Growing up one of my most common phrases was: who says? I grew up in a big family and we all had chores to do. I had siblings and we all had the tendincy to be a touch bossy with each other. I was real bad about going in and telling my older sister she was supposed to do something and I learned after about 18 years and few few bumps on the head that it makes allot more of a difference when you say, "Dad said..." rather than trying to her around. I didn't have any real autority, a fact I had to be reminded of quite often of as a teenage by my dad. If you dont have any athourity behind what you say than your threats or words have little wieght.
Nothing can ever stop the power of His great love. There is no thing on
this earth that could ever rival the awesome power of our God. Even if the
world were to turn against me I will trust in the Lord! David wrote in Psalms
23: The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He
makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He
restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name's
sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear
no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You
prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you have anointed my
head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and loving-kindness will
follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
It
is in the name of the Lord we find refuge in times of trouble, rest in times of
weakness, and peace in the midst of a storm. Through the power of His name we
find healing, purpose, and freedom. Through His name we are made whole. We have
the victory. Although Peter and John faced immense persecution because of the
name of Jesus; the results of their faithful obedience were more than 5,000
people accepting Christ and were added to the church. There was no power on
earth or scheme of man that could silence the message of Calvary.
In
spite of deadly threats and impossible circumstances God works. No matter what
we face, nothing is too big for God to handle. Remember Paul’s words in Phil
4:13.: “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” It is
through the power of His name that we have hope. But the question is how is it
that the name of this one man is powerful is? What does the name of Jesus really
mean to us? Examine the first 22 verses of Acts 4 with me and we shall see that
His name is all we need.
1.
In the name
of Jesus, there is healing vv. 10
God can and does still work miracles. Go is still capable of preforming healing
today just as in the book of acts and the first century of the church. I have
seen God heal broke feet and heal the sick. More important though than the
physical ailments people suffer with are the spiritual disease that needs to be
healed. God is not a God of sensationalism and does not need to provide us with
a sign in order for us to believe. He does not need our worship. Jesus did not
heal everyone He knew His purpose: seek out and save the lost, not provide religious
entertainment for the religious. All healing is divine healing but hte ultimate
healing is the healing of the souls of mankind.
2.
In the name
of Jesus, we find purpose and direction vv. 11
Jesus is
the chief cornerstone. It is by him that we build our lives off of. His
teachings and instruction are the basis for all of life. His teachings are
foundational for a moral society. The Apostle Paul, while he spoke to the
Leaders of Athens at Mars Hill, shared these words,
“The God who made the world and all things in it,
since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with
hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He
Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from
one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having
determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that
they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though
He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as
even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ Being
then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like
gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man.”
Apart from Christ
we have no purpose, no direction, and no hope of eternal salvation. We can do
all things through him who gives us strength, but apart from him we can do
nothing. It is in the name of Jesus that my life finds value. Without him I
would be nothing. Without him I would surely fail. I would hate to think of
what my life would be if I did not know Christ as my savior.
3.
In the name
of Jesus, there is salvation vv. 12
It is only
through the mighty name of Jesus that we have salvation. He is our hope of
Glory. There is no other name under Heaven that has the power to save the souls
of mankind. There are only two religious paths: the broad way of works
salvation leading to eternal death and separation from God and the narrow way
of saving faith in Jesus Christ leading to eternal life. Sadly there are many
people who are following the first path. Seek to find salvation through another
name other than Jesus Christ. When we transform the Christian life into a works
based system we are sending people down a path of legalism and bondage. Let us
strive to know Him and make Him known.
4.
In the name
of Jesus, weakness become strength vv.13-16
Perhaps the
most amazing piece of this narrative is the fact that Peter and John having no rabbinical
education or formal training in the Old Testament theology, were able to recite
and teach in such a way that confounded the wisest of scholars. Everyone
recognized that these men had walked with Jesus and spoke in authority and
proclaimed the truth. Jesus accomplished in 3 ½ years what it took a lifetime
for other Rabbis to do. Train up effective disciplines. God was certainly with
these men.
Recognizing
that Peter and John spoke with authority and acted in power healing the sick
and raising the dead, the religious leaders had nothing to charge these men
with. Through their actions and works they proved that empty religion had no
power to save the souls. True power comes from a yielded relationship with
Jesus Christ.
5.
In the name
of Jesus, the enemy fears and trembles vv. 17-18
Fearful
that they were losing their hold on the people and their seats of power and influence
they had only empty threats to hurl at Peter and John. God had stolen the
thunder of these self-righteous leaders. The only thing they could do is tell
them to not teach in the name of Jesus hoping that they would “submit” to their
rulers and “elders.” They were trying to use fear tactics to force these men
into submission. Hoping to stop this uprising and be able to ignore the deeper
problem: their defeat.
6.
In the name
of Jesus, we stand complete vv.
19-20
We are not
called to submit to every human institution without question. We are to submit
to governing authorities, church leadership, our spouse, and others so long as
it does not conflict with God’s command. If by submitting to another person’s
authority we comprise our faith or principals we are compelled to disobey or
not comply. When the government forces me to pay for services which violate my conscience
I must refuse. When leaders ask me to be silent concerning the preaching of sin
and the unbiblical practice of same-sex marriage I must refuse. In all things
we must obey God rather than man.
7.
In the name
of Jesus, God receives all glory vv.
21-22
This is
always the result of the working of Jesus: God is glorified. Peter and John did
not desire to be worship or made into saints. Peter when he was put to death
refused to be crucified as Christ He demanded they crucify him upside down. He
would have despised being exalted as a saint as some churches are in the custom
of doing. God does not share his glory with any other.
In response to this revive broke loose. For now this
group of rejects and outcast had grown into an unstoppable movement. Numbering
over five thousand people in the first couple weeks this new movement within Judaism
was not going to be silenced or stopped. Within weeks this number likely grew
to be about 10% of the Jewish population. The events in the temple court came
as a victory for the early church: they have been recognized as legitimate. Listen to their response:
"When they had been released, they went to
their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had
said to them.24 And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with
one accord and said, "O Lord , it is You who made the heaven and the earth
and the sea , and all that is in
them, 25 who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your
servant, said,
'Why did the Gentiles rage,
And the peoples
devise futile things
?
26 'The Kings
of the earth took THEIR STAND,
And the rulers
were gathered together
Against the
Lord and against His Christ .'
27 "For truly in this city there were gathered
together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and
Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,28 to do
whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur.29 "And now , Lord,
take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your
word with all confidence,30 while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and
wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus."31 And
when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken,
and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of
God with boldness."
How will we respond?
Gambling, casinos, and the lottery are taboos in the church. Simply by mentioning such things can arouse a host of negative emotions in typical church goers. Some are so strongly opposed to any form of gambling that they would not allow playing cards, dice, or the like into their house or to be played with in the church. Gambling is viewed as wasteful, poor stewardship, and sinful greed of money. Gambling, of any kind, is an extremely destructive, highly risky and expensive past time.
