We walked up to the ticket window with our friends, excited to spend an evening watching a football game.
“I’m sorry, but we don’t have any tickets under that name.”
Panic immediately overtook me, and I wondered if my friend had forgotten to leave the tickets for me. After all, he had a lot going on that day in preparation for a significant game on prime-time television. I asked if they could call the locker room and check with a staff member. I shared the name of the player who we had come to know well.
No luck so far! My wife encouraged me to take a deep breath and try to text him; perhaps he would check his phone before he went on the field. I sent a short text, and then we waited.
A while later, just as we began to make a backup plan for dinner, I heard a woman call my name from the ticket window, waving an envelope. She had my tickets and after-game field passes—my friend had come through. As the tickets arrived, he texted, “You good, bro?”
I was good! The tickets were even better than we expected, and it was a fantastic evening.
This memory came to mind recently as I worshiped while listening to Elevation Worship’s new song, “I Know a Name.” Chris Brown and Brandon Lake, among others, alternate as they sing of the mighty name of Jesus. At the same time, my friend’s name was enough to motivate a phone call and the discovery of some misplaced tickets; the name of Jesus is far more powerful. “I Know a Name” opens with a declaration of praise based upon the mighty name of Jesus.
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“I know a name that can silence the roaring waves
I know a name that can empty a grave
I know a name, it's the only name that saves
And it's worthy of all praise.”
Before the moments in the opening, Jesus began his public ministry by quoting the prophet Isaiah on a Sabbath day in Nazareth’s synagogue.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,
that the blind will see,
that the oppressed will be set free,
and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.”
Though those who heard his words in Luke 4 tried to kill him for perceived blasphemy, Jesus’ ministry would embody those words as He showed the world the power present in His name. When the name of Jesus is spoken, far more happens than when we name-drop to impress or share our connection to an influential or powerful figure.
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Not only does Jesus's power eclipse any influencer or wealthy figure, but Jesus also has the power over death and fear. In the same spirit as Ezekiel’s words to the dry bones in Ezekiel 37, Jesus called Lazarus back to life in John 11, and it was Jesus's name that calmed the storm in Matthew 8.
The hopefulness in the opening lyrics of “I Know a Name” eventually transitions into boldness by the bridge. There, Elevation Worship draws on a well-known declaration of the early church, which trusted in the Apostles’ testimony about the Resurrected Messiah. In 1 Corinthians 15, we read, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
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These words of Paul are quotes from Isaiah 25 and Hosea 13—prophecy spoken hundreds of years before the birth or death of Jesus. Though these prophets did not have a face-to-face encounter with Jesus as Paul did in Acts 9 on the road to Damascus, they acted with complete faith in His name. Their trust in this name led them to boldly preach to people who didn’t want to listen, pursuing those who were consistently unfaithful to God.
My favorite part of the song is the familiarity present in the chorus. It would be enough to discover the power in the name of Jesus and the miracles accomplished by this name. However, unlike my distant view of a football game from the stands, I am on the field of battle with Jesus, and I’ve experienced the power of His Name in a way that will mark me forever. Elevation Worship’s words describe my testimony!
“Found my healing in the name of Jesus
I was healed in the name of Jesus
I Found my freedom in the name, Jesus
Found my breakthrough in the name, Jesus”
Elevation Worship reminds us of a better way in a world where we often draw our value and sense of security from who we know or what others say about us. Far better than a like from a celebrity or a shared post from an influencer, learning and experiencing the name of Jesus will lead to change that lasts far longer than a viral moment. We need to be able to say, “I Know a Name,” when the next storm comes or death strikes again. Add “I Know a Name” to your playlist today!
Scott Savage is a pastor, author, and speaker with the best last name in the world. Scott’s writing helps people transform difficult circumstances into places where they can thrive. He leads Cornerstone Church in Prescott, Arizona, and loves watching movies with his wife and three kids. You can begin Scott’s life-changing project, The 21 Day Gratitude Challenge, today.
