Magnify The Name Of Jesus - Lynwood Smith

I'm very happy to be here today and to see all of you who are

here. Very pleased to be able to be

your speaker this morning. And I hope that what we have to

say will be suitable and appropriate for the Lord's Day

worship service. It's been a while since I've

been here. And of course, we have a

turnover in the congregational attendance.

Since I've been here, and many of you people, I see.

And I think I'm at different places across the Brotherhood.

But I'm glad you are here today and I'm glad to see you this

morning. I invite your attention to the

reading of God's word in the 19th.

Chapter of the book of Acts, read a short verse year to

introduce the general thoughts of the sermon.

The record says, and this was known to all the Jews and

Greeks, also dwelling at Ephesus and fear cain't fell on them all

and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

Now, that's what. You want to talk about for a

little while. This morning magnifying, the

name of Jesus, the church at Ephesus was one of the most

outstanding and historical congregations in the New

Testament. History.

We have of course to begin with you stablishment of the church,

which we'll talk about more in detail.

In a moment. Later on we have the Apostle

Paul's farewell address to the Elders of this outstanding

congregation And then of course we have the epistle that he

wrote to the congregation later on from a prison cell.

And then finally we have a dictated letter from the Lord

Jesus Christ right out of the glory courts of heaven.

So the church at Ephesus was a very outstanding congregation

want to talk a little while about that this morning, the

Apostle Paul was passing through and he found 12 people, 12

million adults meeting, In Ephesus now.

But let me just say a word about the city of Ephesus.

It was the one of the most outstanding cities of the day.

It was a great post, great outstanding place and one of the

things that made it so outstanding was the fact that it

was the religious center of the world and culture, the Temple of

the Great Goddess. Diana was there.

And I'm not going to bore you with the details of the

dimensions of that place because it would take a little while.

While you might not even want to believe some of it if I told

you, but it was one of the greatest temples ever built, it

was one of the wonders of the world.

At that time, we were told and people went there from all over

the world because within this Great temple was the idol of

this beautiful princess. This Diana who supposed to

Falling Out of Heaven, I believe, is way it goes.

And people went there from all over the world to worship her

Now just say this in briefly details this morning that their

worship was, I Pagan worship, it was a lewd, immoral worship,

very, very essential but that's the way the pagans worshipped

and they had levels of different according to dr.

McKnight of worships and you graduated on up to the highest

which was the mystery of that Temple. and it became something

very very sought far and very, very sought after now the

Apostle Paul when he wrote his epistle he counteracted that and

he showed that we have some Mysteries to and in that pea

pistol the epistle to the Ephesians, you'd be surprised

how many times he mentions the word mystery in there and he

shows that the greatest mystery of all was when Jesus as Christ

was crucified for the sins of the world and brought all people

together in one body the church. But now I'm beginning to get off

on some bypass so early. Let's go back to the story now

then. We find that a the Apostle Paul

found these 12 men there and I suppose they had families.

But in this terrible, terrible situation, they were trying to

maintain a little Church of Christ over there and I'm sure

they must have had all kinds of problems. later on, he came back

by and Talk to these people and settle down with him for a

little while and great things were accomplished.

Now during the period of his experience there, some things

happened and I want to mention these things to you.

I'm not going to cite the passages but they're all found

their 19 chapter and in the surrounding versus you can read

them there, he walked to, but we find something that took place

over there and I want to Make sure this because it's very

outstanding in the history of this congregation.

When he preached to these people, they heard the Gospel of

Jesus Christ. And these people who had been

worshipping in that old Temple Down.

Yonder Herod. What he preached?

They believed. Yes, because we know that you've

got to believe the Bible tells us that we must believe, unless

we can are asking, we can't be saved but they're not only

believe. They turned our they repented.

It's called Turning here and they turn so completely till

they burn their books and their guides in textbooks and so on

rituals that they have had in their worships they burn these

things. Now boy, that's what I call a

good clean. Sweep of repentance just burned

up their works that they had eight thousand dollars worth the

piled it up in the streets and burden and that's something

outstanding to when a man of Burn up that much profit to him.

