What's in a Name?
Scripture
John 14-16,
specifically verses 14:13-14, 15:16, 16:23-24, 16:26
Study
Four times in
Jesus’ final discourse recorded in John 14-16 does he tell his
disciples that he will give them whatever they ask in his name.
(14:13-14, 15:16, 16:23-24, 16:26) There is obviously power in
Jesus’ name.
A name is a
symbol of power. Upon hearing a name, you immediately associate
that person with the name. When you hear “President George W Bush”
spoken, you immediately associate a person with the name as well as
the power associated with the man even though you’ve never met him.
Praying in
Christ’s name automatically associates the same power when we speak
his name.
A Matter of Trust
In telling his
disciples to use his name in prayer, Jesus is telling them that he
trusts them. Consider a joint checking account – it is not a
perfect analogy but it works for our purposes. Two names are on the
account and both people have access to it. There is a lot of trust
placed on the other person that they will handle the account
properly. If there wasn’t the trust, the account would never be
opened.
When Jesus
tells his disciples to pray in his name, he knows that they will not
betray the trust that he has placed in them.
What do you
think about the trust Jesus has placed in you by telling you to ask
anything in his name?
Name and Nature
There is a lot
of responsibility that goes along with using someone’s name. It may
bring a lot of benefits but we also must be true to the character of
the person’s name. Consider Franklin Graham. We know him as Billy
Graham’s son. Franklin Graham may do a lot of great things in his
life, but he will always be Billy Graham’s son and that will open
doors for him that other preachers and evangelists would not see
opened. But if Franklin Graham did something that was out of
character with the Graham name he would quickly lose the privilege
that was carried with that name.
When we use
the name of Jesus, we carry a lot of responsibility on our
shoulders. We are expected to ask for things that are in Jesus’
nature; things that are selfless and loving. To ask for things that
are out of character with the name would be an abuse of the power
surrounding that name.
Relationship to the Name
The authority
of a name is one of the most important things a person can give to
another. When a man and woman get married, the man gives his bride
his name. It is because of the trust he has placed in her that his
name will not be sullied by something she does. The same goes for
children. When a name is given, it is an act of adoption and
acceptance into a family. While Joseph was not Jesus’ earthly
father, he legally adopted him by naming him. The taking or giving
of a name shows a relationship of trust between two people.
Once again, it
all comes back to a matter of relationship. If we expect to call on
Jesus’ name, we better be in a proper relationship with him. This
doesn’t just mean paying lip service. Andrew Murray writes, “God
looks not to our lips to see what the name is to us, but to our
hearts.” Paul writes in Colossians 3:17, “We will walk in the name
of the Lord our God for ever and ever.” If we are going to pray in
Christ’s name, we better make sure our walk reflects the trust that
he his placed on us.
Do our lives
reflect the trust Christ has placed on us?
Do our prayers
reflect this trust as well?
Adapted from
“With Christ in the School of Prayer” by Andrew Murray
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