This morning's message is entitled what's in a name? See, sometimes people reach
a certain level of celebrity that they don't even need two names, right? Just
one name and you know who they are, right? Beyonce, right? Adele Cher Bono
Bluey. Come on now, parents with young kiddos know what I'm talking about like
that. That show hits hard. Ok, I'm not, I'm gonna say more than once. My kids
have started watching the show. They left and went into the other room and I
found myself still watching being like, wow, you are good enough, you know, and
like, ok, anyway, when a name gets to a status to where you can just say the
name and you know who they are. That's big time, right? But the reality is, is
that a celebrity? It's really not gonna change your life, right? You might know
them from afar, but it doesn't change your daily experience. But today I wanna
talk about a name that can, can completely transform your life. And that is the
name of Jesus. If you take a note, I encourage you to write this down that the
name of Jesus creates a new normal the name of Jesus creates a new normal
meaning that once you have embraced the name of Jesus in your life, it changes
everything holistically about who you are and what you do. There is not a
neutral response to the name of Jesus. And we're gonna see this today as we jump
into acts chapter three and four. Now setting the stage for our narrative today
acts chapter one, Jesus, uh it rises again, appears to his disciples and others
and then is about to leave, gives them these words that you were gonna receive
the power of the Holy Spirit to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea Samaria to
the ends of the earth. So he promises the coming of the Holy Spirit, the third
person of the Trinity. And then in acts chapter two, which we studied last week
that the Holy Spirit comes down. There's a sound of a mighty rushing wind. There
is like this picture of fire over people's heads. They're speaking in the native
language of the 15 different regions that are around. And so, and then Peter
stands up and boldly proclaims the power of Jesus and roughly 3000 people get
saved. And then the church is formed the largest movement in world history from
a group of everyday ordinary people believing in an extraordinary God. Now,
naturally, we should complete chapter two, but I'm actually not gonna do that
today. And the reason for that is because just a few weeks ago when we talked
about the values of our church and the message entitled What's Guiding Your
Life. We actually uh broke down Acts chapter two verses 42 to 47 describing
where the values of our church comes from. So I encourage you to just go back a
couple of weeks either on podcast or online and, and check out that message.
But, but we're gonna continue that the church launches. They have everything in
common. They, they valued and are devoting themselves to the teaching of the
word fellowship with each other. They have this idea of empowered service and
joyful generosity and they're giving to the needy and they're, and they're
sharing the good news of Jesus with everyone around them. And we get to chapter
three. Now we're going to see the gospel and the Holy Spirit lived out in the
everyday lives of the disciples. So Peter and John are going to the temple and
they say it's about three o'clock in the afternoon. So they're going to a prayer
service and they come across, they pass this gate called the gate. Beautiful.
It's kind of a fun name. The gate, beautiful. Uh But it's just naming the
entrance. So in that area, right, it's, it's a very specific place. And so they
go, they come across this guy who has been lame from birth and it was common for
beggars to be at the gates of the temple as the Jewish believers would give out
alms or give donations away. And so you had you picture somebody holding a sign
or, or claiming out or asking for something to just to beg to survive. And so
they come across this man and then the disciples actually look at the man and
they say, look at us and it, and I've learned over a few years of marriage, that
tone matters, right? When you say something, you can say something a lot of
different ways, right? And so I want to clarify too. What I think is the tone
when they say this OK is I don't think Peter and and and John are going, hey,
look at us, right? Like look at us, look at, look at who we are. Look at us like
how amazing we are. I think what we're seeing here is that you have a beggar
who's just routinely please have mercy on me, have mercy on me, have mercy,
just, just rep repetitively saying something hoping to get anything from
somebody, right? And so to break him out of his routine and rhythm, the
disciples just pause and go, hey, look at us and the reason they're saying that
is because hey, because we're looking at you and they see this need. And so he
asks, can I just have a little money? Can I have a little bread? Can I have a
little something to get to the next day? This is where we're gonna pick up our
story and what we're gonna see over these two chapters or that is that the name
of Jesus brings with it four distinct things that I think still applies to our
lives today. Ok. The name of Jesus really creates a new normal, a new way of
living a new way of life. And what we're gonna see in our story today is that
the name of Jesus brings four things that can still bring into our lives. 2000
years later, the first thing that the name of Jesus brings is new life. It's a
new life. So we we jump into our story here. The beggar has already asked Peter
and John for something and Peter responds there in acts chapter three verse six.
