“No Other Name”
Acts 4: 12
Introduction:
This morning I invite you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Acts chapter 4 where we will focus on one of the most controversial subjects of our culture, but one of the
glorious themes of Scripture – THE NAME OF JESUS!
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Q. - Do you realize that the ever-increasing secular culture in which we live that the ‘Name of Jesus’ is being removed from the public square?
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News Report - California's Brawley Union High School denied a Christian student's speech three times because he wanted to express his Christian faith, but the
student decided to assert his freedom of expression by openly speaking about his belief at the graduation ceremony.
"In coming before you today, I presented three drafts of my speech, all of them denied on account of my desire to share with you my personal thoughts and inspiration to you: my
Christian faith," Brook Hamby, who was his class's salutatorian, said, according to The Blaze.
"In life, you will be told, 'No,'" added Hamby, who has been a mock-trial star, s cross-country runner and U.S. Senate page. "In life you will be told to do things that you have no
desire to do. In life, you will be asked to do things that violate your conscience and desire to do what is right."
As the speech caused whispering among the crowd, Hamby responded by saying, "No man or woman has ever truly succeeded or been fulfilled on the account of living for others
and not standing on what they knew in their heart was right or good." http://www.christianpost.com/news/california-student-speaks-openly-about-his-christian-faith-ingraduation-speech-defying-schools-order-121587/
“The Name of Jesus is no longer allowed!” – is the theme of Acts 4 – persecution against the early church Consider the Background of this Passage –
3: 1 – 10 – A Lame man is healed
Key verse Vs. 6 - Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”
(4: 22 – the man was over 40 years old that was healed)
3: 11 – The Preaching of Peter and John in the Temple
Key verses Vs. 11-12, 16 - Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s,
greatly amazed. 12So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own
power or godliness we had made this man walk?
And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect
soundness in the presence of you all.”
4: 1,2 – Peter and John Arrested
4: 5 – 12 – Peter and John on trail Address the Sanhedrin –
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Notice- it is in this context that Peter states, “there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we can be saved”
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At the cost of His life, Peter makes this statement about the glorious name of Jesus!
Display to Read the Text – IMAG – Acts 4: 7-13
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Note: “No other name” in Vs. 12 is a reference to the name of Jesus – see Vs. 10 – “By the NAME of Jesus of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the
dead”
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This is a reference to the ‘Exclusivity of Salvation found alone in the name of Jesus’
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Salvation is inclusive – i.e. all can come… YET it is found alone in the Lord Jesus Christ!
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Jesus said in John 14: 6…
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Salvation – Needed by all; Offered to many; Supplied by One!
Illus. –Have you viewed the popular bumper stickers of the cars today– “CoExist”
IMAG – Display
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for the letter "c," a crescent moon representing Islam is substituted
for the letter "x," the Star of David representing Judaism is substituted
for the letter "t," a cross representing Christianity is substituted
for the letter "o," the peace symbol or pagan/Wiccan pentacle is substituted
for the letter "e," a male/female symbol or a scientific equation is substituted
for the letter "i," a pagan/Wiccan symbol is substituted
for the letter "s," a Chinese yin-yang symbol is substituted
It is the prevailing thought that – Jesus is just ONE AMONG MANY of the ways to God/ religion
YET Jesus is NOT ‘One among many’ BUT He is the ONE AND ONLY way to God!
Why make such a bold declaration? Let’ s examine this text and the testimony of the Word of God IMAG – Display with emphasis on underline Vs. 12 – “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we
must be saved.”
Let’s Focus – on the phrase “There is No other Name”
Let’s consider 3 eternal Realities from the Bible Text concerning the phrase ‘No Other Name:’
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– No Other Name has Power. Acts 3: 1-26
Truth: There is a powerful significance attached to the name of Jesus.
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The apostles performed miracles in His name (Acts 3:6-7,16; 4:10)
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and cast out demons in His name (Luke 10:17).
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They spoke and taught in the name of Jesus.
They baptized believers in the name of Jesus (Acts 2:38).
And it is only through the name of Jesus that we gain access to the Father (Acts 4:12).
Note – Here in Acts chapter 3, a lame man from birth was powerfully healed in the name of Jesus!
Understand: Miracles in the book of Acts were visible signs to the unbelieving Jews that Jesus is the Messiah – i.e. the anointed one of God, the fulfillment of the O.T.
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Hebrews 2: 3,4 – “so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness
both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will”
A lame man had just been healed. As a cripple, he had been a well-known figure at the door of the temple.”
Consider what occurs in this encounter –
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Miracle of Healing the Lame man 3: 1-10
Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.
