The Lord's Name Is Our Blessing

THE LORD’S NAME IS OUR BLESSING (Outline)

June 7, 2009 --

PENTECOST 1 / TRINITY --

Numbers 6:22-27

INTRO: Biblical names had important meanings attached to them. At times the name fulfilled the meaning for that person’s life. Other times the person’s life fulfilled the meaning of their name. A name was important because of it’s meaning. It is no different with the name of our Lord. "I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols" (ISAIAH 42:8). Our Lord is a jealous God. He wants all glory and honor that belongs to his name be given to him. We learn today how the Lord puts his valuable name on believers. Believers share in the name of the Lord.

THE LORD’S NAME IS OUR BLESSING.

I. Our Father’s care,

II. Our Savior’s grace, and;

III. Holy Spirit’s peace.

I. OUR FATHER’S CARE

A. In verse 22 the Lord speaks directly to Moses. The Lord uses words that Moses understands.

1. Moses is to give these words of the Lord to Aaron and his sons, verse 23.

2. Aaron and his sons were God’s priests for God’s people. They would bless God’s people.

B. Verse 24. The Lord blesses with good things. Keep means to guard or watch over with care.

C. A father’s care is important for every child. Children learn what love is from loving parents. Our heavenly Father is the perfect example of perfect love. Our heavenly Father provides us with only those things that are needed for and in our lives. Earthly fathers make mistakes. The Lord God our heavenly Father never makes mistakes. "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows" (JAMES 1:17). Shadows quickly shift and change often. Our heavenly Father never changes in our ever-changing world.

D. Our Father cares for us with loving concern. The Lord our God knows more about us than we know about ourselves. God knows the number of hairs on our head. None of us are that concerned about ourselves. But God is. The Lord knows when each sparrow falls to the ground. Our Father knows and cares about all these insignificant details. Just think how much more concerned the Lord is about the really important events in our lives. Our Father cares for us for a reason. "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God"(2 CORINTHIANS 1:3,4). God our Father cares for us so that we may be a comfort to others.

THE LORD’S NAME IS OUR BLESSING.

Our heavenly Father perfectly cares for us with his love.

II. OUR SAVIOR’S GRACE

A. The Lord speaks to Moses. Moses hears and speaks to Aaron. Aaron and his sons hear and speak.

1. Verse 25. The Lord will now make his face to shine upon God’s people. This was a change.

2. God’s face had been connected with anger and with judgment. Now it would be blessing.

B. “Be gracious”. Israel saw God’s grace in the wilderness. They were given water and food, 40 years.

C. You and I experience God’s grace in his daily care. We also especially see the blessing of the Lord’s name in his Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. At Pentecost thousands of people became believers. Thou-sands more believed on the Lord a short time later. We may think that the church had it made. The early church faced great persecution. It scattered. The early disciples were put into prison for proclaiming the gospel message. They would never give up that message. "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (ACTS 4:12). We are blessed.

D. The name of Jesus is our blessing. Many churches today preach about the Bible. Some exclude the name of Jesus as the focal point of all preaching. How does this happen? To use Jesus’ name is to take a stand. All too many do not want to see the church take a stand on anything. Jesus is Savior. This implies that we need saving. What do we need to be saved from? We need to be saved from sin. No too many want to hear about being a sinner. It is the Scripture that cannot be broken. "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins"(MATTHEW 1:21). Jesus means “to save”. Forgiveness reveals God’s grace. Our Savior’s name blesses us.