Sermon Central
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The Power Of His Name!
Contributed by Joshua Blackmon on Sep 8, 2021 (message contributor)
Summary: The Name of Jesus is the Highest Name by which God has chosen to reveal Himself. This two-part series explores the Names of God. (Sermon inspired and borrows heavily from the book "More Power to You" by T. F. Tenney).
The Power of His Name!
Introduction
1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. 2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; 3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. 4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. 5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. 6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. 7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God: 10 And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him. 11 And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering.
And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this? 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, 9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; 10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
The Gospels tell us the story of the Incarnation. The epistles tell us how the saved are to live and what it means to be in Christ. The book of Acts gives us a picture of the first-century church. It tells us how we ought to model the Christian life!
The book of Acts is the where and how of the New Testament Church. It shows that the church is built upon the foundation of the Name of Jesus.
The Name of Jesus is mentioned almost 70 times in Acts, not to mention the allusions and derivatives. The book of Acts church was a church of the Name!
There is Power in the Name of Jesus and the book of Acts documents it.
The man at the Gate Beautiful had been seated there for years, begging. The temple courts were closed to him. He was dependent on the mercy of those around him completely. And then in one instant everything changed. It changed because of a Name, Jesus.
The Jewish leaders were upset. They weren't so upset with the preaching or teaching of the apostles. It was the Name that upset them.
From the very first time the Name is mentioned in the New Testament brought Power.
The Name of JESUS was first spoken from heaven through an angel to a virgin. Although there may have been people who bore the name before that angelic encounter and there are people today who have the Name, when it was spoken by the angel to the virgin it signified more. It signified that the Power of God was being released in a way it never had before.
Peter said "His Name, through faith in His Name" the man was made strong. The experience introduced then to the power of the Name. We must bring experience and revelation into relationship. There has to be an exercise of faith in the Name. Then we continue our journey experiencing the Power of the Name!
Understanding the Power of the Name will embolden you to do the things God has called you to do.
When we hear names we get a picture of the individual whose name we hear. Listen to the names the presidents for the last few decades: John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Regan, George Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barak Obama, Donald Trump, Joe Biden. We get a sort of mental image of them. Perhaps we see something significant that they accomplished or some scandal. Their names are connected to their person and character.
