A name is a pretty big deal. A name is of course much more than just the sound made by a combination of letters when we read them together. A name is the reputation that is associated with a person. It’s so natural for us to connect the two – a name and an immediate reputation – that even if I just mention a generic name, like Matt, Sarah, Mike, or Rachel, you immediately think of a specific Matt, Sarah, Mike, or Rachel. You immediately associate a specific person whenever you hear a name. That’s why a person’s name or reputation is so important, and why we strive to establish or maintain a good name – it’s what people think of when they think of us – good or bad!
A name is also really quite a powerful thing. We might not think of our own name as being that powerful, but consider what happens when someone else steals your name. Anyone who has ever dealt with this is well aware of how much power a name can have. If someone successfully steals a name, an identity, that person can tap into bank accounts and retirement accounts and max out credit cards and do all kinds of damage. A name is a powerful thing. You can also name drop or give a name as a referral and doing so can sometimes provide certain perks or benefits that we wouldn’t have access to on our own.
And of course, every one of us appreciates it when others know or remember our name. I recall not too long ago being with my wife at one of her work events. There were a number of very successful people she works with in attendance, many of whom we knew by name, but surely didn’t expect to be known by them. As I started chatting with another guy there I knew, his wife came by. I was so impressed when he paused to introduce me to her and he remembered my name. Here I was a nobody, and yet this individual who was in another league of business success, made it a point of knowing me by name.
Names matter, and none more so than God’s. In fact, each Sunday in this series has either directly or indirectly pointed us to God’s name, his reputation, everything we know about him. Our connection to God is the key to being OK when life isn’t. We bounce back to the Word because more than anything else, it points us to his saving name and reveals all that is necessary for us to know about God to not only to be saved, but also to be kept in the saving faith. We bounce back to baptism because it comforts us to know that in baptism he branded us with his name and our identity is based on that. We bounce back to witness which is nothing more than confessing his saving name to others. Last Sunday we bounced back to prayer, which is offered up in his name to the One who has revealed that he can do more than we can ever ask or imagine. Everything comes back to his name, and what is truly mind-blowing is that the most powerful name of all longs to know us by name, too.
Just how powerful is that name that is above every name who also longs to know each of us by name? Look no further than the Gospel for this morning. Though other teachers had come and gone in the synagogue at Capernaum, this one was different. Jesus was different. “When the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law” (Mark 1:21-22). “The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee” (v.27-28). This guy didn’t teach like others. They could only quote the readings and the works of others, but Jesus revealed his wisdom, his brilliance, his insights into the Scriptures without needing to quote the “experts.” Furthermore, the content of his message surely oozed grace and forgiveness, tying the Scriptures together with the Savior and the fulfillment of salvation God had promised his people. And as a result, Jesus’ reputation spread.
Not only was he becoming known as an amazing authoritative teacher, but he also demonstrated the power of his name in a satanic showdown. Mark tells us that a man possessed by an evil spirit was among those gathered in the synagogue that day. Are you surprised to see Satan in a synagogue? Don’t be. After all, where else does he have the most work to do? He’s got it easy out in the world, where God’s and his Word are afterthoughts on so few radars. But where God’s people gather around his Word – there is the biggest threat to Satan’s puny reign as the prince of this world! So he will do all he can to infiltrate, attack, divide, and destroy the place where the Word is prominently preached, sung, and spoken week after week. Yes, he will even take possession of minds and hearts that are not already filled with Jesus, so that he might control and manipulate them for his purposes.
Do you doubt that such demon possession takes place today? Do not doubt it. Though it may not appear to be so prevalent in our western culture, isn’t that how Satan would prefer it? When we hear the violent ramblings and wild and erratic behavior of those struggling on the streets, wouldn’t Satan be delighted to be pulling off the greatest disguise if he convinced us that every one of those cases is just a matter of someone struggling with addiction or mental disorder? Isn’t it a possibility that at least some of that can be attributed to Satan’s work? But even if that isn’t the case, couldn’t we also reason that Satan has precious little need of demon possession in our culture because he’s already enjoying so much success? He’s made tremendous strides in distracting our society with worldly pleasures and concerns so that Jesus is nowhere to be found in people’s plans and schedules. Nevertheless, if you speak with Christian missionaries who serve in parts of the world where pagan rituals and spiritism and are prevalent, you will hear story upon story of demon possession being alive and well. So it is real, and it is powerful.
Satan has lots of different ways of working, but one could argue that none of them are more formidable than demon possession. So many of Satan’s antics are subtle and sly, but demon possession is bold and blatant, as if his intent is to bully us away from Jesus via fear and intimidation. But if that is the best he’s got, see what small work Jesus made of it! Jesus gave a command and obedience followed. “‘Be quiet!’ said Jesus sternly. ‘Come out of him!’ The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek” (v.25-26).There was no defiant refusal from the demon. There was no terms of negotiation. There was no other option but to comply with Christ’s command. So powerful is the Son of God!
So when Jesus demonstrates his unrivaled power against the devil when the devil brings his “A game,” might Jesus have the power to stand up to the devil’s lesser tricks and temptations as well? Surely! The issue in such cases is never whether Jesus can, but rather whether or not we call on his name to do so. There is no more powerful name than his. We need but call on it, and he will answer. When the devil sows his seeds of doubt and anxiety, call on the name of the Prince of Peace and see if it makes a difference. When you are in need of direction to keep you on the right path, call on the name of the Way, the Truth, and the Life. When you are tempted, call on the name of the one who was tempted in every way, just as we are, yet was without sin. When you are filled with fear, call on the name of the one who is your Refuge and Strength. When you can’t do it alone, call on the name of the one who is your Helper.
And know that Jesus himself did this, too! At a different point in Jesus’ life and ministry, much closer to his suffering and death, Jesus recalled the power of God’s name on your behalf. This is the prayer Jesus prayed for you: “Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me” (John 17:11-12). See how Jesus called on the power of God’s name to protect and keep you!
And as we close out this series, what a wonderful way to reflect on how we close out each service. Until relatively recent history, the Christian church concluded worship with the blessing. Then it became the practice to sing a closing hymn. But don’t let the blessing be lost just because it’s not last. God’s intent behind giving us that blessing, as we were reminded in the First Lesson from Numbers, was to put his name on us. When you leave this time of gathering for worship each week (which we also begin in Jesus’ name), we leave with the blessing of his name. And the neat part is that I didn’t come up with that; the church didn’t come up with that – God did! He wants to bless his people by placing his name on us. “So they will put my name on [them], and I will bless them” (Numbers 6:27). Wouldn’t that be enough? Even if there was not a single song or hymn that you liked, no Scripture reading that stuck with you, nothing earth-shattering in the sermon, but each week wouldn’t it be reason enough to gather here just to depart with the promise that you enter another week not just with your own name, but with his name on you? Surely that would go a long way in helping ensure that we’re OK, even when life isn’t.