What's in a Name?

Submitted by Pam Burton

Do you know why you were given the name you have?

Was it to honor a special relative, or was it given because of the season in which you were born, or was it because your parents simply liked the meaning of your name? Whatever the reason, your name is very important!

In Exodus 3:14 God revealed Himself and His name to Moses when He spoke to Moses from the burning bush. Moses was chosen by God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. He told Moses to tell the Israelites that “I AM” has sent you. Exodus 3:14 “And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, I AM has sent me to you.” By this, God announces His name to us, His eternal nature, that He was not created, that He has no beginning and He has no end.

Jesus will later use the name “I AM” to reveal to us His eternal nature and many eternal qualities. Many of the “I AM’s” of Jesus are found in the book of John.

In John 6:35 Jesus spoke to the multitude and said, “I AM the Bread of Life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”

In John 8:12 Jesus addressed the Pharisees with, “I AM the Light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

In John 10:7 Jesus says, “I AM the Door of the sheep.”

In John 10:11 Jesus tells us, “I AM the Good Shepherd; the Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”

In John 11:25 Jesus tells Martha, the sister of Lazarus, “I AM the Resurrection and the Life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies”

In John 14:6 Jesus answered His disciple Thomas with, “I AM the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.”

In John 15:1 Jesus explains, “I AM the true Vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.”

Our Lord Jesus Christ is fully God is every way and fully equal with God the Father. He declares His Deity and that He is the I AM of the Scriptures in John 8:58. Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I AM.” Jesus is God!

Mark 8:29 “But Who do you say that I am?” Each of us needs to personally give an account of who Jesus is. Will we exclaim, like Peter, “You are the Christ (the Messiah, Anointed One, The Chosen One)!

I still remember distinctly one little girl in Good News Club who had been brought up in the Muslim religion raise her hand in answer to the question, “Who do you say Jesus is?”. Her enthusiastic response was “He is the Christ!”.

Our Lord introduced Himself to us first. He gave us His Word (the Bible) so we can know Him personally. He already knows all about you! (See Psalm 139). What will you do in response to His great love?