2And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms
from those who entered the temple;
3who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms.
4And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.”
5So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.
IMAG – Display vs. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,
rise up and walk.”
7And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
8So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.
9And all the people saw him walking and praising God. 10Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple;
and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
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Means of Healing the Lame man 3: 11- 16
Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed. 12So
when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness
we had made this man walk? 13The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the
presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. 14But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15and killed the
Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.
IMAG – Display vs. 16 “And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has
given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.”
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Message given at the Healing the Lame Man 3: 17- 26
19Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20and that He may send
Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His
holy prophets since the world began.
26To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.”
Q. – What Name had Power to heal the lame man? – the Name of Jesus, for there is No Other Name with that Power!
Q. – Have you experienced the Power of the Name of Jesus?
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Yes, the Name of Jesus has the power to cause a lame man to stand to his feet and be whole, but what implications does this have for your life in the 21 Century?
Colossians 3: 17 states – “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
This name has power to strengthen our lame feet in sin to walk in the newness of Life!~
This name has power to change our critical speech to being constructive with grace!
This name has power to go from timidity to boldness in living for Christ
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– No Other Name can Save. 4: 1 – 12
Notice the events of the text surrounding ‘the name of Jesus’ •
The name of Jesus was declared by Peter and John – chapter 3 – in the Temple
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The name of Jesus disturbed the religious establishment – 4: 1-3
Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, 2being greatly disturbed that they taught the people
and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.
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The Sadducees dominated the Sanhedrim at this time
The Sadducees were the rationalists of their day. They did not believe in spirits, nor did they believe in the resurrection. Opposition to Spiritual religion is the natural result
when rationalism is in power.
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“Came upon them” - This expression implies that they came in a sudden and violent manner.
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Being grieved - The word implies more than simple sorrow; it was a mingled emotion of indignation and anger. They did not grieve because they thought it a public
calamity, but because it interfered with their authority and opposed their doctrine.
NOTE - This is 1st act of Persecution vs. the church Illus. - During China’s Boxer Rebellion of 1900, insurgents captured a mission station, blocked all the gates but one, and in front of that one gate placed a cross flat on
the ground.
Then the word was passed to those inside that any who trampled the cross underfoot would be permitted their freedom and life, but that any refusing would be
shot.
Terribly frightened, the first seven students trampled the cross under their feet and were allowed to go free.
But the eighth student, a young girl, refused to commit the sacrilegious act. Kneeling beside the cross in prayer for strength, she arose and moved carefully around the
cross, and went out to face the firing squad.
Strengthened by her example, every one of the remaining ninety-two students followed her to the firing squad. (Today in the Word, Feb. 89).
Q. - What do I risk in witnessing? Possibly rejection or persecution from someone. Whatever the risk may be, I must realize that nothing done for Christ is ever wasted.
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The name of Jesus was believed by many - 4: 4
However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.
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The name of Jesus was questioned 4: 5- 7
And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes, 6as well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were
of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.
IMAG – Display Vs. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?”
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By what name - That is, by whose authority. It is very probable that they expected to intimidate the apostles by this question. They claimed the right of regulating the
religious affairs of the nation. They had vast power with the people. They assumed that all power to instruct the people should originate with them; and they expected that
the apostles would be confounded, as having violated the established usage of the nation.
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The name of Jesus is alone the means of salvation.4: 8-12
Vs. 8 – “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, …. “ – i.e. - Jesus had told them that in the hour of trial they need not be worried for the Spirit would direct
them as to what they should speak. He was with them at this hour. Peter was filled with the Spirit. He answered promptly, intelligently and forcefully.
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Vs. 9-12 – “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, let it be
known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man
stands here before you whole. 11This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’
IMAG – Display Vs.12 – “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
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this frank and open avowal was attended with danger, and although it was in the presence of the great and the mighty, yet he chose to state fully and clearly his
conviction of the truth. Never was there an instance of greater boldness,
The word “salvation” is in the New Testament applied particularly to the work which the Messiah came to do, “to seek and to save that which was lost,” Luke
19:10. This work refers primarily to a deliverance of the soul from sin Matthew 1:21; Acts 5:31; Luke 4:18; Romans 8:21; Galatians 5:1. It then denotes, as a
consequence of freedom from sin, freedom from all the ills to which sin exposes man, and the attainment of that perfect peace and joy which will be
bestowed on the children of God in the heavens.
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Salvation – Needed by all; Offered to many; Supplied by One!
