What's in a name? Really?

The first message from our Simple Saints series begins by gathering the 'fruit' of our summer in James. James ends his letter calling us to speak life over one another, to draw one another into life — which is another way of saying: live into who you are and who's you are... Live into your family name. So... what is our family name? You might be thinking "Christian." But did you know that the name "Christian" appears only three times in the New Testament? And, it wasn't a 'family' name, but was given by outsiders at Antioch who noticed this group kept talking about Jesus. The name the early church took for themselves was "saints" — Paul's most common way of addressing the churches, thirty-nine times over.

A saint is one set apart by God, for God: a holy one, distinct because of their relationship to God. It is not a title of distinguished accomplishment but of received blessing, one that gives shape to the identity and actions of the person so blessed. What we are called by, who we are called to be and to become and... Who it is that calls us... in every sense is our "call-ing." Which is why Paul greets the church in Corinth as those already "sanctified in Christ Jesus," yet "called to be saints" — made holy, and becoming holy. Saintliness is both a gift and a task. But, it is derivative: it comes from Christ and is being given to us. For fourteen years, this has been our quiet work as a faith family — becoming simple saints in life together, ones who cannot be described or understood apart from God's intent and attention.

Questions for Reflection:

• What emotions, thoughts, doubts, or affirmations arise as you read Paul's greeting as addressed to you: "to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints"?
• "Saint" names you by what God does in and for you, not by what you do for God. Where do you struggle to believe that?
• What would it look like this week to live into the name you have already been given?

Scripture References: 1 Corinthians 1:2-3; Romans 1:7; 2 Corinthians 1:1; 2 Corinthians 13:13; Ephesians 1:1; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:2; Philemon 4-5; James 1:2-4; James 5:13-20; Acts 11:26; Psalm 34:1-10; Romans 8:27-28.

Voices/Quotes: Eugene Peterson, on Paul's use of "saint"; Michael Gorman, on saintliness as gift and task; James D. G. Dunn, on holiness as the beginning and the process of salvation; John Webster, on holiness as indicative and imperative

Sermon Notes & Liturgy | Simple Saints

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