The Greatest Name Series

Here is a powerful story of a man who made a great name for himself and left a name that

is long remembered. I quote another’s account: “World War II produced many heroes. One

such man was Butch O'Hare. He was a fighter pilot assigned to an aircraft carrier in the

South Pacific. One day his entire squadron was sent on a mission. After he was airborne, he looked at his fuel gauge and realized that someone had forgotten to top off his fuel tank. He

would not have enough fuel to complete his mission and get back to his ship. His flight

leader told him to return to the carrier. Reluctantly he dropped out of formation and

headed back to the fleet.

As he was returning to the mother ship, he saw something that turned his

blood cold. A squadron of Japanese Zeroes were speeding their way toward the

American fleet. The American fighters were gone on a sortie and the fleet

was all but defenseless. He couldn't reach his squadron and bring them back

in time to save the fleet. Nor, could he warn the fleet of the approaching

danger.

There was only one thing to do. He must somehow divert them from the fleet.

Laying aside all thoughts of personal safety, he dove into the formation of

Japanese planes. Wing-mounted 50 calibers blazed as he charged in, attacking

one surprised enemy plane and then another.

Butch weaved in and out of the now broken formation and fired at as many

planes as possible until finally all his ammunition was spent. Undaunted he

continued the assault. He dove at the Zeroes trying to at least clip off a

wing or tail, in hopes of damaging as many enemy planes as possible and

rendering them unfit to fly. He was desperate to do anything he could to keep

them from reaching the American ships. Finally, the exasperated Japanese

squadron took off in another direction. Deeply relieved Butch O'Hare and his

tattered fighter limped back to the carrier.

Upon arrival he reported in and related the event surrounding his return. The

film from the camera mounted on his plane told the tale. It showed the extent

of Butch's daring attempt to protect his fleet. He was recognized as a hero

and given one of the nation's highest military honors. And today O'Hare Airport in Chicago

is named in tribute to the courage of this great man.”

Jesus is the greatest hero in history for the believer, for He was able to win a victory

over the greatest enemies of man, and He gained a name that is above every name. Jesus

is the greatest person in the universe, and he is the greatest in every category of the roles

that he plays in life. There is nothing we can do to make him any greater than he is, but

we can magnify his name. Psalm 34:3 says, "O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt

his name together." We cannot make him greater than he is, but we can make him

greater in our minds than he is now. We can give him a greater place in our thinking

until he is the greatest, and above all others. We can magnify him until he is the primary

focus of our life, and the greatest influence in our life. We can lift him up until he is truly

Lord of all in our lives. We can magnify him until there is nothing and no one larger in

our lives and in our love, and this is to fulfill the first commandment of God, which is to

love him with all our being. It is the purpose of the book of Hebrews to help us do this,

for it gives us a clear revelation of how Jesus is the greatest in every category in which he

competes with others for our love and loyalty. God gave his very best when he gave his

Son Jesus. Isaac Watts wrote,

Join all the glorious names

Of wisdom, love, and power,

That ever mortals knew,

That angels ever bore:

All are too mean to speak His worth,

To poor to set my Savior forth.

The Psalmist knew God was a big wonderful God but he is saying, "O magnify [in your

thinking] the Lord with me, and let us exalt [lift up to the place where it rightfully

belongs] his name together." The same thing is given in Psalm 35:27: "Let them shout

for joy, and be glad, that favor my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the

Lord be magnified." That is, let Him get bigger and bigger in our minds until He is the

greatest reality in our lives. We cannot make God bigger than He is, but we can make