The Power of the Name – Part 1
Acts 3:1-20
In the Name of Jesus there is the Power
to Give and Gifts to use (Acts 3:1-10)
to Speak Boldly and Truthfully (Acts 3:11-16)
of Forgiveness and Refreshment (Acts 3:17-20)
What’s in a name?
In our culture today, we may not think that names carry much meaning or are that important.
I would disagree. I think names are important and I think most people agree, even if they say otherwise.
Expecting Parents
Consider expecting parents.
When expecting parents are considering names for their children, what do they do?
They buy books of names to see what names mean.
They get input from relatives.
They think of people they know and don’t want to give their baby a name of someone they did not like very much.
They write out the name to see how it goes with their last name.
Women
Women often do the same thing with potential last names.
They write out their first name along with the potential husbands last name to see how it sounds.
We care about what our name is.
Reputation
As we grow up, it is
not so much how our name sounds,
but how our name gets affected by our actions, or our reputation that is evoked by our name.
When people are looking for a job, it is more helpful to use as a reference someone that has a good reputation with the prospective employer than a bad reputation.
“Hi, Joe So and So sent me and told me you might need someone.”
If Joe So and so is known to be a good worker and a person of integrity, then his name would carry some weight.
If Joe so and so was a thief who stole from the company, then using his name would say something negative to the prospective employer about you.
Commander in Chief
As Commander in Chief, the name of the President of the U.S carries with it power and authority and responsibility.
If the President gives a command to the military, that command is carried out.
if Scott Kircher gave a command to our military, do you know what would happen?
Nothing!
So, like it or not names matter.
The name we have can have power or authority or it may speak something to those who know us or know about us because of our name.
Names matter.
The Name of Christ
The same is true for us as a Christian. As a Christian we carry around with us the name of Jesus. And with the name of Jesus means something and carries with it power.
What is that power?
Transition
Today we are continuing our series in Acts called “The Church Unleashed”
Slide
and we are going to take a look at Acts 3:1-20 today to see what Power is available in the name of Jesus!
Acts 3:1-10
1 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer-at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.
6 Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
Pray
Ok, well, in this story in Acts, we find that there is certainly power in the name of Jesus that enables this man to walk.
Now does this mean that we can just go around if we are Christians and heal people by saying “Be healed in Jesus’ name?”
I do not believe so. I believe that the Apostles were given special gifts that they used by the power of Jesus Christ that included miraculous healings.
We see in multiple places that it was the Apostles who were given this ability, not just anyone.
Slide
Acts 2:43 - Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.
Acts 5:12 - The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people.
Acts 19:11 - God did extraordinary miracles through Paul
Paul even tells us that signs wonders and miracles were things that were marks of the Apostles
2 Corinthians 12:12 - The things that mark an apostle — signs, wonders and miracles — were done among you with great perseverance.
Not everyone had this gift, it seems as if it was only for the apostles so people could recognize the new thing that God was doing, the ushering in of the New Covenant and the church through whom God would change the world!
So while I don’t think the gift of miracle worker is active today, at least in America and in places where the gospel has been widely disseminated, I do believe that there is still power in the Name of Jesus!
So what Power is there in the Name?
I believe that
In the Name of Jesus there is the Power
to Give and of Gifts to use (Acts 3:1-10)
Slide
Take a look at verse 6.
Acts 3:6 - Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk."
He says to the man, “What I have I give you.”
Peter gives to the man out of the gifts he was given.
If you are a Christian, you have a gift. It is in the power of Christ that He has given you a gift and enabled you to use it for the benefit of others, that they might recognize who Jesus is and trust in Him.
Peter says, I don’t have silver and gold. But here is what I do have, and I give it to you.
What are ways we can give through the power of the Lord?
Slide
Well, we start first with, what have we been given?
What gifts has the Lord blessed you with that you can bless others with?
Obviously
We need to give of our Spiritual Gift
Slide
Peter gave of His Spiritual gift – the gift of miracles.
And as I have said, I don’t believe that is a normative spiritual gift, the reality is that all Christians have a spiritual gift that we need to give of.
1 Corinthians 12:1, 7
Slide
Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant…to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
The gift God has given you is to be used in conjunction with the body for the good of others.
Peter and John used the gift they had been given for the good of this man, and for the good of others. They just didn’t bring healing, they used this to proclaim Christ to help others know Him.
Are you using your gifts in conjunction with the church for the good of others, to help others come to know Him?
By the power of the Name of Christ, if you have trusted in Jesus as Savior, you have a gift that you can use in His strength and power. And as you do, God will work powerfully.
Transition
But it is not just our Spiritual gifts.
Peter said, what I have I give you.
We need to give out of what we have. We have not only spiritual gifts, but the Lord has given us time. Another way we can give is through our time by praying.
We need to give of our Time in Prayer
Slide
John 14:13 talks about praying in Jesus name.
And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.
A privilege of being a Christian is praying with the name and authority of Christ.