That goes to show you something about him, that he's willing to

sacrifice his finances. That is something.

Well, they turned not only did that did that.

But as you read on over there, the Bible will tell you that

they can fast and show their needs confessed.

But then, of course, when they heard the truth, that were

baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that's what the

record tells us. Whosoever shall confess.

That Jesus is the son of God. God dwelleth in him and he in

God well that meant that they confess that Jesus Christ and

didn't. They were baptized, I want to

tell you something right here. These people believed repented

confessed and were baptized. You notice what I did?

When I would be to gospel, that's what you did.

When you obeyed the gospel, that's what makes a Church of

Christ. Now, I want to fast forward for

a moment and go over here. To the epistle and I'm getting

off my subject again. But I'm going to fast-forward to

go over here to the book of Ephesians where he wrote this

church a letter. And I want to just drift right

down there to the second chapter and I want to show you what he

said by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of

yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of

Works, lest any man should boast, aha saved by grace.

You know, that's what the calvinist tell us and some

Church of Christ preachers today.

What we know we are saved by grace, but they say you You are

saved by grace, only. You don't do any works.

You don't have to do anything. God Saves You by his grace and

the quote this passage. What if there's ever a passage

in the world that they don't need to quote?

It's that one. They think, though they found a

marriage Nest right here. They think they've really done

something. When they found this verse by

grace, are you saved through faith?

And that not of yourselves, it is not of works.

Well, first, I just want to say right here that anytime you

find, Works condemned in the New Testament scriptures.

That's always the works of Moses law.

But anytime you find Works Advanced and commanded, it's the

works of faith. The commands of Jesus Christ and

it's the grace of God on one side and it's the faith of man

on the other side that makes this thing come together and I

obey the gospel. Now here's what I'm talking to

you about the next time, you hear a person tell you, that you

are saved by grace and they, quote the scripture to you say,

well, let's go see how they were saved by grace.

They were saved by grace by Believing by Eating of their

sins and turning the Bible, says, and burning their books

and confessing and showing their deeds.

And by being baptized. Now, these people who did that

were saved by grace, and I'll Advance it further, then I'm

going to tell you. Unless you've done that you are

not saved by grace, because that's the grace of God right

there. And it's not a works either.

That is not the works of the Moses law.

It's not the works of God condemning.

It's the commandments of Jesus Christ, because that's what Paul

preached down there. Well, we go on with our sermon.

Now, after this, we find that some great things happened.

Paul found a synagogue of the Jews there in Ephesus and he

stayed there for three months, and preach the gospel.

To these people tried to turn these Jews.

But, you know, his work was interrupted, people became a

vicious against his teachings, the work of the Lord, never run

smoothly, and if you think you're going to have a smooth

job, when you start working for the Lord, some young people.

Preachers wants to become preachers because they think

it's a easy job. Well, you can make a easy job

out of it. We've got a lot of preachers.

You've got easy job because of never do anything, but if you

work for the Lord and you put everything, you've got into it

and you're sincere about it, the devil's not gonna leave you

alone, you can be assured that. Now the Apostle Paul's work was

interrupted in that synagogue became so bad.

He had to leave. He had he had to get out of

that. He went right down town and

found a hall or a school or a lecture hall the school of

tyrannus and he entered into that.

And for two years, he preached I don't know how regular is

preaching was, but over the space of two years, he preached

down there and his preaching was so great, it was so powerful, it

was so moving, it was so renowned till all of these, you

heard about it. The Bible says, it was so

outstanding Miracles, were done in the name of Jesus.

They took napkins in that took handkerchiefs and they took

aprons off of his body and took it down and laid it on the sick

and they even recovered from it and thanks for going on.

So great. Wait well those Miracles stirred

people up. Now, if you want stir people up,

you start performing Miracles. Well, they perform some

Miracles. Well they had some fellows down

there who were looking on and they had an old priest down

there, who was the chief of the priest and his name was skiba.

Well, he had seven sons and they were young priest.

I reckon, but they had seen Paul do this.

And so, they thought they would try their hand, they wanted to

become some miracle workers. They were just about as much

miracle workers as we have today.

They were some fakes. That's what they were, but they

said that he's going to try their hand.

