LITTLE AND DESPISED

LITTLE AND DESPISED - MICAH 5:2; MATTHEW 2:6

Micah 5:2: But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

Matt. 2:6: And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

INTRODUCTION:

The life we live as Christians must be in line with the life of our Master and Savior Jesus Christ (from his life in the cradle to his life in ascension). He is the apotheosis and prodigy of excellence as He was despised and rejected. He is our perfect example on the journey to our success.

FEELINGS OF...

REJECTION

EMPTINESS

DEVASTATION

DESPISE

NEGLECTION

LITTLENESS...

CROWNS EVERY BEGINNING!!!

JOB 8:7 - Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.

EXAMPLE: THE BEGINNING OF CREATION

BETHLEHEM JUDAH: house of bread & praise - A despised and little town had the opportunity to experience the TRUE bread of life - JESUS.

NAMES HAVE MEANING:

Beth-lehem signifies the house of bread, the fittest place for Jesus to be born who is the bread of life.

And, because it was the city of David, by a special providence it was ordered that he should be born there who was to be the Son of David -DESPISED AND LITTLE LIKE DAVID, and his heir and successor for ever.

It is called Bethlehem-Ephratah, both names of the same city, as appears Gen_35:19.

It was little among the thousands of Judah, not considerable either for the number of the inhabitants or the figure they made; it had nothing in it worthy to have this honor ; but God in that, as in other instances, chose to exalt those of low degree, Luk_1:52:

He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.

HE CHOOSES THE FOOLISH OF THIS WORLD TO CONFOUND THE WISE, THE WEAK THINGS TO CONFOUND THE THINGS WHICH ARE MIGHTY - 1 COR. 1:27

Christ would give honor to the place of his birth: Though thou be little, yet this shall make thee great, and, as St. Matthew reads it, "Thou art not the least among the princes of Judah", but upon this event of CHRSIT'S BIRTH BETHLEHEM JUDAH art really honorable above any of them.

A relation to Christ will magnify those that are little in the world.

NAOMI & ELIMELECH - Ruth 1:1 - "In the days when the judges ruled" - This proves the very premise that this story really transpired in the period of the Judges. The theme of the book of Judges is "and every one did what was right in his own eyes".

- They left the "house of bread" for "a cursed region & town" - MOAB - "from father" - prefix mo (from) and ab (father).

NOTE: Christians are hereby warned to be circumspective about what we do in times of affliction and difficulties. we must NOT be controlled by our circumstances but we must control our circumstances.

CIRCUMSTANCES ARE MADE FOR PEOPLE AND NOT THE OTHER WAY ROUND

WE MUST CHECK OUR ATTITUDE: Our response to our negative environment proves our maturity in Christ. A Christian is the one who knows how to react to the pressures of life. It is crass stupidity and insanity to pray for a change of our circumstances in lieu of praying for a change of our attitude concerning our circumstances.

JESUS KNEW THAT PRAYING FOR THE CUP OF AFFLICTION AND TORMENT TO PASS BY HIM WAS AN IMPOSSIBILITY IN LIGHT OF HIS DESIRE TO SAVE HUMANITY FROM SIN. WHAT HE NEEDED TO PRAY FOR WAS THE STRENGTH TO SURVIVE THE TORMENTS AND SUFFERINGS WHICH HAS A GREAT RECOMPENSE OF REWARD.

NO ONE IS IMMUNE FROM THE STORMS OF LIFE -

OUR SURROUNDINGS CONTROL OUR SOARING ABILITY.

THE VISIT OF THE MAGI – WISE MEN

OLD TESTAMENT-DEFINITION

The first mention of "wise men" is in the account of Jacob's son, Joseph, in Genesis 41:8 where it says that the pharaoh "called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men" [Hebrew: chakam] to interpret his dream.

Chakam means intelligent, skillful, artful or cunning man. This same word is used throughout the rest of the Old Testament, except in the Book of Daniel.

In Daniel, the word used in the original language is chakamim or chakkiym from a root corresponding to chakam. The first of these "wise men" is mentioned in Daniel 2:12. At this time, "wise men" apparently consisted of three different types:

(1) astrologers,

(2) Chaldeans, and

(3) soothsayers.

NEW TESTAMENT-DEFINITION

The first word translated "wise men" is the Greek word magos. This is the same as magus, an old Persian word equivalent to the chakam of the Old Testament (above). Magi is the plural of magus.

The first and only mention of magi in the New Testament is in the story of Jesus Christ's young life. In Matthew 2, it is recorded that they came from the East to Jerusalem looking for "he that is born King of the Jews." These were magi, a caste of learned and notable men. The only known Magian priests East of Palestine (at the time of Christ's birth), were in ancient Media, Persia, Assyria, and Babylonia.

