Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Have you found there is sometimes great power in a person’s name, especially if that person is someone with great authority? Let’s jump right back into a historic scene in Jerusalem about 2000 years ago when apostle Peter was pointing at a jumping, dancing man. Why was the man dancing? Because this man had been a cripple his whole life, but now he was miraculously healed by God’s power.
In explanation, Peter said something radical to the crowd: “By faith in the name of Jesus this man, whom you see and know, was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through Him that has completely healed this man, as you can all see.” (Acts 3:16) Now what does that mean my friends?
Peter was not speaking English, of course, and the NAME Peter spoke was likely the Hebrew name YESHUA, translated as ‘Jesus’ in English. In fact, Peter may have said the full name “YESHUA HAMASHIACH” which translated into English is Jesus Messiah or Jesus Christ. “Yeshua” of course is the name given by angels to both Mary & Joseph as the God-given name for the miracle son born to Mary. (Luke 1:31; Matt. 1:21) Why? Because “Yeshua” means Savior or Deliverer and Jesus would become the Savior for all humanity through His death and resurrection.
That’s why, a few days later, Peter spoke these powerful words to the very same religious leaders who had sentenced Jesus to death: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven, given to mankind, by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
Oh my, do we understand WHY there is no other name with this saving power? But there’s more. The second part of this unique, powerful name is “Hamashiach” in Hebrew which means Messiah or Cristos or Christ. For the Jewish people that was very significant because for centuries they had been awaiting an ‘anointed One’ they believed God would send to them in fulfillment of many OT Prophecies. And this “Messiah” would become their Savior and Leader even more than King David had been! (Isaiah 9:6,7) So can you see the significance of the two names together: “Yeshua Hamashiach”, Jesus the Messiah or Jesus Christ?
Of course, we understand this unique name’s significance is found in the UNIQUENESS of the God/Man, the divine PERSON who bears the NAME, Yeshua Hamashiach. The PERSON, God the Son, is the source of the POWER in His Name!! The power to heal this cripple is explained by these words resurrected Jesus spoke to His disciples: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me…” (Matt. 28:20)
Jesus Christ, God the Son, not only has the POWER to heal, but He has the AUTHORITY to unleash that power in any way, at any time He chooses! In the case of this healed cripple Jesus was not physically present, but led by the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ disciple Peter invoked Jesus’ power by saying to the cripple “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!” But nothing immediately happened… UNTIL the cripple took Peter’s extended hand and pulled himself to a standing position, with great faith believing resurrected Jesus could heal his paralysis even if Jesus was not physically present!
Do you remember other times Jesus did a miracle and then told the person it was their faith which had enabled the miracle to change their life? Do you remember the bleeding woman (Luke 8:48); or the leper (Luke 17:19) or the blind man in Jericho (Luke 18:42)? That is why Peter proclaimed “By faith in the name of Jesus this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through Him that has completely healed this man, as you can all see.” But how is that possible? And do you and I have that same privilege of invoking Jesus’ name?
Now watch this my friends. Jesus’ POWER is rooted in WHO He is, God the Son. When here on earth, having left His divine glory in heaven to incarnate here, Jesus was empowered by the Holy Spirit of God. (John 6:63; 14:12-15; 17:1-5) Jesus’ POWER rooted in Who He is, is now magnified because of WHAT He accomplished in His sinless life, His atonement death and His victorious resurrection. (Hebrews 1:3,4)
So Peter was saying the NAME “Yeshua Hamashiach” has saving and healing power but ONLY when attributed to the PERSON to whom God gave that name and both the IDENTITY and ACCOMPLISHMENTS of that divine person! Resurrected Jesus unleashed His healing power from where He was in heaven, (Heb. 1:3) when Peter, led by the Holy Spirit, invoked Jesus’ great name AND the cripple responded in great faith believing God could and would heal him if he attempted to stand. Now pause and ponder that!
Years later the apostle Paul wrote the words further explaining the power of the name “Yeshua Hamashiach”: “Being found in appearance as a man, He [Jesus] humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Therefore, God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue proclaim that Jesus Christ [Yeshua Hamashiach] is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil. 2:8-11) This is a wonderful fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy using many of the same words in looking forward to the days of God’s Messiah. (Isaiah 45:22,23)
From His exalted place in heaven, Jesus Christ is today, many times every today, all around the world, unleashing His mighty power, into specific circumstances, through His faith filled people, to accomplish the desires of His Father, which will change lives and bring glory to God! Now ponder that my friends and look closely to see if Jesus is growing great faith in you as He did in both Peter and this cripple?
The ‘lessons learned’ notes in the “Grand Narrative” link below will help you dig more deeply and the worship song will invite you into God’s presence as you consider your plight in life, and I’ll be here ready for you tomorrow as we watch to see what happened next with this healed cripple in Acts 3,4.
Today’s Scripture: Acts 3:16; Matt. 28:20.
Choose below to read or listen.
Acts 3:16
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Matt. 28:20
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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