Your Invitation, Part 5

Take your Bible with me and turn to John chapter 1. John chapter 1, verse number 12. The prophet Daniel said in Daniel 11, verse number 32, that those who know their God will display strength and do great exploits, or do great things for God.

Those who know their God will display strength and do great exploits for God. Today there are a lot of people who know about God, but there are very few people who really truly know God. There is a huge, huge difference.

The people in Israel, they knew about God, but they really didn't know their God. Today in churches across our country, the same is true. Why is that? A.W. Tozer said well over 60 years ago, 70 years ago probably now, these words about today's modern church.

He said one of the marks of our modern time is that many are guilty of merely nibbling at the truth of the Christian gospel. I wonder if you realize that in many ways the preaching of the word of God is being pulled down to the level of the ignorant and spiritually obtuse. That we must tell stories and jokes and entertain and amuse in order to have a few people in the audience.

We do these things that we may have some reputation that there may be money in the treasury to meet the church bills. In many churches, Christianity has been watered down until the solution is so weak that if it were poison, it would not hurt anyone. And if it were medicine, it would not cure anyone.

What a statement. Here's a man who was a prophet before his time, and I wonder if he lived today what he would say. Let me read it to you again.

In many churches, Christianity has been watered down until the solution is so weak that if it were poison, it would not hurt anyone. And if it were medicine, it would not cure anyone. Think about that.

That's what the majority of people around the country hear every Sunday. Something that won't help them because it's such a anemic gospel. It's not the true gospel.

And so in John chapter 1, John offers an invitation based on the reality of the Messiah and who he is. And he begins in verse 9 with a revelation, then he moves to verse number 10 and 11 about a rejection of that revelation. And then he gives that beautiful reception in verse 12.

But as many as received him, to them he gave the right, to them he gave the honor, to them he gave the power to become the children of God, even to them that believe in his name. To receive him is to believe in him. The question is, what are you believing in? Hebrews 11:6 says that he who comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.

They must believe that he is what? They must believe in his name. They must believe in his character. They must believe in his nature.

They must believe in his attributes. They must believe in the true and living God. And so last week we began to tell you what does it mean to believe in his name? And we told you there was pardon in his name because his name is Yeshua, Matthew 1:21.

You should call his name Yeshua for he will save his people from their sins. He's a saving God. So there is pardon in his name.

There's forgiveness that comes through the name of Christ. For there is no other name in heaven given among men whereby you must be saved. And then we said that there was peace in his name because he's called the Prince of Peace.

In Judges chapter 6, he's called Yahweh Shalom, the Lord our peace. So to believe in him means to believe that there is peace in his name because you've been reconciled to God. You're no longer an enemy of God.

So there's pardon in his name. There is peace in his name. There is power in his name because he's called Yahweh Sabaoth, the Lord of Armies.

And God himself is the one who holds all the power because Psalm 62:11 says power belongs to God. And so he is the Lord of Armies. There is power in his name.

And then we said there's protection in his name because he's Yahweh Nisi, the Lord my victory, the Lord my banner. And so we live under the banner of the Lord of Hosts, the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel. He's our protector. In the shadow of his wings, there is refuge.

So there's pardon in his name. There's peace in his name, power in his name, protection in his name.

There is presence in his name because he is called Yahweh Shema, the Lord is there. He's always there. He's always there.

What a beautiful, beautiful understanding of our God. In other words, he's never not present. He's always present in your life.

I will never leave you nor will I ever forsake you. He is always there. He is a God who is there.

And that was all last week. But there is so much more to understand about what it means to believe in his name. Because, as we said during our communion time, there is provision in his name.

Genesis chapter 22, right? The Lord, Yahweh Yireh, the Lord who provides. Why is there provision in his name? Because there's vision in his name. There's perception in his name.

Why? Because he sees everything. In fact, in Genesis chapter 16, he's called El Roi, the God who sees. Wow.

That was given by Hagar, a pagan Gentile, who named the well where the pre-incarnate Christ came to her, the well of the living God who sees me. Beir Hala Roi. Because he's El Roi, the God who sees.

The reason he provides is because he sees, he knows. He can see your need before it ever comes into your life. Well, what a comforting thing.

