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Sermon December 24, 2018
The Rev. Rebecca S. Myers,
The Church of the Nativity and St. Stephen’s
Christmas Eve
http://lectionarypage.net/YearABC_RCL/Christmas/ChrsDay1_RCL.html
For a child has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6
Please be seated.
What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other word would smell as sweet;
William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_rose_by_any_other_name_would_smell_as_sweet
Most of us are familiar with this quote from William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. What is in a name? Is there a story behind your name?
Well, most of us know a little something about what is behind our last names, especially if we love genealogy and especially with the proliferation of the DNA tests that link us to our families. We can find relative’s graves and if some in our family really have the bug, they gather all kinds of historical data for us, so we know a little more about our family history. This information can tell us something about who we are. For instance, my family, at least on my father’s side, includes lots of ministers. Seems like a common calling….
But what about your first or middle names? For instance, both my father and his father carried the middle names of the Democratic candidates for President running in the years they were born. My middle brother’s first name was our paternal grandfather’s first name and his middle name was my maternal grandfather’s first name. My youngest brother was named after my father’s uncle who died in World War II.
My parents always told me they had quite a time coming up with my name. My father wanted to name me Sally, but my mother didn’t like that name. My mother was Roman Catholic at the time, so my name had to come from the Bible. Finally, they decided upon Rebecca Sue. They would call me Becky. They believed that the name Becky Sue would remind me that I was born in the South – Fort Smith, Arkansas. So, even though we left Arkansas when I was only 6 weeks old and I have not one recollection of living there, I am continually reminded of my connection and birth there through the story of my naming.
Maybe you have similar stories. Maybe you were named after a character in a movie or a book or on TV. Maybe your parents just liked the names. In truth, you would still be you, regardless of your name.
Yet, being known by your name invokes a certain kind of intimacy between people. You’re not just that person sitting in that pew over there. You are known. You are in relationship with others. When your name is mentioned, the people who know you are flooded with the knowledge they have about you. A picture of you may come to mind, as well as some of the things you’ve done together. Your name becomes a kind of short hand for all of who you are.
In tonight’s reading from Isaiah, we hear about a child who is born to us. We also hear the many names the child will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Christians throughout the centuries have acknowledged these names from the writer of Isaiah as names for Jesus Christ even though this passage was written many years before the birth of Jesus. When most of us hear these names, we associate them with Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is wise and provides good counsel. Jesus is powerful God. Jesus is a forever parent. Jesus represents peace.
We are in a deeper relationship with Jesus because we know these names for Him. We know Him better because of these names for him.
On this night when we remember His birth, also know that Jesus and God know you and know your name.
We hear this in the first verse of the 43rd Chapter of Isaiah:
But now thus says the Lord,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
God and Jesus are intimately connected to us. God and Jesus choose to be in relationship with us. God and Jesus walk alongside us and within us no matter what.
Tonight, let us remember the wonderful gift given to us …this Jesus who is wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting father, prince of peace.
And let us also remember that God has called us by name and we are God’s.
Amen
