Introduction
A man had been keeping his real identity secret from his wife and so one day, he says to his wife, ‘honey, I need to tell you something.’ ‘What is it, John? You can tell me anything.’
He tells her that he’s been keeping his real identity a secret from her and his wife says, ‘I can’t believe this. You’ve been lying to me all this time. I’m disappointed.’ to which he replied, ‘Hi, disappointed, I’m Bruce.’
We’re living in a world where we have almost lost our identity. When you call the bank, they identify you by your bank account number.
When you call the Inland Revenue, they identify you by your National Insurance number. When you log on to your email, they identify you by your username. When you have a problem with your phone line, they identify you by your phone number.
When I was at school my name was known to the headmaster for all the wrong reasons. As far as he was concerned, I was a troubled student, the worst pupil in the school.
Our parents know us and some of our close friends know us, but to the rest of the world, we’re just someone with no name.
And time and time again we have to shout out the words of Patrick McGoohan who starred in a TV series called The Prisoner, ‘I am not a number. I am a free man.’
If I were to say the name, Winston Churchill, what comes to your mind? British Prime Minister during WWII.
If I were to say the name, Marilyn Monroe, what comes to your mind? American actress, singer, and model.
If I were to say the name, Charles Darwin, what comes to your mind? British scientist and the theory of evolution.
Now let me ask you if were to say the name, Tony Tyson, what comes to your mind? Brother in Christ, passionate about the work in India.
If were to say the name, Angela Partington, what comes to your mind? Sister in Christ, someone who can be trusted.
Outside our family and circle of friends, those names mean nothing. If you ask someone in the street who Sheila Daniell is, they will say, ‘who! Never heard of her’. If you ask someone in the street who Danny Matthews is, they will say, ‘who! Never heard of him’.
Now that doesn’t matter because our names mean everything to the One it matters most.
How do you feel knowing that God knows you personally?
How does it make you feel that to God, you’re not a number, you’re a name, you’re someone who actually matters to Him?
I don’t care who you are or where you are from, you matter to God. I don’t care what your background is, you matter to God.
I want to share with you three reasons why you matter to God.
1. If you don’t matter to God why would He care about you?
‘So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.’ Matthew 6:31-32
When we read Matthew 6:25-34, we read over and over again about how beautiful the flowers are and how He cares for them. He speaks about how the Father looks after the birds of the air. And in the midst of all that, He tells us not to worry about food, drink or clothes.
But notice He speaks about how much more we matter to Him. He says, ‘your heavenly Father knows you need them’. He says, if God can take care of the flowers and the birds, then He will certainly take care of you.
The story is told of a man who once went to Alexander the Great and asked for some financial help. Alexander told the man to go to his treasurer and ask for whatever he needed. A little later, the treasurer told Alexander he was hesitant to give the man what he asked for because he asked for an enormous amount. Alexander replied, “Give him what he asks for, he has treated me like a King in his asking, and I shall be like a king in my giving.”
If we love God, honour God, and treat Him like the King He is, then He will certainly take care of our daily needs. Why? Because you matter to Him, and He knows our needs better than we do ourselves.
‘Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.’ Matthew 10:29-31
God knows us and He knows us intimately.
A little boy was saying the Lord’s prayer one day and he began by saying, ‘Father in heaven, how do you know my name?’
Jesus was the first person to introduce, the buy one, get one free slogan concerning the sparrows. Even though many people look at sparrows and think they are worthless, God notices them and cares for them.
Just as He knows the sparrows, He certainly knows us all on a personal level, even to the point of knowing how much hair we have on our heads.
We shouldn’t worry because mankind is worth far more than the sparrows, that is, God will certainly take care of us if He takes care of the sparrows.
2. If you don’t matter to God why would He choose you?
‘Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.’ Matthew 10:1-4
When Jesus wanted the Good News shared throughout the earth, He didn’t choose the well-to-do of society. He didn’t choose the well-educated of society.
He chose fisherman because even fishermen matter to God. He chose a tax collector because tax collectors matter to God. He even chose those whom He knew will later deny Him and betray Him because even deniers and betrayers matter to God.
These are all ordinary people He chose back then, and He still chooses people like you and me to take that Good News to the world around us.
Aren’t you glad that Jesus loves ordinary people like you and me?
3. If you don’t matter to God why would He die for you?
‘I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.’ Galatians 2:20
Christ loves you as much as He loves the apostle Paul. You know what ‘gave himself for me’ means, don’t you? It means He voluntarily went to the cross to die for ordinary people like you and me.
No one can honestly look into the eyes of Jesus while He hangs on that cross and say, ‘He doesn’t love me’.
You will never understand the cross as something done for you until you understand it as something done by you. We’re all sinners, we’ve all disobeyed Him and done our own thing.
‘Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.’ 1 Timothy 1:15
He died for each of us, even when we were at our best. He died for each of us, even when we were at our worst.
Do you believe you matter in this world? You might be thinking, well, nobody really knows me, nobody really understands me.
Can you imagine someone who really does know you?
Conclusion
‘For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.’ Psalm 139:13-14
It was God who created you, it was God who knitted you together in your mother’s woman. God knows every thought you’ve ever had, He has seen every good thing that you’ve done. He’s seen every mistake you’ve ever made and knows your deepest secret.
And if He put so much effort into creating you and is aware of absolutely everything about you, that tells me that you really do matter to Him.
Maybe the question should be, do you believe that you really do matter to God?
I believe if you look deep within yourself, you already know that full well.