He sees the need and provides for the need at just the right time because he's Yahweh Yireh. He knows the need before it ever erupts in your family, your workplace. So whatever the need is, he sees it.

He sees you in your loneliness. He sees you in your crisis. He sees you in your pain.

He sees you in every circumstance. And has already begun to provide. He's already seen the need.

That's why the Bible says the Lord knows what you need before you even ask him. How does he know that? Because he's the God who sees. He's Yahweh Yireh.

And the God who sees provides because he knows what his children need. So in advance, he already has the need met in the eternal plan of the living God. And we get all flustered because we think that God doesn't see us in our point of need, but he does.

He is Yahweh Yireh. He provides for me because there is provision in his name, or you can say there is perception in his name. If that's the case, then there is a need.

There is, if you're following along, number seven, there is praise in his name. There is praise in his name. Listen, if there's pardon in his name, he forgives me all my sins.

And then there is peace in his name. I'm no longer an enemy with him, I'm at peace with God. And there's power and protection in his name.

There's presence in his name. There's provision in his name. Then the next thing is there's gonna be praise in his name.

I'm gonna offer all kinds of praise to him for all that he's done. Psalm 34, oh magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together. What name? His name.

Whether it's Yahweh Yireh, whether it's Yahweh Sabaoth, whether it's Yahweh Shema, no matter what his name is, you give praise to his name. Listen to what the Bible says in Psalm 61. I will sing praise to your name forever.

Wow. How about Psalm 63, verse 3? Because your loving kindness is better than life, my lips will praise you, so I will bless you as long as I live. I will lift up my hands in your name. My soul is satisfied as with morrow and fatness and my mouth offers praises with joyful lips. Verse 7, for you have been my help and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy. My soul clings to you, your right hand upholds me.

I will give praise to your name. I will give thanks to your name because in your name there is provision. In your name there is protection.

In your name there is pardon. In your name there is peace. In your name there is provision.

Why wouldn't I give praise to your name? Then you have over in Isaiah chapter 13, excuse me, Isaiah chapter 12, where it says in verse number 4, in that day you will say, give thanks to the Lord, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, make them remember that his name is exalted. And then over in Isaiah chapter 25, verse number 1, oh Lord, you are my God, I would exalt you, I will give thanks to your name for you have worked wonders, plans formed long ago with perfect faithfulness. I will give praise to your name because there have been plans formed long ago that I have no idea about that they are coming to fruition in my day and in future days I'm going to praise your name.

God knows everything because he sees everything. He is a God who is there. You can't help but give thanks to his name.

There is praise in his name. Name. Number eight, there is preeminence in his name.

Preeminence in his name. For the Bible says in Philippians chapter 2, verse number 9, therefore also God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him a name which is above every name, that the name of Yeshua, every knee shall bow of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Every knee will bow, every knee will confess that Yeshua is the king.

Do you remember the scenario on the Mount of Olives? On the eve of the crucifixion? After the Lord's table and after Christ has spent that whole evening with his men and when we get to John 13 through John 17, we'll dissect that whole evening together for you to show you exactly what took place on the eve of the crucifixion. And they sang a hymn and they left the place they were, crossed over the Kidron Brook which was flowing already with the blood of lambs, very important, they would cross that brook and they would ascend up the Mount of Olives. And there our Lord would pray and he would beseech his men to pray, pray lest you enter into temptation.

They had a hard time doing that, they kept falling asleep. But then they could see coming from the eastern gate, the temple police, the Pharisees, the soldiers coming to arrest the Messiah. And they came with torches looking for the light of life.

They came with swords to fight against Yahweh Sabaoth, the Lord of Armies, but they came thinking there'd be a battle, thinking they'd have to search for him on the Mount of Olives, but instead, Jesus met them. He went to them.

You gotta love that about our Lord. He doesn't wait for you to come to him, he goes to you, right? And so he goes to them and he asked them, whom do you seek? They respond by saying, Jesus of Nazarene. A term of derision for no good thing ever comes out of Nazareth. And Jesus responds simply by saying, I am.

I am. And all of them, all 600 of the temple police, all the Pharisees and Sadducees that were there, numbering somewhere between 800 and maybe 1,000 people, all fell over backwards simply because he said, I am. That's just an incredible thing.

