Jonah May 19th

When Isaiah gave the prophecy to Israel the word were: 'Fear not, O Israel, I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by the name'(Isa. 43:1).  You see, when God  singles you out, He calls you by your name.  It's like that story of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19ff).  We don't know the name of the rich man but we know the name of the man who ent to heaven.  An you will remember when Jesius was resurrected form the dead and the angels had a word to those disciples that came to the empty tomb, the angels had a word to those disciple that came to the empty tomb, the angels said: 'Look, go your way, tell His disciples and Peter' - singling him out by name - 'that He goeth before you into Galilee'  (Mark 16:7).  'God deals familiarly with men,'

It is Christianity that gives you personhood, that gives you authenticity, that gives you purpose.  Do you wonder why you are alive, why you have been thrown into the world?  As the existentialists put it: 'Thrown into your existence.'  The existentialist says there is no purpose in it.  It is absurd, there is no meaning - you are here today, gone tomorrow.  When you die, you die like a dog; like a fly.  But it is Christianity which give you personhood, meaning for life, reason for existence; for it is the great Creator of the universe, who made the stars, the planets, the sun, who gives you life, who gives you breath, who knows your name and who calls you by your name and is calling you now.