And they found a man there who had an evil spirit or demon.

So they walked up and decided, they'd ply their trade on him,

and they said, we command you in the name of Jesus Christ.

And that Paul preaches to come out of him.

Well, now they overstep their limits right there.

Yes, sir. And I want to tell you something

happens, this is almost Smiler below and if it weren't so

serious, I just smiled real big about it, but I'll tell you what

happened, that evil spirit and that man said, Paul, I know, and

Jesus, I know. But who are you?

And leaped on them. Tom up, rip their clothes off of

them, and scratch them, and Claude them, and handle them, so

badly till they went out of that house like scared rabbits, what

down that street naked as jaybirds just as fast as they

could go. And I'll tell you everybody on

the street corners and pointing at him and laughing.

Now I don't have much But I'll tell you is one of my aunt used

to say, I'd give a pretty to turn that.

Turn them loose on Tulsa, Oklahoma and a few television

stations that I hear from place to place and see what happens.

Well, a Bible said, when this happened, the word of the Lord

was magnified. Because everybody knew that they

were fakes and everybody knew that what Paul was doing was the

work of the Lord and the Bible said, the name of Jesus was

magnified and the word of the Lord grew mightily.

Well, that's my sermon for this morning.

Magnifying the name of Jesus. Now, you know that we can

magnify the name of Jesus in our lives.

We must magnify the name of Jesus.

You know, the name of Jesus is the name of all names.

It blossoms on the pages of History, like 10 flowers of

10,000 spring times. And it sounds and reach sounds

down Through the Ages. Like the music of all requires

both visible and invisible. The name of Jesus is the

sweetest name on several songs, sweetest name on Mortal tones.

The song says. But you know, it not was not

always. So, The name of Jesus was our

was a despised and rejected name, in fact of the business.

Isaiah the prophet said he would be despised and rejected of men

and that was fulfilled in the life of Jesus Christ.

Do you know why that was, you know I'd preach the long time

before I really got to the root of this thing.

It really do. White was those Jews had been

promised a messiah and they were looking for a messiah to come

but they warp their minds over. What Messiah was going to be and

what he was supposed to look. Like they got it in their mind

and he was supposed to be a political fellow or a military

man or a man of royalty who would be born in a king's

Palace, he would be a prince, he'd be walking around, he had

maybe ride in a chariot, maybe you'd have white horses drawing

him maybe you have Coachman to attendee that's what the kind of

had an idea of But Here Comes this fella.

Born in the manger and laid in a feed trough and wrapped up in

burlap. Grew up in, obscurity didn't

even have a home. He said, foxes have holes and

fowls of the air have nests, but the son of man, hath, not where

to lay his head slip out in the mountains, hair was wet with the

Dew of Heaven, selected him, 12 losers, and they walked all

around over the country together that man.

That man, zombicide, no way. That's not our style.

He was a disgrace and they were ashamed of him.

They didn't want anybody going around.

Calling him their Messiah. They're still looking for a

messiah to come. We're looking for the real

Messiah. Get rid of that, man.

They did everything they could. I remember stories came out of

World War Two. One little Jewish boy, was, was

associating with Protestants. And all the Protestants were on

their job, and they were really telling him about Jesus and

teaching to him about Jesus, and he got so impressed with it

until he his faith began to shake a little bit, but he got

very sick and the priest came to him, and he was asking the

priest. He said, priest, what's the

difference in Jesus and Messiah? Well, he said, now, this Jesus

fella, he just an impostor who came, and he's not the Messiah,

but besides Is really coming. Sometimes the little young

fellow looked up at him and said, well, priest, when Messiah

comes, what's he going to have on Jesus?

That's a good question. When Messiah gets here, what's

he going to have on this fella? He's done everything.

Moses law said he was going to do, he's done everything.

The prophet said he was going to do now.

What's a are going to do when he gets here?

If this is not the Messiah That's right.

Well, they finally killed him. They nailed him to a cross his

name. Jesus said one time you believe

in God believe. Also in me but they won't do

that. But they got him and they nailed

him to a cross, to get him out of the way.