But what's more incredible is that he got back up again without any reservation. So Christ says, let me repeat my question. Whom do you seek? Who are you looking for? Because Jesus of Nazarene is the great I Am of the book of Exodus, chapter 3.

And John goes into great detail talking to us about the great I Am. There's preeminence in his name. Nobody can stand in his presence.

Nobody can come against the King of kings and Lord of lords because he's preeminent. In his name, there is power. In his name, there is protection.

In his name, there is provision. In his name, there is perception. In his name, there is praise and pardon and peace.

But in his name, there is preeminence because he reigns and rules over all because he's King of kings. He's Lord of lords. He is the great almighty King of the Old Testament and New Testament and coming King.

So he is. There is preeminence in his name. Next, note this.

There is passion in his name. Passion in his name. Isaiah 26, verse number 8.

Thy name, O Lord. Thy memory is the passion of our souls. What a statement.

Thy name, even the memory of thy name is the desire and passion of our souls. I wonder if he's that for you today. I wonder if he's your passion, if he's your desire.

The prophet Isaiah would make it very clear that the memory of the name of God is so powerful, so preeminent that it drives his desires and passions. If you have another passion other than the name of Jesus, listen carefully, heaven will be a disappointment to you. If you have another passion other than the passion of Christ and his name, when you get to heaven, you'll be disappointed because you're looking for something else that's not there because everything that's fulfilling your passions and desires today is on earth.

It's temporary. It's non-fulfilling. Oh, temporarily, it will give you some form of excitement and drive, but when you get to heaven, it won't be there.

Why? Because in heaven, it's the king. It's the Lord of glory, and there's passion in his name. You're always passionate about the one who's preeminent.

Why? Because he's the all-powerful God that protects your life. That has given you peace and pardon. That allows you to be provided for because he's already seen your need.

He is the God who is present with you always, even to the end of the age. He's your passion. Your name, oh Lord, even thy memory is the passion of our souls.

I wonder this morning if that's your passion. I wonder this morning that there's something else that's diminished the view of God and who he is in your life. He who comes to God must believe that he is.

He is what? He's everything his name says he is. Next. Next.

There is purity in his name. There is purity in his name. Isaiah chapter 57 says these words.

Verse 15, for thus says the high and exalted one, the preeminent one, who lives forever, the eternal one, whose name is holy, I dwell in a high and holy place and also with the contrite and lowliest spirit in order to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. Holy is his name. Earlier in Isaiah 6, in Isaiah 5, Isaiah understands the dilemma in the nation of Israel.

What has happened to a nation that has despised the word of the Lord? That has rejected the law of the Lord. It says in verse number 24 of Isaiah 5, therefore as a tongue of fire consumes stubble and dry grass collapses into the flame, so their root will become like rot and their blossom blow away as dust. This is Israel.

For they have rejected the law of the Lord of hosts and despise the word of the Holy One of Israel. Why did Israel go into Babylonian captivity? Because they despise the word of the Holy One. They rejected the law of the Lord.

So it says in Isaiah six, verse number one, in the year of King Uzziah's death, Uzziah reigned for 52 years in Israel, he was a pretty good king until he decided to offer sacrifices himself in the place of a priest and God had to deal with him. But he reigned for 52 years. So Isaiah's thinking, okay, who's in charge? The king is dead, says in the year of King Uzziah's death, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted.

He had a vision, a vision of the Lord himself on the throne. God gives him the vision because he wants Isaiah to know, listen, no matter what happens in Israel, I'm still in charge, I'm still on the throne, I've never stepped off for even a moment, I am still the king of kings, I am still the Lord of lords, I still am the sovereign ruler of the universe, I'm still on my throne, I'm the king. Isaiah needed to see that.

And it says in the train of his robe, filling the temple, seraphim stood above him, each having six wings, with two he covered his face and with two he covered his feet and with two he flew and one called out to another and said, holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory.

Holy, holy, holy, only attribute of God given repetition in the Bible, he's never said to be love, love, love or grace, grace, grace or mercy, mercy, mercy. He's only said to be holy, holy, holy.

He is so pure, there is purity in his name, holy is his name. And the foundation of the threshold trembled at the voice of him who called out while the temple was filling with smoke, then I said, woe is me for I am ruined because I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips. For my eyes have seen the king, the Lord of hosts.