He says, but Peter said, I have no silver or gold. But what I do have I give to
you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk and he took him by
the right hand and raised him up and immediately his feet and his ankles were
made strong and leaping up. He stood and began to walk and entered the temple
with them walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him
walking and praising God, recognized him as the one who sat at the beautiful
gate of the temple. So it's almost like the the homeless guy that stays at the
exact same corner every day. So this is a guy who's been doing this for years.
Ok. And so they recognize him as the guy from the beautiful gate asking for
alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what happened to him.
Can you imagine that scene? Someone who's been begging, who's been sick for
years after years after years and through the utterance of the name of Jesus, he
is healed. Now, this is actually similar to a story of Jesus who he was
preaching one time to a group of religious leaders in a room that was crowded in
Mark chapter two. And some friends brought to Jesus, a lame man. They couldn't
get in the front door. And so they broke through the roof and lowered him down.
Um And, and Jesus said to show you that I have the power to forgive sins. Let me
show you that I can heal this man. In other words, to show you that I have the
power to heal you spiritually, I'm gonna heal this man physically says, rise up
and walk. And so right there in front of the leaders, he arose and walked out
and took his mat with him. OK? Took his past with him, took his Brokenness with
him and walks out and the people were amazed and now the disciples are doing the
same thing. And so what we see here repeatedly in the New Testament is that the
disciples have the same power to do what Jesus did. And so you're gonna see a
lot of mirroring in the book of Acts to the gospels. Jesus did this, then the
disciples do this and it's connecting the two. Why? What's the connection? It's
the Holy Spirit coming into the life of the believer saying that through the
name of Jesus, people are healed. Now, what I want to point out though is that
if this man has been there since birth and they're at the temple and they're at
a specific gate, this means that the disciples probably saw him before. This
means actually that Jesus probably saw him before. And what strikes me as odd
and I'm not quite sure what to do with the tension is that for years, someone
was sick and hurt and alone and seemingly God did nothing. So what do we do with
that? Well, one, I'm not, I'm just being transparent with you. I'm not quite
sure what to do with the tension except acknowledge that the tension exists. And
so a few thoughts on that is that just because you're sick does not mean God is
absent just because you're sick does not mean that you did something wrong. But
we do know and we pray to that we have a God who heals and at the right moment
and at the right time, God will provide healing whether on this side of eternity
or the other side of eternity. And so the reason I think Jesus allowed this man
to stay lame to stay sick for so long because it is a greater narrative to at
the exact moment that was needed to have the most glory for God. This man gets
healed as a testimony for what Jesus can do. Because even greater than the
physical healing is the spiritual healing that comes from the forgiveness of
sins. What would you rather have? Would you rather be healed for an instant or
healed for eternity? I'm not saying that it's either or what I'm saying is that
the miracle has already happened because the resurrection has already happened.
And so that is the hope and the living hope that we point to. So tho those that
are sick have two levels of hope. One. We have a God who heals, who can heal,
meaning that if you're walking through something that God can give you new life
and can give you instant healing. And there it's possible. So there is hope for
healing. But two, even if it doesn't come, understand that God will be
glorified. And ultimately, there is a greater healing available to all people
through it. The name of Jesus Christ. When I think of this story, I think of a
good friend brody or some of you, you know, uh he comes here. Uh He's always got
a joke for you, you know, but if you don't know the story, uh he survived a
plane crash, uh traumatic brain injury, completely altered his life. Um went
through multiple surgeries was in a coma, but now is uh living his best life and
uh you might see him here at the second service or might watch online if you see
it, he will say hi. He's never met a stranger. Uh also has no filter. So you
never quite know what he's gonna say. And so it's really entertaining. Uh but I
remember distinctly when he was walking through that and when he was going
through that with his parents and, and the parents uh shared with me that they
were struggling, they were hurting. Um And, and God gave them the thought in one
moment that to his mom, to Gigi said, you see broken, I see mended, you see
broke and I see mended and they've hung on to that thought throughout his, the
last 67 years of his recovery. And I've held on to that thought to say, wow, how
beautiful of that is a hope is a strength that comes from healing. Maybe it's
not the healing you, you thought you wanted, but it's available in there and
it's what you needed. And so that yes, God can heal. But as you wait, you put
your trust in even a greater healing, the forgiveness of sins and salvation that
comes through God. So through the power of Jesus, you can be saved. And it's a
brand new life. Can you imagine now being that lame person finally entering the
temple? Because if he was seen as unclean. He's been on the outside for years.