They'll a demon Joseph do too. Out there somewhere close by.

There was a beautiful little garden.

I know it must have been a pretty fun because the rich

man's Garden. It must have had the fairest

flowers and the previous shrubs and everything.

So they pull the nails out of those cold, Icy hands and blue

vein feet and they laid him away.

This was through our benefactor of his with name.

Of Joseph of Arimathea, a rich prosperous City.

Joseph evidently was a big shot. He was rich man and he evidently

had some some power with pilot. The Bible says he went in and

crave, the body of Jesus big, the body of Jesus.

It, he had to put on some kind of little bit of a pressure, but

he was yielded, He was a secret disciple, you know, I reckon

he's praised the Heritage business.

If he just spoke right out and was open with it, I've known a

lot of church members that way today.

They're good, they're good church members but they are a

little bit shy about what they believe.

They don't want to talk to their boss about it.

They don't want to talk to their Associates about it.

Joseph was kind of that way, but though he was a coward in life,

he was emboldened by the death of Jesus.

And so after Jesus died, he felt badly about that and he came in,

and he sought for the body of Jesus at guided.

And, and they hurriedly wrapped him up and took him out there

and put him in his own. Zone tomb, that he had prepared

for his own death. I'll have to give that to him.

He, you, he gave him a good bearing place.

That's, that's pretty sorry. But that's the best he could do.

Now, he gave him his burying place and they put a stone over

the door. So he wouldn't come out but the

enemies told pilot. Now listen, those fellas.

Have got some kind of a rumor floating around here that he's

going to come out of the Grave. You put some Guards over that

door and you hold him there. So they won't go in and steal

that body. Take it out of there and claim

he's resurrected. Well, God knows how to handle

things, and I don't know when man Leverett learned that he

can't stop the on moving power of God Almighty.

Those guards went down there and course, God chloroform that

whole bunch, you know, they all went sleep.

And they went to sleep, and when they went sleep, of course,

Jesus came out to, he didn't have to have some type of stone

rolled way, they roll the stone away so they can look in not so

he could get out. And when they looked being he

was already gone. And he showed himself to be

alive of many infallible. Proofs, he came and he went and

he came and he went but after a while, one day after 30 days, he

went with the walk with his disciples out, he's from the

city of Jerusalem up a little hillock, after that Mount of

Olives, he called it and he was walking up, that hill with them,

teaching them, telling them about himself and telling about

what to do telling me he's going to leave and all of a sudden

they watched at his feet began to move off the ground, We got

to move up up up up and they're looking up straight up at him

somehow or other. I think they get the feeling

that this is goodbye for real. They look up and godsend that

cloud down out of heaven and wrapped him in its folds and

like, old Elijah bold, he went away.

Him or got to heaven. Did he look back down?

So those disciples and I know we had a tender feeling for them.

He loved them. They were Meehan, they were

Earthly, they were humans. He dispatched an angel down

there quicker than lightning. And that angel stood by their

side and said, you men of Galilee why stand ye gazing

upward into heaven, for this same Jesus, whom you've seen go

away into heaven, shall so come in like manner, as you've seen

him, go away. And they were told to go to

Jerusalem, stand up that way, but that's washed Jesus, as he

went away, as he went away and they got up you under close to

heaven and I don't know much about heaven, but I'll tell you

what, when he got up, he under real close some, where's he got?

Close to the Gates of Heaven and Psalms 24 was fulfilled.

There was an ain't that was a course.

It started singing Somewhere. Lift up your heads O, ye gates

and be ye lift up, ye Everlasting doors.

And the king of glory shall come in.

And somebody asked, who is this? King of going, isn't the Lord

Mighty in Battle? Is He?

And ladies and gentlemen, the Bible tells us that the Angels

lifted up, the Gates of Heaven that day and Jesus Christ walked

in His work finished. My Redemption finished.

He had done his job. He had come home, 33 years, he'd

been out of that place. Now he's come home.

Daniel's prophecy was fulfilled in Daniel 7 and 14.

It said and I saw in the night vision one like unto the son of

man come to the Ancient of Days and a kingdom was given unto him

in glory and power and soul. Well listen back to my subject

now, he went down that street Main Street of Glory to God.