Yahweh Sabaoth is a pure and holy king of kings. Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand which he had taken from the altar with tongs, he touched my mouth with it and said, behold, this has touched your lips and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven. Oh, there is power in his name, he's the Lord of hosts.

There is pardon in his name because he forgives. There is purity in his name because he is the holy, holy, holy Lord of the universe whom we worship, whom we praise, whom we honor. Two more, there is purpose in his name.

There is purpose in his name. In other words, there is a purpose. And that purpose is spelled out for us in the book of Isaiah, I'm sorry, in, yes, Isaiah 18.

Isaiah 18 speaking of the end, specifically of Ethiopia, but one day all the nations will do likewise. At that time, a gift of homage will be brought to the Lord of hosts, Yahweh Sabaoth, the Lord of armies. From a people tall and smooth, even from a people feared far and wide.

A powerful and oppressive nation whose land, the rivers divide to the place of the name. To the place of the name of the Lord of hosts, even Mount Zion. There is purpose in the name.

God has always sought true worshipers, those who worship him in spirit and in truth. Zechariah chapter 14 tells us that every nation will come, every tribe will come, every people will come to Jerusalem to worship the king. All will come because there's purpose in his name.

Why, because there's a place. It's called the place of the name. Listen to 2 Kings 21.

In Jerusalem, I will put my name. 2 Chronicles 33, his name is in Jerusalem forever. 1 Kings 11, Jerusalem, I have chosen for myself to put my name.

Ezra chapter 6, verse number 12. God caused his name to dwell in Jerusalem. Do you get the repetition that's there? It's very important to understand that.

It's called the place of the name. Why, because there's purpose behind the name and that purpose is to worship the king and to come to the place of the name. So because you're here, you will see what those who are not here cannot see.

So if I can put the picture on the overhead and turn the lights off here in the middle so people can see, I wanna show you something. This place right here is Mount Zion, the place of the name. First mentioned in 2 Samuel chapter 5 when David would take the stronghold of Zion.

When he took the stronghold of Zion from the Jebusites, he named it the city of David, very important. The city of David. So this became the city of David.

Because the throne was there, there was authority. Because the throne was there, there was royalty. But David would bring the ark to Jerusalem to the city of peace, the city of the great king, Mount Zion, he'd bring it there.

And so therefore it became a place not just of authority and royalty, it became a place of glory and beauty because the Lord would dwell in the tabernacle. Soon to be built by Solomon on Mount Moriah, which would be right here, because it all encompasses the same mountain range. This is Moriah, all this became Moriah for Mount Zion is Mount Moriah.

They're one and the same. Zion is mentioned 154 times in the Old Testament. It becomes a very prominent theme of understanding Israel and the Lord God of Israel and all that he means.

So when David would bring the ark to Jerusalem, what you have is this whole area here being Mount Zion, the city of David, a place of glory, a place of beauty, a place of authority, a place of royalty. This is the place of the name. Now notice, there are three valleys that surround Mount Zion, Mount Moriah.

You have the Kidron Valley, you have the Central Valley, and you have the Hinnom Valley. See those valleys? They all form a Hebrew letter, which is called the 21st letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the shin, which symbolizes Shaddai. Almighty.

You notice that on a mezuzah, when you go into a Jewish home, the shin is on the mezuzah of a Jewish home because it's the Almighty God, the one with all authority that protects them. And so they would rub their hand over the mezuzah when they enter the doorway. It's on every doorpost in a home except the doors of a small closet and the doors to the bathroom.

But every other door has a mezuzah on it. And on that mezuzah is this shin, which is right here, which this is the land of Israel. This is how it's formed.

God says it's the place of the name. Whose name? My name. What's my name? El Shaddai, the Almighty God.

And he literally placed his name on Mount Moriah. The place that, as we saw earlier, was foreseen by God, Mount Moriah, where Abraham would offer a sacrifice, Isaac, in the place of substitution because you see, Calvary is just right over here. And Calvary was a part of Mount Moriah, the place foreseen by God.

And there, there was a substitution made. This is the place of the name. And the whole purpose behind that is that one day everyone will stream to Jerusalem.

Everyone will come to that place and they will worship the king at the place of the name. But let me give you one more, just to kind of bring it all together for you. See this valley right here? This is called the Kidron Valley.