David predicted of a visit of kings coming to praise the Lord with gold and incense – Psalm 72:10-11:

“The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts…Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him”.

Although the word magic is derived from the same root as magi, and magi are generally associated with occult studies, even in our modern world. However, these magi seem to be different:

• There is no indication that they practiced sorcery or claimed magical powers.

• Their recorded conduct is sincere and worshipful.

• They appear to have researched the Old Testament and believed its prophecies about the Messiah.

• They appear not to apparently desire or gain nothing material from their long journey.

THE ROAD TO GLORY

MATTHEW 2:1-11 – THE MIND (ATTITUDE) OF CHRIST & THAT OF THE WISE MEN

1. WISE MEN CAME FROM THE EAST (V.1) - A LIFE OF ATTRACTION

YOUR IMPACT IN THE WORLD:

A despised and little place like Bethlehem became a side attraction for WISE and dignified MEN to leave their place of comfort to abide in shambles BECAUSE OF THE BIRTH OF JESUS.

NOTE: Celebrating Christmas must imbue in us the urgency to live a life that is worthy of attracting others to follow hard after Christ. If our lives drive people away from GOD, then we must access our lives and EXAMINE OURSELVES WHTHER WE ARE STILL IN THE FAITH (PAUL).

OUR THINKING AND TALKING DETERMINES OUR WALK AND ATTITUDE- OUR WALK AND ATTITUDE DETERMINES OUR SUCCESS AND DESTINY.

2. WE SAW HIS STAR IN TH EAST (V. 2a): A LIFE OF TRUE & UNIQUE IDENTITY

WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST:

The star was too conspicuous and striking out to IDENTIFY Jesus as very special and unique from all those who were born in those times. THE STAR BECAME A BADGE OF IDENTITY FOR CHRIST.

What identifies us as the children of the Most High God from the standards of the world. We are STARS - LIGHTS OF THE WORLD. This identification of a star was so glaring and different that it appeared during the DAY. THIS WAS A COMPLETE DISTINCTION FROM OTHER STARS.

As lights of the world, we must exhibit unique and distinct lifestyles that will be a paragon of excellence.

3. WE'VE COME TO WORSHIP HIM (V. 2b): A LIFE OF WORSHIP

Jesus as a child commanded worship and that is our obligation as true Christians. The wise men not only were fervent to behold the Savior but also very eager to worship Him.

They were ever ready to stripe themselves off their glory and dignity - They fell down and worshipped Him - Matthew 2:11 - This is a sign of complete surrender and adoration.

THEY EXPEDITED TRUE WORSHIP BECAUSE:

-They knew who Jesus was:

Daniel 11:33: And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.

John 17:3: And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

-They knew the times and seasons they were in:

Eccless. 3:1: To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

1 Chron. 12:32: And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.

John 7:6: Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is always ready.

LIKE ENOCH - He knew the time and season he was in (He understood the urgency of an impending doom and that caused him to WALK WITH GOD CLOSELY...(Gen. 5:21-22)

-They understood what they were doing - It was an Obedient Service - They obeyed their intuitions, drives and urges.

Job 36:11,12: If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.

But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.

It was a reasonable - They worshipped with their hearts and minds.

Rom. 12:1: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Like Abraham - He decided and prepared to forsake everything to FOLLOW HARD AFTER GOD - HIS MIND AND HEART WAS INVOLVED.

AGAIN, HE OFFERED HIS LAUGHTER - ISAAC TO GOD REASONABLY AND WHOLE HEARTEDLY.

- They paid the price for it - Left their places of comfort and supposedly left family and loved ones to embark on this journey -

Luke 14:26: If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple - REMOVING STUMBLING BLOCKS DETERING ONE FROM SERVING GOD.

4. THEY PRESENTED GIFTS UNTO JESUS (V.11) - A LIFE OF THANKSGIVING AND OFFERING

God ordered the Israelites not to approach His presence empty handed. These little, despised and uncircumcised Gentiles were not oblivious of true worship that due the greatest King - JESUS.

-They were fully prepared with their sacrifices and offerings before they set out in a quest for the New Born King.

- The richness of their gifts reflect and depict their feelings and attitude

THE NATURE OF THEIR GIFTS

RECENT DISCOVERIES ABOUT THE VISITATION OF THESE WISE MEN:

The satin lined, brass trimmed wooden chests filled with gold frankincense & myrrh capture the regal spirit of the gifts given by the three kings – Who are: Melchior, Balthasar and Caspar

GOLD: -The gold was presented to the infant King in token of His royalty - EVERLASTING KINGSHIP.

