The Names of Jesus (Part 7)

52. The Apostle (Heb 3:1). A. Apostle - I. A person sent. 1. a. (As in Gr.) One sent on an errand, a messenger. b. Applied in N. T. to Jesus Christ. 2. spec. (Now with capital initial.) The twelve witnesses whom Jesus Christ sent forth to preach his Gospel to the world; also the subsequently-commissioned Barnabas (Acts xiii. 2, xiv. 14), and Paul, the ‘Apostle of the Gentiles.’ B. As the definition states, Apostle means sent (Mat 10:2,5). C. Jesus was that messenger of the covenant (Mal 3:1) who was sent by God. i. Jesus was sent by God (Joh 5:24; Joh 6:29; Joh 8:29; Joh 17:3). ii. God sent forth His Son Jesus when the fullness of time had come (Gal 4:4). D. God sent Jesus at two different times. i. God sent the Word to be made flesh (Joh 1:1,14) when the Word came down from heaven (Joh 6:38). ii. God sent Jesus into the world to minister to it and redeem it when He began His earthly ministry (Gal 4:4 c/w Act 13:24). E. This name of Jesus shows us that He is the messenger whom God sent into the world to redeem it. 53. The Bridegroom (Mar 2:18-20). A. Bridegroom - 1. A man about to be married, or very recently married. b. fig. Said of Christ in his relation to the Church B. John the Baptist was Jesus' best man, so to speak (Joh 3:29). C. The church is Christ's bride (Eph 5:25-27; Rev 21:2, 9-10 c/w Heb 12:22-23). D. Christ's bride was chosen for Him and in Him by the Father (Eph 1:4). E. It was an arranged marriage. F. This name of Jesus shows us that He is the bridegroom and head of the church, His chosen bride whom He loves. 54. The Way, The Truth, and The Life (Joh 14:6). A. Jesus is the only way to God. i. Way n. - I. Road, path. 1. a. gen. A track prepared or available for travelling along; a road, street, lane, or path. III. Course of life or action, means, manner. 11. a. A path or course of life; the activities and fortunes of a person. ii. There is no other way to God but through Christ (Act 4:12; Jer 32:39). iii. There is only one road to God; there are many roads to hell. iv. If you don't have Christ, you don't have God (1Jo 2:23; Joh 8:19; Luk 10:16). v. The way to God is strait and narrow and few find it (Mat 7:13-14). vi. Strait - 3. a. Of a way, passage, or channel: So narrow as to make transit difficult. B. Jesus is the truth. i. Truth - II. 5. a. Conformity with fact; agreement with reality; accuracy, correctness, verity (of statement or thought). ii. Jesus is in conformity with fact and reality; He is the true God (1Jo 5:20). C. Jesus is the life. i. Life n. - I. The condition or attribute of living or being alive; animate existence. Opposed to death. 2. fig. Used to designate a condition of power, activity, or happiness, in contrast to a condition conceived hyperbolically or metaphorically as ‘death’. Chiefly in biblical and religious use: The condition of those who are raised from the ‘death of sin’ and are ‘alive unto righteousness’; the divinely implanted power or principle by which this condition is produced; also, the state of existence of the souls of the blessed departed, in contrast with that of the lost. ii. Jesus is eternal life (1Jo 1:2) Who gives eternal life (both soul and body) to His elect (Joh 10:28; Joh 5:28-29), without which no one can go to the Father in heaven (1Co 15:50-53). D. This name of Jesus shows us that He is the only way to get to God. 55. The Good Shepherd (Joh 10:11,14). A. Shepherd n. - 1. a. A man who guards, tends, and herds a flock of sheep (grazing at large); usually one so employed for hire; or one of a pastoral people who herds (his own) sheep, goats, etc. 2. fig. a. A spiritual guardian or pastor of a ‘flock’; = pastor b. In Biblical use, applied to God in relation to Israel or the Church; also to Christ (esp. with reference to John x. 12). B. Good adj. - II. With reference to moral character, disposition, or conduct. 5. Morally excellent or commendable. a. of persons, with reference to their general character: Virtuous. C. As a good shepherd, Jesus protects and gives His life for His sheep (Joh 10:10-15). D. Jesus gives eternal life to His sheep and eternally preserves them (Joh 10:27-29). E. This name of Jesus shows us that He protects, gives eternal life to, and eternally preserves His sheep. 56. The Chief Shepherd (1Pe 5:4). A. Chief adj. - 1. a. Of persons: That is formally the chief or head; standing at the head; taking the first place; = head- B. Jesus is the chief/head shepherd/pastor (see definition of shepherd above) of the church (Eph 5:23). C. He gives other lesser pastors to oversee His churches (Eph 4:11). i. The pastors are given to feed the flock in Christ's stead (Act 20:28; Jer 3:15). ii. They are the masters of assemblies which give wise words from the one Chief Shepherd (Ecc 12:11). D. This name of Jesus shows us that He is the chief/head shepherd/pastor of the church and He gives lesser pastors to feed His flock. 57. The Shepherd and Bishop of Our Souls (1Pe 2:25). A. Bishop n. - 1. A spiritual superintendent or overseer in the Christian Church...Also applied to Christ, as descriptive of his office. B. Like Jesus is the chief shepherd of the church, He is also the chief bishop or overseer of the church. C. Like a pastor, who is a bishop (1Pe 5:2), oversees and watches for the souls of the church (Heb 13:17), so Jesus oversees our souls (1Pe 2:25). D. This name of Jesus shows us that He is the bishop and overseer of the church. 