THE ONLY WAY
ACTS 4 :1-12
The apostle Peter was summoned before the priests and Sadducees, the chief of his nation, to answer for having restored a man who was lame from his mother’s womb. Whilst accounting for this case of cure, the apostle Peter recognized a fine opportunity of showing to these people, who otherwise will not listen to him, the way of the salvation of the soul. So he proceeds from the less to the greater, from the healing of a man’s limb to the healing of a man’s soul; and having informed them already that it was through the name of Jesus Christ that the impotent man had been made whole, he now announces that salvation,—— the great salvation, must be wrought by the selfsame means; "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
It has been observed that among the many thousands of English words, the three most difficult words are “I was wrong,” and the two most delightful words are “check enclosed.” Be that as it may, it can be safely concluded that the most dynamic single word in the English language is the word “salvation.” Salvation is the most important thing in the world, both now and hereafter. For many the word “salvation” is drained or its priceless and precious meaning and significance. The word “salvation” literally means to be delivered from the greatest evil and to be brought unto the highest good. Acts 4:12 declares in a plain and dogmatic words that there is only one way of salvation. How sublimely does the apostle Peter, in these words, shut up the rulers of Israel to Jesus for salvation, and in what universal and emphatic terms does he hold up his Lord as the one Hope of men!
I. The NOTICE beyond EXCEPTION
“Neither is there salvation in any other” This statement is designed to be exclusive. No exception at all! If there is salvation in none other, THEN there must ONE that is all- sufficient. In olden times the heathen, who had different gods, all of them respected the gods of their neighbors. For instance, the king of Egypt would confess that the gods of Nineveh were true and real gods, and the prince of Babylon would acknowledge that the gods of the Philistines were true and real gods: but Jehovah, the God of Israel, put this as one of his first commandments, "Thou shalt have none other gods before me;" All other nations were tolerant the one to the other, but the Jew could not be so. One part of his religion was, "Hear, O Israel, the Lord thy God is one God;" and as the consequence of his belief that there was but one God, and that one God was Jehovah. Now just hear the text: how intolerant is the Christian religion! "Neither is there salvation in any other.”
Do I think that none are saved apart from Christ? I don t think it, I know it according to our text.
Whatever is your way of salvation——for there are a thousand different inventions of men whereby they seek to save themselves —— whatever it may be, hear what is verse states: “Neither is there salvation in any other.”
Deuteronomy 4:39 “Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.” 1Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” Isaiah 45:5 “I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me...” Isaiah 45:22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” Isaiah 46:9 “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God , and there is none like me....” In Christ ALONE is cleansing, pardon, forgiveness and life everlasting. There is no exception. It is Christ or eternal tragedy. Jesus is not a value that we can negotiate, nor is He a preference we can reject. He is the truth, and the truth cannot be changed. A. There was only one way of safety in the flood. B. There was only one way of life in Egypt on the Passover night. C. There was only one way of healing in the wilderness for those bitten by the fiery serpents. Preacher you are narrow minded. I am narrow minded where God is.
II. The NAME beyond EXPRESSION - “There is none other name under heaven given among men” No name except that divinely appointed one, Mt 1:21, by which salvation from sin can be expected-none given under heaven-no other means ever devised by God himself for the salvation of a lost world. He was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world; and no man ever came, or can come, to the Father but by him. Acts 10:43 “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” No other Savior but Jesus; no salvation if His is rejected; no other name to save from destruction, unless He is accepted. That is, no other person designed or appointed by God, to be the author of redemption to, and procurer of salvation for, a lost and miserable world, but only Christ. Take heed then, that we do not reject or set Him at naught; for in rejecting of Christ, we reject the wisdom of God, the authority of God, the love of God, yea, the salvation of God.
A. Jesus is the sovereign name - Philippians 2:9,10 “Wherefore God hath highly....” B. Jesus is the sacrificial name - Philippians 2:8 “And being....” C. Jesus is the surviving name “I am he that liveth, and was ; and, behold, I am alive for evermore.”
There have been names that I have loved to hear, But never has there been a name so dear To this heart of mine, as the name divine, The precious, precious name of Jesus.
III. The NEED beyond EXEMPTION “Whereby we must be saved” It is imperative - we must be saved! Being saved is not a choice it is an absolute must. Romans 5:12 “Wherefore,as by....” Romans 5:8 The remedy is wide as the disease. In the day of horse and buggies, a father went to the school house to pick up his three children ages 9, 11, and 17. As soon as he had them in the buggy--just before he stepped in--probably out of fear of the storm, the horses bolted and took off in the blizzard. Hours and miles later, when he found his children, the 17-year-old stood over the and frozen bodies of her brother and sister ages 9 and 11. Sobbing uncontrollably, she collapsed into his arms. When she had regained her composure, she explained to her dad that she tried to take her big, heavy coat and wrap it around them all. But she said, "The coat wasn’t big enough.” The that Christ shed on the cross was big enough to cover all of your sins and mine. A. We must be saved from the penalty of sin. Romans 6:23 B. We must be saved from the power of sin. Jesus not only saves us from SIN but also from SINS. C. We must be saved from the presence of sin.Only Jesus and His salvation can redeem us from the penalty of sin (justification).
Only Jesus and His salvation can release us from the power of sin (sanctification). Only Jesus and His salvation can remove us from the presence of sin (glorification).
Conclusion: A story is told in which an accountant answered an advertisement for a top job with a large firm. At the end of the interview, the chairman asked, "One last question—what is three times seven?" The accountant thought for a moment and replied, "Twenty-two." Outside he checked himself on his calculator and concluded he had lost the job. But two weeks later he was offered the post. He asked the chairman why he had been appointed when he had given the wrong answer. "You were the closest," the chairman replied. Some people have the mistaken idea that God is like the man who conducted the interview. They think it doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you’re close to the truth. John 14:6 IF JESUS IS NOT ALL SUFFICIENT, THEN HE IS NOT AT ALL SUFFFICIENT.
