When God Calls Your Name

Introduction

Selected Passages

In Sunday School a little girl was asked to recite the Lord's Prayer. She prayed "Our Father, which art it heaven, how did you know my name....?" While her words were wrong, her theology was right.

Unlike the cynic who said, "There is no God, but if so he doesn't care about me," the young girl prayed to the God who knows all of us by name. Our names are important to us, not only for identification but ultimately reflecting our reputation and character. The wisdom writer tells us, "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold" (Proverbs 22:1). This message reminds us that God knows who we are and often calls our names, particularly at special times in our lives. Consider some of those occasions:

I. Calls Your Name Before You Are Born

Jeremiah 1:4-5 says "Then the word of the Lord came unto me saying, before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations." Three things were made clear to Jeremiah:

Even before his physical birth his personhood was registered in the infinite foreknowledge of God. Jeremiah did not arrive on earth apart from God's knowledge and neither do we. One's sense of self-worth is greatly enhanced by remembering that God - - the Almighty Creator - - formed us in the womb of our mothers.

God had a specific plan for Jeremiah's life - - he was appointed to be a prophet to the nations. God has a divine plan for each of us and reveals it to those who sincerely seek His will. Looking  back over forty years as a pastor, I am fully convinced that when I was born in 1935, God intended for me to be the pastor of First Baptist Church, Jonesboro, Georgia, a wonderful ministry which I enjoyed for twenty-seven years.

II. Calls Your Name For Salvation

In Acts 9:4 Saul heard the Lord call his name for salvation. The scripture says, "And he (Saul) fell to the earth and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul..." Saul's response resulted in salvation and an arch persecutor of believers became an ardent proclaimer of the gospel. God has different ways of calling our names as He seeks our salvation. Often He uses the witness of other Christians as they share their testimony with us. In a way, the Lord used Paul to call Governor Felix's name in Acts 24 and King Agrippa's name in Acts 26. God may use the prayers of godly people to bring the names of lost people before Him. Many have been saved as moms, dads, and Christian friends have prayed for them by name. Sometimes God uses the circumstances of life as a "wake up call" to the unsaved - a tragic loss, illness or accident may get one's attention. The Holy Spirit, of course, through the ministry of conviction, has a powerful way of calling our names for salvation.

III. Calls Your Name For Service

During America's most difficult war times, draftees have been "called up for service," meaning induction into military service. As citizens of the kingdom of God, He calls us for service in mission and ministry - - and not just preachers and missionaries but all Christians are called to serve.

Biblical examples are:

A. Isaiah

In the prophetic account of his powerful encounter with God he says, "I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. And he said, Go, and tell the people . . ." Isaiah had no doubt about to whom the Lord was speaking - -God called his name. Recalling my own call to preach as a teenage boy, I can attest to the clarity of God's call for Christian ministry. As has been said, "The call of my name was not audible - - it was louder than  that."

B. Moses

Moses heard from God in the burning bush episode ". . . God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I." (Exodus 3:4) Like many of us, Moses was reluctant to assume the task and made many reasonable excuses but he could never escape God's call to deliver his people from bondage.

C. Samuel

He was just a lad when God called his name for significant ministry. Look at I Samuel 3:10 "And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth." Because of his obedience ". . . the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was faithful to be a prophet of the Lord."

The story is told of Billy Graham and his brother as boys working on the family's dairy farm near Charlotte, North Carolina. In the sky above, the big, bold letters GP appeared. Billy said to his brother, that's God saying for me to "Go preach." His brother replied, "For you it may mean, 'Go preach' but for me it means, 'Go plow'!" Thus, Billy became the famed evangelist and his brother a faithful farmer.

God doesn't call us all to the same tasks - - or everyone to highly visible ministries, but there is a place in kingdom work for all who hear God call their name. And if everyone responded as Isaiah - - and Moses - - and Samuel - - and Billy Graham - - no ministries would go undone.

IV. Calls Your Name For Disobedience

Do you remember as a youngster how your parents called your name when you disobeyed? Not casually but formally - -every syllable of your full name, including the middle initial. I still remember hearing, "Now Mr. Charles Q. Carter you get one thing straight." When God's children disobey, it is necessary for Him to call our name. Two illustrations occur early in Genesis:

A. Our First Parents - Adam And Eve

Genesis 3:9 says "And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?" In disobedience we may run from God, but we cannot hide - - He knows where we are and he knows our names. As a boy, I soon learned it was not too smart to try to hide from my dad when I was guilty of disobedience. In the first place he always found me. Secondly, I received double punishment, first for whatever I had done and, secondly, for failing to answer when he called my name.

B. The First Criminal - Cain

Genesis 4:9 "And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? . . ." Having violated God's requirement of brotherly love, Cain was on the run as a fugitive with a guilty conscience. God not only called his name, but called him to accountability as he does to anyone who disobeys him.

Sometimes I wonder, particularly on Sunday, how many names God must be calling of those who are disobeying God in the matter of worship, Christian fellowship, discipleship and stewardship.

V. Calls Your Name In Times Of Trouble

Nothing is more reassuring than hearing your name called from a familiar voice when you are in trouble, frightened or suffering. It is even more comforting to know that we belong to God the Father and that he is with us in our trials and makes his presence known. Take a look at passages from the sermon texts:

A. The Great Creator

The primary text for this message is a favorite passage - Isaiah 43:1-5. Notice verse 1, "Thus saith the creator Lord . . . I formed you . . . fear not . . . redeemed you . . . called you by name . . . you are mine." Then there's more comfort in verse 2 "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you . . . and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you . . . when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned . . ." What tremendous comfort and encouragement! Deep waters and fiery trials - we've all been there, but not without God's promise to be there with us. Two verses from Isaiah 49 add to our assurances: "Can a woman forget her own baby and love not the child she bore? Even if a mother should forget her child, I will never forget you. Jerusalem, I can never forget you! I have written your name on the palms of my hands." (Isaiah 49:15-16 TEV).

B. The Good Shepherd

Everyone loves the New Testament figure of Christ as the Good Shepherd who ". . . calls his own sheep by name and leads them out." (John 10:3). Whenever I've seen a flock of sheep, they are just   a flock of sheep - bunches of wool with funny looking stick legs. But to the shepherd, he sees each one individually and knows each one by name. The one with the dark marks is "Spotty." The cropped- tailed one is "Shorty" - he lost some of it in his lion encounter. "Limpy" was rescued by theshepherd from a cliff fall but was left with an injury. The shepherd knows them all by name. So does the Good Shepherd know your name - you with a broken heart - you with a heavy burden - or a sick child - if you are lonely - or experiencing a ruptured marriage. Listen carefully - the Good Shepherd may be calling your name.

VI. Calls Your Name When You Get Home

As a teenager, my parents had set an 11:00 p.m. curfew and expected me to be home by then. Sometimes I pressed the deadline and made it at the last minute. My mom, who had gone to bed but never closed her eyes, would hear the door open and call, "Is that you, Charles?" I can believe that  our Heavenly Father will welcome us to our eternal home by calling our name.

The Bible describes life's final roll call in Revelation 20:15, "Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." It may be figurative, but nevertheless meaningful. When we get to heaven, God will check for our name in the book of life - call us and we shall answer "here" or "present." Then he will say "Well done . . . Welcome home!"

"When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound and time shall be no more

And the morning breaks eternal bright and fair,

When the saved on earth shall gather over on the other shore

And the roll is called up yonder, I'll be there."