Philippians 2:9-11 - Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
How does someone become famous in the world? Usually it is because they have done something great that stands above the normal achievements of everyday life. Their name becomes known through word of mouth and various forms of media, and if they are the best of the best, their name may go down in history with the prestigious title “greatest of all time” attached to it.
Whether it’s Muhammad Ali in boxing, Michael Jordan in basketball, Albert Einstein in physics, or Serena Williams in tennis; their names will be associated with the sport, career, science or skill that they gave their time and energy to. We lift these people up because in one sense, they deserve the praise that they receive for the skill with which they do what they do. We also praise them because there is a certain awe that we have of them, which causes us to tell others about them. Whether it’s showing clips of their efforts, telling others to read their books, or whatever it may be, we prioritize these people, making them famous in the world.
And yet in a few hundred years, one can’t help but wonder if these names will be as famous, or prominent in our minds as they are today. As much as we like to think that what is popular and famous now will always be, that just isn’t the case. Our praise for people will fade as the world passes from one generation to the next, and whoever becomes famous in the next generation will face the same fate.
But there is one name that has stood the test of time, and for good reason. Why is it that the name of Jesus is still so well known and revered today? How has he had such longevity? It is because men and women are not the ones ultimately responsible for his exaltation, but rather, God the Father is. He has exalted the name of Jesus above every other name in history, so it will remain that way forever.
Jesus is associated with power, salvation, grace, mercy, judgement, wisdom, and so on. He is not famous because he is the greatest of all time in one arena. He is famous because he is the greatest of all time, period. Therefore, every knee will one day bow to this great Jesus. Every tongue will confess that he is Lord, whether they believed in him or not. God will receive the glory through the fame of Jesus, and everyone of us will take part in glorifying him.
If you are in Christ, think of how glorious and wonderful Jesus truly is. Think of what he has said. Think of what he has done. As God has exalted him, so must we. As we talk of modern day celebrities, let us talk all the more of the greatness of our Lord Jesus. Even as the highly exalted king, he has drawn near to you and cares for you. Make much of him today, and every day. He truly is the greatest of all time, and his name will never be forgotten.