It's also called the Valley of Decision. It's also called the Valley of Jehoshaphat. Has three names.

But very important. When the Lord returns, we know where he's going to return. That's a whole different sermon for a whole different time.

But he will make his way through the Judean wilderness to a place called the Mount of Olives, which is right here. He will stand on the Mount of Olives and it will split. And this little section right here, this little area, Mount Moriah, will rise above all the other mountains surrounding the city.

It will rise to the highest place, the place of the name. And in this valley right here, the Valley of Decision, there will be a judgment. Joel chapter 3, Matthew chapter 25.

It's called the Sheep-Goat Judgment. And there, there will be a judgment for all those people who rejected the Messiah. He'll put the sheep on one side, the goats on the other.

The sheep will enter the kingdom and worship at the place of the name. But the goats will be cast into the sea. Into eternal judgment.

And there in the Valley of Decision, the Lord will make the decision. Because all the people in this valley that will be judged who did not decide to receive the invitation to embrace the name of the Messiah will be judged. And that's why the last part of our outline is important.

Because there is not just pardon in his name, not just peace in his name, not just power and protection and presence in his name, not just provision and perception and praise in his name, not just preeminence and passion and purpose in his name, not just purity in his name. There is punishment in his name. Let's know what the Bible says in the book of Exodus.

Exodus chapter 20, verse number 7. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. For the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes his name in vain.

To take his name in vain means to treat it as if it means nothing. It's meaningless, it's empty. There is not pardon or power or protection in his name.

There isn't preeminence in his name. There isn't passion in his name. There's not purity in his name.

We treat him as if he doesn't even matter. The Lord said from the very outset that if you take the name of the Lord in your vain, you treat it as if it means nothing. You will not go unpunished.

There will be a judgment for you. And that's why it's so important to respond to the invitation to as many as received him. To them he gave the right or the honor or the power to become children of God.

Even to those who believe in his name. What name? The name that we've described for you. And there's so much more I'll leave to your study to uncover more about the name of the Messiah.

Remember, he only has one name. Doesn't have many names. It's only one name.

And it manifests itself in different attributes. Because he only has one character. He only has one nature.

That's who he is. He's the God of the universe. He is El Elyon, the God most high.

The preeminent God of the universe. So as we go through John chapter 1, verses 9 to 13, you'll notice there's a revelation. After that revelation came a rejection.

After that rejection came a reception to as many as received him. To them he gave you the right to become the children of God. How does that happen? That's point number four.

And that is regeneration. And that's found in verse number 13 of John chapter 1. Where it says, who were born not of blood, nor the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God.

Those who received him, those who believed in him, did so not because of human design. Not because of human descent. Not because of human desire.

Those who received him, those who believed in him, did so because it was the will of God. In other words, regeneration is all about God. It's his work.

It's his doing. It's not our doing. It's all that God does.

That's why there's so much praise in his name. Because there's salvation in his name. There is forgiveness of sins in his name.

We are saved because of God. We're not saved because of anything that we have done. It's by the washing of regeneration. It's by the renewing of the spirit of God. It's not by works of righteousness which we have done. It's all a work of God.

And I wonder this morning if you've experienced the work of God in your life, that you've truly received him, that you truly believe in his name. Because if you do, it's a gift from God. To believe in him is a gift.

To receive him is a gift. To repent is a gift. To have faith to believe is a gift.

To be a recipient of the grace of God is a gift from God. It's all a gift from God. It's all the working of God.

And I wonder this morning if you've received the gift, if you've opened the gift, if you've embraced the gift, if you've seized the gift, because you truly believe in his name. Because if you do, God gets all the glory. It's because of him that you're born again.

It's because of him that you are saved. Don't leave this place. Without knowing for certain that you truly believe in his name.

Let's pray together. Father God, we thank you for today. The brief moment that you've given to us to study your word.

We are a blessed people. We thank you for what you've done and what you're going to do. Knowing that you're at work in and among us as your people.

And our prayer, Father, is that you would not leave anyone and not let anyone leave today who doesn't believe in your name. I pray that they would truly come to grips with the reality of who Christ is. And follow you as Lord and Savior.

For you are coming again. And we trust that in your coming, you will do what only you can do for the glory of your kingdom. In Jesus' name, amen.