NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES
First Born and Heir
Day 32 Wednesday
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EXPLORE THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST
For us there is one God, the Father,
from whom are all things and for whom we exist,
and one Lord, Jesus Christ,
through whom are all things and through whom we exist (1 Corinthians 8: 6).
COLOSSIANS 1: 15b, 18
He is the firstborn of all creation. 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.
REVELATION 1: 4b-5a
Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.
HEBREWS 1: 2
. . . Whom he appointed the heir of all things.
CONSIDER
In ancient Israel, the firstborn son was the principle heir in a family, inheriting a double portion from his father. The firstborn had privileges and responsibilities related to carrying on the family, the land and the well-being of his people.
Today we see that Jesus is the Father’s heir (even though, of course, the Father will never die!). This means the Father loves the Son and has given him all he has.
As we have seen, the eternal Son was not a creation. But when he entered our world in flesh and blood as a man, he became the firstborn of all creation, the preeminent one. When he rose from the dead as a resurrected man, he became the firstborn of all those who would rise to eternal life in him. Jesus has first place in glory. Jesus the God/man is first in all creation and first in life out of death.
The Father even gave us to his Son as a love gift. And the Son has returned us, now redeemed, to his Father as a love gift in return! (John 17: 6-9). So we are swept up in glory when we participate in letting Jesus be first, of all.
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PRAY THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
Begin with the Jesus Prayer. Pray it reflectively several times, for yourself or on behalf of another.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Then pray the day’s prayer slowly and repeatedly for at least a minute (that’s about seven times). Allow the prayer to take you into the meaning of the day’s facet of Jesus’ name. Pray it for yourself and/or on behalf of another. Take your time and trust this process!
Lord Jesus Christ, First Born from the dead, Heir of all things,
unite me to you, that I might die to self and live to you.
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LIVE INTO THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
He has granted to us his precious and very great promises,
so that through them you might become partakers of his divine
nature . . . For this very reason, supplement your faith with
virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness,
brotherly affection and love (2 Peter 1: 4-7).
TITUS 3: 3-8
For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.
CONSIDER
We adopted children have been written into the will! We will share all that the firstborn, begotten Son of God has in eternity. When the day of consummation comes, Christ Jesus will be hailed as the heir and firstborn. And he will share that glory with brothers and sisters. We are called to live now not with an orphan mentality but as privileged heirs. To live not fearing scarcity but assured of abundance. To face suffering confident of the future he has promised. To engage loss not in despair but in trust of restoration and resurrection. To live not deceived by the world’s vainglory but faithfully entrusting ourselves to the path of the savior through suffering to eternal glory in God.
Close in prayer using words from this hymn by Martin Luther:
Christ Jesus lay in death’s strong bands, for our offenses given;
But now at God’s right hand he stands and brings us life from heaven;
Therefore let us joyful be and sing to God right thankfully
Loud songs of hallelujah. Hallelujah!
It was a strange and dreadful strife when life and death contended;
The victory remained with life, the reign of death was ended;
Holy Scripture plainly saith that death is swallowed up by death,
His sting is lost forever. Hallelujah!
Martin Luther. Christ Jesus Lay in Death’s Strong Bands, adapting
the medieval prayer called Exultet. 1524.
LISTEN TO TODAY'S HYMN
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