SONGS WE SING: ‘WHAT A BEAUTIFUL NAME’
Hebrews 1:1-4, Colossians 1:15-27
#NameofJesus
SING ‘WHAT A BEAUTIFUL NAME’
INTRODUCTION
This morning we are continuing a sermon series called: “The Songs We Sing.” Part of worshipping God is singing.
FOCUS ON “WORSHIP”
I realized this past week that I am using that word… “worship”… and you may not realize what it means. “Worship” is one of those words that can mean different things to different people and also can have wrong definitions. What is worship? Is worship just singing songs in church?
CONTENT… gotquestions.org/Christian-worship.html [adapted]
The meaning of the New Testament Greek word most often translated “worship” means “to fall down before” or “bow down before.” The English word “worship” comes from “worth-ship.” Worship is an attitude of our spirit. Worship is an internal state of being that can be done regardless of place or situation. Worship is a spiritual attitude when we are by ourselves and a spiritual attitude we can have when we are with other people. Both are true.
The nature of Christian worship is from the inside out and has two equally important parts. We must worship, according to Jesus in John 4:23-24, “in spirit and in truth.” Worshiping in spirit has nothing to do with our physical posture, but our innermost being. Our innermost self is energized pointing towards God to focus on Him. Worshiping also requires a mind centered on Truth. Worship is an expression from the depths of our hearts toward a God Who is understood through His Word. If we do not have the truth of the Bible, we do not know God and we cannot be truly worshiping.
External actions are unimportant in Christian worship as there is no particular rule regarding whether we should sit, stand, fall down, be quiet, or sing praises loudly while in corporate worship. These things should be decided based on the nature of the congregation and even what we are comfortable with sometimes. Sometimes. The most important part of worship is that we focus on God in spirit (in our hearts) and in truth (in our minds.)
Christian worship is a way to honor, praise, and give thanks to God. It is also a way to cry out, lament, and be angry with God. It can include singing, listening to music, reading scripture, listening to Scripture, praying by yourself, praying with others, meditation on the Bible, giving offerings, listening to a sermon, and participating in ordinances like communion.
Part of worshipping God is singing. It matters how and why we sing to God and so our effort from now until Easter is to focus on some of the songs we sing on a regular basis and know what we are singing and give our worship greater focus. The most important part of worship is that we focus on God in spirit (in our hearts) and in truth (in our minds.)
SONGS WE SING: “What a Beautiful Name”
One song that we sing is “What A Beautiful Name”
CONTENT… en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_a_Beautiful_Name [adapted]
"What a Beautiful Name" is a song by Australian praise and worship group Hillsong Worship. Written by bandmates Brooke Ligertwood and Ben Fielding, the song refers to the promise of salvation through Jesus Christ as represented by His Holy Name. "What a Beautiful Name" was composed in December 2015 in Sydney, Australia, for an annual church gathering. This song contributed to Hillsong being named Billboard's Top Christian Artist of 2017. "What a Beautiful Name" won two Dove Awards for Song of the Year and Worship Song of the Year in 2017. It won the 2018 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song. "What a Beautiful Name" was released on 6 January 2017, as the lead single from their 25th live album, Let There Be Light (2016).
The song writers stated that the Scriptural foundation of the song can be found in Hebrews 1 and Colossians 1.
BIBLICAL PASSAGES BEHIND THE WORSHIP SONG
First, we have Hebrews 1.
READ HEBREWS 1:1-4 (ESV)
“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, Whom He appointed the Heir of all things, through Whom also He created the world. 3 He is the Radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His Nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the Name He has inherited is more excellent than theirs.”
Hebrews chapter 1 begins by highlighting how important Jesus Christ really is for us. Jesus is the exact imprint and reflection of God. Jesus purified us and it is in His Name that we are saved. In Hebrews 1, the "Name" is significant because it represents Jesus' identity, authority, and divine nature. The Name is His reputation, fame, and importance. Jesus is not just SOMEbody or ANYbody or a NObody, but the Son of God Who is God. In the Biblical culture, a name is not just a label or a designation, but embodies a person's character and essence.
Jesus is the Son (verse 1).
Jesus is the heir of all things (verse 2).
Jesus is the radiance of the glory of God (verse 3).
Jesus is superior and excellent (verse 4).
SONG LYRICS:
It is all of those thoughts that go into the song we sing and is why we sing words like:
“You were the Word at the beginning; One with God, the Lord Most High
Your hidden glory in creation; Now revealed in You, our Christ.”
Second, we have Colossians 1:15-20.
READ COLOSSIANS 1:15-20 (ESV)
“He is the image of the invisible God, the Firstborn of all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 18 And He is the Head of the Body, the Church. He is the beginning, the Firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent. 19 For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross.”
