Your Name Here

Although some of us would rather forget, we all remember taking Physical Education in school. For kids like me who were not athletically gifted, it was an ordeal that instilled the virtues of endurance and humility (as if we didn’t face enough humiliation as it was). I had flat feet so I consistently ranked among the slowest of my peer group. This designation continued to follow me through college. I was assigned to the “Chinook” squad during ROTC Physical Training “fun runs”. The Chinook is a big, plodding, military transport helicopter with twin rotors. It is slow, as am I.

But let’s get back to the eighties, back to elementary school P.E.

I don’t remember what her name was.

There was this girl, you see. She ran differently than the rest of us. It was almost like a waddle. I’m sure she had a pretty name. But we bestowed another one upon her instead.

Howard.

Howard the Duck.

How is it that we can be so cruel to each other?

We carried this on for a while until one of our teachers caught wind of it and had a little “talk” with us.

This teacher told us how disgusting this was; that it was like watching a pack of dogs. This teacher then made a threat that I have never heard before nor since.

“If any of you EVER calls her a name other than her own, I will sit you in a chair in the middle of this classroom. I will then begin to insult YOU in front of everybody until you start crying. Next, I will arrange for a parent-teacher conference and when I see your parents, I will curse them out and explain that this is what you have doing to this girl.”

You could hear a pin drop.

The teacher continued, “If anybody goes to the principal concerning what I just said, I will swear that you are lying.”

And with that, her name was restored.

What is in a name?
Who gives us our name? Who establishes our identity?
What does your name mean to you? To others?

Joe

Genesis 17:1-8
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.”

At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Then God said to him, “This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations. I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them!

“I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you. And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God.”


Judges 13:17-18
Then Manoah asked the angel of the LORD, “What is your name? For when all this comes true, we want to honor you.”

“Why do you ask my name?” the angel of the LORD replied. “It is too wonderful for you to understand.”


Matthew 16:13-20
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”

Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

Then he sternly warned the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.


Revelations 2:17
“Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give some of the manna that has been hidden away in heaven. And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one understands except the one who receives it.

NLTse