Leader’s Narration and Instructions:
Show a new name tag with your name on it to the group.
Everyone here has a name tag because everyone here has a
name. Your parents gave it to you when
you were born. How many of you have a
middle name? How many of you were named
after a relative or holiday? Have you
ever wanted to change your name? Why?
In the Old Testament, God did change some names.
Gen.
17:5 - Whose
name was changed? Why?
·
(Abram to Abraham; because it symbolized the
covenant or promise between God and Abraham)
Gen.
17:15 - Whose name was changed this time? Why?
·
(Sarai to Sarah;
because it symbolized the covenant or promise between God and Sarah)
Just as God called Abraham, He also
has called us. He desires to be in
partnership with us also. He desires to
make a covenant with us.
John
10:3 - Who is the Shepherd? Who are the sheep?
But does God really know
everyone? Isn’t that impossible?
Psalm
147:4 - He even
knows every star by name.
Isaiah
40:26 - And not one
star is missed! Surely He knows our
names.
Show my name tag all crumbled, dirty and ripped.
This name tag has some serious problems. What’s wrong with it?
Can a name ever become “bad”? Do some names have bad reputations? Why?
That is how our name looks to God. He expects this (Clean Name Tag) but all we
can do is the (Dirty Name Tag). Our
reputation simply stinks and we deserve nothing from God.
Our alias before God are: Sinner, Condemned, Traitor
(Judas), Children of the Devil. Yet, He
still wants us and still calls us by our names.
2 Chronicles
He wants us to ask for His forgiveness.
And, as always, God has the plan.
Joel
·
(God. Deliver us.)
Acts 2:1
- Call upon whom? What will He do?
·
(God. Deliver us.)
Matt.
·
(He will save his people from their sins)
But what is God’s plan? Look up Acts 22:16
·
(God’s plan is forgiveness of sins or making
our name tag clean before God through baptism.
Through baptism, He wants us to become the heirs to His kingdom. Because of Jesus, we now carry His “family”
name.)
Look up
Galatians
Show a new name tag with my name with
the word “Jesus” superimposed over it in red.
Act
4:7-12 - By what power or what name do we receive a
new name?
·
(Jesus)
Because of Jesus, we receive a new name at baptism. We receive “Jesus” as our name before God and
our alias are Forgiven, Clean, Saved, Beloved and Children of God.
Rev.
3:12 - What does Jesus say will be written on us?
·
(A new name).
What is the new name?
·
(Jesus, Saved, Children of God)
At confirmation, we acknowledge our baptism by publicly
re-confirming our baptismal name change.
It was at our baptism that we received the gift of eternal life as an inheritance
that comes with our new family name. We became
a “Child of God.”
But it doesn’t end here.
Many people forget their promise to God at
confirmation. They forget about Christ’s
sacrifice to get us a “clean” name before God. But God doesn’t forget.
Gen 17:9
- God expects us to keep what?
·
(O
With our new name, what is our new
part of the covenant?
·
(To follow Jesus and to follow His
teachings)
What if we don’t? Look up Daniel 12:1
·
(Our name won’t be written in the book)
What is the book?
·
(The Book of Life – the list of all true
believers and followers of Christ)
What happens if our name is not in
the book? Look up Rev. 20:15.
·
(We will perish in hell for eternity)
Tell story about Alexander the Great:
“Change your name or change your ways!”
Story:
Alexander the Great had taken over the entire known
world and he was in his favorite room basking in his greatness when suddenly
armed guards opened the chamber doors and dragged in another solder. The soldier laid on the ground at the feet of
Alexander the Great. One of the guards,
a centurion approached Alexander and said, “Alexander, sir, this man does not
deserve to be in your army. He has been
a disgrace to all soldiers by his conduct, lack of teamwork and insubordination
to authority. He has not lived up to the standards of a soldier in your
army. He has been disloyal and has
brought shame to his unit. He should be
dishonorably discharged and punished immediately. For a moment there was quiet in the room as
Alexander pondered what to do. He
eventually looked down at the man and said, “Soldier, what is your name?” The
soldier leaned his head back, looked up at Alexander and said, “Alexander,
sir.” Alexander the Great look sternly
at the man and quickly retorted, “Soldier, you either change your name or
change your ways.”
