Delivered by Pastor PJ at
Cross of Glory on October 25 & 29, 2009.
Series: Making It Thru (Psalm 23)
Scripture: Psalm 23:1-3; Philippians 2:5-11; John 10:1-9
(click on
title to watch video of sermon)
Last week my wife and I were watching the news together. The meteorologist came on to report how our weather was going to get really cold. And the meteorologist’s name? It was Amy Freeze. I thought, “Really? The weather woman’s name is Amy Freeze, and she’s telling us how cold its going to get? Really?” I could not get over how closely her name coincided with what she was doing.
This made me wonder if other people have names that coincide with what they do. I discovered that there are – lots! In fact, there is even a word for this occurrence. The word is aptronym. An aptronym is a name that is especially suited to the profession of its owner. The picture on the screen is a perfect example of an aptronym. This is a Jamaican sprinter and three-time Olympic gold medalist named Usain Bolt. Other notable, high profile aptronyms belong to world champion surfer Layne Beachley, education secretary Margaret Spellings, and former NASCAR driver Lake Speed.
Today our sermon series brings us to the greatest example of aptronyms that there is. Our sermon series is called Making It Thru. We have been studying Psalm 23 verse by verse, piece by piece, in order to discover how God helps us make it through the challenges and stresses of life. In the first three verses we have already discovered a lot about how God helps us make it through by providing us with guidance, comfort, restoration, and rest to name a few. If you’ve missed any of these, you can find them on our sermon blog and sermon podcast. Our verse for today explains why God does all this for us. We are told that God does all this – the guiding, comforting, restoring, refreshing – God does all this: “for his name’s sake.” Apparently what God does is connected with God’s name.
We sometimes use different names and titles for God when we pray, like “Merciful God” or “Gracious God.” Well throughout the Bible we find many different names and titles for God. When we explore the various names and titles for God in the Bible, it is incredible how closely God’s name coincides with what God is doing. God’s actions are true to God’s name. It is the greatest example of aptronyms there is!
Today we are going to explore some of the different names and titles of God that we find in the Scriptures. If you look at the last page of your program you will find an outline that you can fill in as we go along. There are more names and titles than we could ever cover in one sermon, so we will focus on fifteen names – five from the Old Testament and ten from the New Testament. This is not merely an academic exercise. By learning and reflecting upon the names and title of God we learn how God helps us make it through. God’s name closely coincides with what God is doing in our lives and world. God’s actions are true to God’s name.
Are you ready? Do you have your outline and a pen? Ok. Here we go. Let’s start with the Old Testament. In the Old Testament we often find compound names for God. The first part of the name is Jehovah, which is the Hebrew word for Lord. The second part of the name is a descriptive word or an action word. For instance, one compound name for God in the Old Testament is a name we have heard a lot over the past few weeks: Jehovah Ra-ah. You might be more familiar with the English translation: “The Lord is my Shepherd,” (Psalm 23:1) In our first slot you can write in Jehovah Ra-ah, and in the space beneath it write, “The Lord is my Shepherd.”
Another name for God in the Old Testament is Jehovah Jireh, which means “The Lord will provide.” From the very beginning of God’s relationship with people, God has tried to convey the Good News that God is our provider. And from the very beginning people have had a hard time trusting God to provide. There are moments, however, when we get it. This verse from Genesis is one such moment. Abraham had many experiences of God’s provision. God first called Abraham to leave his home, his security, everything he knew, and travel to a land God would show him. Abraham followed and God came through, providing for him every step of the way. God told Abraham and his wife Sarah that God would provide a child for them. They were very old and couldn’t see how that was possible, but God came through and provided a son for them. Then God told Abraham to take his son Isaac and make a sacrifice to God on the mountain. Abraham thought that he would have to kill his son as the sacrifice. Many people back then believed that God was angry and required human sacrifices to be appeased. But once again, God came through. God provided a ram for the sacrifice. At that moment, Abraham was so overcome with joy that he named the place Jehovah-Jireh, The Lord will provide (Gen 22:14)!