Colossians 1 brings forth the idea that Jesus is God and all authority on Heaven and on Earth and even under the Earth is His. The Apostle Paul says Jesus created all things for Himself. Jesus is above all the thrones and rulers on earth and those in the spiritual realm as well. Jesus holds the universe together by His will. Jesus is also the Head of the Church which is the direct continuation of His ministry through the Apostles all the way down to us.
Most importantly, we see in verses 19-20 what Jesus did with all that authority. Jesus did not just sit back and watch, but rather paid a spiritual debt so that all of creation could be reconciled to God. Jesus made a way for us to have a relationship with God. Jesus fixed what was broke. Jesus brought peace to us by way of His death. Jesus did not just sit idly by while human beings drifted into hell, but rather He took His unparalleled authority and saved us.
SONG LYRICS:
It is all of those thoughts that go into the song we sing and is why we sing words like (my favorite part by the way):
“You have no rival, You have no equal; Now and forever, God, You reign; Yours is the Kingdom, Yours is the Glory Yours is the Name above all names”
TRANSITION
I like this particular worship song. As I looked at this song and prayed over the contents of the lyrics, I noticed something to highlight, a caution to warn us about in the lyrics, and a final word of praise.
THE HIGHLIGHT: THE NAME OF JESUS
The Son of God bears the Name Jesus. The name Jesus, announced to Joseph and Mary through the angel Gabriel (Matthew 1; Luke 1), is a name that means “YHWH saves” or “YHWH is salvation.”
Jesus lived in a culture with many languages at play all at once:
Transliterated from Hebrew and Aramaic, the name God gave the Baby is “Yeshua.” You may have heard that before. This word is a combination of Ya, an abbreviation for YHWH, the name of God in Exodus 3:14; and the verb “yasha,” meaning “rescue,” “deliver,” or “save.” The English spelling of the Hebrew “Yeshua” is “Joshua.” The name Joshua also means “God saves” or “God is salvation.”
When translated from Hebrew into Greek, the name Yeshua becomes Iesous. In English, Iesous becomes Jesus.
Therefore, the Name of the Son of God born to the virgin Mary is Yeshua.
Therefore, the Name of the Son of God born to the virgin Mary is Joshua.
Therefore, the Name of the Son of God born to the virgin Mary is Iesous.
Therefore, the Name of the Son of God born to the virgin Mary is Jesus.
Jesus lived in a culture with many languages at play all at once, but His Name means “YHWH saves” or “YHWH is salvation.” Yeshua is Joshua is Iesous is Jesus. It is all the same name, but in different languages. Keep in mind, the name “Jesus” was quite popular in first-century Judea. That is why Jesus is designated “Jesus of Nazareth” separating Him from all the other Jesuses walking around. None of them were walking on water mind you, but there were other Jesuses walking around.
Even though Jesus had a common name for His day, His purpose and His life were not common. Jesus was sent by God with a particular purpose. Hebrews 1 and Colossians 1 highlight for us that He was and is the Son of God Who reconciles us to God the Father. Christians call that “salvation.” His Name bears witness to the mission of His life.
The Name of Jesus is important because of its meaning and because of Whom it represents. Jesus Christ ain’t just another Joshua joshing about! There is ultimate power and God-authority in the Person of Christ Jesus.
His birth was momentous.
His life was and is significant.
His ministry was and is impactful.
His death was existence changing.
His resurrection was proof.
His ascension into Heaven ushered in a new age of living.
His return will be epic.
Anytime you or I get the opportunity to praise the Name of Jesus we should take it.
SONG LYRICS:
“What a beautiful Name it is, what a beautiful Name it is; The Name of Jesus Christ, my King
What a beautiful Name it is, nothing compares to this; What a beautiful Name it is, the Name of Jesus.”
TRANSITION
Next, we have a small caution.
THE CAUTION
The worship song “What a Beautiful Name” is a human invention. By that, I mean it is not a psalm or Bible passage put to music. Two believers were inspired by Hebrews 1 and Colossians 1 to write a dynamic corporate worship song for God’s glory. That is not a bad thing. I don’t think that is ever a bad thing. However, there is one part of the song that gives me pause and is worth a caution.
SONG LYRICS:
“You didn't want Heaven without us; So Jesus, You brought Heaven down; My sin was great, Your love was greater; What could separate us now?”
It is that “You didn’t want Heaven without us” phrase that gives me pause. It is not my favorite part of the song and if I am honest I wish those lyrics were not in the song. Why?
The lyrics are purt-neer-close with some wrong thinking that indicates God created all if us because He was lonely. He saved people because He couldn’t exist we were all separated from Him. The idea is that God could not be happy or complete without us. The idea gets more complicated when we believe this because it impacts the mission of Jesus. This shows that Jesus needed to be born and needed to die for His own gain because He needs us to believe in Him.
