What's in a Name?

“And I tell you, you are Peter

And upon this rock I will build My church

And the gates of hell will not prevail against it.”

Matthew 16:18

The other night Linda was trying to look me up on Facebook.  She kept typing in Wayne Braun but my page didn’t come up.  That’s mainly because I included my middle initial when setting up my account.  I have always done that – signed pretty much everything “Wayne M. Braun.”  My sisters always thought that was funny.  But there is a reason for it.  I love my names – first, middle and last – Wayne Michael Braun.  I love what they mean.   Wayne means wagon maker or burden bearer.   Michael, the name of the Archangel of God, is a Hebrew name that asks the question, “Who is like God?”  Of course the implication is that there is no one like our God.  Now I don’t know whether or not my parents thought about the meaning of those names, but I do know how God has used them in my life.  My names have helped me to understand who God wants me to be – One who points to the burden bearer – Jesus – who alone is God.  There is none like Him. 

Do you know what your names mean?  Take a moment and look up the meanings.  Do you know the story of how or why you were given your names?  Whatever the story, your name is a precious gift.  Your name represents everything you are, all that people know about and think of you.  Your name and your reputation go hand in hand.  Even more important, if you are one who believes in Jesus, your name, and your reputation is connected directly to the name and reputation of Jesus.  People form their opinions about Christianity and Jesus by looking at His people, by looking at you and me. That is a big responsibility. In fact it’s one at which I fail miserably on a regular basis. 

That’s why I like the passage from Matthew 16.  The disciples have just finished telling Jesus what people are saying about Him.  “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophet.”   Jesus asks what they think. In response Peter makes his great confession.  “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”   In response Jesus tells Peter that this confession is a blessing God has revealed to Peter.  Indeed Jesus uses Peter’s name to spell out for him just how important this confession is.  “And I tell you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church.  And the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” 

Two things strike me.  The first is that people today are no different than they were in Jesus’ day.  They will believe all sorts of things about Jesus.  That’s why our confession of faith, in word and deed, is so very important. People need to hear the truth about Jesus from our lips and see His love in action through our actions.  That’s the part that scares me.  Like I said, I fail miserably every single day in being the witness God wants me to be. 

But as I said, there are two things that strike me here.  The second thing is the one that comforts me.  This passage is often misunderstood to mean that St. Peter was the rock on which Jesus built the church.  But that’s not what Jesus means.  Jesus uses Peter’s name, which means “cliff or rock” but Peter is not the “rock” Jesus is pointing to.  The rock Jesus refers to is Peter’s confession.  It’s the good news that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  Jesus is the rock on which the church is built.  He is the rock solid foundation for faith.  We aren’t inviting people to build their hope for eternity around us.  We are feeble, weak sinful human beings.  We are inviting people see the true rock on which all hope is built, to build their lives and hopes on Him who died for their sin and rose again.  We will fail, but Jesus is the rock against which not even the gates of hell can prevail.  I think Jesus gave Peter his name so that whenever he faltered and failed Peter would find renewed hope in the reminder – “I am not the rock.  Jesus is!”  In Peter’s name, God has given you and me that same gift, that same reminder, that same comfort – that we are not the hope we offer to people.  Jesus is!  Its amazing what great gifts God can give us in a name.