BETTER is...A Good Name (4)

(S1)

SERIES—When life hands you choices…choose BETTER

Some things are GOOD, like the temporary things this world has to offer, but God’s word tells us there is BETTER, that which has eternal significance.

To have the BETTER life, you have to let go of the GOOD—There is GOOD, and then there’s BETTER!

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Each week ~ The wisdom of Solomon found in the book of proverbs.

—Week 1: BETTER IS A DAY WITH GOD

—Week 2: BETTER IS ONE HANDFUL WITH GOD

—Week 3: WISDOM IS BETTER THAN GOLD

Each day we are faced with choices to make, that can bring power, success, wealth, and even popularity, in ways that seem to make us look and feel GOOD. Solomon had all that, and yet still, came to the conclusion, that not only is wisdom better...

(S2) — A Good NAME is BETTER

A good NAME is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is BETTER than silver or gold. Proverbs 22:1

How important is your name to you? We love to hear our name spoken

“ The medial prefrontal cortex is responsible for many of the important processes that make you yourself. This includes emotions, perspective-taking, and developing theories-of-mind. Many of these processes run in the background, or are in a “resting” or “autopilot” state. They aren’t processes you’d actively control, but your brain reacts to them in predictable patterns that help form your identity and personality. According to a 2006 study from the Institute for the Study of Child Development, there is unique brain activation when a subject hears their own name. This effect–the “cocktail party” effect–might explain why our ears perk up when we hear our own names in a loud, crowded room.”

Parents go to great efforts to pick out the perfect name—Say some things about us where we come from—Cornell

The Johnson boys from Hemlock—Bob-Sharon kids.

Our name doesn’t make us who we are, but as we mature, stuff about us begins to stick, and what we become known for attaches to our name. Being known as the Johnson boys was mostly good.

T.P. Rosa’ house

When Jenny married me, I like to think she acquired a good name. Yet even though she has been Mrs. Johnson for 38 years, she is still BETTER known in her circle of friends and family, as Jenny Houlihan. Her name speaks about her, her name is important.

Solomon’s wisdom teaches, a good name is more DESIRABLE—Like having a good reputation—what we are known for.

When I say ______________, what do you know about her/him? Who are the people you think of? Where she works eat, coffee, play, her role at church, her gifts. By her name you know something about her because, _______________ has a good reputation.

What you are known for? When people say your name what do they think of about you?

While our names are important, Solomon says, a good name is BETTER. Other translations give clearer meaning to the author’s original intent.

(S3)

CHOOSE a good REPUTATION over great riches; being held in high esteem (favor) is better than silver or gold.

A good reputation is more important than the acquisition of wealth or things, fortune or especially the favor of others. Living under God’s grace above all else, leaves us with a good name.

Genesis 6:8 “Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.”

Why is a good name better? What is meant by having a good name?

(S4)

A GOOD name doesn’t mean your perfect, but that you are being PERFECTED in the one who is.

Having a good name as a follower of Jesus, means to be SANCTIFIED under God’s favor? Something we can’t achieve on your own—Gift of grace.

John Wesley called “Sanctifying grace as the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit that changes us so that our lives are increasingly conformed to the mind of Christ. A lifelong process of becoming "perfected in love." (Ask the UMC)

In other words, following Jesus, means we are all a work in progress under grace—The key word being PROGRESS! Sanctifying grace draws us toward Christian perfection, which Wesley described this way...

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A heart "habitually filled with the love of God and neighbor" and as "having the mind of Christ and walking as he walked."

How does your good name, identify you as followers of Jesus?

Sometimes names are obvious and so is the reputation that goes with them—GOOD OR BAD— Adolph Hitler, Osama Bin Laden, Billy Graham, Martin Luther King Jr, Gandhi , Mother Teresa, or Tom Brady

But what comes to mind when you hear the name Chuck Rogers? To you it means nothing, but to me...

Do you know someone whose reputation has preceded them?

Paul in his letter to the Romans challenged the tension between moral failure and the law, because of the reputation of some in the Church. There attempts to achieve perfection under the law only led to failure—sin increased even more in their lives. Their reputation got back to Paul, and he gives no excuse to continue in sin, instructing them, that it is only by grace they can live not under the power of sin, but under the perfected love of Jesus.

Romans 5:20 But where sin increased, grace increased all the more...

