Understanding the names of Jesus in the Christmas story (2)
Jesus, Son of the Most High
The angel told Mary that Jesus would be called the “Son of the Most High”. Rev Dr Chia Beng Hock teaches on the meaning.
And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:30-33)
Knowing Him…
Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, a virgin betrothed to Joseph and told her that she had found favor with God, and she would bear a son when the Holy Spirit would come upon her (a very similar statement that Jesus used in Acts 1:8, “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…”). Therefore, the child to be born would be called holy because He is the Son of God set apart by the Holy Spirit from its conception and kept from the taint of original sin. (Luke 1:35).
“You shall call His name Jesus”—The Greek name Iesous comes from the Hebrew name Joshua which means “Jehovah is salvation.” There are others in the Jewish community who are named Jesus or Joshua, but this Jesus is different from all of them because…
“He will be great”—greater than all of them. He is greater than Joshua who led Israel into the promised land (Hebrews 4), greater than angels (Hebrews 2:2), greater than Moses (Hebrews 3:3), and He is called the “great high priest” (Hebrews 4:14). In John’s Gospel, the Jews asked Jesus if He is greater than Abraham and the prophets who died (8:53), His reply was “before Abraham was, I am.” He exists even before Abraham was born…
“He…will be called the Son of the Most High”—This announcement by Gabriel affirmed the deity of Jesus. The Most High is a title indicating that nobody is higher than God. As the Son, Jesus has the same essence as the Most High God, yet He gave up His divine privileges, born in human likeness with the humility of a servant with complete obedient to God and even willingly accepted His death on the cross! “Amazing love! How can it be, That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?” exclaimed Charles Wesley. “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 2:9-11). Even demons trembled when they acknowledged Him, “Jesus, Son of the Most High God” (Mark 4:7).
“The Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David”—Jesus, born as a son from the lineage of King David (Luke 3), was a natural descendant to the throne. However, His rule surpasses time and location, the house of Jacob for “his kingdom there will be no end!” Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ who will fulfill this promise (2 Samuel 7:12-17; Psalm 110; Isaiah 9:6-7; Jeremiah 23:5-6).
Now that you know Jesus from Luke 1:30-33. I would like you to ponder over this question: What shall I do with this Jesus?
Here are some responses to consider:
Receive Him. “…you shall call his name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21), and to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). If you have not done so, would you receive Him as your Saviour and Lord today?
Love Him. If you have received Jesus, you are now God’s dearly loved children, and we are to walk in love (Ephesians 5:1-2). “We love Him because He first loved us” (1John 4:19, NKJV). If we love Him, we must love our brothers and sisters whom He loves (1John 4:20,21).
Worship Him. If you believe that Jesus is the Son of the Most High God, would you do what the angels and saints are doing in heaven (Revelation 4:1-11; 7:9-12)? The twenty-four elders offered their crowns and they prostrated before the Jesus who is the King of kings and Lord of lords!
It is said that during Queen Victoria’s coronation week, she sat in the Royal Box while Handel’s Messiah was being performed. The lady-in-waiting went to her and said, “Everyone in the room, when they reach the hallelujah chorus, will rise and stand till the music ceases, except the queen. It is the royal etiquette that the queen should keep her seat.” As the performance progressed, when the hallelujah chorus was reached, the people rose and stood with bowed head. It was noticed that the queen was so deeply moved. Her lips quivered, her eyes filled with tears and her body trembled until they came to the burst of melody: “King of kings and Lord of lords.” Then in spite of the royal etiquette, the young queen stood up and, with bowed head, remained standing until the music ceased.1
True worship requires our single focus on Jesus, the Son of the Most High God, and with humility offer to Him what is rightfully His (1Chronicles 29:14).
Serve Him. Worship is never complete without serving. The Jew would understand that ʿāḇaḏ (Hebrew) can mean to worship, serve, and labor. Worshipers of the Lord would not just sing but serve Him too (Colossians 3:16-17). Likewise, your posture in serving your earthly employers should be “heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:23).
What would I do with this Jesus, the Son of the Most High God? Would you receive Him, love Him, worship Him and serve Him? I pray that you would.
What would I do with this Jesus, the Son of the Most High God? Would you receive Him, love Him, worship Him and serve Him? I pray that you would.
1 https://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/community/faith-celebrating-and-appreciating-queen-victoria-s-weekend-1.24134743
Rev Dr Chia Beng Hock is the Senior Pastor of Bethel AG and Chairman of Bethel Community Services. He is General Treasurer of AG Singapore, Treasurer of The Alliance Of The Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches of Singapore (APCCS), Treasurer of the Global Leadership Summit (GLS) of Singapore, EXCO Member of The Bible Society of Singapore, Board Member of Tung Ling Bible School and Vice Chairman of MacPherson Inter-Racial & Religious Confidence Circle (IRCC). He holds a Doctor of Ministry and Master of Arts in Biblical Studies from Asia Pacific Theological Seminary and a Post Graduate Diploma in Applied Theology (Ministry) from the University of Wales. He is married to May. They have two adult sons.