James also tells us to be praying for one another.
James 5:16
Slide
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
Now praying in Jesus name does not mean ask for anything and tack on “in Jesus Name” at the end and it will be done.
Praying in Jesus’ name means praying in accord with Jesus’ will.
That is where the power of prayer resides. That means knowing Him more so we know His will and we recognize that His will is not only best, but it is Good!
Grow in your relationship with Christ so you can grow in your knowledge of His will so the time you spend in prayer will be powerful.
Transition
Ok, so we need to give of the things the Lord has given us in accordance with the life and will of Christ so that our giving has powerful effects in the Name of Jesus, just like the Apostles were able to give.
Let’s continue reading and see what else we can learn about the power of the Name.
Acts 3:11-16
11 While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon's Colonnade. 12 When Peter saw this, he said to them: "Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. 14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.
In the Name of Jesus there is the Power
to Speak Boldly and Truthfully (Acts 3:11-16)
Slide
Ok, for those who have been given gifts and those gifts are used to bless others, we need to seize the opportunities to speak boldly and truthfully with people.
The temptation for us to steal God’s glory when God does something powerfully through us, as if it were by our own power and ability.
Peter speaks truthfully in verse 12 when he says Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?”
We too need to speak in truth giving the glory to God and use the opportunity to speak the gospel boldly.
He tells them the truth that they had disowned and handed over to be killed the One who did this miracle. That is pretty bold.
Apply
This is hard for us sometimes in this pluralistic society. We have a hard time speaking boldly and yet in a way that we are not offensive.
It is not bold to speak about the love of God for people. I do think we need to tell people that. But I also think we need to tell them that the only way to experience that Love fully is through recognizing Jesus as Lord and reiving Him as your Savior.
It is bold to say that Jesus is the only hope for people and the only way to heaven.
When we have had the opportunity in the name of Jesus to use our gifts and give for His glory, we need to seize that opportunity to speak truth boldly.
Do you know Him? Do you know and believe that He is the only way to have life.
We need to speak boldly in the name of Jesus.
As we know Him more, we become more concerned about glorifying Him than being saying only things that people want to hear. Sometimes we need to speak the truth about what they don’t want to hear. Their eternity depends on it.
Speak truth and speak boldly in Jesus name when we have been given the opportunity.
Transition
The text continues in
Acts 3:17-20
17 "Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. 18 But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer. 19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you-even Jesus.
In the Name of Jesus there is the Power
of Forgiveness and Refreshment (Acts 3:17-20)
Slide
When we turn to the Jesus in repentance we find forgiveness for our sins and refreshment for our souls!
We experience this refreshment in 2 ways.
We experience it in Salvation
Slide
Jesus says in
John 7:37b-38
"If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."
When we come to Jesus in repentance and seek His forgiveness, we find refreshment in salvation.
Peter tells us in
Slide
Acts 4:12 - Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
Jesus says in
Matthew 11:28
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Are you weary and burdened in trying to live life on your own apart from Christ?
Well, there is power in the name of Jesus to find refreshment in salvation.
If you have never put your trust in Jesus Christ for salvation, you will have an opportunity in a moment so you to can be saved and refreshed.
Transition
But sometimes, even after we are saved, we have times we are experiencing the spiritual desert.
Slide
We don’t sense God’s presence. We don’t feel like He is close.
Well, this is why He has given us the church and the community of saints in the church.
If you have been a Christian for a while, I am certain that you can think of a time that you were dry and weak with nothing left and the Lord sent someone to you and you were encouraged and refreshed by it.
Paul wrote about this type of refreshment.
Slide
2 Corinthians 7:13-14
In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you.
1 Corinthians 16:17-18
17 I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you. 18 For they refreshed my spirit and yours also.
We find refreshment in Jesus Name through other Christians that Christ sends into our lives to encourage us during times of spiritual dryness.
Conclusion
There is power in the name of Christ
There is power to use our Spiritual gifts and to give to those who are in need to see lives changed both here and for eternity.
There is power to speak boldly and truthfully when through the power of the Holy Spirit we are drawn into a deeper relationship with Christ and know Him more so we are more concerned about Christ and people’s eternal state rather than just being liked and saying things that people want to hear or not saying things they may not want to hear.
Speak the truth in love through the power of His name.
And there is power to be refreshed in salvation and in times of spiritual dryness through the fellowship of believers.
But to be refreshed through others means relationship with others, both through the church and through small groups where you are getting better connected.
Be part of the church.
Get connected in a group.
Be refreshed through the encouragement of those the Lord puts in your life.
Experience the power of the Name working in your life.
If you have never received Jesus as Savior, know that there is no other way because there is “no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12).
Turn to Him, Receive Him, and find rest for your soul.
I am going to pray and lead in a prayer of confession. Confess your belief and find rest in salvation.
And for the rest of us, my prayer is that we will grow in our reliance on the name of Christ through a growing relationship with Him, that we might know the power of the Name in even greater ways.
Let’s pray
