. He just has a name.

Now, I've told you this over the years. God doesn't have names, plural, or the Bible would say that. For example, for unto us a child is born.

For unto us a son is given, Isaiah 9, verse number 6. And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. It doesn't say, and His names are. It just says, and His name shall be called.

Because God only has one name, because God only has one character, manifested in different attributes and abilities. But He only has one nature. And when you look at the word name, it refers to character and nature.

So God only has one character. He only has one nature. But it manifests itself in a multiple of attributes and a multitude of abilities.

So at the outset, when you believe in His name, you are believing in the character and nature of who God is. You're coming to seize and to grasp the identity of God. You cannot do that outside the Bible, right? Because the Bible clearly teaches us about who God is.

So, if you want to see Jesus, open your Bible. If you want to hear Jesus, open your Bible. Because that's how you will see Him, and that's how He speaks to you.

Through the living and abiding word of God. This is not a dead word. It is a living word.

It's alive. It's the very breath of God. God has breathed these words into existence.

And we take that wholeheartedly as we understand and embrace all that God has said. So let me take you on a journey. A journey that would enlighten you, encourage you, because it's an enormous journey about the character and nature of God.

So, number one, know this. God the Father has one Son, the only begotten Son. And He gave Him a name.

In Matthew chapter 1, He says, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins. The name Jesus, Yeshua, used 909 times in the New Testament. Over 500 of those times in the Gospels alone.

It's the name that we know Him best, Jesus. Yeshua, meaning Jehovah is Savior. Why is that important? Why did God say, you shall call His name Yeshua, for He will save His people from His sins? Well, that's very easy to understand when you realize that we said last week, that way back in the book of Exodus, He said, I am that I am.

And that I am, those four Hebrew consonants that make up the name of God, translated in the Greek Septuagint as ego eimi, that phrase, I am, is the memorial name of God, Exodus 3:15. That's to be remembered from generation to generation. In other words, all throughout the millennia, there was one name you ought to remember.

It is the name ego eimi, I am. Or in Hebrew, it's pronounced Yahweh. And we as Gentiles, we put some vowels in there, and we say Jehovah.

But the correct pronunciation in the Hebrew would be Yahweh. And in the Greek text, it's ego eimi, it's I am. So when the Lord names His Son, when God the Father names His Son, He named Him Jesus, because that is the memorial name of God.

He is a deliverer. He is a rescuer. He is a Savior.

And so when He names His Son, it's in reference to Jehovah is Savior. Jehovah is salvation. That's what Yeshua means.

And so, number one, there is pardon in His name. Forgiveness only comes one way, through the name of Jesus. For there is no other name in heaven given among men whereby you must be saved, Acts 4, verse number 12. It is the name of Jesus.

Acts chapter 2, verse number 38. Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins. You're baptized in accordance with His name, because forgiveness only comes through the name of Christ. Christ Jesus our Lord, He is the Savior. There is pardon in His name.

So the question comes to us, has pardon been received on your behalf? Have you received the forgiveness of sins? Have you been set free from the bondage of Satan? Because Jesus is the forgiver of man. That's why on the cross, He said, Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing. Has pardon been received? Let me tell you how you know pardon has been received.

And that's point number two. Peace has been restored, because there is peace in His name. There is pardon in His name, because He is the forgiver of man, and there is peace in His name, because He is called in Isaiah 9:6, the Prince of Peace.

Gideon called Him Yahweh Shalom in Judges chapter 6, when God told Him He had nothing to fear, but that the God of peace would protect Him. And so He erected an altar and called it Yahweh Shalom, the God of peace is going to restore us. Has peace been restored? Because before you were saved, you were a son of wrath, a son of disobedience.

You were dead in your trespasses and sin. James 4:4 says you're at enmity with God, right? And whoever is a friend of the world is an enemy of God. And if you're a friend of the world, you're at odds with God.

But when you receive the forgiveness of sins, when you receive His pardon, then His peace is restored, because now you are reconciled to God. You are no longer His enemy. You are no longer a child of wrath. You're no longer a son of disobedience. You now become a child of God. You are a son of obedience, because you're a child of the King.

Peace has been restored. Remember in Luke chapter 2, verse number 14, you know the words, the Christmas story, glory to God of the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased. Peace among men with whom He is pleased.

Does that mean we have to live to please God? So that we have His peace? No, you can't do that, because you're an enemy of God. What does that mean? Well, the Bible always interprets the Bible, right? Whenever you want to interpret a verse, the Bible will interpret it for you, because the Bible interprets itself. Psalm 147, verse number 10.

He does not delight in the strength of the horse. He does not take pleasure in the legs of a man. The Lord is pleased with those who fear Him, those who wait for His lovingkindness.