Sits on the throne Down, Yonder on the other end and you know

what? God's child it out and said let

everybody in heaven, Bow Down and Worship Him.

Never Angel. Ever seraphim.

Ever cherubim. Everything including fell down

and worshipped Jesus said day. God reached down and took a

crown and laid it on Jesus's head in the Bible said.

He gave him a name which is above every name that at the

name of Jesus every knee should bow in Heaven and Earth and

things under the Earth. So now the name of Jesus is

magnified. Let's talk a little bit about

that. Why is the name of Jesus

magnified because God the Father magnified.

It now only in this name is salvation found because God has

planned it. So Acts 4:12 says neither is

Acts 4:12

there salvation in any other for there is none.

Other name. Given under Heaven among men

whereby we must be saved. Moses Abraham Joshua, Elijah

stand out in prominence but just name stands out in preeminence

John 14:6. Jesus says, I am the way, what

John 14:6

does he mean by that? He physically know his Direction

his instruction is the way. And the way you get to heaven,

is through Jesus. And that means by what he tells

you and what he leaves for you, he is the way.

Well, next is the only name. That will validate our prayers.

Today, that name is so wonderful till it validates our prayer.

The Bible tells us in John, 15:7 16, that whosoever that

whatsoever ye shall ask in my name.

He may give it to you. It's the only name heaven will

acknowledge. And when we say our prayers, you

notice we always conclude in Jesus name.

And as the Apostle Paul says, over there in Ephesians, for

Jesus sake down, south the old-timers used to the about

stopped it. Now some wise people have

stopped them from it, but I think, I still believe it you

say 4G in Jesus name and for his sake.

I'll tell you whatever God does for you.

Today is for Jesus sake, because God loves his son and God honors

his cell phone. It's the only name that will

validate my Deeds. I don't care if I'm

philanthropist, is they call it and I give a million dollars to

the college Down. Yonder, get my picture put all

over the front page of the paper.

It doesn't amount to a hill of beans spiritually speaking.

Unless I do it in Jesus name. And that means by his authority.

It's the only named will validate my work in this world.

That's the reason why I tell people you've got to be in

Christ for your Deeds to accomplish anything because

nothing else will also How many I magnify His Name by rendering

obedience, and I spoke to you about that to begin with?

I reiterate it, I must obey. Jesus said why call you me?

Lord Lord and do not the things which I say, you know, the word,

Lord, beans master and it's inconceivable that you have a

master. You being the servant and you

won't do what the master told you.

Why are you calling me master master, but you won't do what I

tell you to do Jesus. Says so then I must do what he

says. And pick people who devise their

own Plan of Salvation, people who have there, more Beach types

of Salvation and their other various ways of being saved.

They can expect to be magnified are magnified, the name of

Jesus, through that, not expecting to benefit from it.

I must obey which, of course, as I said, is salvation by grace,

Believing on him repenting of our sins, confessing my faith in

him and by being baptized and becoming a member of his church.

Next to love the Lord Jesus and his salvation, magnifies the

name of Jesus, Psalms 40. And 16 says, let all those, who

seek that all of those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in

thee, let such as love thy salvation, say continually the

Lord be magnified. Next.

I o magnify the Lord Jesus by putting him into my life and by

manifesting him in my life and by showing him in my life.

It's inconceivable to be a one of his people and not Magnify

Him, but we have some people today who claim to be followers

of Jesus, but they magnify everybody else.

Besides Jesus. the magnifier big ball player, maybe that's all he

talked about the baptizer that magnify a big politician, maybe

our big Statesman even Or maybe some religious preacher.

But if I want to magnify Jesus, I've got to show him in my life

and showed the people that I'm here is because I have involved

his teachings and his principles and his philosophy into my life

so much so that people can see it.

You know, the man the crippled man at the gate at the beautiful

gate who was healed and who joined on with Peter and Paul

and went on inside the gate, leaping and praising God.

The Bible said that the people who looked on saw that man.

And saw these people who had done it, they said, they took

knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus.

It was evident. It was obvious in their life.

They talk like him, they acted like him.