When we by faith choose to carry a good name; to have the reputation of one who follows Jesus, we reveal grace to others, while we ourselves are a work in progress; not perfect, but being perfected by the one who is.

(S6)

“Regard your good name as the richest Jewel you can possibly possess. The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.” Socrates (Greek philosopher)

A good reputation is not only to live as we would like to appear to others, but to live as one who bears the good name of Jesus.

Youth—”You, your name, represents not only Hardy but, Jesus

Like a good name, the opposite attached to us as well

Wesley society in Oxford England — methodical habits, methods of spiritual disciplines…. “Methodist” eventually stuck. While John Wesley initially did not like the name, their lives, the way they lived became their good name, our good name as Methodists.

Why did it stick? "It was something people could see,"

"These guys are accused of doing too much good," says a professor at Perkins School of Theology.

“A good name is more desirable—a good name is chosen—It doesn’t mean your perfect, but that you’re being perfected by the one who is. A good name is better.

(S7) — WHY IS A GOOD NAME BETTER?

Today’s scripture lesson (Mark 5)

24 So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse.

Jesus’ following—the crowds pressing in from all sides (concert) — A woman there, whose reputation preceded her. Known in the community only as ‘a woman,’ who was sick—Considered unclean (blood).

This meant no physical contact, not even with family—Left out of every gathering; unable to go to the market or even to the temple. She was deemed incurable. This was her reputation, and not one she chose!

At first, we are given no name, only that she is a woman, or the woman. Being that names had such great significance, Mark the writer, not using hers, would have been speaking to her unrepudible reputation.

Not welcomed among this crowd of people, she doesn’t speak a word, but quietly maneuvers her way with the only one purpose—getting close to Jesus

Ever felt unworthy? What lengths will you go to get close to Jesus?

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27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

Fringe/Tassel/Hem of Jesus outer garment—

Number 15:38-39 “38 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel. 39 You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the Lord, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by chasing after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes.”

Upon touching only the fringe of his outer garment, she feels the bleeding cease as complete physical healing comes upon her body. For the moment we can imagine that she retreats into the crowd

(S9)

30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” 32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth.

Why did Jesus ask the question? To draw attention to the unnamed woman, whose name and reputation had been tarnished due to her affliction?

(S10)

The woman now realizing that she has become the center of the attention, which she certainly tried to avoid, returns to Jesus, falls at his feet and confesses, to the unthinkable — Touching the garment of a God-man.

I wonder, was her fear over what she had done? Healed after 12 years of affliction — “yup it was me, now I am the happiest person in the world.” Was her fear still of what people would think of her, how she was known? Now pressured to respond to jesus

It is helpful for us to hear Luke’s account — 8:47

Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed.

Was she still filled with terror anticipating her masters next move, or was she now even more convinced that this man Jesus was truly of God? She shares her story, how she had felt personally the power of heaven, how the blood that had been flowing for 12 years, had stopped

The miracle in this story is for sure her physical healing— vs 34 tells us, that it was her faith in believing, that initiated the healing

(S11)

34 He said to her, “DAUGHTER, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

Faith too is the first step to healing in our lives—the church—the world—By faith...

But it is in the second miracle, where she finds completely healing; permanently freed from her suffering and her GOOD NAME restored. Only, it is not her given-name that is significant, it is her God-name, that gives her a second chance at a new life.

Jesus identifies her as his own—No longer an unknown or a scarred reputation—Now a daughter of the living God; whose name is above all names.

When you come to Jesus…he call you his own—no matter the mistakes you’ve made, life you’ve lived—what you have or haven’t done

BETTER… is to be forgiven and named “a child of God.” Better it is to be highly FAVORED and filled with his grace. Better is a good name, that says, it is Jesus who has made me whole. I’m not perfect, but I am being perfected by the one who is.

(S12) — Three reasons a good name is BETTER

I. A good name instills CONFIDENCE

Whoever walks in integrity walks securely. Proverbs 10:9

A good name gives us a firm footing, a solid place to stand.

Old man with a good name—sneaking cookies for his own funeral

When we lose confidence that we are children of living God, we can lose sight of how we are called to live. Our integrity can be compromised, leading us to sneak behind Gods back~ to lose our footing, beneath our struggle with sin. A Holy confidence knowing that we too can approach Jesus, as scarred, uncurable, and sick in need of healing. It is his power, that gives us a good name, by faith that restores us.