The word “name” here is used to denote “the person himself” (i. e., There is no other being or person.) As we would say, there is no one who can save but Jesus
Christ.
Illus. - It’s amazing how many brands of breakfast cereal are offered by a typical American supermarket. And regardless of the countless ads that extol the virtues
of one cereal over another, most brands are comparably nutritious and hunger-satisfying.
Is the salvation of our souls like that? In the supermarket of religions, aren’t all beliefs and dogmas spiritually nourishing and true?
The Name of Jesus is not ‘One among Many’ ways to salvation, but He is the “One and Only’ way to salvation!
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Understand : All the sinner’s good works, prayers, tears, beliefs, ordinances, good resolves & religious professions will
avail him nothing.
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He must realize that Christ is the only Door & the only Way into
God’s acceptance, forgiveness blessing; & apart from faith in Christ there is no salvation!
Illus. – story is told of Bishop McDowell, when speaking before the first national convention of Methodist men said: “I would not cross the street to give
India a new theology; India has more theology than it can understand.
I would not cross the street to give China a new code of ethics. China has a vastly better ethical code than ethical life.
I would not cross the street to give Japan a new religious literature, for Japan has a better religious literature than religious life.
But I would go around the world again, and yet again, if it pleased God, to tell India and China and Japan and the rest of the world “There is a fountain filled with blood, Drawn from Immanuel’s veins, And sinners plunged beneath that flood Lose all their guilty stains.”
Illus .- A necessity is something that you cannot do without.
In order to live you have several necessities: oxygen to breathe, food to eat, water to drink.
I've heard people say they cannot live without their televisions or their stereos! But those are not really necessities. When it comes to the air we breathe and basic
food we eat, then we are speaking of necessity.
In relation to eternal things, it is absolutely necessary for you to be saved through Jesus Christ and His substitutionary death.
Just as oxygen is necessary to breathe and water is necessary to drink, Jesus Christ is necessary for your salvation.
And I do not mean Jesus Christ plus something else or Jesus Christ in addition to your own merits. I mean Jesus Christ alone. That's what faith is anyway. It is
coming to that place where you trust in Jesus Christ alone for your eternal salvation and as the only way for you to come to the Father.
Consider the Mighty Salvation found alone in the NAME of JESUS:
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The Name alone sets the Sinner Free
Romans 3: 24 – “being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,”
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The Name alone justifies the Ungodly
Romans 4: 5 – “But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,”
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The Name alone removes God’s wrath
Romans 3: 25 – “whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed
over the sins that were previously committed,”
Romans 8: 1 – “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”
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The Name alone takes away the curse of the law
Galatians 3: 10, 13 – “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things
which are written in the book of the law, to do them….. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed
is everyone who hangs on a tree”),
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The Name alone forgives all sins
Ephesians 1: 7 – “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace”
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The Name alone fulfills all the Promises of God
2 Corinthians 1: 20 – “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.”
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The Name alone satisfies the Hungry Heart
John 6: 35 - And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”
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The Name alone quenches the Thirsty Soul
John 7: 37 – “On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38He who believes in
Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
Illus. - A book describes a marshal in Napoleon’s army who was completely devoted to the emperor. One day the marshal was mortally wounded in battle. As he lay dying in his
tent, he called for Napoleon, who soon came.
The officer thought the emperor could save his life. But Napoleon just shook his head and turned away. The book describes the tragic scene: “As the dying man felt the cold,
merciless hand of death drawing him irresistibly behind the curtain of the unseen world, he was still heard to shriek out, ‘Save me, Napoleon! Save me!’” In the hour of death, that
soldier discovered that even Napoleon could not rescue him.
YET – There is a Name which can! The name of Jesus!
Q. – Have you experienced the SALVATION in the Name of Jesus?
Trans. – Notice the eternal Realities from the Bible Text about the phrase ‘No Other Name:’
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No Other Name has Power!
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No Other Name can Save!
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– No Other Name can Change Lives. 4: 13 - 22
Notice the Transforming Change evident in the lives of this account –
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Changing Timid Cowards into Courageous Preachers
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“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John” (4:13a).
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Boldness - This word properly denotes “openness” or “confidence in speaking.” It stands opposed to “hesitancy,” and to “equivocation” in declaring our sentiments.
Here it means that, in spite of danger and opposition, they avowed their doctrines without any attempt to conceal or disguise them.
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They noticed that Peter and John were different from before. They were now bold men. They were plain, sensible men. They did not boast, and yet they could not
bribe them nor frighten them. They had not always been so stable and so bold. Why? “They took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus” (4:13).
