“From Abram to Abraham” (Gen 17:1-8)

“From Abram to Abraham” (Gen 17:1-8)

- I Will Change Your Name I -

What Is Your Name?

Have you ever wanted to change your name? My Korean name is “승리(SeungRi)” which means “Victory.” That’s why I go by “Victor.” I love my name. But when I was a child, I hated my name. I wanted to change my name. Since my name was so unique, teachers always picked me out from students and asked questions. My friends used to tease me and call me, “Loser.” However, as I got to knew Jesus personally, I found that Jesus was a true Victor. God gave me a new name, “Victory in Jesus.” Since that time, I fell in love with my name, and “Victory in Jesus” became my favorite hymn.

Many characters in the Bible experienced names changes. Their names were changed by God, from Abram to Abraham, from Sarai to Sarah, from Jacob to Israel, from Simon to Peter. The list goes on. God called each of the regular men and women who were struggling with their own issues – adversity, anger, anxiety, fear, death, doubt, poverty, pride, sickness, sorrow, temper, etc. God called each of them and changed their names. Their name change reflects their change of status and identity in God. Have you got a new name from God? Each week of the month we will explore different “name change” story in the Bible. My prayer is that it will help us to find what we need to overcome in our lives and how we will achieve it. God will help us overcome.

Change Your Name First

The first name change story is about Abraham. Today’s text begins in this way: “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him…” So now Abram is 99 years old, and his wife, Sarai, is 89. And today, God changes Abram’s name and says, “No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.” Abram means exalted father, and Abraham means father of many. God also says, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah… she will be the mother of nations.” Abram and Sarai don’t have children, but God changes their names and calls them, “father of nations” and “mother of nations.” It doesn’t make any sense from a man’s point of view. But Abram believed in the God who gives life to the dead and who calls into existence the things that do not exist (Rom 4:17). By faith Abram changes his name first before he sees and receives what is promised. The Bible says, “And Abraham's faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead- and so was Sarah's womb. Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises” (Rom 419-21, NLT). Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed in God. He always took God into his calculations. He believed that God knew the unknown, the unseen and the future. God was so pleased to see Abraham’s faith and counted him righteous!

Many of us in this room often say to God, “Lord, show me the signs, and I will believe.” But God says to us, “Believe, and you will see the glory of God.” Stanley Jones was a Methodist missionary to India. His nickname was “Billy Graham of India.” He became a missionary at the age of 24 and spent his entire life for missionary work in India. At the age of 69 he had a stroke and was hospitalized. Many people thought that his ministry would be an end. However, he never gave up. While he was in the hospital, he asked his nurse, “Whenever you see me, would you please say to me, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk,” instead of saying, “How are you doing”?” At first, the nurse was hesitant, but later she agreed to do so. Every time the nurse visited Stanley, she declared this word. And by faith Stanley Jones responded with “Amen.” Five months later he was completely healed from stroke and continued to work more than another twenty years. This story is not about auto-suggestion. It is about the faith that comes by hearing the promise of God (Rom 10:17). We all receive names from the world – wounded, outcast, lonely, or afraid. But God gives us new names. He calls each of us confidence, joyfulness, overcoming one, faithfulness, and friend of God! (cf. Isaiah 62) God wants us to receive our new names and proclaim them!

Live Up to Your Name

Not only does God give us a new name, but also he wants us to live up to it. How well are we living up to our new name in Christ? Alexander the Great was once reviewing his troops as they prepared for war. As he walked along the straight lines, he found one disheveled soldier. Standing directly in front of the soldier, he barked at him and said, “What is your name, private?” “Alexander, sir!” came the reply. Staring even more sternly at him, the Emperor asked again, “What is your name?” Again the soldier said, “Alexander, sir!” Without hesitation, the Commander in Chief once again asked him, “Private, I said, what is your name?” Bewildered, the soldier meekly said, “Alexander, sir!” The leader then replied, “Well, private, either change your conduct or change your name!” As we walk with Christ and carry his name, does our conduct reflect it?

Abraham died at the age of 175. In his life he had never received the things promised – the promise of the descendants and the promise of the land. When he died, he had only one promised son, Isaac, and he lived as an alien and stranger in the promised land for life. But Abraham lived up to his new name. He lived like a father of many nations. He acted like a father of many nations. Even when God tested him to sacrifice his son, Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. God promised Abraham, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named!” (Heb 11:18) But then, God also said, “Sacrifice Isaac as a burnt offering!” (Gen 22:2) They were contradictory and mutually inconsistent, but Abraham considered God faithful who would keep his promise. He reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. After this experience, Abraham called that place “Jehovah Jireh.” Normally it is translated as “The Lord will provide.” But the literal translation is “The Lord will see.” In other words, for God to see is to provide. Abraham believed that if the Lord sees, he will provide. That will do. Abraham lived by faith, not by sight. He lived up to his name, a father of many nations.

Fight from Victory, Not for Victory

Like his name, eventually he became a father of many nations. The Bible says, “And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the starts in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore” (Heb 11:12). Today we see there are countless physical and spiritual descendants of Abraham. We are one of them. Like Abraham and Sarah, God gives us a new name. You may feel a huge gap between your new name and your life today, between God’s promise and your reality today. But we must remember that we fight from victory, not for victory. That’s the conclusion of God’s promise. I still remember in 2002 the Korean team made it to the semi-finals of the World Cup. At the quarterfinals the match between Spain and Korea came down to a penalty shoot-out. While I was watching the game, especially shoot-out, I was so nervous and anxious. But the following day I had a chance to watch a rerun. I was not anxious anymore; rather, I was relaxed and enjoyed watching the game because I knew its ending. In a sense, our life journey is like watching a rerun. Christ Jesus already conquered sin and death for us by his death and resurrection. In Christ our final victory is guaranteed! What do you need to overcome in your life? By faith change your name. Proclaim it. Hold fast to it. Live up to your new name. Remember in Christ we fight from victory, not for victory!