58. King of the Jews (Mat 27:37). A. King n. - I. 1. a. The usual title of the male sovereign ruler of an independent state 4. Applied to God or Christ. Freq. in phr. King of heaven, of bliss, of glory, King of kings, etc. B. Jesus affirmed that He was the king of the Jews (Mat 27:11; Joh 18:37). i. His kingdom is not the natural and national kingdom of Israel though (Joh 18:36). ii. He is the king of the Jews in a spiritual sense. a. The true Jews are God's elect, the church, both Jew and Gentile (Gal 6:15-16; Rom 2:28-29). b. The church are the true Jews of whom Jesus is king (Eph 1:22). C. This name of Jesus shows us that He is the king of Israel, the church. 59. The Advocate (1Jo 2:1). A. Advocate n. - 1. One whose profession it is to plead the cause of any one in a court of justice; a counsellor or counsel. B. Jesus is our advocate and intercessor Who pleads to God on our behalf (Rom 8:34). C. Intercession n. - I. 1. The action of interceding or pleading on behalf of (rarely against) another; entreaty, solicitation, or prayer for another; mediation. D. Jesus ever lives to make intercession for us (Heb 7:25). E. This name of Jesus shows us that He pleads our cause and prays to God on our behalf. 60. The Amen (Rev 3:14). A. Amen n. - 1. The word Amen! at the end of a prayer, etc. 3. transf. Concluding word or act; conclusion. 4. Retained in the Bible from the original, as a title of Christ; = The faithful one. B. Jesus is the beginning and the ending, the first and the last (Rev 22:13). C. He is where our lives begin and the reason they shall never end. D. He is the end, the conclusion of all things. E. This name of Jesus shows us that He is the end, the conclusion of all things. III. Conclusion 1. Jesus goes by the following names: Jesus, Lord, The Almighty, I Am, Alpha and Omega, Beginning and the Ending, First and the Last, The Blessed and Only Potentate, King of kings and Lord of lords, Christ, Messiah, Master, Rabbi, Son of Man, The Root of David/Jesse, The Rod/Branch of Jesse, the Righteous Branch, The Vine, The Son of David, The Seed/Son of Abraham, The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Son of God, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, Emmanuel, The Lamb of God, The Word of God, The Word of Life, The Power of God, The Wisdom of God, Wonderful, Counsellor, The Only Wise God, The True God, The Prince of Peace, The Prince of Life, The King Eternal, The Chief Corner Stone, The Bright and Morning Star, The Sun of Righteousness, The Light of the World, The Bread of Heaven, Bread of God, Bread of Life, Living Bread, The Faithful and True Witness, The Beginning of the Creation of God, Firstborn of Every Creature, Faithful, True, The Holy One, The Just, the Just One, The Righteous, The Saviour, The Last Adam, The Lord of Glory, The Messenger of the Covenant, The Apostle, The Bridegroom, The Way, The Truth, and The Life, The Good Shepherd, The Chief Shepherd, The Shepherd and Bishop of Our Souls, the King of the Jews, The Advocate, and The Amen. 2. These names tell us that Jesus: saves sinners sovereignly, has dominion over us His subjects, is the all powerful, omnipotent God, is the eternal Jehovah God, is the one and only eternal Jehovah God, is a sovereign king and ruler Who has a kingdom, is the Lord's anointed prophet, priest, and king, is the Lord's anointed Christ, king, and deliverer, is both a ruler and a teacher, has a human nature and is the sovereign ruler of the universe, came through the lineage of Jesse and David and is a King-Priest ruling on David's throne, is the giver and sustainer of our life, both eternally and temporally, is the seed of David Who sits on his throne, is the fulfillment of God's promises, is a strong, courageous, dreadful, fiercely brave King, is both the virgin-born Son of God and God Himself, is the almighty Jehovah God, is the eternal God who gives new spiritual life to His children, is God manifest in the flesh, is the sacrifice which made atonement for our sins, is God the second person of the Trinity and is the method by which God communicates to us, is eternal life, is God Who is all-powerful in creation, over the creation, in healing, and in authority over all things, is the Creator of the universe and the wisest man who ever lived, is God Who is marvellous, astonishing, and incomprehensible, is our counselor and adviser Who tells us how to live, is God who is wise having sound judgment, good sense, and prudence, is the true God and not a god who is nothing more than an idol, is a king Who made peace between us and God and Who gives us true peace in our souls, is a King Who sovereignly gives life to whom He will, is a King Who is the eternal God, is the unshakable foundation on which the church is built, is a bright shining light in the midst of darkness, is our source of light and life, the light which allows us to see, is the source, subsistence, and sustenance of our spiritual life, faithfully and loyally bore witness of the truth, is the Creator of the universe, the first of many which will be resurrected from the dead and Who was given a full inheritance from God, is a man of faith, is true, loyal, and firm in allegiance to God, is holy, sinless, and totally devoted to God, always does the right thing before God, is righteous, upright, guiltless, good, and free from vice or wickedness, is God who saves us by His grace, is the remedy for death and sin caused by Adam, is magnificent with resplendent beauty, majesty and splendor, is God's messenger who brought us the New Testament written in His blood, is the messenger whom God sent into the world to redeem it, is the only way to get to God, is He Who protects, gives eternal life to, and eternally preserves His sheep, is the chief and head shepherd and pastor of the church Who gives lesser pastors to feed His flock, is the bishop and overseer of the church, is the king of Israel, the church, is He Who pleads our cause and prays to God on our behalf, and is the end, the conclusion of all things. Amen!