The octagonal Gold box holds a hand-blown glass ball filled with 23 karat gold flakes that float like snowflakes. The ball is specially made so that the multiple curved surfaces reflect and refract the gold and make is dance and sparkle. The gold box measures 4 3/4 x 3 3/4 inches.

Gold was the Gift given by Melchior, a king of Arabia. He is said to have been the oldest of the Three Kings. The gold in the hand-blown glass globe was real, 23 karat gold. Gently shake the globe and it will float like snowflakes.

FRANKINCENSE: -The frankincense in token of His divinity - GODLY NATURE and also it depicts Him as a MEDIATOR between God and Man.

The Frankincense has a wonderful aromatic scent - Perfect for priests and religious, teachers!

The Frankincense supplied with the Three Kings Gifts sets is from the very same region – Oman and Yemen – as the original frankincense incense given by Balthasar.

The round Frankincense box is covered in hand-made brass angles and is filled with the finest Frankincense. The base and lid are satin lined and the box measures 4 1/2 x 3 1/4 inches .

Frankincense was the Gift given by Balthasar, a king from Sheba - present day southern Yemen. Frankincese is resin from the dried sap of the Boswellia tree – a tree that has grown on the craggy slopes of the Arabian Sea for thousands of years.

In ancient times, Frankincense and Gold were equally valuable. Frankincense is harvested by making slits in the bark of the tree and letting the resin slowly bleed out and harden into white “tears” of Frankincense sap.

The primary purpose of Frankincense is the same today as it was in ancient times: it is a very strong incense with a sweet aroma that is used today in religious services.

Each of the unique, brass appliqued wooden boxes are hand-made and lined with red satin to add a regal touch to this “Gift of the Three Kings”.

MYRRH: - -The myrrh in token of His HUMANITY - SUFFERINGS – DEATH.

The square Myrrh box is a satin-lined treasure trove with brass chain and latch (the gold box also has a chain and latch) and holds the finest Arabian myrrh incense. The box measures 4 1/4 x 3 1/4 inches.

Myrrh incense is actually dried myrrh sap – the Gift given by Caspar, a king from Tarsus – present day Southern Turkey.

At the time of Christ, the world’s finest Myrrh came from Southern Arabia and it is generally thought that this was the origins of Caspar’s gift. The Myrrh incense supplied with the Three Kings’ Gifts displays the finest presents availale from Southern Arabia – the very same region as the original gifts given by Caspar – in an effort to capture, as best as possible, the spirit of the actual gifts given 2000 years ago on that first Christmas.

Myrrh incense comes from the Cammiphora tree and is harvested by cutting slits in the bark of the tree from which Myrrh resin hardens into dark red crystals. In ancient times, Myrrh was among the most valuable substances known and, at the time of the birth of Christ, it was worth seven times its weight in gold. Myrrh sap / myrrh incense / myrrh resin, known by all names, can be used as an incense or it can be ground into a powder and mixed with oils to make a balm or processed into myrrh oil. In ancient times, myrrh was used in the mummification of the Pharoahs in Ancient Egypt and to annoint kings.

THESE GIFTS WERE DESIGNED TO:

-They were designed to express His divine and human natures;

-The prophetical, priestly, and kingly offices of Christ are to be seen in these gifts and are to be acknowledged in our worship to Him;

CONCLUSION:

As despised and little we are in the sights of the world- PHYSICALLY, we are the great and honored in God’s sight SPIRITUALLY. As the despised and little Magi embarked on the journey to know and fellowship with the Child-Jesus Christ – they had the opportunity to fellowship with His Glory and Power.

Their actions, attitude and sacrifice paid off because they affected the physical life living of the Messiah positively.

They did their part with regards to the essence of Christmas. Now is your time and season to prove what you are worth in calling yourself a CHRISTIAN.

UNDERSTANDING THE ENIGMATIC NATURE OF TURBULENT & DIFFICULT TIMES

TITLE: MYSTERY OF SUFFERING

TEXT: HEBREWS 12:2; 2:9, 10; John 15:20

INTRODUCTION:

Years ago in Ghana, a devoted Christian guy lived with the vision of acquiring his own palatial place of habitation which can accommodate his future wife and children. He ran through the mill by enduring through the sweats of hardships. By virtue of his dreams and aspirations, he was devoid of excessive expenditure and consequently bereft of daily extravagance. Industriousness was the order of his day till he notched up his dream and vision. His dream came to a reality after 5 years. He had this house furnished with every luxurious household necessity. His wedding was the talk of the town and his fully-packed luxurious mansion was awaiting his presence. His honey moon was in progress when he had a phone call. Amidst the periphery of felicity and splendor encompassing his life, he came face to face with suffering re the complete smoldering of his life time investments. The caller said, your house you built is on fire and as I am talking to you now, everything is completely in ashes. The man didn’t believe his ears so he boycotted his honeymoon to catch a glimpse of his shambolic experience. He sped off into the realms of clamor and howl beyond pacification. His pastor heard about his predicament and came to his comfort but still to no avail. He was wailing like a banshee and reiterating his lamentable words of doom and despair. He entered the house which was down in ashes and saw that everything he laboriously worked for was gone with the wind. Everything in the house was beyond recognition. As he was perambulating through the shambles, he saw a metal-made bird on the grounds. Everything was gone but this artistry was whole and complete without deformity. After some few seconds, his onlookers were laid aback when they beheld this crying bridegroom burst into unprecedented laughter and still holding unto the metal-made bird. Wacky and dementia was the obsession of the witnesses about him. The pastor pleaded for assistance to take him to the hospital. He exploded with oomph and comfort that nothing was wrong with him but God is speaking to him. He continued that, God asked him why all is gone in ashes but the thing in the hand is still without blemish and stain. He answered God that it is because it is metal. God told him that, that thing has endured through the pressures of fire and heat so it’s beyond being burnt again. God continued that…He is in the process of fire and heat and when he is out, nothing can withstand him from enjoying expansion and enlargement.

Suffering is indeed a mystery which needs to be uncovered or brought to the fore or better still understood by us all. A tea leaf cannot release its flavor unless it goes through hot water. Beauty and glory is notched up in the furnace of affliction and suffering. The invaluableness and priceless of gold is tested and approved by the vehemence of fire.

Job wholeheartedly affirmed this scenario when he retorted back to his friends that [He (God) knows the way that he take, that when He had tried him, he will come forth as GOLD] Job 23:10. Transformation is birthed from the corridors of pains. Birth is the product of travail. Victory is gained out of warfare. War is waged with weapons and weapons are the products of fire.

BODY OF MY SERMON:

The author and finisher of our faith endured the affliction appending the cross because of the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:2). Suffering produces joy and ecstasy. The result of the night is the morning. David said, “Weeping may endure the night but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). Darkness is every time equated with sufferings and pains, but we must not be oblivious of the premise that, darkness precedes the morning. Which is to say that, there is no……..

Pay without pain.

Gain without Gale.

Winning without Weaning.

Testimony without a Test.

Triumph without Trials.

Message without a Mess.

Pleasure without Pressure.

Praise without pains.

Crown without being a clown.

In Hebrews 2:9, 10, Jesus was fashioned to swim in the pool of despondency and affliction before He annexes the crown of glory and honor. Crowns are the rewards of champions. Champions are products of endurance. In verse 10, the Captain of our salvation was made perfect through sufferings. Brethren, suffering is a mystery and consequently, it is employed by God to cause us to be conformed into the image of His Son Jesus Christ. I CALL SUFFERINGS AND AFFLICTIONS THE WILDERNESS OF EXPERIENCE.

All the legends of faith listed in Hebrews 11 perambulated through this wilderness. It’s a GLORIOUS EXPERIENCE which becomes the PERFECT TEACHER OF GREATNESS IN THE SIGHT OF GOD. Abraham (run into Egypt), Isaac (followed the footsteps of his father into Egypt), Jacob (struggled with life – Laban’s house), Moses (40 years of training in the wilderness), David (40 years running away from Saul in the wilderness), Elijah (without food in the wilderness, being fed by ravens, running to serepta for food) Elisha (walking three days after Elijah for his double unction and power) Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel and his friends etc…

The servant is not greater than his Master. If Jesus was crowned with power through the quagmire of sufferings, then we are no exceptions to this puzzle. Ordinary is the life devoid of trials and pressures; extraordinary is the life outlived with afflictions and sufferings.

ILLUSTRATION: BUTTERFLY

There is a struggle from the stage of deformity into the stage of uniformity when a butterfly meanders its way into existence from the shell of a cocoon. This is a class example of suffering. A farmer en route to the farm bumped into a queer but glaring scenario when a butterfly being formed out of the clothes of a cocoon was struggling onto the atmosphere of life. The farmer glanced at this wonder but shove off unto his daily duty. On his way back, he saw that the butterfly was still fluttering its wings in pursuit to deliver itself from the heat of his habitat. He opted to help it and to lessen its misery so cut open the part which was stuck in the cocoon with his knife. He later discovered that, in his quest to be a catalyst of liberation, he became a mainstay of demise; he killed the beautiful transforming butterfly. Suffering is our time of transformation from the ordinary into extraordinary. Christians are called for excellence in all facets of our lives and not to trail. Excellence is the finish product of being expelled out of the society by reason of fiasco. You can’t excel in your field of specialty unless you have tasted the ignominy of being expelled and debarred. An escape root from suffering is suicidal. It is dying before our time.