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Remember back to the Arrest of Jesus - The timid, trembling, yielding, and vacillating Simon; he who just before was terrified by a servant-girl, and who on the
lake was afraid of sinking, is now transformed into the manly, decided, and firm Cephas, fearless before the Great Council of the nation, and in an unwavering tone
asserting the authority of him whom he had just before denied, and whom they had just before put to death.
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transformed this timid disciple to a bold and uncompromising apostle.
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Note: Peter and John appeared to them as “unlearned and ignorant men.”
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They marvelled - Imperfect (inchoative) active, began to wonder and kept it up.
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Took knowledge of them Imperfect active again, they began to recognize them as men that they had seen with Jesus.
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They were unlearned – i.e. - Unlettered men without technical training in the professional rabbinical schools of Hillel or Shammai.
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And ignorant - It does not mean “ignorant,” but a layman, a man not in office (a private person), a common soldier and not an officer, a man not skilled in
the schools… they did not belong to the set of the rabbis.
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They were common men who had not been educated in any of the important existing schools. This caused their critics to marvel. They could not attribute their
power to advanced learning. They could not charge them with the knowledge of some occult science which was unknown to other learned men. They spoke
intelligently, plainly and deliberately. At first they had charged the disciples with bring drunken, now they did not know what to say. The only explanation
was that they had been with Jesus.
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Challenge for every Christ-follower Let your words and actions testify to your intimate acquaintance with Jesus Christ.
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take on the character of Jesus by spending time in fellowship with Him, listening closely to the Holy Spirit speak to you through the Word, obey His teachings, and
walk and talk with Him throughout the day.
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Q .- Can people tell that we have been spending time with Jesus?
Vs. 15- 21 - But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 16saying, “What shall we do to these men? For,
indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17But so that it spreads no further among
the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.”
18So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
19But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the
things which we have seen and heard.”
So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been
done.
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Changing Hopelessness into Hope 4: 14
IMAG – Display Vs. 14 – “And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.”
The man was standing there. They could not deny that it was a notable miracle. His presence as a healed man was splendid evidence.
The hopelessness of this man had been known for many years to most of the people.
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He was more than forty years of age. Vs. 20
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They knew that he was considered to be incurable. He had been a burden upon society. No natural power could heal him. The power of Jesus working through these
men was the only way to account for it.
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Consider - The man who is spiritually healed is strong evidence of the power of the Gospel.
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The presence of the man that was healed was an unanswerable fact in proof of the truth of what the apostles alleged.
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The miracle was so public, clear, and decisive; the man that was healed was so well known, that there was no evasion by which they could
escape the conclusion to which the apostles were conducting them.
Conclusion:
IMAG – Vs. 12 - Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
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The Reason there is No Other name by which we must be saved is because…
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There is No Other One who died on the cross for our sins….
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No Other One who was buried and who rose again on the third day!
Because there is NO OTHER NAME that has power, can save and change lives, THEN…
3 ‘Take Home’ Challenges of this message –
1 – KNOW the Person of this Name
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Philippians 3: 10
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Perhaps the gospel has been disturbing you.
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I remind you that such disturbance is God's gracious conviction in your heart.
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But you must not ignore or try to run from what He is doing in your heart. Flee to Him!
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Find Jesus Christ as your solitary refuge for all eternity through faith in His name.
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Repent of your sins. Trust in Jesus Christ and His merits for you as the only means for you to be saved.
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There is no other way.
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If you are contemplating 'another way' of salvation, I plead with you to cast it aside immediately and come to the only "name under
heaven that has been given among men, by which you must be saved," Jesus Christ the Lord.
2 – BE like the Person of this Name.
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Just like Peter and John… they people ‘percieved that they had been with Jesus’
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Is there any resemblance of Jesus in your life?
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Are you practicing an intimacy with Jesus? – 2 Corinthians 3: 18
C.S. Lewis – “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
3 – MAKE the Person of this Name KNOWN.
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Whenever I read the book of Acts, I’m struck by the spontaneity of the witness of the first Christians.
Everywhere they went, in every circumstance, they boldly proclaimed Jesus as the true Messiah and the Savior of mankind—and many
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people believed.
After Peter and John were arrested for proclaiming the good news, Peter told the council, “We cannot but speak the things which we
have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20).
May we who know Christ as our Mediator consider the issues of declaring the gospel message which were raised in this text. Let us
seek, by God's grace, to live as whole people who share a whole gospel to the whole world.
In North America, there are 347 milllion people/ 3 out 4 do not have personal relationship with Jesus Christ/ the urgency to share the
Gospel is NOW.