The other thing I take away from this is that it is never too late to turn to
Jesus. It is you got to think he's had some bad days and cursed at God, cursed
at church. People cursed to other people. Like why this, why me, why now I want
you to know that no matter what kind of past or history you have, it is not too
late to go to him. And so now he is jumping, he is leaping. He's going in like
imagine walking into the temple like the guy who was ignored and smelly and left
out and you walk into church. You're like, hey, what's up, Steve? Notice
anything, huh? Anything different about me? No, it's not a new haircut. Steve,
it's legs. Right. Right. Can you imagine the joy in that that comes from new
life. All of that came because of the name of Jesus. The second thing that the
name of Jesus gives us is absolute authority. The name of Jesus gives us
absolute authority. So this man gets saved. This man gets healed. Ok? He's
standing in their midst and Peter goes alright. It's sermon time. Now we get the
second recorded sermon and honestly, it's kind of a repeat of the first. If you
look at his sermon in acts three, it's a lot like acts two. So like he really
hasn't moved on uh here and so he really is coming in strong. He actually, we're
not, I'm just gonna read a portion of it for time's sake. But he quotes Moses,
he, he, he references Samuel and Abraham because again, these are a lot of
Jewish leaders here. And so he's, he's connecting Old Testament to New
Testament. But then in, in the center of this, he gets very direct and very
specific because remember the timeline here, we are roughly two months after the
killing of Jesus in the town where Jesus was killed. And so like, hey, remember
what happened two months ago, all y'all were there, OK? And so he says this and
so he comes in strong. So we're, we're gonna pick it up here from verse 15 for
our sake. Let me just read a couple of these verses. He says, and you killed the
author of life who you put to death, the person that brings life whom God raised
from the dead. And to this, we are witnesses verse 16 and his name notice that
his name by faith in his name and his name alone has made this man strong whom
you see and know and the faith that is through Jesus has given this man the man,
this perfect health and the presence of you all. And now brothers, I know that
you acted in ignorance. So it gets a little softer, you killed Jesus. It's like,
but I I recognize you didn't know also as did your rulers verse 18. But what God
foretold by the mouth of all the prophets that his Christ should suffer. He thus
fulfilled, repent therefore, and turn back that your sins may be blotted out.
That times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord and that he may
send the Christ appointed for you Jesus. Now, I want to pause here on this verse
for just a second. I want you to notice something. The response to a miracle is
repentance. The response to a miracle is repentance. What he's saying here is
that when Jesus performs a miracle, the response is not. Wow. Look at how
awesome I am. The response is, wow, look at how awesome God is and that the
natural response to being rescued is praise Jesus. When you think about those
that like a few years ago, there was a story of the Chilean miners who were
stuck in a cave for days and days and days, right? And they got rescued and when
they came out, what did they do? They kissed the ground, they breathe air, they
didn't want to go. That's right. I did it. I survived your welcome world, right?
The response is actually one of humility. The response is like, wow, I've been
saved. I've been rescued. What he's saying here is that the response to the
miracle is repentance because you have the power to heal because you have the
power to save because you have the power to go from death to life. I am going to
turn from my ways, my sins to yours. And that then the response or the results
of the miracle is refreshment. You see that you have a miracle, you have
repentance, then you have refreshment. Why? Because you humble yourselves to the
absolute authority. That is God verse 21 says whom heaven must receive until the
time for restoring all things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy
prophets long ago. And he would go on and quote Moses and Abraham and Samuel.
