"A Man of No Name" ** sermon for Proper 25 Year B**
Do you know what your name means? Dawn, of course, means “break of day.” Matthew means “gift of God.” Linda means “beautiful” or “pretty.” William means “resolute protector; will, desire; helmet, protection.” I hated my name growing up. I was the only Dawn in a sea of Jennifers and Michelles. You may recall in the Biblical world that names mean things. Names are given to emphasize character traits or to recall circumstances surrounding the birth. Esau is born hairy, hence his name. Names also change in response to an encounter with God. Jacob becomes Israel. Simon is called Peter. Perhaps you also remember that to name something is to have power over the named. Like when Adam names the creatures in Genesis 2. The naming process gives Adam control over God’s creatures. When I worked at Burger King college, I hated that people called me by my name. That felt too personal, too intimate. Today we hear about a man of no name. Even his paren