So when the angel said, glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, it doesn't mean that all of a sudden the world's going to be enveloped with peace. Peace among those with whom He is pleased. Well, with whom is God pleased? Those who fear His name. Psalm 130, verse number 4. There's forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared.

Only the forgiven fear. The unforgiven do not fear. They have no fear of God before their eyes. Romans chapter 3 tells us that. But the believer is the one who fears.

So he is saying that those who fear me have peace because they've been forgiven of their sins. So let me ask you a question again. How do you know pardon has been received? Because peace has been restored.

You are at peace with God. And when you're at peace with God, it's because you're a child of God. There's no more conflict between you and your king, between you and your God, because you've been saved from your sins.

You've been clothed in His righteousness. And that is the beauty of salvation. Notice what it says in the book of Isaiah.

Isaiah 8, verse number 13. It is the Lord of hosts whom you should regard as holy. He shall be your fear. He shall be your dread. Then He shall become a sanctuary. What is a sanctuary? It's a place of refuge. It's a place of peace. The only time God becomes your sanctuary is when you fear His name and dread His name. But you can only do that if pardon has been received.

So pardon has been received because that's His name, Yeshua, a saving God. Peace has been restored because He is a God of peace, Yahweh Shalom, the Prince of peace, the Lord, our peace. So let me ask you again, has pardon been received? If it has, peace has been restored.

Well, how do you know peace has been restored? I'm glad you asked. Power is reproduced. That's how you know.

Power is reproduced. Psalm 62:11 says that power belongs to God. Power belongs to God.

In the Old Testament, He is called El Shaddai, God Almighty. He is called El Gabor, Isaiah 9:6, the Mighty God. In the New Testament, He's called the Pantocrator, used 10 times in the New Testament, nine times in the book of Revelation alone.

He is the Pantocrator, the Almighty. He is the Mighty God. He is God Almighty.

Power belongs to God. And if peace has been restored because pardon has been received, then power will be reproduced in the child of the living God because we walk in the spirit of that power. 2 Timothy 1:7, God has given us the spirit of power, right? In Acts 1, Christ said, when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you shall receive power.

See that? Power is reproduced to those with whom peace has been restored. And that comes because pardon has been received so clearly outlined in Scripture, illustrated in 1 Samuel chapter 17, in that very familiar story of David and Goliath. When David was the one who would go to war against the enemy of God, when everybody else was afraid, there was no fear of man in David's eyes because he only feared God.

Because when you fear God, you never fear man. If you're fearing man, it's because you don't fear God. But when you fear God, you never fear man.

And here's David, a 16-year-old boy, going against Goliath. Listen to what he says. Verse 45, 1 Samuel 17, David said to the Philistine, you come to me with a sword and a spear and a javelin, but I come to you in the name, in the name of the Lord of hosts.

I come to you in the name of the Lord of armies, Yahweh Sabaoth. I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel whom you have taunted. This day the Lord will deliver you up into my hands and I will strike you down and remove your head from you.

Wow, what a statement. That's exactly what happened. Why? Because of the power of the living God.

He goes to battle in the name of the Lord of armies. That is where the power is. It's not in us.

It's in God alone. In fact, the Bible says these words in Isaiah chapter 51. He says, for I am the Lord your God who stirs up the sea and its waves roar.

The Lord of hosts is His name. The Lord of hosts, the name of God is the one who stirs up the seas. Over in Jeremiah chapter 31, he says, thus says the Lord who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar.

The Lord of hosts is His name. He is the Lord of armies. He is the one who gives you the power to accomplish all that you need to accomplish.

That phrase, Yahweh Sabaoth, is used 24 times in four chapters of the book of Malachi. That name, Yahweh Sabaoth, is the last name given in the Old Testament. Malachi chapter 4, verse 1. For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, and all the arrogant and every evil doer will be chaffed, and the day that is coming will set them ablaze, says Yahweh Sabaoth, the Lord of armies, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch, but for you who fear my name.

What name? The Lord of armies, the son of righteousness, which is a title for the Messiah, will rise with healing in its wings, and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall. You will tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing, says the Lord of armies, Yahweh Sabaoth. And that's the last name of God in the Old Testament, because Israel needs to remember the God of power, the God of armies, the God of strength, the Almighty God.

That's who He is, see? And so how do you know pardon's been received, peace has been restored? Well, how do you know peace has been restored? Power is reproduced. When power is reproduced, number four, protection. Protection is always revealed, always, because He is the God who protects.

That's His name. That's who He is. The name of the Lord, Proverbs 18, is a strong tower, and the righteous run to it and are safe.