The next name on our list is Jehovah Rophe, which means “The Lord heals.” The story from which this name comes gives us a beautiful picture of God’s healing work in our lives. God had just freed the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. Finally they found water, but the water was bitter and undrinkable. Moses, their leader, cried out to God for help. God showed Moses a piece of wood. When Moses through the wood in the water, the water became sweet and drinkable. God then proclaims to the people, “Jehovah Rophe. I am the Lord, who heals you,” (Ex 15:26). What a neat picture of God’s healing. God can take a situation and turn it around. God can bring something sweet from something bitter. God can bring something good from something bad. That’s what the Lord our healer can do!
Fourth on our list is Jehovah Nissi, which means “The Lord is our banner.” This is a military image, but we might be able to relate to it with an image from a parade. In a parade each organization or group will have a banner. Supporters will rally behind the banner and follow. The people of Israel found in God someone they wanted to rally behind. With God they were able to overcome their obstacles and gain victory over their enemies. So they said, “Jehovah Nissi. The Lord is my banner. We rally behind the Lord and follow God,” (Ex 17:15).
The last name we’ll look at from the New Testament is Jehovah Shalom, which means “The Lord is Peace.” Gideon was the one who used this name for God, and it was spoken at a time that was anything but peaceful. Armies invaded the land where the people of Israel were living. The armies ruined their crops and killed their livestock. Gideon had some great questions for God. He said, “If you are with us, then why did this happen to us? Where are all the wonders that our fathers told us about?” In other words, “God why aren’t you doing anything?” God replies, “I am doing something. I am sending you to establish peace in the land.” Gideon responds like everyone responds when God calls. He says, “Who me? My clan is the weakest and I am the least in my family.” God, however, was able to ease Gideon’s doubts about himself and his fears about the future. Gideon experienced such a profound peace with God that he built an altar and called it, “Jehovah Shalom. The Lord is Peace,” (Judges 6:24). With God’s help, Gideon went on to establish peace in his land and for his people.
Let’s stop for a moment to reflect on these remarkable aptronyms. Remember God’s name closely coincides with what God is doing in our lives and world. So when we feel lost and in need of direction, we can look to Jehovah Ra-ah, our Shepherd. When we are worried about not having enough to pay the bills or to finish the job or to be there for those who need us, we can rely on the One who always comes through: Jehovah Jireh, our Provider. When we find ourselves in a bitter situation or find that we ourselves are bitter, we can turn to Jehovah Rophe, our Healer – the one who can bring sweet from bitterness, good from bad. When we are facing obstacles or challenges that seem insurmountable, we can rally behind Jehovah Nissi, our Banner, our Victory. When we are lacking peace in our minds, in our families, in our workplaces, in our country, or in our world, we can seek help from Jehovah Shalom, our Peace. God does all this for us “for his name’s sake.” Can I get an “Amen?” Alright, and we’re just getting started!
In the New Testament, we are introduced to Jesus. Jesus, as we heard in our second reading, has the name above all names. It is the name above all names because it reveals the Good News that God saves, that God helps us. On your outline next to Jesus, you can write “God saves” or “God helps.” But we find lots of other names and titles given for Jesus in the New Testament. Many of them are found in the Gospel of John. John’s Gospel is well known for the “I am” statements. Remember how in the Old Testament there was a pattern for God’s name: it started with Jehovah (or Lord) and then continued with a descriptive or action word? The same thing happens here. In John’s Gospel Jesus describes himself by saying “I am,” and then adding a descriptive or action word. I went through the Gospel of John and picked out every instance where Jesus uses an “I am” statement. The Scripture references are on your outline. Again, it is incredible how closely God’s name coincides with what God is doing.
The first “I am” statement appears in chapter 4. Jesus is talking with a woman who is gathering water during the hottest hour of the day so she would not run into anyone else. We don’t know why, but we discover that she has had five husbands and the person she is living with is not her husband. So perhaps she wanted to avoid the looks of disapproval or the feelings of embarrassment and shame. But she bumps into Jesus and they start talking about spiritual things. She says to Jesus, “I know the Messiah is coming.” The Messiah was someone the Jews believed God would send to set them free from their trouble and bring back together the broken pieces of their lives. Jesus looks the woman in the eyes and says, “I am the Messiah,” (4:25-26).
In chapter 6 we find the next “I am statement.” Jesus has just fed the 5,000 with bread and fish, and from that point on crowds follow him looking for more food. Jesus says to them, “The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world … I am the bread of life. No one who comes to me will ever be hungry again. Those who believe in me will never thirst,” (6:33, 35).
