ANDERSON CHURCH OF CHRIST
HOME | BIBLE CLASS | BULLETINS | MINISTER | OUR MEETINGS | PROGRAM | SERMONS
|
ANDERSON CHURCH OF CHRIST HOME | BIBLE CLASS | BULLETINS | MINISTER | OUR MEETINGS | PROGRAM | SERMONS |
|
|
Change My Name Please by Carl McMurray In Acts 11:36, at the beginning of the New Testament church, we are introduced to an outstanding character by the name of Joseph. When funds were needed for the work of the church in Jerusalem, he sold a field and gave the money to the apostles. In Acts 9 when Saul of Tarsus needed a good word to recommend him to the saints in the church, Joseph was there to speak on his behalf. In Acts 11, when the church in Jerusalem needed someone to check on a new church established among the Gentiles in Antioch, Joseph was the man they chose. Later, when the church in Antioch determined to send financial help to the churches in Judea because of a famine, Joseph was chosen as one of their faithful messengers. In Acts 13 when the Holy Spirit needed some men to begin taking the word into the Roman Empire, in addition to the apostle Paul, the Spirit chose Joseph. Are you thinking that you don’t remember this man Joseph? Perhaps not. Perhaps you remember him by the name that the apostles gave him. They called him Barnabas. Barnabas means, “Son of Encouragement.” Does that tell you anything about what he must have meant to the apostles and the work going on in those early churches. His label was that of an “encourager.” Because of his letter to Christians under fire, as well as possibly his own past life, Peter is often referred to as the apostle of hope. John is known, because of his special relationship with the Lord, and his own writings, as the apostle of love. Paul, although consistently approaching the Jews first in every place he went, is known as the apostle to the Gentiles for that was where most of his work ended up being done. Labels. Descriptive labels, that is what these are. Christians known as hopeful, loving, encouraging, or a worker among the Gentiles. There were other labels that we have not mentioned. There were Christians known as “shipwrecked” (in faith) or “deceiver” or even “one who desires to be first.” Labels which were not so uplifting. Which leads me to the point under consideration that you had to see coming. What kind of label would we have, if others were naming us by what they saw? Would we be labeled as loving or unconcerned? Diligent or lazy? Dependable or weak? Would we be called arrogant, self-centered, or tender-hearted ones? Does it make us feel uncomfortable to imagine what others would label us? Then here is what really hurts, whether they tell us or not, we ARE wearing labels like this that we are choosing for ourselves by the fruit that we show. Would you like to change yours? |
