The Name Of Jesus

The Name of Jesus

Acts 4:18-31

What’s in a name?

What’s in a name? Typically, we use names to distinguish one person from another and names don’t have much significance.

Any meaning attached to a name is either unknown to the person or the person is not concerned with the meaning of their name.

Here in the West, we name our children with certain names because the name sounds nice or because the name has some sentimental value to us for one reason or another.

However, in Eastern cultures, especially in biblical times, Jewish people, attached much greater significance to names.

To the Jews, a person's name signifies worth, character, reputation, authority, and ownership.

Philippians 2:9 God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,

Philippians 2:10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,

Philippians 2:11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. NKJV

Please open your Bibles to Acts 4 as we continue that study.

Last week the religious leaders were upset for two reasons…

1. Peter and John were preaching Jesus, as the Christ.

2. Peter and John were teaching about Jesus’ resurrection.

The religious leaders grabbed the men and kept them in custody until morning, interrogating them about Jesus being preached.

Then we learned that Jesus was the rejected Cornerstone.

Peter said, “You have rejected the foundational leader of the nation and your heritage, His name is Jesus, and by His name this miracle was performed.”

Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, immediately began boldly and confidently speaking about the Cross and the Gospel.

The religious leaders forbade the Disciples from sharing Christ.

If we have been spending time with Jesus, our lives will naturally proclaim the Gospel in many different ways.

Today, we will learn how these Disciples were forbidden to discuss the name of Jesus, so they prayed for boldness.

I. Don’t teach in the Name.

Read Acts 4:18

Why were these leaders forbidding teaching in Jesus’ name?

In the original language, this command from the religious leaders was forceful. They basically said, under no circumstances are you to teach in the name of Jesus again!

Remember Peter’s statement from a couple of weeks ago.

Acts 4:12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." NKJV

The name of Jesus is the most powerful name that has ever existed or will exist; however, any power that comes from the name of Jesus originates and comes from the person of Jesus.

There is nothing magical in the name of Jesus without the actual person of Jesus, God the Son.

Some people think they can invoke the name of Jesus and demand their own will to be done because of a magic formula of simply using His name.

There are false religions that use the name of Jesus without believing in the “real” Jesus, so their Jesus is not powerful.

The Hebrew name for Jesus is Jeshua or Joshua, and there are many people in history with that name who do not possess the power of Jesus, God the Son.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. NKJV

Notice Jesus said, “except through Me” so the person of Jesus is where the power lies.

gotquestions.org said, “Jesus is the Savior of sinners.

The saving, healing, protecting, justifying, and redeeming power of God resides in the Person of Christ, and Jesus is His name.

Jesus laid down His life to save sinners, and He exercised His authority to raise it up again, so that any who call on His name in faith can receive forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation”

Jesus’ power was fully displayed when He finished the work of redemption on the Cross at Calvary and again as He raised Himself back to life again.

John 2:19, Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." NKJV

Because of the blood of Christ, we are offered salvation, we become new creations, and we become righteous in Him, as we receive a restored relationship with the Father.

If you have received the gift of Jesus Christ to be saved because of His work on the Cross, you then become an adopted child of God with all the benefits that come with being a family member.

Galatians 4:4 when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

Galatians 4:5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.