They seem like him that Magnify Him.

How do I do that by reading his word and by praying by

constantly striving to be more like him every day?

And I'm magnifying game when I do that.

I read a beautiful little story one time.

That struck me as very, very touching, but it illustrates

this fact so much. It was story of a preacher who

had some friends in Kansas City. Missouri.

He said it was in the home of some lovely Christian people who

had one sweet little daughter and she was stricken with a

malady, cut her down, and she died.

Before they realized it. After she had gone, they had no

photograph of her, nothing whatsoever.

Not even a snapshot that was adequate and these at and they

were old and not taken recently. They were heartbroken and came

to this preacher and said oh if we just had a picture of our

loved it youngster before us today and he said I know one

artist. In the back streets of Kansas

City who one time earned a great livelihood.

But his age and other circumstances, forced him from

the center of the profession. He had the skill like the artist

today to do to do for the FBI and if you were to describe

somebody, they can draw the picture and Flash it on the

screen, all the paper and people can recognize the individual.

From what the artist has portrayed.

Well, they went to the alert to the old largest and to this

profession professional man. and they told him about it and he

said, don't get your hopes up. But give me all the descriptions

that you can of your little daughter.

Tell me the color of her hair of her eyes of her size of what she

liked. Bring me her toys.

Tell me some things about her what she said, and you go home.

And when I call you, you come, I'll make do as best as I can to

make a composite of your little daughter.

Well, they went home and in weeks they got a call, they went

to the old artist in back streets of Kansas sitting in a

Dusty little Studio back there. And when they walked in, he told

him, he said, now, as I told you don't be disappointed.

If I don't do what you expect, because I've done the best I

can, he had have a seat here and he unveiled the picture.

Oh, they jumped to their feet. Rush to that picture.

Tears sprang in their eyes and said, how could you possibly

have done it? You bound of had some kind of

picture there was a lightness of their little daughter.

Like they could believe You know what happened?

He took all the evidences and put it together, and people were

able to recognize it. Now, that's what we do with

Jesus. I've never seen Jesus.

You've never seen Jesus. But his Apostle Peter said, whom

having not seen. We loved and who though now.

We see him not yet rejoicing, we yet, believing we Rejoice with

joy, unspeakable and full of Glory but I can take this

evidence right here. I can read everything there is

about Jesus and I can learn it and I can put it into my life.

And when I put that all together into my life and when you put it

all together in your life, people are going to see Jesus in

it. And his name is going to be

glorified magnified. I have one little Point here.

I want to read before I close The poem says, so he painted a

picture of Judas and the model who posed for the part, how to

face a repulsive in Cruel till it taxed.

Even the artist great art and a story.

He told us, he painted the story of Jesus.

So sweet when it was finished. The man took his wages and just

rambled on out into the street years passed and the artist

grown famous wish to picture of Jesus to paint.

So he searched to be found him a model with a sweet kindly face

of a saint, but before he had picked up his brush ascribe, the

artist, I've done you, I know That's true said the man.

I was Judas. But it happened a long time ago.

And the Man in the story that you told me, he's coming to my

heart. Thanks to you.

And it isn't my face that you see, sir.

But the face of the man shining through Ladies and gentlemen is

Christ in your life. Today is his name magnified in

your life. In what you do and what you say,

if he's not, we're just playing a game.

Now, that's what it's all about. I've told you what it takes to

magnify the name of Jesus by obedience.

I've told you what it takes to be saved by grace.

Have you done that are maybe you're a member of the church.

Maybe you've been a follower of Jesus Through The Years, but

somewhere down the road. The road got rough are

distractions but can't came your way and took your mind away.

And you straight away from the pet straight and narrow path

that you want to come back and renew your allegiance to him.

Take that name, that's above every name that the Apostle Paul

called Anna more, excellent name and wear it proudly as long as

you live. If that's the case, we give you

the privilege. While we stand and what we say,

We thank you for listening to our podcast, put on by the

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receive a free Bible correspondence, course by mail.

Please email us at info at True Church of Christ

Bakersfield.com. Our service times are on Sundays

at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.

Please make plans to join us. We would love for you to be our

honored guest.