In the New Testament, not only do we see the name of Jesus; we also see one very peculiar expression: “in the name of Jesus.” Brothers and sisters, have we seen this? It is not just a matter of the name of Jesus Christ but a matter of being in the name of Jesus Christ. If we read God’s Word carefully and if we pursue the spiritual pathway, we may often say that we do things in the name of the Lord Jesus or that we do things in the name of Jesus Christ, but actually we do not know what it is to be in this name. If we do not know how to do things in the name of the Lord Jesus, we cannot even be a Christian. Hence, we have to see the meaning of being in the name of the Lord Jesus.

The first time the Lord Jesus mentioned being in His name was in John 14-16. After the Lord washed the disciples’ feet, He spoke with the disciples. The Lord said distinctly in these three chapters what we can do when we do things in His name. He said, “Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do....If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it” (14:13-14). All the way from chapters fourteen through sixteen, He repeatedly told the disciples to ask “in My name.” This shows us not only that He would one day receive a name above every name, but also that the disciples could use this name. It is also a name you and I can use. This name is the name God gave to His Son Jesus, which has, in turn, been put in our hands. It is now in my hands and in your hands. You and I and everyone else can now use this name. Consequently, the Bible mentions not only that the Lord Jesus has received a name which is above every name, but it mentions also the experience of being in the name of Jesus Christ. Not only is there His name, but there is also such a thing as being in His name. The name of Jesus Christ is the name He received before God, and being in the name of Jesus Christ is for God’s children to partake of this name. Hence, being in the name of the Lord Jesus is to partake of His name. It means that we can use this name. Brothers and sisters, we have to realize that this is the greatest thing committed to us from God and the Lord Jesus.

Why do we say that God has committed the name of Jesus to us? What does committed mean? God commissions us to preach the gospel; He commissions us to do a certain work, and He commissions us to go to a certain place and speak for Him. All these are what God has commissioned us to do. But the meaning of being in the name of the Lord Jesus does not refer to this kind of commission. Being in the name of the Lord Jesus means that God has committed His Son to us. God is not committing us to do a work; He has committed His Son to us. God is not charging us to go; He is charging us to take His Son with us. This is the meaning of being in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Being in the name of the Lord Jesus is for God to commit His Son to us. Suppose you have a sum of money in the bank. When you want to withdraw the money, you must use your seal. If you ask a friend to withdraw the money on your behalf, you have to give him the seal. When he goes to withdraw the money, it will be very easy because he has the seal in his hand. When he goes to the bank, writes ten dollars on a check, and puts the seal on the check, he will receive ten dollars. Being in the name of the Lord is like the Lord Jesus giving us His seal. Brothers and sisters, we have a limited amount on deposit, and there is a limit to the amount we can withdraw. But having the seal of the Lord Jesus is a tremendous matter. If I have a large sum of money in the bank and commit the checkbook and seal to someone, I must be prepared to trust in him fully. If I cannot trust him, I will wonder whether he uses my seal to withdraw money. How do I know that he will not write checks with my seal? How do I know that he will not sign contracts with my seal? If I do not trust in a person, I cannot commit my seal to his hand. If I give him my seal, it means that I acknowledge everything he does. This is what it means to be in the name of the Lord Jesus. It means that the Lord is bold enough to commit His name to our hand, and He is allowing us to use this name. The Lord trusts us to the extent that He dares to commit His name to our hands and allow us to use this name. This is the meaning of being in the name of the Lord Jesus. Being in the name of the Lord means that the Lord Jesus has given Himself to us and that He is willing to acknowledge everything that we do in His name. He is willing to bear all the consequences of us doing things in His name.
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