What's in a name?

This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:11-12

Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:10-11

The name of someone, in the biblical sense, was what the person stood for, the substance of their character, or their authority.  For instance, in Exodus 34:6-7, "The LORD God, compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving kindness and truth, who keeps loving kindness for a thousand"  testifies to the name, or nature, or power, or substance of The LORD God. The name of Jesus is His authority and character revealed in Who He Is, the Lamb of God who through His death destroyed the sins of the world, and through His resurrection gave new life in Him. Past tense gave. The New Life is now.  His kingdom has arrived.

And the Pharisees, the men desperate to cling onto the old life, the life of the law and works and self, understood that this Jesus of Nazareth, whom they had crucified, had destroyed their systems and scaffolds and structures.  And they were filled with fear.

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

And the disciples of Jesus, those friends of His who walked in His footsteps, prayed for boldness: And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak Your word with all boldness, while You stretch out Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.

So what would it look like if I lived “beyond the mind,” in a state of repentance and forgiveness throughout the day?  As I interacted with the “they” of life. For they know not what they do, they in the stoplight, supermarket, bumper sticker, newsclip world in which I live.  

And as I speak His word this day, may I too be a faithful witness to the ends of the earth of proclaiming repentance and forgiveness of sins with my deeds and with my mouth.  That the fruits will spring forth from living His mercy as He is merciful and His love as He is love, bubbling out of my innermost man, stretching out my hand to heal in the name of the Holy Servant Jesus.