The next “I am” statement is found in chapter 8. A woman is caught in adultery. The religious leaders drag her out in public and bring her before Jesus to be stoned. Jesus says, “All right, stone her. But let those who have never sinned throw the first stones!” Slowly her accusers begin to walk away. When no one is left to condemn her, Jesus says, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.” Then Jesus turns to the people in the crowd and says, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life,” (8:12).
This brings us to our Gospel reading for today, in which Jesus says, “I am the gate for the sheep.” Gates were not so much to keep sheep in as they were to keep other things out, like predators, thieves, and robbers. Gates made the pen a safe place for sheep. In some cases, shepherds would act as the gate for their sheep by lying across the opening of the pen. The temple in Jesus’ day was not a safe place for all people. If you were poor or ill, the temple was not a very welcoming place. One da, in the temple, Jesus healed a man who was born blind. The religious leaders made a big stink about it. Jesus responded by saying, “I assure you, I am the gate for the sheep. All others who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. Wherever they go, they will find green pastures,” (10:7-9).
Not long after that, Jesus said, “I am the Son of God,” (10:36). People in his day had a hard time understanding how Jesus could be both human and divine, but Jesus needed to be both in order to be our Savior. He needed to be fully human so that he could fully understand what we are going through. And he needed to be divine so that he had the power to save us and help us make it through.
The next two “I am” statements are “I am the Good Shepherd” and “I am the resurrection and the life.” We are going to discuss these in more detail next week when we talk about walking through the valley of the shadow of death. But they speak of Jesus’ power over sin and death and the hope we have for this life and the next.
The final two “I am” statements were given to Jesus’ closest disciples shortly after he explained that he would soon die and go to the Father. His disciples wanted to know how they could make it to the Father and how they could make it through life. Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me,” (14:6). He follows this up with an analogy about vines and branches. Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing,” (15:5). He explains, “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love … I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you … You didn't choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name,” (15:9, 12, 16).
What wonderful aptronyms! Each of these names and titles closely coincides with what God is doing in our lives and world. When our lives are broken, when spirits are broken, when our families are broken, when our self-esteem is broken, when our bank account is broken, we can look to Jesus, our Messiah to set us free and put the broken pieces back together. When we feel that God-shaped hole in our lives and are hungry for more, we can turn to Jesus, our bread of life. When we are stumbling because of harmful behaviors and patterns, we can look to Jesus, our Light. When we need a safe place or a place where we can belong, we can rely on Jesus, our Gate. When we are facing our own death or the death of a loved one, we can trust in the Son of God, our Resurrection. And every single day we can stay connected to Jesus, Our Vine, our Way, Truth, and Life. God does all this for us “for his name’s sake.” Can I get another “Amen?”
These aptronyms are incredible, but there is something cooler than knowing the names of God. It is knowing that God – the one with the name above names – this God knows your name and mine! In our Gospel reading, Jesus tells us that the Shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out (John 10:3). Jesus is calling us by name (say some names), saying I want to be your Shepherd, Provider, Healer, Victory, Peace. (Say more names) I want to be your Messiah, Bread of Life, Light of the world, Gate, Resurrection, Vine, Way, Truth, and Life!
I am going to close by singing a snippet of a song from Tommy Walker. As I sing, I invite you to hear God’s voice calling your name. (Sing “He Knows My Name.”)
God is calling your name. Sheep hear the voice of their shepherd and follow. If you’d like to follow God, pray this prayer along with me: “God … you have the name above all names … I trust you … to be true to your name. I follow you … with my heart … my soul … my mind … and my strength … In Jesus name I pray … Amen.”
Posts
I brought something to show you today. Here it is. (Hold up invisible sword) This is my special sword. It looks kind of like that. (Point to picture of sword) Can you see my special sword? You can’t?!? Well just because you cannot see it does not mean that it is not there. Let me show you.
Here is a banana. This is just a regular ordinary banana. It has never been opened before. (Show banana) I am going to cut this banana into three pieces with my special sword. Do you think I can do it?
Just because we can’t see something doesn’t mean it is not there. At church we talk a lot about God being with us. We can’t always see that God is with us, can we? Well just because we can’t see God, doesn’t mean God is not there. In our Bible readings for today we heard that God, the One who made everything, is always with us – in the good times and the bad. Even if we can’t see God, we can be sure that God is always with us. God is always with you and always with me.
