Feb 25, 2024 |
What’s in a Name?
| The Rev. Gabriel Lawrence
What’s in a Name?
“For those who want to save their life will lose it, and
those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will
save it.”
Names are important. In fact, my name is the entire reason I have my dog. Years back, I was in search of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. I was scrolling through the webpage of a breeder who had some pups for sale, and I knew I wanted a black and tan cavalier. As I was scrolling, I reached a certain puppy and stopped, shocked. I could not believe my eyes. There in front of me was a black and tan puppy with the name Gabriel. I made a call, and a week later, I was the proud owner of a black and tan Cavvy with my name. Though I have been tempted, I have never changed his name. After all the whole reason we’ve enjoyed each other’s company for ten years is our shared name. I have him because of how he was named.
Names were even more important in the time of Abram and Sarai. Names were more than just a label. They were a descriptor. They told a lot about the person who had the name. Names contained identity, vocation, purpose. God thought so highly of names that he changed Abram and Sarai’s names. But we will come back to that.
I want us to first look at the text from Mark because I think this story of Jesus and Peter shows us something important about God. Peter has always been one of my favorites. Peter is the guy who was always doing too much. He’s the guy who tried to walk on water. He cut off the ear of a Roman soldier in defense of Jesus. He told Jesus that he would never deny him, only to do it not once, not twice, but three times. Peter might be called impulsive or reckless. But here’s what I love about Peter: He was never afraid to get close, to wonder, to question, to doubt, to love. It was Peter who was the first person to identify Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. In fact Peter does this only a couple of verses before we pick up with him in the Gospel text today. And yet just two verses after he makes this confession, he rebukes Jesus. In a matter of just seconds, he is a confessor who then rebukes the Son of God. And while Jesus in very clear terms tells Peter to be quiet, Peter will go on to become the Rock. Don’t forget his name wasn’t always Peter. It was Simon. It was only changed to Peter by Jesus, who called Peter the Rock upon which the Church would be built.
I think what we learn from Peter is that if we have the courage to get close to God, our lives just might be changed. Our very names might change. Our purpose might change. Abram and Sarai chose to stay close to God, and God changed their names too. We see this closeness that Abram had with God when he laughed in God’s face when God told him he would have a child, would be the father of nations. One does not laugh at the Creator of the Universe if they are not close to the Creator of the Universe. In this story, Abram become Abraham and Sarai becomes Sarah. God changes their names as a sign of reward for their trust in God and God’s promise. It is important to note here, too, that God’s name is also changed. God identifies God’s self with the name El Shaddai, or “God the Almighty”. Abraham and Sarah have stayed true and faithful to God, and God has not only changed their names, but also his very own name. We see these name changes in other stories, too. Jacob wrestled with God, and his name was changed. Our very own patron’s name was changed from Saul to Paul, as God changed Paul’s life and called him to new work.
Lent invites us to get close to God. Lent invites us to practice courage and dare to wrestle with God, to doubt, to trust, to wonder, to laugh at how much God loves perhaps even us because it hard sometimes to even believe. Lent invites us to see ourselves in a new way by being honest about who we are and how we are in need of God’s grace.
So, how do we do this? How do we get close to God? Jesus tells us. We take up our cross. He says, “Those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.” We take up our cross by taking up all of ourselves: the good, the bad, the parts we are proud of, the parts we are ashamed of. We risk giving up the comfort of what we know to step into what God is calling us to- to risk coming in contact with the power of God’s love and grace. We offer all our fears, our shame, our sin, and our pride to God. We take up our cross and we follow Jesus.
As we begin the second week of Lent, I challenge us to sit with God, to exercise courage. To get close. To find a spot and bring our whole selves to God. Take some time this week to sit in the silence. Be bold.
God, what might you want to change my name to this Lent?
God, where are you calling me?
God, I am scared. Where are you?
God, what new thing are you asking me to do?
God, how can I do your work in the world?
