Be bold—speak the name of Jesus, because there’s power and blessing in simply calling on him.
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SHAUNA: This is Shauna on Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope. Joni and I love the name of Jesus.
JONI: And so does my husband Ken. Ken was greatly influenced by the life of Corrie Ten Boom. Her Dutch family hid many Jews in Holland during the occupation by the Nazis. She was an amazing follower of Jesus and her close, personal relationship with her Savior really touched my husband, Ken. A number of years ago Ken and I attended Corrie Ten Boom’s funeral. It was a simple service, brief, not many flowers, very European. But oh, how challenged we were when we left the church that day.
Several pastors had spoke about Corrie's life, reading excerpts from her books or recounting incidents from her ministry. And they all talked about her love of Jesus. One pastor said Corrie had instructed him to speak at her funeral about Jesus’s love—not about Corrie Ten Boom. That was so like Corrie! Jesus was always at the center of her thoughts and words. She rarely spoke of her “Christian Walk” or “the Christian experience.” She didn't speak of Christ as though he were some creed, or doctrine, or lifestyle. What’s more, she did not say, “The Lord,” as in “I love the Lord” or “The Lord told me this.” She always named him. She said, “The Lord Jesus.” She spoke about a person—a person she loved more than anyone else, and she was careful to always name him with confidence and pride. Pride, you say? Oh yeah, pride! It’s okay to boast in the Lord. As it says in 1 Corinthians 1, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord Jesus.”
As Ken and I left the graveside, he said, “You know, Joni, how is it that we get so caught up in explaining our walk with Christ or some spiritual experience, instead of simply talking about Jesus? If I’ve learned anything from Corrie Ten Boom, I’ve learned to be bold in speaking his name. Besides, I think the name of Jesus does something to those who hear his name. It’s either convicting or it’s comforting, isn’t it?” Ken was right. There’s nothing convicting or comforting about hearing words like: the Lord. Or even the word: God. But when you name the Lord; when you name God; when you speak about Jesus, it either grates against the ears of those who listen, or his name warms their hearts. God forbid we should reduce our Savior to a fine‑print doctrine squeezed between the pages of a theology textbook. May the Lord Jesus wake us up out of our spiritual slumber if we make a big deal about our “spiritual walk” rather than our simple testimony in Christ.
SHAUNA: And friend, you can never, ever make too much of Jesus. When you’re praying and worshipping him, ponder the beauty and the power of his great name. Jesus. And why not consider the other names Jesus is known by, as well as their meanings? You know, names like the Lamb of God, or the Last Adam, or the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and then there’s Joni’s favorite—the Man of Sorrows. These names all have unique meanings. Learning them would be a great Bible study, and they’re so meaningful to recall in your worship of Jesus. After all, no matter our circumstances, there is power in the name of Jesus. It’s a little like that song by Fernando Ortega, “Just Give Me Jesus.” You can have all the world but give me Jesus! And finally, today, when you have a chance to speak about your faith, be bold. Say the name of Jesus. Proverbs 28:1 says, “The righteous are bold as a lion.” So, be bold friend. And call on our Lord and Savior’s name. You’ll be blessed when you do, and you’ll be blessing Jesus as well! Thanks for listening to Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope!
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