We are called Christians.
Martin Luther said we were “little Christ’s.” We can not say we are Christians and then not
act as Jesus would have us to act. In
the same way Jesus says to us, “Either we change our name or change our ways.”
At baptism and confirmation we take on the name of
Jesus. As heirs to the God’s kingdom, we
are representatives for God here on earth.
He expects us to live as examples and to keep our part of the new
covenant we have with God through Christ.
Seem too tough? Just remember,
that at baptism, we also receive the full power of the family name.
Philippians
2:5-11 - Whose name is exalted?
·
(We all are)
Because of our namesake, we now have
special privileges. We can go to God
whenever we want.
Proverbs
·
(He protects us. He helps us stand up against the powers of
sin and He does not crumble. He gives us
His strength.)
Wow!
Not only does God give us a new name tag at baptism, He also helps us
keep it clean.
Praise
the Lord! “Shout with joy to God, all
the earth!
Sing the glory of His name; make his praise glorious!” Psalm 66:1, 2
Student Worksheet
Small
Group Activity #1
Bible
Study
OT Name Changes
Gen 17:5 ___________’s
name was changed because _____________
Gen
God Wants Us?
John 10:3 Who
is the shepherd? ________________
Who are
the sheep? _______________________
But Does God Know Our Name? Really? Everyone?
Psalm 147:4 He knows every
____________ by name.
Isaiah 40:26 And not one is
___________. He surely knows our names
as well!
What’s Our Name Anyway?
Can a
name ever become “bad”? YES NO
I don’t know
How
does our name look to God? _________________________
Our
alias’ are: __________, __________, __________, ____________, _______________
The Name Game
Can we change our names by ourselves? YES
NO I don't know
2 Chronicles 7, 14 God
expects us to ___________ ourselves and _____________.
The Game Plan
Joel
God's Game Plan
Acts
Through Jesus, we now can carry His _________ name and share His
____________________.
Acts
4:7-12 By whose power
do we receive a new name? ________________
Our new alias' are: ___________, _________________, ____________,
____________, _________________,
___________.
But It Doesn't End Here …
Gen. 17:9 God
expects us to keep our part of the ____________________.
What
is our part? ________________________________________
Daniel 12:1 What
if we don't? Our name won't be in the _________________________
Rev. 20:15 Then
what happens? We will ________________.
So… A Name Change Requires a Life Change Too!
Story:
Alexander the Great had taken over the entire known
world and he was in his favorite room basking in his greatness when suddenly
armed guards opened the chamber doors and dragged in another solder. The soldier laid on the ground at the feet of
Alexander the Great. One of the guards,
a centurion approached Alexander and said, “Alexander, sir, this man does not
deserve to be in your army. He has been
a disgrace to all soldiers by his conduct, lack of teamwork and insubordination
to authority. He has not lived up to the standards of a soldier in your
army. He has been disloyal and has
brought shame to his unit. He should be
dishonorably discharged and punished immediately. For a moment there was quiet in the room as
Alexander pondered what to do. He
eventually looked down at the man and said, “Soldier, what is your name?” The
soldier leaned his head back, looked up at Alexander and said, “Alexander,
sir.” Alexander the Great look sternly
at the man and quickly retorted, “Soldier, you either change your name or
change your ways.”
Like the soldier, what do we need to do?
You
either ________ your ________ OR ___________ your _________.
And
God Gives Us the Power to Do That, Too!
Philippians 2:5-11 Because
of Jesus, who is actually exalted? ____________________
Proverbs
Not only does God
give us a new nametag
at baptism, He also helps us to keep it clean.