Transformation is an apotheosis or paragon of a channel of affliction and pains. It’s a process. It is a means to an end – Blessings and greatness.

WHAT SUFFERING PRODUCES:

THREE FOLD BLESSINGS OF SUFFERINGS

1. IT PRODUCES PERFECTION (Hebrews 2:10)

“For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings”.

Jesus became Perfect in all standards through the labyrinth of sufferings. Philippians 2:5-8 expatiates on Jesus being highly exalted and given a new name by the father. Before this accolade, He endured through suffering and shame by humbling Himself unto death, even the death of the cross. Excellence, beauty, ecstasy and maturity are the nonce words here.

The butterfly experiences beauty when it goes through the process of change. Like the butterfly, we need the coat of emergency to survive. Gold is graded as priceless and sparkling after it passes through the torture of fire. The bird in the hands of the man whose house got burnt became perfect beyond the vehemence of the destruction of fire. The mystery of suffering is that, it creates in us the SEED of perfection. It is contagious. It affects our progeny like the consummation of fire. Trials and afflictions create in us the power of maturity and growth.

ILLUSTRATION:

A shipwrecked man managed to reach an uninhabited Island. There, to protect himself against the elements and to safeguard the few possessions he had salvaged, he painstakingly built a little hut which he constantly and prayerfully looked at the horizon for the approach of a ship. Returning one evening after a search for food, he was terrified to find the hut completely enveloped in flames beyond recognition. Yet, by divine mercy, this hard affliction and suffering was changed into a mighty advantage. He struggled for a place to lie and luckily he slept. Early the following morning he awoke to find a ship anchored off the island. When the captain of the ship stepped ashore, he explained that, “we saw your smoke signal and we came to your rescue. Everything the marooned man owned had to be destroyed before he could be rescued.

If God promised His servants an unbroken run of prosperity, there would be counterfeit Christians. Don’t be surprised at famine and hunger…it is permitted to root you deep as a 30 storey building survives and thrives on the deepness of the foundation. The deeper you dig down, the higher your greatness and blessings!!!

2. IT IDENTIFIES US WITH CHRIST (John 15:20b)

“Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you…..”

As Disciples of Christ, we are created in His image and likeness. Philippians 2:5 says, we should let the mind of Christ be in us as disciples. The mind of Christ was to endure through sufferings because of the joy set before Him.

Suffering is the badge of true discipleship. Discipleship means allegiance to the suffering Christ and it is therefore not at all surprising that Christians should be called upon to suffering. Gold is gold because of the furnace of fire.

ILLUSTRATION:

Hammer is a useful tool so close and united with the nail. But if the nail has the feeling, voice and intelligence, it could present another side of the story. For the nail knows the hammer only as an opponent. Brutal, merciless enemy who lives to pound it into submission, to beat it down out of sight and clinch it into place. That is the nail’s view of the hammer; it is very accurate except for one thing: The nail forgets that it also lives to identify itself with the hammer. The nail is no nail without the hammer and vice versa. It forgets also that both it and the hammer are servants of the same work man. If it knows this…all resentment toward the hammer will disappear.

God uses the storms of life to shape us into becoming choice vessels for His use. We must identify ourselves with the sufferings to understand that we can do nothing without the presence of trials and sufferings.

3. IT PRODUCES OBEDIENCE: (Hebrews 5:8)

“Though he was a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered”

Jesus our Master is spoken of by the author of Hebrews that He was intimated with the spirit of obedience by reason of His sufferings. Obedience is better than sacrifice. The topsy-turvy we face in life causes us to be subject to the will and purpose of the Father. Trials and afflictions instill in us the spirit of submission to God. Because we cannot do anything to relieve ourselves from the pains, we learn how to succumb and yield our entire life to our Creator.

The tea-leaf succumbs to the hot water to produce the flavor which satiates hearts and calm nerves.

Jesus saw the boisterous winds as an avenue from which the disciples will learn to trust in Him and put their faith in God. The bible explicates on God’s sovereignty in causing the Israelites to walk through the wilderness for 40 years in lieu of the 40 days journey through the Philistine territory. God purposefully orchestrated it to strengthen the faith and to cause the Israelites to be obedient to His call and will. Jonah’s affliction made him obedient to God’s call and will for the people of Nineveh.

