In Jesus Christ, we find the only name, the true name, the name above all names, the name that holds everything within it, the name that has no beginning and no end, and the name that is both the beginning and the end.
O’Brien, the name my parents gave me, was taken from a character in a book and a song by a 1970s band called Bread. Every summer, I spent a few weeks under the scorching Texas sun at my grandparents’ house, and on the first day of my arrival, my dear grandfather would announce my arrival by playing the song ‘Aubrey’ on the gramophone.
He would turn up the volume, and as I entered, he would swing back and forth, singing to me: ‘And Aubrey was her name, a not so very ordinary girl or name. But who’s to blame?’
Even now, thinking of my grandfather in his red suspenders and neatly pressed blue jeans, standing by the gramophone, full of anticipation and excitement, waiting for the perfect moment to drop the needle on the record, brings a smile to my face.
It always felt like a double miracle – that my name was actually in a song, and that someone I loved knew that song.
I heard that song in my grandfather’s high-pitched voice and immediately knew I was welcomed, that I belonged, that I was not only loved but cherished. I still play that song on my own gramophone every time I miss him.
Read more : Who were the brothers of Jesus Christ according to the Bible?
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Our names can inspire us and allow us to be ourselves. (What does the name of Jesus Christ mean?)
In ancient times, a person’s name was synonymous with their reputation, and even today, our names in many ways determine our future. Perhaps you were named by your loving parents, who carefully flipped through baby books to find the perfect name for you.
Maybe you inherited a family or ancestral name—something strong and rooted with deep meaning. Our names have the potential to help us know where we belong and whether we belong at all.
Of course, we know this isn’t true for all birth names. Some of us have painful stories about our names—we feel hurt by our names because of rejection from our families, carrying with us a real or perceived sense of being unwanted. Maybe you don’t even know where your name came from. Perhaps it’s a remnant of parents you never knew, or your family never spoke about its meaning. Maybe you’ve had to change your name because of a painful or frightening life situation.
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Our names can be a badge of honor or a mark of heartbreak.
If you have a name that was given to you or a name you’ve clung to for reasons you no longer understand—my prayer is that the Spirit of God would gently but powerfully encourage you to leave that name behind.
The way to this is to know more—not about our own names—but about the loving name and work of Jesus Christ.
Ultimately, only God has the power to name every part of your being. The names He chooses for you express the definitive truth over all the other ways you or others have named you.
But the Bible also tells us something else—that the name of Jesus Christ is above every name. Jesus Christ, who is fully God, became fully human so that humanity could be fully restored.
In Jesus Christ, the messenger was the message; Jesus Christ—as fully human and fully divine without division, separation, confusion, or change—paved the way and is our path to reconciliation with the divine God.
In Jesus Christ, we find the only name, the true name, the name above all names, the name that holds everything within it, the name that has no beginning and no end, and the name that is both the beginning and the end.
While most names are declarations or statements of identity, the name of Jesus Christ is the only name that does something—it accomplishes many things.
In the name of Jesus, the principles and powers of Satan were destroyed, and death was vanquished (Psalm 110:1; Hebrews 2:14-15; 1 John 3:8).
In the name of Jesus, the innocent and unblemished Lamb of God bore the punishment and penalty that brought us peace, and ‘by His wounds, we are healed’ (Isaiah 53:5).
In the name of Jesus, we are set free (Mark 10:45).
In the name of Jesus, sins are forgiven (Luke 7:47-48).
In the name of Jesus, we have life (John 20:31).
In the name of Jesus, just as we all shared in Adam’s sin and its terrible consequences, so too do we share in Jesus’ death and victory (Romans 5:12-21).
In the name of Jesus, we are made new and reconciled to God, becoming ministers of reconciliation ourselves (2 Corinthians 5:17-21).
In the name of Jesus, we are united with God through the Spirit, and we can live like Him and have His mindset (Philippians 2:1-5).
In the name of Jesus, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that He alone is Lord (Philippians 2:9-11).
In the name of Jesus, we are made holy participants in the divine life (1 Peter 1:16).
In the name of Jesus, God’s love, as seen on the cross, compels us to love God and to love others (1 John 4:7-10).
In the name of Jesus, all things are made new (Revelation 21:5).
Do you see the incredible, mighty work of the name of Jesus Christ for yourself and for the world? Jesus paid the price. Jesus took your place. Jesus destroyed death. Jesus triumphed over Satan.
Jesus Christ frees you from personal and cosmic powers of sin. Jesus gives you life and shows you how to live. Jesus makes all things new. What a great salvation! What a name!
In the powerful name of Jesus, you have been brought from death to life. In the beloved name of Jesus Christ, you live under and in His grace.
In the holy name of Jesus Christ, you are an instrument of righteousness. In the victorious name of Jesus, you overcome the enemy, death. In the incomparable name of Jesus, you are made, loved, named, and known.”
(This passage is adapted from the book Known: How Believing What God Says About You Changes Everything by Aubrey Sampson, published by NavPress in 2019.)”
