You Need a New Name
Who in here has a nickname? Sometimes we get a nickname because it’s an abbreviation of our name. Other times it’s just random. For some it comes from something embarrassing they did. Still others get nicknames for something awesome they did or some great characteristic about themselves. Whatever it is, names matter. I looked up some real names of people that maybe they shouldn’t have been named that…
Sam Sung; Chris P. Bacon; a firefighter named Les McBurney; Dr. Will Tickel
We’ve been in a series the last several weeks where we look at people who encountered Jesus and how Jesus met their needs. As we see their needs and how Jesus met them, we see our need for Jesus as well. Last week we saw Andrew encounter Jesus and then immediately bring his brother Peter to Jesus. Today we’re going to see Peter’s encounter and the need for a new name.
John 1:35-49
Jesus knows who you are.
When Andrew brings Simon to Jesus, the first thing Jesus does is look at Simon. The text says, “Jesus looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon, the son of John.’” The Greek word used for “looked” here isn’t just a quick glance. It’s an intense, penetrating gaze. Jesus isn’t just seeing Simon’s face; He’s seeing everything about him—his story, his struggles, and his tendencies. This is Jesus looking into Simon’s past and present, acknowledging who he is right now.
Think about who Simon is at this point. He’s a fisherman[1]—nothing glamorous about that in the eyes of society. And beyond that, Simon’s character, as we know from the Gospels, is impulsive and inconsistent. He’s the guy who jumps out of a boat to walk on water but sinks when fear and doubt take over.[2] He’s the one who declares undying loyalty to Jesus but later denies knowing Him three times.[3] Jesus sees all of this—He sees Simon’s instability, his impulsiveness, and his failures. Jesus knows exactly who Simon is in that moment.
Jesus doesn’t ignore Simon’s past. He acknowledges it. “You are Simon, the son of John.” It’s as if Jesus is saying, “I know where you come from, and I know who you are.” He doesn’t dismiss Simon’s weaknesses or his past; He confronts them head-on. Jesus meets Simon exactly where he is, and He does the same for us.
Jesus knows everything about our past—every failure, every mistake, and every inconsistency. He knows the ways we’ve fallen short, the times we’ve promised one thing and done another, and the moments we’ve been afraid to step out in faith. And yet, He still calls us. Jesus isn’t afraid of our mess. He isn’t deterred by our failures. He knows our story fully, and He invites us to come as we are.
So, before we even think about who we might become, we need to understand that Jesus knows exactly who we are right now. He knows the things we try to hide, the struggles we don’t talk about, and the sins we hope no one discovers. And He meets us in that place, offering grace and calling us forward. Jesus doesn’t ignore our reality—He steps into it. Will you be honest about who you are and let Him lead you from where you are?
Jesus gives you a new identity.
After acknowledging who Simon is, Jesus gives him a new name: “You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated as Peter). This isn’t just a name change. It’s a prophetic declaration about Simon’s future. Jesus looks at Simon, the impulsive fisherman, and says, “You’re going to be something different.” Jesus doesn’t see Simon just as he is—He sees what Simon will become as he is transformed by Jesus..
Think of a sculptor looking at a rough block of marble. Others may see just an unshaped stone, but the sculptor envisions the masterpiece hidden within. Michelangelo famously said, “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” Similarly, when Jesus gives us a new name, He sees beyond our current state, calling us into the person He’s shaping us to become. God sees the masterpiece within the mess—He calls us by who we’re becoming!
Throughout Scripture, we see God change names to signify a new identity and mission. Abram becomes Abraham—“father of many nations”—even when he and Sarah had no children.[4] Jacob becomes Israel—“one who wrestles with God”—marking his shift from being a deceiver to someone who carries God’s promise.[5] These name changes weren’t just rebrands; they were declarations of what God would do in their lives. In the same way, Jesus renames Simon to “Peter,” meaning “rock.”[6] Jesus is making a statement: Simon’s current state doesn’t determine his future. God’s power does. Your current state doesn’t determine your future. God’s power does.
This new identity is a promise of transformation. This applies to us, too. When we encounter Jesus, He gives us a new identity. Our past no longer defines us. It doesn’t matter where we come from or what we’ve done—Jesus offers us a new name and a new purpose. He doesn’t define us by our mistakes but by the future He is creating in us.
And this transformation is rooted in His grace, not our effort. When Jesus gives us a new name, He’s not saying, “I’ll call you this if you earn it.” He’s saying, “This is who I am making you into.” He says it to Peter before Peter ever does anything. And Peter doesn’t lose the name after he messes up. It’s a promise. When we receive the name “Christian,” it’s not just a title. It’s an identity. It’s a commitment from Jesus that He will work in us to make us more like Him.
A new name comes with a new calling.
When Jesus gives Simon the name “Peter,” it’s not just about identity; it’s about mission. By calling him “rock,” Jesus is making a statement about Peter’s future role in the kingdom. In Matthew 16:18, Jesus makes it clear: “You are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church.” The name “Peter” isn’t just a title. It’s a declaration of purpose. It’s a calling. Jesus is shaping Peter’s future as a leader and a foundation for the early church.
Remember, though, that at the time Jesus gave this name, Peter was far from being rock-solid. He was impulsive, fearful, and prone to failure. Yet, Jesus calls him “rock” because He sees beyond his current state. Jesus knows that Peter’s transformation will be a process. This is important for us to understand. Jesus doesn’t wait for us to be perfect before He gives us a mission. He calls us while we’re still in the process of becoming who He says we are.
When we receive a new identity from Jesus, it comes with a new name and a new calling. Let’s think about that name for a moment and what it means.
When we encounter Jesus, we are given a new name: Christian.
I love the picture of adoption and receiving a new name. It doesn’t always happen, but at least when you’re adopted, you’re given a new last name. And your last name is what defines who you belong to. My son was asking me a while back why our last name is Haywood. And I said it’s because we belong to the Haywood family. There’s a history and a people we belong to. Those who belong to Christ are called “Christians.”
In the New Testament, believers don’t refer to themselves as “Christians”; but they use terms like brethren,[7] disciples,[8] and saints.[9] Before his conversion, Saul of Tarsus sought out those “who belonged to the Way,”[10] as they were called.
Where we first see followers of Jesus called Christians is at Antioch in Acts 11:26. It was likely used as a mocking insult. They were unashamed though. Some say the word means “little Christs.” More literally it means “those of the party of Christ.” Just like our last names. We belong to the family of _____________. Christians belong to the family of Christ. The Christians were causing so much of a commotion of both Jews and gentiles coming to faith in Jesus that people noticed and gave them a mocking name because of it.
Do people notice your life? Are you so different and so passionately sharing the gospel that people even mock you? Do they see you for who you are in Christ? Or do they see you?
You know what? The name “Christian” is only used twice more in the Bible. One is in a mocking way by Herod Agrippa when Paul is in custody before him yet still sharing the gospel with him. The only other time it is mentioned, get this, is in 1 Peter 4:16. None other than Peter himself said, “If anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.”
Wow! Peter knew the power of a name! He was given one he didn’t deserve yet ended up living up to it by the grace of God.
Jews didn’t believe that Jesus was the Christ. They wouldn’t have used this term. It was an insult, but what are you to do when you are insulted for the sake of Christ? Peter say you are to not be ashamed. You know why? Because you have found the Christ. Isn’t that what Andrew did all those years before? He found the Christ, the Messiah, and through risk of mocking or insult, and casting aside his whole past and future, he brought his brother Simon, who would become Peter, to Jesus.
[7] Acts 15:1; 1 Corinthians 16:20