They're protected. The name of the Lord is a strong tower. If you run to that as a righteous person, you're protected, you're safe.

You've been to a tower. What do you do? You climb towers. When you climb a tower, you can see all around you, right? And the righteous run to the name of the strong tower, and they're able to see everything from a different perspective, because they see it from the tower of God's perspective.

And all of a sudden, they are seeing how protected they are from those who come against Him, because there's protection in His name. Psalm 91, He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. Verse 14 of Psalm 91, I will say to the Lord, my refuge, my fortress, because He has loved me.

Therefore, I will deliver Him. I will set Him securely on high, because He has known my name. I will hide you in the shadows of my wings.

I will let you climb the strong tower, because you trust in my name, because you believe in my name, because you run to me for protection. I will watch over you. I will guide you.

I will be your God. Remember, in Exodus chapter 17, Israel's very first battle. Now, remember there are two million of them, but they are not trained for warfare.

They're not soldiers. They're not warriors. They're Jewish peasants, but they got to go to war against the Amalekites.

And so, Joshua mentioned the first time in Exodus chapter 17 is going to lead them into battle in that chapter against the Amalekites. As he leads them into battle, Moses is on top of the hill with Aaron and Hur, and he raises his rod, the rod of God it's called. Moses would use that when he split the rock.

Moses would use that when he divided the Red Sea. The rod was a symbol of the power and protection of God among his people. And so, he would raise that rod, and as he raised that rod into God, Israel would prevail.

But when he began to lower the rod, the Amalekites prevailed. And so, Aaron and Hur came alongside of him to help hold up the rod so that Israel would prevail. And as they lifted up their hands in prayer to God, it was always that way because God wanted to know that they were going to win the battle because of his protection and because of his power and not on their own, because they didn't know anything about swords and shields and all the kind of things that make a warrior a warrior.

They weren't trained for battle. They needed the power of God to walk them through the most severest test yet in the land of Canaan. They were going to war.

And they prevailed, and God said, I will blot out the Amalekites. And so, Moses built an altar. He built the altar, and he called that place Yahweh-Nisi, the Lord is my banner.

When you go to war, you fight under the banner of a flag, under the banner of a nation. Israel was fighting under the banner of God, their protector. The Yahweh-Nisi is a word that speaks of God as protector and victorious warrior.

Their victory was because of God. And so, we named that place Yahweh-Nisi because the Lord is our banner. When we go to war, we go to war under the banner of the Lord God of Israel, the Lord of armies, the Lord of hosts, the Almighty God.

He is our protector. Listen to what it says over in Psalm 20. Psalm 20, verse number 1, May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble.

May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high. What is the name of the God of Jacob? May the character of the God of Jacob, may the attributes of the God of Jacob securely set you on high. May He send you help from the sanctuary and support from Zion.

May He remember all your meal offerings and find your burnt offering acceptable. May He grant you your heart's desire and fulfill all your purpose. We will sing for joy over your victory, over your victory.

And in the name of our God, we will set up our banners. We will set up our flag. We will set up that which we fight under.

And that is the power and presence of Almighty God. And it goes on to say these words, May the Lord fulfill all your petitions. Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed.

He will answer him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand. And then we come to those very familiar verses. If you've been there any length of time, you know that 40 years ago next month, I stood up at our reception at Laurie and I's wedding.

And I quoted Psalm 20, verse number 7 and verse number 8, because that was our life verse for our marriage. And it's been our verse ever since. Some, some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we will trust in the name of the Lord, our God.

They shall be brought down and fall, but we shall rise up and stand firm. What, what great verses. Laurie and I decided that would be our life verse for our marriage.

We're not going to trust in, in man's strength. We're going to trust in the name of the Lord, our God. We're going to depend on the, on the name of the Lord, our God, the character and attributes of who God is, because He is the protector of man.

He's the one who provides all the power for man. Listen to this. Psalm 60, verse 4, you have given a banner to those who fear you.

Lord, you have, you have given protection, victory to those who fear you. You are, you are Yahweh Nisi, the Lord, our banner. And you, Lord, have given a banner to those who fear you that it may be displayed because of the truth.

In other words, it's displayed because of your promises, because you are faithful, because you keep your word. We fly under the banner. We fight under the banner.

We walk under the banner of the victory of Christ, the great protector of man. Yahweh Sabaoth, the Lord of armies. Yahweh Nisi, the Lord, our banner.

Yahweh Shalom, the God, our, our peace. That's how we live our lives, because we believe in His name. That's His name.

Verse 5 of Psalm 60, that your beloved may be delivered, save with your right hand and answer us. Wow. Save with your right hand and answer us, because we believe in your name.

