Who’s That Dude?
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Therefore, God elevated Him to the place of highest honor and gave Him the name above all other names (v.9).
A teenage girl raced up to her high school track coach at the start of a practice. She had some really cool news to share and could hardly contain her excitement. “Hey, Coach,” she blurted out, “last night I made the most important decision of my life!” “Really, what’s that?” the coach asked. She replied, “I accepted . . . um” (pause). Turning to a friend for help, she asked, “What’s that dude’s name?” At that moment, she remembered on her own, “Oh yeah, I accepted Jesus into my life last night.”
Her simple innocence is refreshing, but it’s also telling. She’s not from an unchurched part of the world. She’s from the suburbs of the US. Her story illustrates that we can no longer assume that people are familiar with the story of Jesus—no matter where they might live.
It’s true that a majority of the people around the world have at least heard the name of Jesus. That doesn’t mean, however, that they know much about Him. It’s no longer a given for people to know that Jesus died for the sins of the world (John 3:16). And for many, the name of Jesus is simply a swear word.
The Bible says there will be a day when “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10). Until then, don’t be caught off guard by the reality that some people don’t know Him from Adam.
Whether it’s starting at square one or graciously calling into question false, religious stereotypes, as believers in Jesus we’re called to reveal the fullness of His name.
—Jeff Olson
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Read Matthew 16:15 to discover Peter’s inspired answer to Jesus’ question, “But who do you say I am?”
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What do your unsaved family members and friends know about Jesus? How do you reveal the fullness and reality of Jesus in your life?
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