Why did God create all of us? Because He was lonely is an answer. It is a wrong answer that is hinted at by this phrase of the song. The Bible is very clear on page after page that YHWH God needs absolutely nothing to be Himself. He is complete. He is wholly holy. He does not need us to believe in Him in order to supercharge His Godhood. This is true for God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God doesn’t need us.
Now, I mentioned that this is a caution. What does the song actually say?
SONG LYRICS:
“You didn't want Heaven without us; So Jesus, You brought Heaven down; My sin was great, Your love was greater; What could separate us now?”
God didn’t want Heaven without us. Want and need are different. Some of us do not know the difference between the two as evidence by the amount of Amazon boxes that pile up at our doors, but “want” and “need” are different. The song does not say that God needed us. That is a wrong statement the song does not make. The song does say that God wants us. That is a correct statement the song makes. However, the lyrics are something to be cautious over.
* Why did God create all of us? Not because He was lonely, but because He wanted us.
* Why did God create all of us? Not because He was lonely, but because He loves us.
* Why did God create all of us? Not because He was lonely, but because He wants a loving relationship with us.
This is specifically the message of Ephesians 2…
READ EPHESIANS 2:4-7 (ESV)
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
TRANSITION
Lastly, we have the praise.
THE PRAISE
The worship song “What a Beautiful Name” is a human invention. By that, I mean it is not a psalm or Bible passage put to music. Two believers were inspired by Hebrews 1 and Colossians 1 to write a dynamic corporate worship song for God’s glory. That is not a bad thing. I don’t think that is ever a bad thing. It is in the same verse where we have a caution we also have a tremendous amount of praise to heap upon God.
SONG LYRICS:
“You didn't want Heaven without us; So Jesus, You brought Heaven down; My sin was great, Your love was greater; What could separate us now?”
It is that “My sin was great, Your love was greater; What could separate us now?” phrase that gives me great joy and causes me to praise God. That phrase in the song reminds me of 1 John 3:20 which says…
READ 1 JOHN 3:20 (ESV)
“for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and He knows everything”
May we praise God through Jesus because:
God’s love is more potent than our sin.
God’s faithfulness is greater than our faithlessness.
Jesus’ blood is stronger than the worst sin.
Jesus’ grip on us is greater than anything that would separate us.
The Spirit in us is greater than the spirit of the world.
The Spirit in us outdoes any designs of the evil one.
Our sin was great
His love was greater.
Our sin is great
His love is greater.
Our win will be great.
His love is greater still.
It is a worthy praise from us to God that His love, grace, and willingness to forgive is greater than our faithlessness and sinful choices.
CONCLUSION
There is an old well-worn story that works well as we conclude today.
The story centers on a young boy who lived in a small town by the sea. He spent weeks crafting a small wooden boat with his own hands. He carved it, painted it, and carefully placed a tiny sail on top. One day, he took it to the water’s edge and let it go into the ocean. He watched with joy as it floated, but before he could catch it, a strong current carried it away.
Heartbroken, he searched everywhere, but the boat was gone.
Months later, as he walked through the town, he passed by a shop window—and there it was… his boat! Someone had found it and sold it to the shop. The boy rushed inside and told the shopkeeper, “That’s my boat! I made it!”
The owner sympathized but said, “If you want it back, you will have to buy it.”
So the boy worked, saved every penny, and finally returned to the shop. He placed the money on the counter and walked out, clutching his beloved boat. As he held it, he whispered, “Now you’re mine twice. First, because I made you, and now because I bought you back.”
This is exactly what Jesus did for us and what the song “A Beautiful Name” emphasizes. God made us, but sin carried us away. Yet, He didn’t leave us lost. He came, paid the price with His own life, and redeemed us. He redeemed us by the Name of Jesus Christ.
LYRICS:
What a beautiful Name it is, what a beautiful Name it is
What a wonderful Name it is, what a wonderful Name it is
What a powerful Name it is, what a powerful Name it is
The Name of Jesus Christ, our King.
PRAYER
INVITATION
A part of the song I did not touch on says:
LYRICS:
Death could not hold You, the veil tore before You; You silenced the boast of sin and grave
The Heavens are roaring, the praise of Your glory; For You are raised to life again.
The song shares that because of the death and resurrection of Jesus that you and I have the ability to see past the veil that might keep God a mystery and see Him for Who He really is. We can see God is holy, loving, righteous, wrathful, and the Creator. We can see Him and have a relationship with Him all because Jesus tore the veil between us and made a way… the only way… to God the Father. Do you need to accept Him today?
