Take The Name Of Jesus With You

BIBLE REFERENCE:

But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Matthew 1:20-23

And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. Luke 2:21

And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:11

Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16

And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. 1 John 4:14-15

I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. Revelation 22:16

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27

HYMN HISTORY:

Despite being a bed-ridden invalid for much of her life. Lydia Baxter was known as a zealous Christian worker. She was born on September 2, 1809, in Petersburg, New York. Shortly after her conversion as a young person, she and her sister were personally responsible for establishing a Baptist Church in her home of Petersburg, New York. After her marriage, she moved with her husband to New York City, where she continued her Christian service. Her home was known as a gathering place for preachers, evangelists, and Christian workers, who came to her for inspiration and advice. Her friends used to say that a visit to her sickroom was not so much to give her encouragement and comfort as to receive some buoyancy for their own spirits.

Mrs. Baxter was also an avid student of the Bible and loved to discuss the significance of scriptural names with her friends. “You recall,” she often said, “that when Esau was born, Jacob had hold of Esau’s heel, as if he were trying to pull his twin brother back, so he could be born first. Consequently he was named Jacob, which means ‘supplanter.’ Isaac means ‘laughter,’ for when Abraham and Sarah learned that, at their advanced age, they were to become parents, they laughed out loud, thinking it was impossible, as well as incredible. As for the names of the twelve sons of Jacob, after whom most of the twelve tribes of Israel took their names, they were named for the strange events surrounding their birth, as well as the rivalries which existed between the wives of husband-father Jacob.”

Mrs. Baxter would often inform her friends that Samuel means “asked of God,” Hannah “grace,” Sarah “princess,” and Naomi “pleasantness.” But the name that meant everything to Lydia Baxter was the name of “Jesus.” Whenever she was questioned about her cheery disposition despite her physical difficulties, she would reply, “I have a very special armor. I have the name of Jesus. When the tempter tries to make me blue or despondent, I mention the name of Jesus, and he can’t get through to me anymore. The name Jesus means ‘Savior’ and it comes from the same Hebrew root from which the names of Joshua and Joash come.”

“Take the Name of Jesus With You” is said to have been written by Mrs. Baxter on her sick-bed just four years before her death on June 22, 1874, in New York City. Although she wrote a number of other gospel hymn texts, this is her only hymn still in common usage. Mrs. Baxter also had a collection of devotional poems published in 1855, entitled Gems by the Wayside.

William H. Doane composed the music for this text shortly after Mrs. Baxter wrote it, and the hymn was first published in the hymnal, Pure Gold, edited by Doane and Robert Lowry, in 1871. This hymn was widely used, during the Moody-Sankey evangelistic campaigns, in the latter quarter of the nineteenth century. It is still a most popular and usable hymn with evangelical congregations everywhere.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We as Christians are to take the name of Jesus with us wherever we go. It may be to school, the workplace, or the marketplace that we go daily. The Holy Spirit dwells within every true believer so every place we go we take Him with us. Dear saints, do not take the name of Jesus with you to a place that will bring shame to His name, or speak or hear a conversation that will be dishonoring.

Jesus's final command to his disciple was for them to "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."

In Luke Chapter 10 Jesus sends His disciples out telling them, "The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves."

Jesus knew that we are like lambs among wolves, but He also told us to be wise as serpents, discerning what is of God and what is not. It is hard to be the only voice among many that speaks of the things of Christ. The fear is always that we will not be accepted or even ridiculed by our peers. Do not be tempted to seek the approval of this world. Jesus tells us, "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but I have chosen you out of the world; therefore the world hateth you."

So go forth today and taking the name of Jesus with you sharing what the Lord has done in your life. Every word we speak, every action and reaction we make the world will judge us to see if we are truly His disciples. Jesus said, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."

There is so little love being shown in the world today. The world is seeking this love in all the wrong places and in all the wrong ways. Bring the name of Jesus to them and tell them of His Love.