Acts
4:5-12; John 3:16-21
“Let
it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that this
man is standing before you in
good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth....”
Name dropping is
used to inflate one's stature in a conversation by linking oneself to
a famous person or situation. This is sometimes done while talking
about something completely different. The names are just "dropped"
into the conversation. Some attempts are more subtle than others, but
the practice is annoying and considered in poor taste. Name dropping
can become very hazardous to one's mental and sometimes physical
health. Consider what happened to Romeo and Juliet after she
suggested they drop their names....
O Romeo, Romeo!
wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I'll no longer be a Capulet.
Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I'll no longer be a Capulet.
'Tis
but thy name that is my enemy;
......................
What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet...1
......................
What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet...1
In exploring “What's
in a name?” this week, I came across the Kabalarian Philosophy. KP
claims the dissemination of the wisdom of life “based upon definite
laws clearly understandable and applicable, teaching one's
relationship to the two basic laws of life—mathematics and
language.” When language is used to attach a name to someone this
creates the basis of mind, from which all thoughts and experiences
flow. By representing the conscious forces combined in your name as a
mathematical formula, one's specific mental characteristics,
strengths and weaknesses are measurable.
With
an understanding of the basic principles of language and mathematics,
the characteristics of any name can be calculated to reveal the mind
of that person, and an understanding of mind allows one to see the
source of one's success or failure. A name that encourages balance
with
one's inner purpose is an open door to happiness and fulfillment, but
a name that encourages discord
does
just the opposite. A change in name leads to a change in one's mind,
and, with a knowledge of KP, that change can be for the best.2
I think I would like
to suggest that there is another wisdom-of-life reason the initials
of this philosophy are “KP” (Kitchen police).
The
true wisdom of life comes to us through the Word of God. After Peter
and John perform a miraculous healing of the man born lame, they were
teaching the crowds that had gathered at the sight about the Lord and
proclaiming that in Jesus there is the resurrection of the dead”
(Acts 4:2). Luke tells us that many of those who heard the word
believed; and they numbered about 5000 (Acts 4:4).
For
their trouble, the High Priests, rulers, elders and scribes had the
two men arrested and called them out with the weighty question, “By
what power
or by what name
did you do this?”
Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, bluntly answers, “...this man
is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of
Nazareth....” (v 4:10b).
Though
they denied his name, even the chief priests and the scribes could
not argue the issue. Verse 4:14 says of the rulers, “When they saw
the man who had been cured standing beside Peter and John, the
Council had nothing to say in opposition.” Annas, Caiaphas and the
others did not believe in Jesus' power, of course, but they could not
deny the miracle standing before them, accomplished in the name above
all names, Jesus Christ.
What
does the name of Jesus Christ mean to you? Is it a name to drop into
conversation once in a while, or an expletive to be deleted? It is a
name we use in prayer, in sacrament, in reverence and in times of
sorrow and of celebration, in praise and thanksgiving. The name of
Jesus Christ means to me a savior, a fellow sufferer and co-servant;
the name claims me, loves me no matter what. There's just something
about that name, it belongs to the one who rescues me from the
dominion of darkness, assuring me that I am not alone.
You
can get a free name analysis from the Kabalarians by plugging in your
first and last names along with your birth date. Free being the
operative word, I had my name analyzed. But then, the devil in me
filled out another form, in which I placed the first name “Jesus,”
and the surname “Christ.” I gave the birth date as December 25,
and I tried using the year 0004, but the form came back that I had to
use a date from 1900 on. So, I used 2000.
Here's
a sample of the free analysis that was mailed to me in a matter of
minutes. Your first name reveals your personality—your desires,
ideals, goals, ambitions, as well as potential health weaknesses.
Your name of
Jesus has some fine qualities. You have a pleasant, diplomatic way
with people, and seem to sense how others feel. For this reason, you
could do well in public relations work. You appreciate the finer
things in life and like to have a good material standard of living.
You feel that it is important to convey the impression that you are
financially secure, and you place importance on your mode of dress,
and on appearances generally.
While you could
do well in a position of authority, there is a certain lack of
initiative in your makeup, and a tendency to procrastinate, which may
prevent you from attaining positions of responsibility. Inability to
make important decisions and a degree of passivity prevent you from
concentrating or truly applying yourself to your work. You prefer to
choose the easiest way to accomplish your goals, and would probably
readily admit that you dislike hard work. However, your likeable
personality sees you through most situations. Weaknesses in health
could affect the kidneys or lower back.
The “surname”
Christ carries an equal amount of erroneous analysis, yet in a
haunting way:
“Impulsive
and intense in nature, they (Christs) are taken into chaotic
situations and encounter serious accidents. These people are inclined
to trust people and take them at their word, only to find that others
let them down. Caustic and uncontrolled speech is another great
detrimient to their success and personal happiness, and their very
independent natures will not allow them to merge with others.”
KP
claims that the combined names “Jesus Christ” create “a
desire to be financially independent and have an interest in
economics and business affairs. Just when opportunities seems to be
coming your way, you are overlooked in favor of someone else. You are
taken away from association with people and experience much
aloneness. You could experience health problems affecting the heart
and lungs.”3
Let's
try these names:
Son of God/Son of
Man/Son of David/Word and Lamb
Rabbi/Teacher/Head
of Church/Name above Names/Righteous Word
King of Kings/Lord
of Lords/Life and Death/Means of Grace
-
Morning Star/Fairest Face/Savior/Servant/Rebel, Truth--What's His name mean to you?
You could pay the
Kabalarian Society $145, and they will help you change your name to
one that is more balanced and will bring you success and strength.
God's Word tells us, though, that there is but one name that will
give us all we need for this life: it is the name Jesus Christ. He
paid the ultimate price to give us his name.
In Jesus' day,
people witnessed miracles and ate their fill; beneath his cross they
wept unto death; they betrayed, confessed, ran away and denied his
name. Still--In the name of Jesus, people are healed and raised from
the dead. He saves from our sins, grants us mercy and promises
salvation. His name is Jesus.
This is the name—the
only name—that allows the weak to be strong; the poor to feel
rich, the hungry to be fed, and the lame to walk. His name aids the
tempted to resist, the hopeless to rise, and the forsaken to
rejoice—all, all because of what Christ has done for us.
Do not deny thy
Father and refuse thy Son's name, for it is the name of Jesus Christ
that holds within it the power to walk, to see, to heal, to serve and
to love. His name is not the enemy; it is the Savior. In Christ we
are born anew. We have it in writing: “For God so loved the world
that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him may
not perish but may have eternal life” (John 3:16).
Do the math and
claim your name, my friends. Get out of KP Duty. Forget about name
dropping; get in the habit of name lifting and see what an
amazing-grace difference it makes in your life. I know it has in
mine. Amen.
April
29, 2012
First
Parish Federated Church of South Berwick, ME
The
Reverend Donna Lee Muise, Pastor
1Shakespeare,
William. Romeo and Juliet, First Folio.
2Kabalarians.com
3Kabalarian.com/Jesus/Christ