The response to God is not, oh, I can do whatever I want. Now, the response to
God is wow, I'm a sinner. I don't deserve this God. Here it is. My life to
repent is to turn doing student ministries. Uh for years, you get all these
stories of testimonies and I love it and I love the stories. Uh But one of the
most common mistakes that I, you don't want to correct because they're like
really passionate is that the student were gonna be like God is so powerful
because of God. I turned my life around 360 degrees and I was like it, God is
good praise God. OK? And then later is like, it's like 180. You want 180 this
way now, this way, sorry to make this side the sinful side. But you just kind of
look a little more pagan. Um like here here, right, we're getting off track. All
right, the response to a miracle is repentant. The result of the miracle is
refreshment. It's not look at me, it's look at God, I submit my life to your
authority. The name of Jesus brings with it a new life. The name of Jesus brings
with it absolute authority. Third, the name of Jesus brings with it miraculous
transformation because not only is this transformation of the man who was
healed, but also the transformation of Peter and John. See the leaders get this
here. The leaders did not like what was going on. There's two groups, the
sadducees and the Pharisees who together form the 70 people political component
there in the town called the San Hendre. Now the Pharisees, we're actually
seeing a little bit more on the liberal side. The sadducees are more on the
conservative side, not like how we think about in our culture, but one so is
like it's more about the people and following all these rules and we're gonna
add lots of rules um so that we can be extra biblical. And then the sadducees
were more about political power found um in, in connection to Rome. And they
didn't, they took a very literal translation. So they didn't believe in the
resurrection of the dead. They didn't believe in miracles. They didn't believe
things, it's about power, it's about authority and it's about law and they
don't, they don't believe in the resurrection, which is why Paul keeps throwing
it in their faces about the resurrection of Jesus. And also why random fact that
in the gospels, you see Jesus interact with the Pharisees uh pre resurrection
because it's about, there's a greater power and not about following rules but
relationship and then post resurrection, you're gonna actually see him interact
more with the sadducees because actually, no, there's new life and so kind of
these connections, but only thing they agreed upon was that they didn't like
Jesus. And so the Pharisees sadducees came together, didn't like Jesus killed
him. He rose again. It's like, now what do we do? And so all these people are
praising God for this healed person and like, I, I don't know what to do. Let's
throw him in jail, right? Let's throw them in jail. They get to the next day and
they, and they're standing now between the high priest or the chief priests and
both of which come from the sad, you see grouping if you will. So they have more
power, they have more wealth. Uh And they're like, what do we do with these
fishermen dudes? OK. We pick up our story again. I'm gonna read just a couple of
passages. Not all of it for time's sake. But here we go. Acts 41 and uh one
through four. And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the
captain of the temple and the sadducees came upon them greatly annoyed because
they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the
dead. So you can see why they don't like that. Verse three. And they arrested
them and they put them in custody until the next day for it was already evening.
So this started at three o'clock, he started preaching and goes into the
evening. He's like, ah, everyone's going crazy. What happens? Why were they
upset? Well, because verse four, it says in many of those who heard the word
believed and the number of men came to about 5000. So now the church goes from
3000 to 5000. Some commentaries actually say there's a lot more to that. It's
like, is this a generic term of men? Is this a generic term or is this actually
just counting the men? So then like the feeding of the 5000 ones? So maybe
there's even more. There's thousands of believers. What do we do with this?
They're starting to believe these fishermen and not us. They're taking our
power. Skip down to verse seven says, and when they had set them in their midst,
they inquired by what power or notice the word here by what name did you do
this? You see they've already had a couple of revolts come up in their history
and they just try to squash the name of that leader. And if you can squash the
leader, you squash the revolt. So by what name did you do this? They're trying
to hook them and say like who, who can we blame for this? And so we can lock
them away and shut them up. Verse eight Peter. Now notice of the description
filled with the Holy Spirit said to them rulers and people uh the people and
elders if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled
man. By what means this man has been healed, then let it be known to all of you
and all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom
you crucified, he loves to just kind of stick it in here whom Jesus raised from
the dead by him. This man is standing before you. Well, this Jesus the stone
that was rejected by you, the builders which has become the cornerstone this
summer when we went through Psalms, we share that this was a prophecy by David
and now actually fulfilled here in this moment, kind of a cool connection by the
way. Anyway, so he says, no, he is the cornerstone verse 12 and there is
salvation and no one else for there is no other name under heaven given among
men by which we must be saved. Verse 13. Now, when they saw the boldness of
Peter and John and perceived that they were uneducated common men, they were
astonished, they recognized that they had been with Jesus, but seeing the man
who was healed was standing beside them, talk about a great piece of evidence
exhibit a Steve, show him your legs, right? Like how are you gonna argue that?
Right? The best evidence for the Christian faith is to transform life just gonna
throw it out there. OK? He continues on and they're like, OK, I mean,
technically this guy couldn't walk but now can walk. That's kind of a good
thing. Uh So now are we like against helping people as wait a second, we're
supposed to be the religious ones. They're not sure what he say. Well, let's
just tell him not to talk about Jesus. You know what I mean? Let's just calm it
down, right? And then, uh and then verse 21 jumping down, it says, and when they
further threaten them, they let them go finding that there's no way to punish
them because of the people. They were all praising God for what happened. And
then verse 22 for the man on whom the sign of healing was performed was more
than 40 years old. Do you know what this tells me is that if you can walk and
jump past the age of 40 it's a miracle of God. All right. This verse hits
different this year just saying no. The reason they include his age is because
40 years of a past that they knew. So they can't just like, well, he was faking
it for 40 years. Hey, Peter was standing before the chief priest and high priest
in the council. These are the same people that killed Jesus just two months
prior, Peter denied Jesus three times and the last time he denied Jesus, it was
a servant, slave girl that questioned him. He said, no, no, no, no, not me. So
how do you go from denying Jesus from the lowest of low people in society to now
standing before the most powerful people in the community. The same ones that
kill Jesus and say you kill Jesus, you better repent. Or else that is the Holy
Spirit and that is a miraculous transformation. Not only was that man healed,
Peter was healed. Did you catch that in his heart? His mindset, his life was
completely changed. 100 and 80 degrees. Last thing, the name of Jesus brings
with it, empowered, boldness, empowered, boldness. They don't know what to do.