CONCLUSION:

Brethren, we must not count it queer and strange concerning the fiery trial and suffering which tries us as though some strange thing happened unto us. But let us rejoice, inasmuch as we are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, we may be glad also with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of God, happy are you; for the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you 1 Peter 4:12-14.

THE POWER OF A NAME

TEXT: GENESIS 32:27

THEME: WHAT IS YOUR NAME?

INTRODUCTION:

The content of something is identified by the label or name given to that thing. Irrespective of the sweetness of COCA COLA, the negative label which is given to it by someone inevitably will deter one from enjoying its sweet and adoring content. A bottle or container labeled “POISON” or GRENADE is more authentic and glaring than the content itself.

ILLUSTRATION:

I am a native, born and bred in the Southern part of Ghana and historically we were enveloped with odd milieu vis-à-vis royalties. The kingship in the southern part of Ghana is second to the British royalty and it is really extolled by all and sundry. We call it the ASHANTI KINGDOM. But the major difference is that, the people there have some unconventional African beliefs. In the olden times, we believed that, the king was considered as great and important to the extent that he must be accompanied by some victims during his demise. Preparation for the burial of the king took about two to three months and during these times, no one especially young persons or strangers should walk around between the hours of 11pm and 2am; failure to adhere to this law was a passport to death. I heard a story from my father about a young guy who was either averse to stick to that law or he forgot abut it and he was seen outside around midnight during the death of the greatest Ashanti King who had ever reigned on the ASHANTI stool. As the executioners were patrolling around the vicinity, this guy was spotted, they caught him and amidst the quagmire of struggle and the last breath of death, this guy cried out, I am the grandson of OTUMFUO, the one who sits on the red stool. These executioners of the greatest king shook with fear, left like tornado in the noon day and till date, we haven’t heard of their presence and whereabouts.

WHAT IS YOUR NAME? WHO ARE YOU AND WHO IS YOUR FATHER?

“And Nabal answered David's servants, and said who is David? And who is the son of Jesse?” (1 Sam. 25:10a).

The name of a thing is powerful than the real thing.

Names are labels and labels are names. Labels give credence to names and names on the other hand magnify personalities. The virtue of an entity is somewhat substantiated by the name given to it. A name identifies a thing. People are identified by their names and not by their works. Names give power to works. A great person without a name doesn’t exist.

Names are very important because it reflects the inner disposition of someone. God acknowledges the power and effect of a person’s life. Jesus was born with a name and that name had a strong effect on His whole life on earth and even after His work on the earth, God again exalted Him by given Him voice and superior influence via a NAME -Philippians 2:5ff. Jesus’ name still work powerful even until now and it will exist till the end of this age.

In Exo. 3:13, it reads like this, And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? What shall I say unto them?

ILLUSTRATION:

One may ask, what's in a name? There are many who feel that there is nothing in a name. I disagree, based on the above text and Acts 4:12. There is a name that is above all others, and that name is Christ. No other name has the power or authority than the name of Jesus Christ. If God saw fit to understand the plea and the sense in Moses’ query and also give Jesus a name, who are we to down play the efficacy annexing names?

The story is told of a man arrested for making whiskey. He came before the judge, who was a church going man. He decided to have some fun with the accused. The judge asked him, "What is your name?" The man replied, "My name is Joshua." "Are you the Joshua who made the sun stand still?” the judge asked. "No sir," the man replied. "I am the Joshua that made the moonshine."

The story is simple. There is something in a name. It immediately draws attention to something odd or unique. A name can be great ONLY IF it is a good name...

In order for us to understand the veracity of names, we have to know that there are two kinds of names which enforce the quality of a thing…..

• BAD NAME
• GOOD NAME

BAD NAMES:

Isaiah 62:1-4

In Isaiah 62:2 &4, we read that Israel was bedecked with a bad name which had diverse effects on their moral life style until the grace of God brought relief unto them by changing their names…

“And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name. Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.”

Bad names have unprecedented effects on our lives re our future. Spiritually, a name has a sporadic effect on the personality and character of a person. In biblical times, God specifically walked and dealt with the patriarch’s by reason of the names they had. They gave names to their progeny by God’s instructions and commands. A name is an epithet of what is to come or happen in the life of the person. A good name predicts a god fate and a bad name automatically predicts an odd fate UNLESS there is an intervention by God.

The name given to the son of Enoch in Gen. 5:22 caused Enoch to initiate his journey of faith in God. The name was Methuselah, which means, “When he is dead, it shall be sent”.

His name prophesied about what was to come, the deluge. Names are spirit and the greatness of a person is expressed in the name of that person.

