The only name that matters...

“The Crime of Christian Preaching”

(Acts 4:5-12, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, April 10, 2011)

5 On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family.

7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?”

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well.

11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.

12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

On the next day their rulers... (5-6)

The Lord is the great Ruler over all the earth. He is the only one who can turn mortal enemies into brothers who truly love each other. He has the power and wisdom necessary to do this. He is also the one who appoints lesser rulers, kings and judges who have their own orbits of authority. But those rulers do not always use their power in ways that are lawful or good. What a strange perversion of righteousness when the enemies of God's Word try to use the authorities given by God to make the speaking of God's Word a crime!

There will be rulers and authorities in heaven under our King Jesus Christ, but none of them will be secret usurpers working against the King of kings. For instance, someone may be given charge of 5 cities, but He will not use that authority to attempt to stop the Word of God from having its full yield of fruitfulness in any of those cities. Now, here below, some religious and civil authorities actually use their God-given authority to imprison the Lord's own Word.

The rulers, elders, and legal authorities who were part of the Sanhedrin met together with the leading priests in Jerusalem to decide what they should do with Peter and John. These men had been used by God to work an astounding miracle. This was a fact that could not be denied. But they were proclaiming the name of Jesus of Nazareth, the man this same council had determined to be worthy of death. They had turned Jesus over to the Pilate and the Romans insisting that he be crucified. Would they have to go back to the Romans to try to make the case that the disciples of Jesus were also worthy of death?

And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired... (7)

The context of this interrogation was an amazing healing. A man who had been lame from birth was suddenly given enough strength in his feet and ankles, along with the necessary transformation of his mental capacities, that he was leaping for joy without any physical therapy. Someone was responsible for this. The formerly paralyzed man was obviously not an imposter. He was seen regularly at a prominent place. How did he suddenly get well?

When the authorities brought in these two unlearned men, Peter and John, for questioning, they asked them a very important question: “By what power or by what name did you do this?” They emphasized the word “you.” It was obvious to the authorities that gathered together that day that Peter and John could not have done this amazing miracle by themselves. They must have had access to a power that was way beyond them.

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit... (8-10)

Peter was the one who answered, but just as Peter did not really do the miracle, Peter also did not give the answer. Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit. The words that he proclaimed with such boldness were not his own. His answer was humble and forthright. It was honest and true, not sarcastic or mean-spirited, but plain and bold.

1. The answer to your question is simple: It was by the name of Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah.

2. You crucified Him.

3. But God raised Him from the dead.

4. This is why this man who was lame is standing before you well.

In days of great religious persecution, it is tempting to think that we need to hide our message. For what it is worth, that is not what Peter did that day. He was speaking before the very body of leaders who had judged that Jesus was worthy of death, and he told them the plain truth. You might think that it would have been better not to bring up controversial matters. For instance, was it necessary to bring up the topic of the death of Jesus, and to say that they were guilty of that death? Was it necessary to mention the resurrection? Remember that Peter was speaking as a man who had been filled with the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit said that Jesus of Nazareth, His death, His resurrection, and the connection of these central Christian truths to this miracle were four topics that could not be avoided, regardless of the consequences.

This Jesus is the stone... (11)

Peter then went on to ground this message in the Old Testament Scriptures. In a way that could not be missed, Peter quoted from the famous Passover Psalm, Psalm 118, saying that Jesus was the stone that the builders rejected. He said to the council that Jesus is the key stone in God's temple of the Holy Spirit, and you rulers of the Jews are the builders who rejected Him. Though He was rejected by men, He was chosen and precious to God.

If we can see these facts, we will not be intimidated by powerful people into making it seem like we reject Jesus as our only hope. Is Jesus your only hope? Psalm 118 says that this stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. The resurrection temple of God is a temple of people, and Jesus is the cornerstone of that temple. You can't have that eternal life temple of God without the one cornerstone.

And there is salvation in no one else... (12)

Therefore, it should be very obvious, that we must not turn away from Jesus. There is no other cornerstone, and without this one stone, there will be no eternal temple of God. To be in that great temple paradise of God is salvation. “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

This is what Peter said that day to the very powerful people who had recently decided that Jesus was worthy of death. When the exclusive claims of Christ have become unpalatable to many, it is not a time for the church to try to be extra subtle. Our first goal is not to be acceptable to men, but to be faithful to God. We don't need to be sarcastic or rude, but we do need to be plain and true. Jesus, His sacrificial death, His resurrection, and the wholeness He brings, this is our message. We can give that message with appropriate confidence and personal humility.

1. Who were these authorities who met to examine Peter and John?

2. What was the content of Peter's testimony to this council?

3. Why is Jesus called “the stone?”

4. Why does Peter insist that salvation is only in the Name of Jesus Christ?

OT Passage: Jeremiah 38:7-13