Well, here it is New Year’s Day, and most of us have made or will make New Year’s resolutions; we express an intention to make a positive change in our lives this year–mostly having to do with food, caloric intake, and exercise is my bet.
But I bet no-one has made a new Year’s resolution having to do with getting your name in shape– of increasing the worth and value of your name.
Proverbs 22:1 tells us: A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.
Proverbs 3: 3-4 says:
3 let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man. (Prov 3:3-4)
It is certainly true in the scripture that names are significant.
Throughout the Bible, names whether a person, or a place, define an identity, they differentiate one from another, and they attribute character to that which is named—especially in persons.
In creation God has Adam name all the creatures—defining his relation to them. God creates woman and Adam names her Eve—mother of all the living.
Abram is obedient to God’s call on his life and is given the promise that he will be the father of many nations. Later God changes his name from Abram which means exalted father, to Abraham which means father of a multitude.
Jacob, second son of Isaac and junior twin brother to Esau, is given a name meaning grabbing the heel—because he was born grasping Esau’s heel.
Jacob is later renamed Israel—one who wrestled with God or champion of God, after his grappling encounter with the angel.
God even identifies himself to Moses by name—I am—and warns him not to refer to it lightly—thou shalt not take the name of the lord thy God in vain.
Scripture is replete to the count of over 900 references evidencing the significance of naming people and/ or places with a name that reflected meaning, purpose, intent.
And that particular act of naming is true in almost all cultures—including ours.
Don’t we all invest ourselves in naming our children? My nephew Matt and his wife Laura spent hours poring over books and talking to family about what to name their little ones. The first is named name Lily and their newest is named Micah and forever will it be.
Most likely each of us were the subject of the same kind of momentous enterprise when we were yet to take our first breath.
I was named Richard after my father –I carry his name—and many of his qualities, some contributing to Gail’s periodic consternation.
Gail’s name is derived from Hebrew origin—remember David’s wife Abigail—and it means father’s joy. And, from my 45 years of being with her, I think her parents named her right.
We are all given a name, identified by a name—and that has great significance for us—maybe in some ways it does shape our personalities.
Today in church we celebrate a feast day remembering the giving of a name—
Not many weeks ago we heard the gospel lesson about the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary and saying to her: “do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.
This last week we celebrated Christmas, the birth of this unique child, God incarnate. And today, eight days from his birth, the traditional day that Jewish males would be circumcised according to the law, we celebrate his naming as Luke relates: 21 on the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.
The supernatural events and angelic encounters surrounding this birth– certainly manifested the reality of a heavenly plan that this child was destined to accomplish.
And it his name that revealed the nature of that plan; Jesus, Jeshua, Joshua, meaning: God saves.
Originating in the mind and purposes of God the father, this unique child’s name is conveyed from the father to mere mortals, joseph and Mary by angels, where it initiates a wondrous plan.
This plan would make God personally known to the world in the flesh; this plan would forever defeat sin and death, this plan would eventually cost the life of this Jesus, but that cost would be redeemed and result in eternal life for all who would trust in that child and in his name.
In his incarnation, God becomes man –to fulfill God’s plan– his destiny given in his name—Jesus– Savior -to give his life in place of ours—paying the price for our sin—redeeming us-that we might be saved.
Paul describes this plan in the second chapter of his letter to the Philippians:
this Jesus :” who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8
and being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9
therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is lord,
to the glory of God the father.
as Christians we treasure this name Jesus- we love this name Jesus–this man —because this Jesus is literally our life—our salvation—offering salvation to all those who believe in him—believe in his name–and we can count him as our lord, our God, our savior, and our friend.
So two questions for us today as we celebrate the name of Jesus on this New Year’s Day:
First, what has the name of Jesus made of us?
Have we trusted in that name—in him who is highly exalted, who has the name that is above every name, the name to which every knee in heaven and earth will ultimately bow, and every tongue confess? is it the truth that Jesus Christ is my Lord, my God?
Have we bent the knees of our heart and will at the manger of our own lives to worship him and invite him in?
Has it humbled us, saved us, transformed us? Have we accepted him as our lord, our savior, and friend?
And having answered that, what have we made of the name of Jesus?
Does our life bear witness to the reality that we are Christian—followers of Jesus? That in some sense we carry the name of Jesus?
Do we live into that reality? As followers of Jesus—carriers of his name —what do we make of his name in our lives—does the world see Jesus in us?
There is an illustration I have used many times before because it is the perfect illustration of what it means to be associated with a name.
The story is of a young man in the army of Alexander the Great. Not a great soldier, he shirked and avoided responsibility when he could, was disobedient as far as he could push the envelope.
At one point his misbehavior and inattention to duty was brought to the attention of Alexander himself and Alexander commanded this young soldier be brought to him personally.
As Alexander stared at this young man considering what discipline he would impose, he asked the soldier for his name. The young man sheepishly replied: My name is Alexander.
Alexander the Great was shocked and horrified. Regaining self-control he went eye to eye with this young man and commanded him in a most grave and severe manner—young man, you either change your behavior—or you change your name.
This year might we take on a new resolution—to allow the name of Jesus make something of us—believe in him, love him, trust him–make the name of Jesus central in our lives—to know him indisputably as our Savior, our Lord, and friend.
and then might we make something of the name of Jesus– live out the name of Jesus in our lives so that as people see us in our relationships, in our work, in our recreation, as they see John, Susie, Rick, Mary, Bill, they see not only us—but they see Jesus.
May we, this new year, resolve to reflect the new life we have in the name Jesus; may our name, become a reflection of his.
Sermon preached by the Rev. Richard C. Marsden
The Church of the Redeemer
Sarasota Florida
The Holy Name
1 January 2017