11. Jesus Knows Your Name Series

11. Jesus Knows Your Name (A Sermon for Street Gospel Preaching)

Introduction: You Are Not Lost in the Crowd

Stand here with me for a moment. Look at these streets filled with people rushing past. Each person carries a story. Each heart holds pain, hope, fear, and dreams. In this sea of faces, you might think nobody notices you. You might feel invisible. You might believe your problems are too small for God to care about.

But I bring you good news today. The God who created the heavens and the earth, who set the stars in their places and knows each one by name (Psalm 147:4), this same God knows YOUR name. Isaiah 43:1 declares, "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine."

Not by your caste. Not by your job. Not by your family status. By YOUR name. You belong to Him.

God Sees You When Others Look Away

In Luke 19, we meet a man named Zacchaeus. He was a tax collector, despised by his own people. Nobody wanted him in their home. Nobody called him a friend. He was wealthy but lonely. Successful but empty.

When Jesus came to Jericho, Zacchaeus climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse. He thought he would blend into the branches, hidden among the leaves. But Jesus stopped right under that tree. Jesus looked up. And Jesus said something that changed everything: "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today" (Luke 19:5).

Think about this. Jesus knew his name. Among thousands of people lining the streets, Jesus spotted the one man hiding in a tree. Jesus did not wait for Zacchaeus to come forward. Jesus called him by name.

Today, Jesus does the same for you. You might be hiding behind your mistakes. You might be concealed by your shame. You might think your past disqualifies you. But Jesus sees you. He calls your name.

Your Cry Reaches Heaven

Let me share something familiar to help you understand. Picture a busy market in our city. Hundreds of vendors calling out. Shoppers bargaining. Children playing. Horns honking. Complete chaos. But when a child cries out, "Amma!" that mother's ears perk up instantly. She recognizes her child's voice above every other sound. She knows that cry. She responds immediately.

This is how God hears you. Psalm 34:17 tells us, "The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles." Your prayer does not get lost in the noise. Your tears do not go unnoticed. Romans 8:26 promises that when you do not even know how to pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes for you with groanings too deep for words.

God knows your voice. He recognizes your heart. He responds to your need.

You Are Precious in His Sight

Some of you carry heavy burdens today. You feel worthless. Society has labeled you. People have rejected you. Circumstances have crushed your spirit. You wonder if your life has value.

Listen carefully to what God says in Isaiah 43:4: "Because you are precious in My sight, and honored, and I love you." Not because of what you do. Not because of where you come from. You are precious simply because God made you and loves you.

Think of how Jesus treated people others ignored. He touched the leper when everyone else kept their distance (Matthew 8:3). He spoke with the Samaritan woman at the well when Jewish men would not even acknowledge her (John 4:7-9). He defended the woman caught in adultery when the crowd wanted to stone her (John 8:10-11).

Jesus never sees people as crowds. He sees individuals. He sees you.

In Matthew 10:30, Jesus says that even the hairs on your head are numbered. Every detail of your life matters to Him. You are not a statistic. You are not a face in the crowd. You are His beloved child.

The Invitation Still Stands

Friends, Jesus stands at the door of your heart and knocks (Revelation 3:20). He waits for you to respond. He will not force His way in. But He calls your name with love. He offers you forgiveness. He promises you a new life.

What must you do? Acts 2:38 gives us the answer: "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Repent means turning away from sin. Turning toward God. Admitting you need a Savior. This is not about being perfect. This is about being honest. Romans 3:23 reminds us that all have sinned and fall short of God's glory. But Romans 6:23 declares that while the wages of sin is death, the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.