A good-God name is BETTER, because it gives us confidence in leading a secure life—to be the husbands, wives, employee, student, of integrity. Not a proud confidence but an assurance that with Jesus we can walk secure and free from the temptations of this world.

The unnamed woman had CONFIDENCE to go into a place she shouldn’t have been. Yet she had faith in the person of Jesus—Her faith healed her

(S13) — A good name instills confidence…

II. A Good Name SPEAKS for you.

A good name speaks the truth about you. Who you are here, who you are everywhere else ~ work, school, grocery store, or watching the big game. A good name speaks for you in all parts of your life.

Solomon’s reputation preceded him—The queen of Sheba had heard about Solomon’s wisdom, his integrity, his good name.

2 Chronicles 9: When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions....she came to Solomon and talked with him about all she had on her mind.

I don’t know about you, but I would be very afraid if a woman who wants to give me all of what’s on her mind?

Because of his good name…nothing was too hard for him to explain.

5-6 She said to the king, I didn’t not believe it till came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told me; you have far exceeded the report I heard.

King Solomon’s reputation preceded him. His good name spoke truth about who he was.

Have you ever met someone before you met them? Someone talks so much about a person…you feel like you know them. Does your reputation precede you as a child of Jesus? Do your Facebook posts resemble who you are in Christ?

A good name speaks for us. Does what others know about you affirm a good name?

The woman, now a daughter of God, has a good name again, because she touched Jesus. Do you think her good name would then preceded her? The people would notice her now as the one who was healed! Who had such faith? No longer just a woman, now a child of god.

(S14)

Your character makes the name, its not the name that makes your character.

The way we live should matter, especially if we claim to carry the good name of Jesus. A good name instills confidence and it speaks for you.

(S15)

III. A Good Name INSPIRES others.

We see this idea in 1 Corinthians 11, Paul speaking to the church, about how they are to live as followers of Jesus.

1 Corinthians 11:1 “1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”

He says, that Whatever you do…..do not cause anyone to stumble…I am not seeking my own good, but the good of many, so they may be saved.

Be Inspiring to others, by the way you live your life! Better a good name than a bad reputation. Walk in the way of Christ ~ not perfect, but being perfected by the one who is. Be so full of Christ that his love is oozing out of every part of your body…so that people say, I want what you have!

(S16)

Do you think people were inspired by the woman who carries the name given by Jesus —Daughter?

If you are a follower of Jesus, your faith should inspire others — But who am I? I’m not inspiring….I’m not Billy Graham. I’m just a banker, lawyer, builder, I’m just a...

Let me ask you...Who was Miss America in 2003? — Who won the Super Bowl in 2002? —Who won the Oscar for best actress in 2007?

BUT let me ask some questions you’ll know the answer to:

Who was the teacher that inspired you to be something? — The Coach who pulled more out of you than you thought possible? The friend who was there in your deepest need? The youth leader, pastor...

BUT I DON’T HAVE A GOOD NAME!

Revelation 3:1 “1 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.”

Maybe you feel that way today! Welcome Home your in the company of family were we…

Romans 3:23 “23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

I didn't have a BETTER name until I met Jesus! And you know what, sometimes I don’t live up to the good name he gave me.

The good news we are still being perfected in the one who is perfect— One name that is above all names, demons stutter at his voice, they tremble, they plead for their lives. Jesus the name above all name restores us to BETTER.

(S17)

Because of Jesus you can walk in CONFIDENCE! Because of faith your good name can SPEAK for you Because of Jesus’ power Better is a good name that INSPIRES others to want to know the name above all names.

Who is Jesus to you? If you have put your trust in Jesus — You have a good name that is BETTER

~ Only because of Jesus can we draw near to God! To hear him say,

My daughter, my son, your faith has healed you…

This very day! The invitation is open to touch him, so you can go on to being perfected by the only one who is

You say you are to bad….I say Jesus is too good

Do not let your past determine your future

You are creating tomorrow’s legacy today!

Better is a good name that instills confidence, speaks for you, and inspires others. By Jesus’ good name, you are creating ____________ tomorrow’s today!

Resources

What is the significance of the hem of Jesus’ garment? – EndoftheMatter.com