And if we do this, we just might hear God speak to us. We just might feel God’s love and grace wrap all of our fears and shame, and doubt, and speak peace to our hearts. We just might hear God give us a new name.
Names are important. In fact, my name is the entire reason I have my dog. Years back, I was in search of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. I was scrolling through the webpage of a breeder who had some pups for sale, and I knew I wanted a black and tan cavalier. As I was scrolling, I reached a certain puppy and stopped, shocked. I could not believe my eyes. There in front of me was a black and tan puppy with the name Gabriel. I made a call, and a week later, I was the proud owner of a black and tan Cavvy with my name. Though I have been tempted, I have never changed his name. After all the whole reason we’ve enjoyed each other’s company for ten years is our shared name. I have him because of how he was named.
Names were even more important in the time of Abram and Sarai. Names were more than just a label. They were a descriptor. They told a lot about the person who had the name. Names contained identity, vocation, purpose. God thought so highly of names that he changed Abram and Sarai’s names. But we will come back to that.
I want us to first look at the text from Mark because I think this story of Jesus and Peter shows us something important about God. Peter has always been one of my favorites. Peter is the guy who was always doing too much. He’s the guy who tried to walk on water. He cut off the ear of a Roman soldier in defense of Jesus. He told Jesus that he would never deny him, only to do it not once, not twice, but three times. Peter might be called impulsive or reckless. But here’s what I love about Peter: He was never afraid to get close, to wonder, to question, to doubt, to love. It was Peter who was the first person to identify Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. In fact Peter does this only a couple of verses before we pick up with him in the Gospel text today. And yet just two verses after he makes this confession, he rebukes Jesus. In a matter of just seconds, he is a confessor who then rebukes the Son of God. And while Jesus in very clear terms tells Peter to be quiet, Peter will go on to become the Rock. Don’t forget his name wasn’t always Peter. It was Simon. It was only changed to Peter by Jesus, who called Peter the Rock upon which the Church would be built.
I think what we learn from Peter is that if we have the courage to get close to God, our lives just might be changed. Our very names might change. Our purpose might change. Abram and Sarai chose to stay close to God, and God changed their names too. We see this closeness that Abram had with God when he laughed in God’s face when God told him he would have a child, would be the father of nations. One does not laugh at the Creator of the Universe if they are not close to the Creator of the Universe. In this story, Abram become Abraham and Sarai becomes Sarah. God changes their names as a sign of reward for their trust in God and God’s promise. It is important to note here, too, that God’s name is also changed. God identifies God’s self with the name El Shaddai, or “God the Almighty”. Abraham and Sarah have stayed true and faithful to God, and God has not only changed their names, but also his very own name. We see these name changes in other stories, too. Jacob wrestled with God, and his name was changed. Our very own patron’s name was changed from Saul to Paul, as God changed Paul’s life and called him to new work.
Lent invites us to get close to God. Lent invites us to practice courage and dare to wrestle with God, to doubt, to trust, to wonder, to laugh at how much God loves perhaps even us because it hard sometimes to even believe. Lent invites us to see ourselves in a new way by being honest about who we are and how we are in need of God’s grace.
So, how do we do this? How do we get close to God? Jesus tells us. We take up our cross. He says, “Those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.” We take up our cross by taking up all of ourselves: the good, the bad, the parts we are proud of, the parts we are ashamed of. We risk giving up the comfort of what we know to step into what God is calling us to- to risk coming in contact with the power of God’s love and grace. We offer all our fears, our shame, our sin, and our pride to God. We take up our cross and we follow Jesus.
As we begin the second week of Lent, I challenge us to sit with God, to exercise courage. To get close. To find a spot and bring our whole selves to God. Take some time this week to sit in the silence. Be bold.
God, what might you want to change my name to this Lent?
God, where are you calling me?
God, I am scared. Where are you?
God, what new thing are you asking me to do?
God, how can I do your work in the world?
And if we do this, we just might hear God speak to us. We just might feel God’s love and grace wrap all of our fears and shame, and doubt, and speak peace to our hearts. We just might hear God give us a new name.