They don't have any legal grounds to keep Peter and John locked up. Thousands of
people are believing in Jesus. They're healed. So I don't know what to do. So
just let them go. We'll figure it out another day. Go back to all the the first
church and then now they go and they pray and we don't have time for all of the
prayer. But it talks about creation, talks about inspiration of scripture, talks
about how God is still in control. Even when the people, we don't agree with or
believe in are in power? Hello? Ok. Look as the election approaches. Ok. We're
gonna talk more and more about it, but just to try how to navigate it as a
church. Ok. But for today's sake, can I just encourage you with this, that
whatever party or whatever candidate wins can, can you just take confidence and
courage in the fact that God is still in control in a world that is anxious and
freaked out. We don't have to be as a church. Ok. Yes, be involved. Yes, vote,
yes, engage, yes dialogue. We'll, we'll get into that a little bit more here in
the next month or so as we try to navigate it together. But understand this,
that even when it doesn't look great for us, that God is in control, OK? And so
then they pray and let's pick up their prayer in verse 30 verse 29. And now Lord
look upon their threats and grant your servants to continue to speak your word
with all boldness while you stretch out your hand to heal and signs and wonders
are being performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus. And when they
prayed the place in which they gathered together was shaken and they were filled
with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. I
love that. I love that they prayed for healing. I love that they prayed for
amazing things to happen. And then they also prayed God and whatever happens,
we're going to be bold, empowered, boldness, everyday ordinary people with an
extraordinary God. The name of Jesus creates a new normal. I want you to notice
one last thing here before we pray those four things, new life, absolute
authority, miraculous transformation, empowered, boldness. N am e hey, all four
of those things comes from the name of Jesus. It was available to the disciples,
it is available to you and to me when we embrace and then proclaim the name of
Jesus to the world around us. So those are your two questions today? Number one,
have you embraced the name of Jesus? Have you embraced it? Do you believe it? Do
you believe it? Not just coming to church? Not just checking a box, but do you
believe that the name of Jesus has the power to heal you, but more importantly,
has the power to save you? And the reason I say it's more important because even
if God heals you physically, if you don't trust him spiritually, you will be
condemned to hell forever in my book. That's a bigger deal. So pray for healing
now, but also understand this, that you can receive healing forever when you
embrace believe and receive the name of Jesus in your life as Lord and Savior.
It doesn't matter if it's been 40 years, four days, whatever your past, whatever
your history is, God can work with you. And in you and through you, when you
embrace it, the last thing then is, are you proclaiming the name of Jesus? If
you have received Jesus into your life, if you have the Holy Spirit in your
life, if you truly believe that you have new life, absolute authority,
miraculous transformation and empowered, boldness, then why are we sitting on
the sideline? Let's get in the game. Let's share our story. Let's share the good
news of Jesus. Um I read the end, guess what God wins. We need to walk in that
confidence and boldness to proclaim his name, to love and to serve and to share
the good news of the gospel with the people around us. And it's, I'm telling
you, it doesn't just have to be here. It's outside these walls. It's everyday
life. It's everyday conversations with the people that you interact with. Your
coworker, your family, your neighbor, wherever you are, share and show them that
new life is available for them too. May we be a church that is marked by love
and marked by boldness in what we believe and what we believe is not in us, but
in the name of Jesus. Will you pray with me dear God? Just thank you for all
those who are here today. God. If there's someone who doesn't know you, I pray
that they would put their trust in you. God. We are sinners. We can't make it to
heaven on our own. Very much like that lame beggar. There's nothing we could do
to be healed. God. I pray that we can put our faith in you. Trust you as Lord
and Savior. God, forgive us of our sins. We commit our lives to you gone. Help
us to live in the power of your name and the power of your spirit to walk with
boldness and proclaim the truth out in this community and beyond. We love you
God. We receive you when we proclaim you today and your senses and we pray amen.