Mighty C. Rasing
Bible Study for January 10, 2010

Listen Up Y’all! Isaiah 43:1-7; Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Opening Salvo

Ask the Bible Study participants about the significance of their names.

Do you know the meaning behind your name?
Why did your parents decide to name you that way?
Do you know of people with funny names who want to change theirs?

What was that all about?

Our names have meanings. When you call a person’s name, you show that you know the person. We even give people pet names like Sugar, Sweetie, Honey or other names based on their physical attributes like Bungi, Pandak, Pango or Pangit. Sometimes it’s funny but the way we call a person affects that person.

God knows our names. Knowing our names also means that God knows our history, our personality, and everything about us.

In Isaiah 43:1, God says to the nation of Israel: “I have called you by name, now you belong to me.” God could have also been speaking to us.

Imagine if God told you. “Hey Carlos. Hey Karen, I have called you by name, now you belong to me. When you cross deep rivers, I will be with you and you won’t drown. When you walk through fire, you won’t be burned or scorched by the flames… To me, you are very dear and I love you.” (Isaiah 43:1b, 2,4)

This is how God loves us! He knows us by name.

Sometimes, God changes our names in order to change who we are. Remember Abram whom he renamed Abraham? Jacob was also renamed as Israel. These people encountered God and as a result, God changed their names, their lives and their whole being.

In Luke 3, we read about the baptism of Jesus. This is a significant point in the life and ministry of Jesus. God proclaimed him as the Son. People saw the Holy Spirit descending on him. In this case, baptism is a kind of public proclamation of the identity of Jesus. Now he is ready to heal the sick. Now he can move out freely and proclaim the good news of salvation.

He received the power and authority from God.

When we are baptized, we also derive from the authority of Christ. We proclaim our connection to Christ. People will then understand that we love Christ and that we are his ambassadors.

Mirror, mirror on the Wall

Do you want any other name? What would it be?
How can you live up to the name “Christian”?
How can you show your classmates, your family, neighbors and friends that Christ is indeed living in you?

Roll Out!

Ask the participants if anybody wants to get baptized. If so, submit the name of the youth to the Pastor for a baptism schedule.

image credit: negrisima via Flickr