WHAT'S IN A NAME?

                                                   

PROVERBS 22:1                                                                

Pastor Rick Jackson

What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. -William Shakespeare

Names are very important. Names identify places, items, animals and people. Names are often descriptive in the Bible much like nicknames in our day.

Abraham=father of a multitude, Nabal=fool, Daniel=God is my judge, Shorty, Greedy, Professor, Deacon

Names may mean one thing but take on a different connotation: Lucifer means "Bright One" but has a bad connotation as does Judas "Praise"

I. WHAT'S IN A NAME?

1. Recognition [Acts 9:5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest:]

Let's play a little game. I'll call out a name and you raise your hand and tell me what you think of first when you hear that name. = Michael Jordan, Joshua, George Washington, Shadrach, Hitler, Paul, Benedict Arnold, Noah, Dale Earnhardt

What if I had called out your name? What would people say? What would your teachers say? Your friends? Your family? Other kids at school? The people you work with?

2. Reputation - Proverbs 22:1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

3. Redemption - Sometimes a bad "name" can be overcome. [Proverbs 10:7, 21:24; 1 Cor. 6:9-11]

 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be? not deceived: neither: fornicators, nor, idolaters, nor, adulterers, nor, effeminate, nor, abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.]

II. WHAT ABOUT THE NAME OF JESUS? [Pr. 18:10, 30:4-5, Mt. 1:21]

1. It has been Abused (Many use His name as a curse word} [Exodus 20:7, Deuteronomy 5:11]

2. It has been Revered (Look at how the early Christians saw it!) [Acts 2:21, 38; 3:6, 16; 4:7, 10, 12, 17-18, 30; 5:28, 40-41; 8;12; 9;13-15, 21, 27-29; 10:43, 48; 15:14, 17, 26; 16:18; 19:5, 13, 17; 21:13; 22:16

3. It will be Exonerated & Honoured [Phil. 2:5-11]

III. OUR NAME AS CHRISTIANS

1. Don’t Shame the Name! [2 Samuel 12:14, 2 Timothy 4:10, Pr. 30:8-9]

-David did! [2 Samuel 12:14]

-Demas did! [Philemon 1:24, Colossians 4:14, 2 Timothy 4:10]

-Do you? [Pr. 30:8-9]

2. Don’t Honor Others that Shame the Name [Jm. 2:7]

3. Honor the Name

Acts 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

"Christian" means "little Christ"

1 Peter 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

 Did you know you are probably the best Christian somebody knows? So, do you talk like a Christian? Dress like one? Act like one?

Do YOU have a good name?

Have you called on the Name of the Lord? [Rm. 10:9-13]

Are you dragging His name through the mud or are you honoring His name?