There Is Power In That Name

Peter and John, disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. The messiah, that was prophesied about, the God that became flesh and walked with them. The atonement of sins for the world. Peter and John were doing what they were commanded to do. They were spreading the good news of salvation and when they get to the temple they see a man crippled from birth being carried to the temple gate.

What follows was not only miraculous but also meaningful. There is a hidden message in that healing. The first healing that we hear about in the book of Acts. The message is that there is power in the name of Jesus Christ.

Three things happened during this passage and they are three things that need to be applied to everyday life. Three things about the work Jesus did.

First Peter tells the man, look at us. They wanted his undivided attention. They were not going to compete with that man’s attention.

Secondly Peter says Get up and walk. He healed the crippled man.

Finally the man goes around telling everyone that he was healed.

What does our God tell us? He tells us the same three things.

God says, give me your attention? Give me your belief. God wants us to believe that he sent his son to this world to die. He wants us to believe that his death on the cross is the only way to heaven.

Without the mans undivided attention, Peter could not heal that man. He said. Look at us. He wanted to be sure he was listening to only them. Without our undivided attention, God cannot work in our lives.

As Jesus and his disciples left Jericho, two blind men heard he was coming and asked him to heal them. The men ignored the crowd that rebuked them and they asked for healing. They gave Jesus their undivided attention.

They knew that if they could just get him to stop and talk to them, they could be healed. They had faith that Jesus could do it and he had compassion on them because of their faith. Throughout his ministry, Jesus healed those that had faith.

A hemorrhaging woman walked up behind him and had faith that this man could heal her and he did. A group of four men lowered their friend down through a hole in the ceiling where Jesus was teaching in hopes that Jesus would heal him and he did. Talk about letting your friends down. This time it was for the good.

Without your full attention, you will not have complete faith in Christ. God needs your attention at all times so that he can do his work through you. He doesn’t want only half, or 3 quarters. He wants your undivided attention.

When Peter and John had their this man’s attention, the healing took place. Paul tells us that when we believe in our hearts that Jesus is Lord, we are justified. The Holy Spirit will heal your broken spirit and make you born again if you have given your attention to God.

It is with belief in Christ, that God’s holy spirit descends upon your heart and you are healed. The old creation is gone and you are a new creation as Paul told the Ephesians. And he told the Romans and the Corinthians that you’re old life is gone and your new life exists.

All by letting God have your attention and then by calling on his name. That power name of Jesus Christ, you will be healed. Your sins will be remembered no more and God will write on your heart his law and you will be worthy enough to be considered a child of God because of the power in the name of Jesus Christ.

It was in the name of Jesus Christ that Peter told that man to walk and he did. He raised up and he walked. We must simply call on the name of Jesus to help us get through our temptation or trial. We turn on a light switch to tap into the power that exists in the switch. We can tap into the power of the name of Jesus by simply asking for it.

If we try to get there alone, we will stub our toes or bang our knees. It is only with the power of Jesus Christ our Lord that we can make it through those tough times. Just reach out to God and flip the switch.

The third thing that this passage teaches us is that the man knew he was healed and he proclaimed it to the world. He went into the temple courts walking and jumping and praising God.

We give God our attention, he heals us and then what do we do? Do we sit on it and say yeah I am going to heaven (speak softly) or do we jump up and down and yell "YEA I AM GOING TO HEAVEN!! PRAISE THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY!"