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Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
May I ask you, what is the most courageous act you’ve ever seen? What is the most courageous thing you’ve ever done?
I admit it…I’m stuck in Acts chapter 4!
Peter and John, two ordinary fishermen, who had spent several months with Jesus and been among His closest friends, were perhaps the most unlikely for courageous leadership. Yet in our reading in Acts 4, we watched as they challenged the scholarly and very powerful religious Jewish leaders in Jerusalem to take responsibility for their crucifixion of Jesus and recognize the power of the resurrected Jesus unleashed in the life of a crippled man who stood before them, miraculously healed!
Peter had said “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.” (Acts 4:10) The day before Peter had said to the crowd which had gathered, only a few moments after the man was healed, “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 given this complete healing to this man, as you can all see.” (Acts 3:16)
Ok friends, let’s deal with this. Is there power in the NAME of Jesus? Isn’t that what Peter is claiming here? If so, how is that power unleashed here on earth, if the risen Jesus is in heaven?
You will recall the “Jesus” born to Mary of Nazareth was pre-named during the two different angelic announcements to both Mary and Joseph, explaining Mary was going to have a child, by the Holy Spirit of God, who would be the Son of God, living here on earth, and He would “…save the people from their sins.” (Matt. 1:21 & Luke 1:31-35) Remember the angels who appeared to the shepherds announced “Today, in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you, He is Christ the Lord…” (Luke 2:11) Peter used both names… Jesus and Christ, as he invoked the power of God to heal the crippled man. Paul often did the same, making it very clear which person, of all those named Jesus, they were speaking of. “Christ” is the Greek translation of the world “Messiah”, the long promised anointed one of God.
Years later the Apostle Paul writing to the Philippian Christians said “…Christ Jesus, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!
Therefore, God exalted Him (Jesus) to the highest place, and gave Him the NAME that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Sovereign, King), to the glory of God the Father.’ (Phil. 2:6-11)
What a powerful, clear statement. Every knee means every living being ever created, human and angelic, will bow in humble submission, paying homage to the King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus Christ. When will this ultimately take place? At the end of time, when Jesus sits in judgment over all creation, as the reigning Sovereign over all. (Revelation 19,20)
Now let’s make sure we understand something very important here. The supreme authority Jesus Christ will have in that moment as HE reigns and all creation bows, is NOT some power or position He will finally achieve in some far distant, royal moment. Oh no! The resurrected, ascended, Jesus Christ holds that position of authority right now, this moment, as He is seated at the right hand of God the Father, as Sovereign ruler over all (Heb. 1:3). Jesus at this very moment is OMNI-Potent, ALL powerful! What-ever ‘power’ or ‘authority’ any human being or angel or demon or even Satan seems to hold at any moment, is by PERMISSION and under the ultimate control of the ONLY Sovereign, Jesus the Christ!
From the throne room of God, where Jesus is seated in authority, He unleashes His mighty power anywhere in all of His created Universe, anytime He chooses, into any situation. There is no place Jesus the Sovereign does not have full and ultimate authority to do anything He wants, at any time. Can you grasp that my friends?
Peter had invoked the Name that is above every name, when he said to the cripple… “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand and walk.” (Acts 3:6) Peter then extended his hand to the cripple, inviting the cripple to exercise great faith, believing in the healing POWER of the resurrected, ascended, reigning Jesus Christ, the Son of God. So there were two things happening here friends, kind of like a nuclear reaction, which caused the miracle. First the great faith Peter exercised when he proclaimed what he said to the cripple, invoking the powerful Name of Jesus, and second, the great faith the cripple exercised when he took Peter’s hand and attempted to stand, for the first time in his life, believing somehow the power of Jesus would be unleashed into his body and help him stand!
The Holy Spirit of God was directly involved in both actions. He, the Holy Spirit, led Peter to speak the words in great faith and authority. And He, the Holy Spirit, led the crippled man to take Peter’s hand and in great faith attempt to stand. Then Jesus, from His throne of authority, unleashed His mighty, healing power directly to the crippled man…and a miracle of healing happened! Jesus had done it many times when He was here on earth, but here, Jesus is doing it from heaven!
Do you see how the Holy Spirit did it again, empowering Peter with fearless courage, as he spoke to the Jewish leaders in explaining how the cripple was healed and accusing them of being responsible for the death of Jesus? (Acts 4:10). Do you see it again as Peter boldly declares that salvation is only available in Jesus? (Acts 4:12) And finally, do you see it again when Peter courageously responded to their threats with “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God?” (Acts 4:19) That is Holy Spirit empowered courage, and it’s happening today, in dungeons and courtrooms all around the world as Christ followers are threatened, persecuted, tortured and even executed.
Now friends, watch as Dr. Luke explains to us what happened next. Peter and John, released by the Jewish leaders, returned to their fellow Jesus followers and reported all that had happened. Then they all began to thank and praise God in worship and prayer, and then they actually requested that God would give them even more courage and boldness: “Now Lord, consider their threats and enable Your servants to speak Your word with great boldness. Stretch out Your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” (Acts 4:29,30)
In recent days in America, sadly we are seeing nightly rioting in many major cities. Of course, when daylight comes, nothing constructive has been accomplished. People have been hurt, businesses damaged, property destroyed. While America is trying to recover from COVID-19 and an economic shut down, unbridled selfishness, destructive foolishness and child-like temper tantrums are wrecking havoc in communities across America. I’m wondering what would happen if the Christ followers, in every city in America, stood in front of stores, with their Bibles in hand, and courageously challenged rioters, in the name of Jesus, to act responsibly, respectfully and honorably, and stop the violence, and go home?
Look how God responded in Acts 4: “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. All the believers in Jesus were one in heart and mind.” (Acts 4:31,32)
So you see the great contrast between what was happening in Jerusalem among 5000 followers of Jesus and what is happening in the riots across America and in Hong Kong and other places? Do you see the difference between a crowd under the influence and guidance and empowerment of the Holy Spirit of God, and crowd under the guidance of the destructive devil?
Do you believe Jesus is ready to intervene, by His power, in this mess in America? What would happen if God’s people courageously stood for what is right and holy, in the name of Jesus, today…face to face with the rioters? Come on friends, let’s do this and push back the darkness, in Jesus’ Name!
Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“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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