JACOB was embellished with devastation and mayhem through his entire life by reason of the power that ruled his life – HIS NAME. JACOB means, a supplanter – which means, one who wrongfully or illegally seizes and holds the place of another. His fate was to unduly vilify and denigrate people to acquire their blessings sometimes with coercion.

An angel met him on his way back from exile at Laban’s house preparing to meet his brother Esau. He wrestled with this angel until the breaking of the day. He fought with this man-angel for a blessing. He never knew the cause of his devastations and fiasco until the angel asked him… WHAT IS YOUR NAME? Gen. 32:27

He never experienced peace and favor until he had a CHANGED NAME – ISRAEL, THE PREVAILING PRINCE. His WRESTLING AND FIGHT PLEASED THE LORD and He caused his enemies to be at peace with him Prov. 16:7.

He obtained favor in the eyes of his brother, Esau the very next day.

Brethren, our names have superior influence on our lives whether we like it or not. It explains the veracity of our true selves and it certainly predicts where we will be from now.

“And Jabez was more honorable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, because I bore him with sorrow 1Chron. 4:9”.

The bad name of Jabez made him swim in the pool of despondency and despair in his life time till he sought the face of Jehovah. The bible attested to the cause of his ruins because of THE MEANING OF HIS NAME, GIVEN BY HIS MOTHER. JABEZ means, PAINS AND MISERY. This was the order of his day from birth – pains and misery in al his endeavors.

There is this callous and eccentric man in the bible called NABAL. Luckily he was attached to a virtuous woman who added credence to his very nature. The bible talks about the love of David in protecting the servants and sheep of the man when David was in the wilderness. And as the law demands and stipulates, the man must freely feed and pay David and his servants for their selflessness. He refused to honor and bless David and his man but he straightway, treated David and his men with contempt. This man was labeled as A CHURLISH MAN AND EVIL because of HIS NAME. NABAL means A FOOL. LIKE MAN LIKE NAME. His name ruled his motives and character. His name controlled his senses and heart.

1Sa 25:3 - Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.

His wife even accepted the fact that his evil nature and odd character was the results of his NAME AND IDENTITY.

“And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and fell at his feet, and said, upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid. Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send… (1Sa 25:23-25)

Time will not permit me to talk about Lot, Benjamin, Mahlon and Chilion (the sons of Naomi and Elimelech), Jezreel, Lo Ruhamah (sons of Hosea and Gomer) etc

In the Old Testament, names were changed from worse or odd in the eyes of God to great and glorious in the eyes of God, but in the New Testament, names were changed from great and glorious in the eyes of men to glorious and great in the eyes God.

GOOD NAMES:

A good name is better than precious ointment (Eccl. 7:1).

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches (Pro 22:1a)

A name is only considered as GOOD if it’s connected with God’s will and purpose. Greatness is ONLY in the eyes of God not men.

ILLUSTRATION:

In order to be effective in our ministries and callings, we need to “walk-talk our name and name our talk-walk”. Our names reflect our walk and relationship with God. We know that this is true when it comes to everyday things like the naming of our children. Have you ever heard of a mother naming her daughter, Jezebel; or her son, Judas? No parent would permanently scar a child with a name that is noted for doing wicked or evil. There is something in a name.

Marshall Keeble, a well known black evangelist, commenting on the importance of a name, stated that “a check is no good without a name”. He told of a preacher who was conducting a meeting in a certain city. There was one lady who attended every night and heard him assert that there was nothing in a name. He said that they were to work out their salvation, and the name had nothing to do with it. He made this point over and over. One night this lady told him that she would like to make a contribution to his ministry. The next day he went by her house to pick up the money. She gave him a check and he went directly to the bank to cash it. The cashier returned the check to him saying that there was no name signed to it. "She must have forgotten to sign it," the preacher said, so he returned to the lady's house to get her to sign the check. To his surprise, she informed him that she had not forgotten to sign it but was only doing as he had preached and did not put her name on the check. The lady made her point, and taught him never to preach that again.

SIMON CHANGED TO PETER:

Simon means hearkening or listening. He is heard and listened by all and sundry regardless of what he is saying. He had a voice and the superior influence among his peers. That impelled him to be loquacious and a talkative. Because of his name, he was SLOW TO HEAR AND QUICK TO SPEAK. After declaring Jesus to be the CHRIST the Son of the Living God, Jesus changed his name to PETER, from the Greek word Petra, meaning a small stone. A stone is considered trivial and pedestrian before men, but with God it is the starting point on the journey of supernatural destination. Jesus became the Chief Corner Stone rejected and castigated by men, but later became the Head of the Corner. The secret of greatness starts from the anticipation of our smallness before God. He was restructured from vain-glory unto great-glory. His name sped him up unto the apogee and the zenith of leadership. It instilled in him the working ability to lead the Church to her future expansion.

