Carry His Name

“But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭9:15-16‬ ‭

Some years ago I heard the late Dr. James Kennedy in a sermon share a story about the Macedonian King Alexander the Great. He shared that “one day, Alexander held court in Nebuchadnezzar's great palace in Babylon. He sat upon the great golden throne, pronouncing sentences for the crimes charged to his soldiers. The sergeant-at-arms brought in one soldier after another and read their crimes. No one could deliver them from Alexander's severe judgments. Finally, the sergeant-at-arms brought in a young Macedonian soldier and read aloud his crime: fleeing in the face of the enemy. This cowardice Alexander could not tolerate. But as he looked on this young soldier, Alexander's countenance changed from stern to soft. Smiling, he said to the lad, Son, what is your name? The boy said softly, Alexander. The smile left the king's face. He said, What did you say? The young man snapped to attention. Alexander, sir. The king turned crimson and shouted, WHAT IS YOUR NAME? The boy began to stammer and said, Al, Alex, Alexander, sir. The king burst out of his chair, grabbed the young man by the tunic, stared him in the face, and said, Soldier, change your conduct or change your name!”

Alexander did not want his name, which the young soldier also carried, to be associated with cowardice. If he was going to continue to carry it, the young man needed to change his ways. As Christians, who name the name of Jesus, we carry the name that is above every name. After Paul was converted on the road to Damascus, the Lord sent Ananias in a vision to meet up with Paul and lay hands on him. Knowing that Paul (formerly Saul) had persecuted the church, he protested. But the Lord revealed to Ananias that Paul was a chosen vessel to “carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15).

When Jesus said that Paul was chosen by him to “carry my name” this means that Paul was to bring who Christ is and what he’s done to the lost. This calling that Paul was given from the Lord to carry his name is essentially the calling of all believers. To be credible witnesses for Christ, we must live our lives in a manner that’s worthy of his name. Paul, who was called to carry the Lord’s name wrote, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity” ‭‭(2 Timothy‬ ‭2:19‬b)‭. “The world,” said Alexander Maclaren, takes its notion of God most of all from those who say they belong to God’s family. They read us a great deal more than they read the Bible. They see us; they only hear about Jesus.” It’s also been said that the life of a Christian is the only Bible some people will ever read. So to all who carry the name Christian, what are people reading from your life? Jesus said to his disciples, “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew‬ ‭5:16‬). Are you bringing fame or shame to the name of Jesus? If you’re bringing shame to the matchless name of Jesus, change your name or change your conduct.

This awesome responsibility to carry the name of Jesus before the world around us is only possible through the abiding Spirit that possesses every true believer. Apart from the Spirit, it’s impossible to live the christian life. Only one person ever did and His name is Jesus. We don’t live the Christian life by trying harder; we live it by trusting Him to live His life through us as we daily cultivate our relationship with Him through prayer and the word and consecrate our lives to His will and His ways. Christian, you carry the name that is above every name. May we always by the grace of God carry it well.

Blessings,
Pastor Marco