We just finished Vacation Bible School (VBS) at Wilkesboro Baptist. We had hundreds of people at our church this week with several children making decisions to follow Jesus. Statistics indicate around 75% of decisions for Christ happen before someone turns 18 so VBS is a critical opportunity to invite children to follow Jesus.

VBS takes a small army of volunteers and leaders with nearly 100 adults and teens serving two hours a night, five nights this week. Much more time was given by staff and our VBS director. The week was long and tiring, but also rewarding.

Why work so long and recruit so many to serve? We serve for the sake of his name. Paul emphasizes the importance of the name of Jesus in his introductory comments in the letter to the church at Rome.

Paul, a servant  of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, ² which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, ³ concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh ⁴ and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, ⁵ through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, ⁶ including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,
⁷ To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 1:1-7

In this letter Paul defines, explains, and applies the gospel. By definition, the gospel is the good news about the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. It is a message about Jesus Christ as the Son of God who died on the cross and rose from the dead to save sinners. In verse six above, the gospel is a message that demands a response.

When the gospel is communicated, it is aimed at bringing sinners to the obedience of the faith. We obey when we believe in the Lord Jesus to save us from our sins (Rom. 10:9-10, 13). In that sense, the gospel is the entry point into relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

The gospel is the means by which God redeems us, but it is also the means by which God grows us. The gospel is our entry point into faith as well as the message by which we mature in faith. In other words, we don’t graduate from the gospel.

The gospel is based on God’s unmerited grace. We receive eternal life as a gift (Romans 6:23). Too often even those who received the gospel by grace through faith operate as if their spiritual life depends on works. They think for God to be happy with them, they need to live according to legalistic demands. On the other hand those who are maturing in the gospel realize the only way we will ever please God is through Jesus, our perfect Substitute, and his abundant grace and mercy.

The gospel is also the message that God sends us to share. When we receive the gospel, we become responsible for the message. Paul gives the reasoning in Romans 1:5. We are to proclaim the gospel to bring the obedience of faith “for the sake of his name.” In other words, we represent not ourselves, but the Lord.

One of my favorite films is Miracle, the story of the 1980 gold medal-winning US men’s hockey team. As Coach Herb Brooks picked his team from college hockey players, they exhibited competitive rivalry. Some guys couldn’t stand each other. In fact, several of them got in a fight during practice. After the fight, Brooks had them introduce themselves: Name? Where are you from? Who do you play for?

The transitional scene in the film occurred after the team faced Norway in an exhibition game. Players were distracted by the crowd and not attentive to the game. So after the game, Coach Brooks kept the team on the ice. He had the team skate returns across the ice from blue line to blue line. Brooks kept them going “again,” and “again.” Finally, through gagging, coughing, and catching their breath, one of the players called out and said, “I’m Mike Eruzione, from Winthrop, Massachusetts.” Brooks asked, “Who do you play for?” Eruzione said, “I play for the United States of America.”

That response cemented Brooks’ point. He wanted his team to accept that the name on the front of their jersey was more important than the name on the back of their jersey. They needed to play for something bigger than themselves or their college teams. Their commitment to play for the USA and push the limits of their energy, efforts, and intensity helped them accomplish the “Miracle” that would take place in Lake Placid, NY at the 1980 Olympic Games. The team of amateurs would go on to defeat the Russian national hockey team and win the gold medal. This story illustrates what Paul is saying in Romans 1:5. The gospel brings us into relationship with God through Christ “for the sake of his Name,” and we are sent to the nations “for the sake of his Name.” 

When we live for our name, our glory, our comfort, or our luxury, we’re living for something temporal. When we live for the sake of his name, we’re living for something eternal. Too many of us have heard the gospel, accepted it, and believed it, but we’re still living for our name. Think of it this way. When we live for our name, we’re living for the name of the person who needs redemption. When we live for the sake of “his Name,” we’re living for the name of the One who redeemed us. Which name matters more?

• “For the sake of his name” Paul traveled the Roman world preaching Jesus, planting churches, and training pastors.
• “For the sake of his name” VBS workers will give their time, energy, and capacity to share the gospel with children.
• “For the sake of his name” friends will make appointments with neighbors and coworkers to share the gospel.
• “For the sake of his name” team members will leave the comfort of home to go on a short-term mission trip.
• “For the sake of his name” Samaritan’s Purse will respond to Ebola-stricken DRC to be the hands and feet of Jesus caring for those facing a disease with a severely high mortality rate.
• “For the sake of his name” volunteers will prepare, show up early, and lead congregations in the singing of the gospel in gathered worship.
• “For the sake of his name” missionaries will give up the comforts, luxuries, and securities of home to take the gospel to the nations.

What will we do for the sake of his name?