Slideshow image


John 1:42 “He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas’ (which means Peter).”

Andrew brought his brother, Simon, to Jesus. Jesus takes one look at Simon and gives him a new name. “‘You shall be called Cephas’ which means Peter.” Both words mean rock, one in Aramaic, the other Greek. 

Imagine the audacity of meeting someone for the first time and them assigning you a new name! Outrageous in our society, even more strange in those days, when your name was often all that you had. 

But this is Jesus, God, at work. He knows and understands us better than we understand ourselves. Simon, who would show himself to be fickle, denying Jesus, will become The Rock. Not all at once, but gradually, Jesus transforms Peter so that his new name fits him. By the time we see Peter in Acts, he is living out his name more fully. Preaching at Pentecost, delivering God’s new vision to include Gentiles, and helping to lead the church.  

When Jesus calls us to himself he transforms us, too. Not usually all at once, but gradually. Calvin comments: “All the godly, indeed, may justly be called Peters (stones,) which, having been founded on Christ, are fitted for building the temple of God.”

Some of us who were called lonely are now called friends. Some of us who were players are now called husband or wife. Some of us who were rebellious children are now called mom or dad, even granddad and grandmom. The worst sinner I know in any room is now called pastor. 

God had told us long ago that he would change our name. “You shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will give” (Is. 62:2).

What about you? What new name(s) has Jesus given to you? 

The day of new names for us has not ended but finds its consummation when Jesus returns. 
“To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it” (Revelation 2:17).

As he did for Simon, Jesus changes our name, calling forth from us all that we can become in him.