God's Favorite House Part 4: The Importance Of His Name Series

God’s favorite House part 4

The importance of His name

Text Genesis 32:24-32

The importance of a name can easily be understood when we look back to the early 1980’s. In that time frame a new revolutionary diet control candy hit the market.

The candy was gaining popularity nationwide and was growing in sales. Then suddenly without warning the revolutionary diet candy was no longer popular. Being shunned by people everywhere.

The name of the candy was AYDS and when the AIDS epidemic started gaining notice, the candy quickly lost its national appeal.

This true story reminds us of the importance of a name. In proverbs 22:1 the wise man said it best when he wrote 22:1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

Names are apart of us everyday and in every way. We name everything. We call each other names when we are happy or when we are mad.

We name our dogs, cars, boats, houses, and everything else you can thing of.

I was at a MIP conference once and I heard about a preacher that named his bed.

He named it The Word. That way when someone called him late at night and said what are you doing he could honestly answer laying here in the Word.

Names are important.

In the Bible when something extraordinary happened to someone then that person would sometimes name the place appropriately. In our story Jacob named the place where his transformation happened. He named it Penuel.

Names are important and they show importance.

Names can show love and honor they can show respect and adoration. Names can show same and humiliation Names can change the whole outlook of various situations.

Names are important.

Names can vary and many names can be given to us or to God.

In fact God has many names.

When Moses asked God what his name was. He said "I am that I am."

Some of the names of God are

In Genesis he is the creator.

Creating everything the world and everything in the world.

In Exodus he is the Deliverer.

Delivering his people out of bondage to the Egyptians.

In Leviticus he is the Teacher.

Teaching the Israelites how to approach Him.

In Numbers he is the Chastiser.

Showing how unbelief bars the way to God.

In Revelations he is the Alpha and the Omega the beginning and the end.

Names are important.

Just like in these instances names show a relationship and also give a testimony of our character.

Choosing a name is a very important part of our lives.

I. The choice of a name.

If I were to ask one or more of you what your name was and what your name meant could you tell me?

No doubt all of us know what our name is, but do we know what it means?

Some of us may not care what our name means but to others it is very important.

After all most likely none of us choose our own names, they were chosen for us.

A. Often the choice of a name often reflects on the circumstances that may have surrounded the time of our naming.

Maybe it was about the time that a famous group of singers were in the media all the time and your name is John Lennon.

Maybe it was about the time that Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. Maybe your name is Neil.

My daughter is named Amber Jordan, after the famous Michael Jordan. If I would have had a boy his name was going to be Christopher Jordan after Michael Jordan.

B. Some people are named after family members.

My brothers middle name is Dale after my father Larry Dale.

My wives older brother is named Richard after his father.

My son’s named Matthew Mark because that is what I was going to be named when I was born but got stuck with Randy Ray.

C. The importance of naming

The importance of naming a child can be seen everywhere you look.

Often names given to children are very characteristic of the parents themselves. The choice of a child’s name is quite important to most parents. Some names just wont do. I mean really most parents think twice before naming people after Adolf Hitler or Judas Iscariot.

Names are important to us to our children to those around us.

D. Names may be in correlation with some turn of events.

Often babies that are born in extreme circumstances get names like…..

Faith…. Because it took great faith to continue throughout the pregnancy.

Joy…. Because the child brings joy to a family that otherwise was on it lasts leg.

Hope…. Because the only reason for this child may have been the hope that God gives.