SAUL CHANGED TO PAUL

Saul means asked for or called for…..a name which attracts pride and self righteousness. His name attracted the attention of others. Loved and accepted by men. Saul in the Old Testament was rejected by God because He prided himself in his own wisdom and wittiness. His name affected his personality and character. His name depicted the man-pleasing spirit. Saul lived his life to please people because he was chosen by people-the children of Israel. The name instills pride and self-righteousness.

Saul in the New Testament on the other sphere was attached with the same fate….he did what seemed right in his own eyes without verifying to know what was really right in the eyes of the Lord. He lived his life also to fulfill the wishes of the Sanhedrin by vanquishing the Christians. They ASKED FOR HIM AND CALLED FOR HIM TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT THEY PLEASED. The bible says, he goes to the high priests for a warrant to kill the Christians just to please them and make them happy.

PAUL: meaning, little…God proved to him that though he is respected and approved by people but before Him, he is just little and insignificant. God proved to him that in order for him to be used by Him (God), he has to strip him off his pedestrian and superfluous image he is packaged with and has also built for himself because of his name SAUL.

My trillion dollar question here is that…

MUST WE HAVE A CHANGE OF NAME IN ORDER TO HAVE A UNIQUE IDENTITY, EXPEDITE A WONDERFUL CHARACTER, OBTAIN AN ENORMOUS FAVOR AND EXPERIENCE SUPERNATURAL POWER?

ANSWER = YES

As in Isaiah 62:1-4, we NEED AND MUST be “called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name and we shall me a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord and a royal diadem in the hand of the Lord”.

This special new name is … A CHRISTIAN from the Greek name, CHRIST meaning the anointed one. We are the anointed children of God and we CAN exercise our full authority as SONS OF GOD through the effectiveness of the NAME…CHRISTIAN

THE NAME CHRISTIAN GIVES US:

We are now been enveloped with the levels which will lead us to our destination in the Kingdom of CHRIST. The first product of the name Jesus is that the name gives us a conspicuous and unique…

1. IDENTITY: The name identifies us with Christ. His character and nature (image and likeness) is revealed in us. Abram’s name ABRAHAM identified him with the unique multitudes which will proceed from him. Jacob’s name ISRAEL identified him with the strength and power of Israel. The name Christian identifies us with the power and glory packaging the name of Jesus, CHRIST. Simon’s name Peter and Saul’s name Paul gave them a new focus and vision for them to pursue in life.

Identity gives us the power to move unto the next level of expedition which is ….

2. CHARACTER: A person’s Identity affects his or her character. Attitude is the product of identity. The name of a person or family influences the character and behavior of the family or individual. Our identity affects our thought patterns. The power in the name of a family inculcates in the people the boldness and power to live without fear. Jacob’s changed name affected his generation; he and his descent became known as a prevailing prince. He was respected and adored by his children and generation and even until the time of Jesus (John 4:12).

Jabez’s identity after praying to God affected his character and nature; he became more honorable than his brethren.

Peter and Paul’s new identity affected their character and attitude in relation to how they carried themselves re the will and purpose of God. Their identities made them sober and humble to be slow to speak and quick to hear and to humble themselves and wish for God’s will to prevail in their lives. The character of her person elevates and catapults him unto a unique level to obtain…

3. FAVOR: our character either makes or breaks our destiny. It either closes or opens doors for us. Favor is the product of a good character. Good name invariably produces a unique identity which in turn gives one the strength to exercise an acceptable character and thereby opening the door to greater blessings and favors. Our name as CHRISTIANS identifies us with God’s unprecedented blessings. The door of favor enlarges our territories for us to enjoy….

4. SUPERNATURAL AUTHORITY AND POWER: Abraham’s name gave him identity, had a changed attitude and character, obtained favors from diverse kinds of people and kings and finally, he obtained the power and authority to be the FATHER OF MANY NATIONS by giving birth.

As Christians, we are now imparted with the power to create and live as gods on the earth. David said “behold, you are gods”.

We are representatives and ambassadors of Christ. We stand in the stead of Christ on the earth.

CONCLUSION:

We must not loose fact or underplay the efficacy of names because our futures are tied to them. Our identities, character, favors and power are the consequences of our good and bad names. Let’s live life as the real follows of CHRIST so that His very nature would be seen and identified in us. We are to live as CHRIST LIVED - HEIRS OF THE FATHER AND JOINT HEIRS WITH CHRIST.