A Good Name - Pastor Stacey Shiflett

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A Good Name

Proverbs 22:1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

Ecclesiastes 7:1 A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.

Introduction: This verse has been on my heart for several days. I do not know if I have ever preached a message on this text. I have referenced it many times down through the years, but never an entire message.

As I meditated on this verse, I realized several key aspects to having a good testimony.

That is what this verse is talking about by the way.

Your literal physical name is not the point.

ILLUSTRATION: I have heard missionaries in Central and South America talk about the emphasis that is placed on a person’s last name in Latin America. For example, there is a lot of pride if your name is Martinez, or Rodriguez, or Hernandez. Those are considered elite names. Pure names. Status symbol names. Many times they look down on those with more common names.

My last name is Shiflett, and nobody ever spells it right.

That is not what this verse is talking about!

So, what is it talking about?

I. The Character

“A good name.”

There is not one of us here that doesn’t know what that means.

It means a person’s reputation or testimony.

NOTE: You will have a name; a reputation, whether you want one or not.

Jesus made himself of no reputation. (Philippians 2

But He had a testimony.

He didn’t set out to make one; but He still had one.

We find the word “fame” in reference to Jesus no less than 8 times just in the Gospels.

Matthew 4

·        23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

·        24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

·        Matthew 14:1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,

Jesus was famous; but not for carnal things.

He wasn’t known around the region for his ballplaying skills.

He wasn’t known for his nice ride or fancy house.

He wasn’t know for his money or his belongings.

He was famous because everywhere He went, He helped people.

He was known for His Words and His Works. That’s it!

Children can have a good name.

·        Proverbs 20:11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.

Young people can have a good name.

David:

·        1 Samuel 16:18 Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.

·        1 Samuel 18:30 Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, after they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.

·        1 Chronicles 14:17 And the fame of David went out into all lands; and the LORD brought the fear of him upon all nations.

Men of great character can have a good name.

Joshua:

·        Joshua 6:27 So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country.

Every tree is known by his own fruit.

Luke 6

·        44 For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.

·        45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

Just as a tree is known by his own fruit, every man is known by what he says and does.

When people say your name, something will come to their mind.

Your attitude; your character; your walk with God; the way you treat people; your service for the Lord.

Your involvement in the ministry; your influence; your encouragement; your conversation.

II. The Choice

You are the only one that can define your name. It is your choice.

Your name is the result of:

  A. A Conscience Decision 

The point of this analogy is the simple fact that a good name is a choice.

The Bible is clear – a good name is chosen.

You are not stuck with a name; you choose your name.

A person will not have a good name by accident.

B. A Commendable Deed

·        2 Samuel 8:13 And David gat him a name when he returned from smiting of the Syrians in the valley of salt, being eighteen thousand men.

C. A Consecrated Dividend

1 Chronicles 17

·        7 Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, even from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be ruler over my people Israel:

·        8 And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee, and have made thee a name like the name of the great men that are in the earth.

You can choose to have a good name.

And your bad choices can soil your good name.

Some things that you do will affect your name forever.

ILLUSTRATION: Abigail referred to the name of her husband, Nabal.

·        1 Samuel 25:25 Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.

The Scarlet Letter - Adultery

Proverbs 6

·        32 But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.

·        33 A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.

III. The Cost

The analogy has a two-fold application

               1. A good name is better than great riches or precious ointment.

               2. You can’t have both

You can’t have a name that worth more than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold for FREE.

There will be a pricetag!

You’ll have to give up some things.

You’ll have to give up some friends.

You can’t go some places.

You can’t live just any old way.

Conclusion: Let’s add one more incredible dimension to this concept.

Those of us that are saved are wearing a name.

·        2 Chron. 7:14 says were called by His name.

It is the name of Jesus Christ.

·        Acts 11:26 And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

Ephesians 3

·        14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

·        15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

·        2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

We have been given a good name. Let us not bring reproach and dishonour upon the Name of Jesus.