It took many years of hard labor for Gutzon Borglum to blast and crave away the rock to produce the faces of the four presidents on Mt. Rushmore. He died a short time after the work was completed in 1941. He was interviewed before he died, and was asked why it took so long. He said the monument would be there for all time, and he wanted to be exact. Geologist figure it will erode and inch in one hundred thousand years. He said,
"You see my name is on that monument just as surely as the face of the four presidents."
His name is written in rock, and will likely last for all time. We like our names to last, and that is why we like to get them written in unusual places. Climb almost any mountain or high hill, and you will discover rocks where you have names written or carved by those who were there before you. On the edge of trestles and bridges, where there is danger to do so, people climb to inscribe their name. Some prefer to carve them in desks at school,
or other public property. Others prefer nature, and carve their names into trees and stubs. Others try to find soft cement, and get their name locked in before it hardens.
One way or another, almost everyone gets their name written somewhere, because they feel there name is important, and it is. Your name is a very important part of your identity. Businesses know that, and so they have designed computers to send you letters with your name, and not just general letters to everyone as dear customer, or occupant. We like to see our name in print, and so they use this to appeal to our love for our own name. From birth to death our name is important. Our name goes on to our birth certificate before we leave the hospital, and it goes on our death certificate before we are buried, and in between our name is a basic part of our life. It is on our school records, doctor records, employment records, bank records, and tax records.
All of us have experienced the power of signing our name. You have put your name on a little piece of paper, and the bank gives you money for it. You name gives you rights and ownership. I read of an old veteran who got his check from the government, and said to a friend, "See, there is the name of the treasurer of the United States, big man, but this thing is no good till I put my name on it." Every persons name is important, and where it is written is important. Jesus even told His disciples that the real key to happiness is in knowing that your name is written in heaven. They were excited about miracles, and the power they had to cast out demons, but Jesus said they should not make this the foundation of their joy, for true and lasting joy is to be in fact that your name is written in heaven.
In a very real sense Jesus is saying, the greatest goal of life is to get your name in the proper place, and that place is in the book where God records the names of all His children. It might be enjoyable to see your name in the paper, but the next day it is garbage. It may be a blast to see your name up in lights, but those lights soon dim and your name is forgotten. Even if you get your name in rock, and it lasts till the end of time, it will be wiped out, for the Bible says the very elements will melt with fervent heat when the world ends. All the names on rocks, steel, and even the pyramids will gone for good. Only those written in the Lamb's Book Of Life will have names that endure forever.
Jesus knew that in the battle with the forces of evil His disciples would not always escape injury and death, as they did this time. Many of them would be killed, and evil men like Herod and Nero would take their lives, and eliminate their names from the records of history. They would pay a heavy price to follow the name of Jesus, but He is saying to them, that which is permanent, and which will never be taken away from you is your name in heaven. Evil men cannot reach the records of heaven, and no weapon of time has the power to erase your name in heaven. Once you put your name there, by putting your trust in Christ as your Savior, and following Him as Lord, you have arrived at the peak of human exaltation, for no matter who you are in time, you will be somebody in eternity. You will be somebody special to God forever, and your name will be known in the family of God throughout endless ages.
Nothing is more important than having your name written in heaven. It is worth any price to get it there, but because of Christ, it is free to those who trust Him. Men have paid a heavy price to have their name written on the record of history. Those 56 American leaders who signed the Declaration of Independence paid a price to put their names on that document. We say, put our John Hancock on this when we ask people to sign something, because John Hancock wrote his name larger than anyone else who signed the Declaration. He wanted the king of England to be able to see his name even without his glasses. The king saw it, and all of the others as well, and they became prime targets.
Five of them were captured by the British and tortured before they died. 12 others had their homes looted or burned. 9 of them died fighting the war. They were all rich men who lived in luxury, but they risk it all by putting their names on that piece of paper. Thank God for men who will put their names down for such values as freedom. We are all blessed because of them. But there is still a higher place to put your name, and that is in the Lamb's Book of Life. The armed forces entice you to put your name on the dotted line for your country. Sign up and see the world. Give them your name and they will give you training and adventure. All of this is fine, and can change your life, but no matter how many places you get your name written, you cannot be truly happy until your name is written in heaven.
Mary Kidder wrote the hymn, Is My Name Written There? The last stanza goes like this-
Oh that beautiful city with its mansions of light,
With its glorified beings in pure garments of white,
Where no evil thing cometh to despoil what is fair,
Where the angels are watching-yes my name's written there.
Yes, my name's written there on the page white and fair,
In the book of thy kingdom, yes my name's written there.
The good news is, you don't have to be a duke, a prince or princess, or a person of fame and fortune, to get your name in that book of life. All you have to be is a sinner who knows he needs a Savior. All you have to be is a hungry man who knows he needs the bread of life. All you need to be is a thirsty man who knows he needs to drink of the water of life. All you have to be is whoever you are saying, I want to be a part of the family of God, and I want to yield my life to Christ, and to trust and follow Him. Whosoever will may come. And the Bible says they will come, for people from every tribe, tongue, and nation, will come, and they will sing praises to the name of Jesus forever. They were nobodies, and without earthly fame, but they were redeemed by the blood of the lamb, and their names were written in heaven. Where your name is, there you will be forever. So the greatest question in life is, is my name written in heaven?
It all depends on what you do with the greatest name of all time. God has given His Son a name above every name. One day every knee will bow, and every tongue confess that He is Lord. His name is a name of power and glory. Christianity is named after Christ. There are all kinds of isms in the world, communism, fascism, materialism, naturalism, and humanism, but long after all these isms will be wasims, the name of Christ will live on, and Christians will also, because they bear His eternal name. The rulers of this present age have time and time again sought to put out the light of this name, and plunged it into oblivion, but they have failed to put out the light, and have themselves plunged into the pit of darkness.
The name of Jesus shines, and all over this world people sing, Jesus Loves Me, There's No Other Name Like That Of Jesus, Jesus, Jesus There's Just Something About That Name, Take the Name Of Jesus With You, and Jesus Is The Sweetest Name I Know. You might just as well try to erase the sun as to try blotting out the name of Jesus. It is engraved in history, and in the hearts of millions to stay forever. Every time persecutors have tried to destroy the name of Jesus, they have magnified it. When they killed Christians by the thousands, the masses asked, who enables these people to die with such peace, and the answer was always Jesus, and so the name of Jesus spread like wildfire. The martyrs sang of Jesus as they died, and the very fires that burned them at the stake wrote the name of Jesus in the sky, and others bowed to that marvelous name.
Communism in Russia and China used brutal methods to stamp out the name of Jesus, but after decades of forcing Christians underground, we now know that more people love and honor the name of Jesus in those lands than they did before communism came. There is no way you can eliminate that name. When you have quenched the sun, and dried up the oceans, you have not yet tackled the hardest task, for the sun can be blotted out, and the seas will be no more says the Bible, but the name of Jesus endures forever. Whosoever shall call upon the name of Jesus will also live forever. Your name can be added to the Book Of Life today if you by faith will receive Christ as your Savior. Whosoever will may come. Will you?
