We Pray In The Name Series

INTRO.- What’s in a name?

ILL.- An Indian petitioned a judge of an Arizona court to give him a shorter name. “What is your name now?” asked the judge. “Chief Screeching Train Whistle,” said the Indian. “And to what do you wish to shorten it?” asked the judge. The Indian folded his arms majestically and grunted, “Toots.” (And short is often better)

ILL.- Fontana, California —What’s in a name? No end of harassment for a 19-year-old steel corporation employee here, who planned to enter college in the fall. His name is Richard M. Nixon. The “M”, though, is for Mark. He is a Democrat and he is not related to the former president with a similar name.

“People are always saying things like. ‘Hello, Mr. President, how are things at the White House?’” Richard said, “If I try to charge something at a store, I’m usually told, ‘Sorry, your credit’s no good, ha, ha!’ It isn’t even funny anymore, but I try to be polite and smile once in a while.”

Richard said he was stopped by a policeman one night and when he gave his name as requested, the cop snapped: “Okay, you smart punk, now put your hands on the car and don’t move.” After the frisking, the cop ran a check on Richard’s license plate, since he’d lost his driver’s license and car registration. “When he found out I was telling the truth,” said Richard M. Nixon, “he started laughing like crazy.”

Wouldn’t that be a hard name to bear? Of course, not as bad as Saddam Hussein or Osama Bin Laden or Adolf Hitler!

ILL.- How would you like the name Bourke Blakemore Hickenlooper? Was there really such a person as Kickenlooper? SURE WAS.

Bourke Blakemore Hickenlooper ( July 21, 1896–September 4, 1971), was a member of the Republican Party, first elected to statewide office in Iowa as lieutenant governor, serving from 1939 to 1942 and then as Governor from 1943 to 1944. Hickenlooper. What a name!

12We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you. And we also pray in the name of the Lord Jesus.

What’s in a name? Listen to God’s Word.

Matthew 18:20 "For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

Matthew 6:9 "This, then, is how you should pray: " ’Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name..."

Matthew 28:19-20 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Mark 9:41 "I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward."

John 14:13-14 "And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."

Phil. 2:9-11 "God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

It appears to me that the most important name in all the universe is the name of Jesus. Jesus is the Christ, the Savior, the Son of the living God, and our only hope for anything good in this life and the promise of eternal life! THAT MAKES HIS NAME THE NAME ABOVE ALL OTHER NAMES!

PROP.- Our text tells us how to pray in His name.

1- We pray for you constantly in His name

2- We pray for empowerment in His name

I. WE PRAY FOR YOU CONSTANTLY IN HIS NAME

11With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling.

ILL.- A couple of young boys were fishing at their special pond off the beaten track. All of a sudden, the Game Warden jumped out of the bushes. Immediately, one of the boys threw his rod down and started running through the woods like being chased by a bear. The Game Warden was hot on his heels. After about a half mile, the young man stopped and stooped over with his hands on his thighs to catch his breath, so the Game Warden finally caught up to him.

"Let’s see yer fishin’ license, Boy!" the Warden gasped. With that, the boy pulled out his wallet and gave the Game Warden a valid fishing license.

"Well, son," said the Game Warden," you must be about as dumb as a box of rocks! You don’t have to run from me if you have a valid license!"