APRIL 3, 2014
What’s
In A Name?
Read: John
1:35-42
You are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church. —Matthew 16:18
My friend wrote a
letter to his newborn child that he wanted him to read when he was older: “My
dear boy, Daddy and Mummy wish that you will find and stay focused on the
Light. Your Chinese name is xin xuan. Xin means faithfulness, contentment, and
integrity; xuan stands for warmth and light.” He and his wife carefully chose a
name based on their hopes for their baby boy.
When Jesus renamed
Simon as Peter/Cephas (John 1:42), it wasn’t a random choice. Peter means “the
rock.” But it took a while for him to live up to his new name. The account of
his life reveals him as a fisherman known for his rash ways—a shifting-sand
kind of guy. Peter disagreed with Jesus (Matt. 16:22-23), struck a man with a
sword (John 18:10-11), and even denied knowing Jesus (John 18:15-27). But in
Acts, we read that God worked in and through him to establish His church. Peter
truly became a rock.
If you, like Peter,
are a follower of Jesus, you have a new identity. In Acts 11:26, we read, “The
disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.” The name “Christians” means
“Christ-ones.” You now are one of the Christ-ones. This title lifts up who you
are and calls you to become what you are not yet. God is faithful, and He will
complete His good work in you (Phil. 1:6).
Dear Father, thank You
for the incredible privilege
of being called Your
child. May we understand
more fully what it
means to be identified with Your
Son, Jesus Christ.
Work in us and through us.
We honor God’s name
when we call Him our Father and live like His children.
Insight
Today’s reading
records a call to discipleship. After John the Baptist identified Jesus as the
“Lamb of God,” two of his disciples followed Jesus. Andrew is named, but the
second spiritual seeker is not. Many commentators believe that the apostle John
is the second disciple. Notice the easy conversation which takes place between
the two disciples and Christ. He asks what they seek. They inquire about where
He is staying, and He invites them to come and see. The tenth hour by Jewish
reckoning was 4:00 p.m. Obviously, the day was coming to an end. Andrew became
so excited about Jesus’ invitation that he went to find his brother Simon and
brought him to meet the Master.
Source:
Our Daily Bread 2012
