What’s In Your Name? Sunday, October 19 2014 A while ago, we were driving down to the south of the boarder to see some friends in New York. We had to decided what we’re gonna do with our dog Simba. She has been with us for three years but we rarely left her for a long period of time. Before we dropped her off at our friend’s in Toronto I wanted to leave her with something that’d make her secure, to give her a sense that we’re not abandoning her forever but we’re indeed coming back. So I gave her my Toronto Maple Leaf’s sweatshirt. It takes a lot of money, time, and energy to keep our name/reputation up. Think about your own name for a moment. Do you like your name? Do you like all of your names? Has anyone forgotten your name? How did you choose your child’s name? How did you choose your dog’s name? Which did you put more thought into? Is there a name you never want to be called? Or a name you love to be called? Names matter. They have power over us. Sometimes we name our child/grandchild after our father/grandfather. So generation later some names even do come back. It’s personal and important to know our name and each other’s name. Thats why some churches use name tags because the minister needs them. In the bible God calls people by name. God even changes their name; Jacob to Israel; Abram to Abraham; from Sarai to Sarah… And God often calls their name twice i.e., “Moses, Moses!” “Martha, Martha!” “Saul, Saul!” God’s not trying to memorize their names instead to remind of what’s in the name. In talking with God, Moses asked God, “Who are you; what’s your name?” And God said, “I’m who I am.” Interesting, God didn’t say, ‘I am who I was or used to be, would’ve been, should’ve been, or could’ve been, but ‘I am who I am.’” To Moses who has been dealing with many different names, that did something on the inside. It says, “God knows Moses BY NAME!” God even calls him in v. 11, “My friend.” When the people were turning away from God, worshipping idols, the situation was getting worse, God is now saying, “I’ve seen them worshipping the idols. Moses, for your sake I’ll defeat your enemies. I’ll take them to the Promised Land. But that’s it. I’ll not go with you. In fact, if I go with you I might end up destroying you all.” What would you do if God were giving us this kind of offer? Some of us are good in negotiating an offer. So listen to this. God was saying, “Moses, my friend for your sake, I’ll do what you have asked for; I’m gonna help you make it; Im gonna straighten out the crooked places; Ill let you have what you wanted. But you know what? I don’t go where youre going. Do you want to take the deal?” Some people would have jumped at the deal, success, prosperity, and getting ahead... But read between the lines! God’s missing! Moses caught on this. Theologian Bernard Anderson in Understanding the O.T. says this is where Moses develops the Mosaic faith. Basically it’s Moses’ counter argument, saying “God, you said you know me by name; you call me a friend and you said Ive found favour in your sight then show me your ways so that I can see that you really know me by name.” God know us by name. Name equals the person. Your name matters! What’s in your name? Have you changed it? Have you reclaimed it? We often change our names given that were in a different stage in our lives; different names for different times. But sometimes we have to state our name. Because God knows us by our name… Many people go around saying, “My name is weak, tired, stuck-in-a-rut, under the weather, stressed-out...” Be careful! God knows us by that name. Some people go around saying, “My name is healthy, positive, energetic, and good-looking.” Blessed are you. God knows you by that name. Your name defines our relationship with others but also it confirms our relationship with God. At the wedding rehearsal, the bride and groom, Charlie ad Sarah had all these different names, Chuck, Chucky, Charles, Sookie, Sissy, Sarah, Sally. The people that have known them at every different stage of their life, school friends, work friends, relatives have used different names. They have about 5 different names. And I asked them by what names would you like to be addressed because everyone wanted to tell you their own names and not have you presume it. People/circumstances try to put different name tags over us. Will you accept whatever names try to come on us, opening the door to confusion and discomfort? Or in someway will you state/reclaim the name you love to be called. John Norwich in Byzantium found a number of unusual names; bishop of Alexandria (Egypt) Timothy the Weasel, monk – Jacob the Ragged, general John the Glutton, emperor’s son – Strabo Squinter, ruler Attila the Hun Scourge of God (Would you like to introduce your father-in-law that way?) So what’s in Moses’ name? It drives from the Egyptian word, ‘Mesu,’ meaning a son. There’s also the Hebrew word, “Mesha,” meaning “to drive out.” And Moses did what? Hebrews 11:24 “By faith Moses refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, He chose the Moses.” Here is the key, because God is the God of presence. Growing up I found this photo. This particular girl I found, Mom, whos this girl. She got many hair pins over her hairs. She said, Honey, thats you! One night I put these hair pins on your hair. You liked it so much and it was so cute. And you announced, Im a girl now. I was a girl for a day and then I walked to my parents wearing my pants and said, Im a boy again. They said, Well, there you have it. All right! Welcome back! In bible God changes people’s name. Why? Because God wanted to change them. But not Moses. He knew his name means two things, a son of Pharaoh’s daughter and a man who draws out. And God didn’t change Moses if you look carefully. It was Moses who claimed his name by what… by faith. Think about your name for a moment. When your name can go either way, less-than or talented, not-so-smart or got-what-it-takes, I-blew-it or I-am-forgiven… a lot of times, many change our name into something they’re not. But don’t let it happen. God knows you BY NAME. We can go like, “Never mind what they say. I claim this name. I choose it myself. I take on as my own and I name myself _____” The key is we get to claim our own name and not have it foist upon us. People called him, ‘Mesu’ the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. But he chose to be called, ‘Moses - to draw out’ And God called him Moses and he became what God called him to be. Do you like your name? Do you like all of your names? Can you tell me your name? I’d like to take a moment of listening to your name. Have you changed it? Have you reclaimed it? What about these names, “Coldwater Eady United Church” “Never mind people. I claim this name. I name myself _______.” Listen to God, “I know you by name...”
Posted on: Sun, 19 Oct 2014 16:26:18 +0000
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