The Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Crucified and Raised from the Dead, Must Be Shared with all People!

It is what you need when you are riding your bike and fall. It is what you need when you get a paper cut. It is what you need when you are pretending to be a doctor. It is what you need when you get a scrape, scratch, booboo, etc. Of course, it is a Band-Aid.

Bandages are good for scrapes and scratches, but they cannot heal someone born without the ability to walk. In our Old Testament reading today from Acts 4, we hear about something that did cure a man who had been born without the ability to walk. The account of the healing itself is recorded in Acts 3. Peter and John, two of Jesus’ disciples, now called apostles, encountered a man who was born without the ability to walk, who had to beg for money to survive. The man asked Peter and John for a handout, and we hear Peter’s response in Acts 3:

4… “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk.

It was a miracle. It amazed everyone who heard about it and saw the man walking, and Peter used it as a chance to share the reason the man was healed. It was not a medicine or treatment, but by the power of Jesus’ name. That part about Jesus though landed Peter and John in prison that night, and the next day they were called to answer for what they had done to the religious leaders.

The ones who rejected Jesus were still working to put an end to his power. The religious leaders who put Peter and John on trial for healing a man who was born without the ability to walk were led by the same man who presided over Jesus’ trial, Caiaphas. They had not learned their lesson; they had called for Jesus’ crucifixion, but he was raised from the dead. Now after Jesus had appeared to many people alive and ascended into heaven, the use of his name still had miraculous power. When Peter was called to explain how a man over forty, who had been born without the ability to walk, had been healed, Peter was absolutely clear in his response as we hear in Acts 4:

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.

Peter did not leave any room for interpretation or ambiguity, or inclusion of other medicines, methods, powers or deities. This man was healed by the power of the one and only Jesus.

The situation Peter and John were in was not the only time when the name of Jesus needed to be shared. Many situations call for the name of Jesus, but because of sin, we have kept silent. One example is the answer to, “Sunday morning is the only day I get to sleep in so I cannot get up for Bible Study or church.” You have said it or at least thought it many times, and you have heard a lot of responses to that statement. And with all those thoughts, responses and feelings, it gets confusing, but Peter makes it simple, Jesus. Jesus is the answer, but we do not say his name. Let the power of his name go to work on a sinful heart, even your own. Just saying the name of Jesus can be law or gospel depending on the person and situation. You have heard the name of Jesus in response to something you have done or said or thought and it has brought you to your knees to confess your sins. Jesus has that power because he is perfect, and you are not. Jesus’ name has the power to remind you that your sins are a rejection of Jesus, your sins are the ugliness of the cross and Jesus’ name reminds you that the danger of hell is real. Jesus’ name has another power too, the power to lift you up off your knees, to heal you and bring you to walk along Jesus as his forgiven friend.

Peter made it clear that the power of Jesus was not only for physical, but spiritual and eternal healing as he stood trial. Again, we hear Peter’s words from Acts 4, 10 “then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.” Peter made sure everyone knew the miraculous healing was all by the power of Jesus. Then, he went on to reveal Jesus’ true power. Peter quoted Psalm 118, which we used as our Psalm for today, as we continue reading from Acts 4, 11 Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ 12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” The people rejected Jesus as the Savior, but through his death, he became the cornerstone or foundational piece of our salvation. Jesus endured an unfair trial for you. He hung on the cross in your place and was raised from the dead to be your answer, to be the answer to troubled hearts, to sin and death. He made it clear who he was, he put to death the times you were not clear or bold to share his name so that you do not have to be afraid, but at peace with God.

When you are troubled, Jesus is the only way to have peace and rest for your soul. This was the message of our Gospel reading today from John 14, Jesus said:

1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Jesus said this the night he was betrayed, just before he was put on trial before Caiaphas, again the same one who presided over Peter and John’s trial. Then, we read:

5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Jesus made it very clear; he is not just a savior and option among many for people to choose from, nor was he only a great leader and moral teacher. Jesus is the true Savior who is the way to eternal life in heaven.

Sharing Jesus is your calling. No one will stand trial as Jesus did; his trial was part of the plan to save the world from sin. You have not stood trial like Peter for healing a man born without the ability to walk with the power of Jesus’ name. You are not a full-time pastor who has been called to share Jesus in the public ministry. All of those no’s and not’s are often where we stop, feeling unequipped but there is more to who you are. In our New Testament reading from 1 Peter 2, you get to hear who you are:

9 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

God chose you to know Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. You are royalty, sons and daughter of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, God Almighty. You are priests who have direct access to communicate and pray to God, and to communicate and carry out God’s love and forgiveness to others, and Martin Luther made a comment about all being priests writing, “In the New Testament the Holy Spirit carefully avoids giving the name ‘priest’ to any of the apostles, or to any other office. Rather he applies this name to the baptized, or Christians, as their birthright and hereditary name from baptism. For in baptism none of us is born an apostle, preacher, teacher, pastor; but there all of us are born solely priests…I would very much like to have this word ‘priests’ as commonly applied to us as it is customary to call us Christians; for it is all one and the same thing:  priests, baptized, Christian.” You are part of a sinless, righteous nation, and God’s special possession with purpose. God made you all these things both to save you to bring you to heaven, but also to share Jesus, to 9 … “declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” You remain equipped to share Jesus with Bible Study, worship, personal devotions, fellowshipping with other believers, encouragement from our Personal Member Ministry coordinator, going through the SHAPED workshop, following the church on social media, accessing the resources on the church website, carrying your Bible with you, active communication with your pastor, etc.

It is what you need when you get a scrape, scratch, booboo, etc. Of course, it is an adhesive bandage. Wait…what? The truth is that “Band-Aid” is a brand of adhesive bandage, but they are the ones we all think of when we get a scrape, scratch, booboo, etc. Because of sin, many situations call for the name of Jesus to be shared. And his name works as the law to show someone their sin or the gospel to show them their Savior. The name of Jesus is powerful because he stood trial, was crucified, died and was buried and on the third day rose from the dead. Jesus is the one and only Savior, the true healer of body and soul. Jesus is your Savior, and this truth must be shared with all people, the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, crucified and raised from the dead. Amen.