Do you? Do you believe in His name? Because pardon is received in His name. Peace is restored in His name. Power is reproduced in His name.

Protection is revealed in His name. And all that because His presence is recognized in His name. His presence is recognized in His name.

Amen. The Bible says in Isaiah chapter 7, you shall call His name Emmanuel, which translated means God with us, speaking of the presence of Almighty God. Now, remember, in the book of Ezekiel, Ezekiel was prophesying during the Babylonian captivity, helping Israel to understand their future and what was going to happen in their lives in the future, trying to encourage the nation.

And at the very last chapter, in the very last verse, in the book of Ezekiel, He gives us the name of His God. And it's the only time it's mentioned in the Old Testament, like Yahweh Nisi, only time it's mentioned, Exodus chapter 17. Yahweh Shema is mentioned only once, Ezekiel chapter 48, verse number 35.

The name of the city, the new city, the new Jerusalem, the name of that city shall be called Yahweh Shema. The Lord is near. Near.

Speaking of the presence of God, remember, Ezekiel watched the glory of the Lord depart from the nation. He sat and watched the glory of the Lord leave the temple, go out through the Eastern gate, cross over the Kidron Valley, rise up over the Mount of Olives, and out into the Judean wilderness. He saw the glory of the Lord depart.

What's the glory of the Lord? It's the presence of God manifested in brilliant light. In 2 Chronicles, when Solomon dedicated the temple, the glory of the Lord came down and filled the temple, signifying that the presence of God was there upon Mount Zion in Jerusalem. The presence of God was there.

God is there. The Lord is there. But because of Israel's rebellion against God and dishonoring God, the glory of the Lord, the presence of God, the manifestation of God's presence departed from the nation of Israel until the glory of the Lord shone all around those shepherds.

And they said, what? Glory to God in the highest. God's glory had returned. God's presence had returned.

You call His name Emmanuel because God is going to be with you. He's back. All you got to do is recognize Him.

All you got to do is understand who He is. He's back. And the glory of the Lord will shine all around them.

In John's gospel, in John chapter 1, and we beheld His glory. We beheld the presence of God manifested in brilliant light, full of grace and truth. We beheld His glory.

The glory is that of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. In other words, God is there. God is with us.

God is here. All you have to do is recognize Him. And they did not.

They did not recognize His name. Ultimately, when the Lord returns, the very end in Revelation 21, it says, Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there was no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men. The dwelling of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them. The final fulfillment of Yahweh's Shema is in Revelation 21, with the new heaven and the new earth, and God will be there.

God will be among them. He will dwell among them. But in the incarnation, He came simply to be recognized as the Lord who is there.

But they did not recognize Him. Therefore, they did not receive Him. And I wonder if you recognized His presence, the glory and beauty of God Himself.

The Lord said in Hebrews 13, I will never leave you, nor will I ever forsake you. When pardon is received and peace is restored, His presence is always recognized because the Lord is there. I will never leave you, nor will I ever forsake you.

In Matthew 28, He said, Lo, I am with you even to the end of the age. Not only am I with you, I dwell in you. Right? I will walk among my people, 2 Chronicles, 2 Corinthians chapter 6, and I will dwell among them.

Literally, I will be in them, Christ in you, the hope of glory. The Lord is there. The presence of God is recognized when pardon is received and peace is restored, power is reproduced, and protection, protection is completely and totally realized because His presence is recognized.

There is presence in His name. There is protection in His name. There is power in His name.

There is peace in His name. There is pardon in His name. And you ready for this? We've only just begun.

The topic is enormous, but I ask you, have you received Him? But as many as received Him, to as many as embraced Him, to as many as acknowledged Him, to as many as recognized Him, to as many as believed in His name, that He is the one who forgives, He is the one who restores the peace that was no longer there, the one who gives me all the power needed to honor and glorify His name, who protects me day in day, day in and day out, and His presence is always with me, to them that believe in that name, to them gave me the right, the honor to become the children of God. And I wonder if you're a child of God this morning. I wonder if you received Him, if you believe in His name.

Let it be my prayer that nobody would leave today not knowing for certain that you are a child of the living God because you truly believe in His name, because those who truly, truly trust Him totally turn from the world and embrace Him as Lord and Savior. Let's pray.

Father God, we thank You for today.

We are grateful for Your Word because that's the only way we'll ever see You. And when we behold You for who You are, oh Lord, it's all consuming, it's overwhelming, it goes beyond anything that we can ever comprehend. But Lord, Your beauty reigns supreme.

And may everyone in the room today know what it means to have received You and believed in Your name because that's the invitation You've given. May we respond appropriately for You are coming again sooner than we ever expect. In Jesus' name, Amen.