No Other Name

Scripture:

Acts 4:1–12 KJV 1900

And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them, Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide. Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand. And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes, And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this? Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; 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. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Introduction

This morning I want to especially about Acts 4:12 “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” That is my text for this morning. But before we get to the text lets set the stage of the circumstances. Satan does not appreciate the moving of God. Battles coming to us are in some ways exciting as it means that either God is moving in particular or God is about to. A battle is just an opportunity for God to show us how much we can trust him. Well the disciples had been through some battles. Finally the death and resurrection of Jesus was setting in and starting to become to clear. The working of God was more to them than it had been to this point. Peter and John are preaching Jesus in the temple and as they spake they were arrested by the temple guard. St. John Chrysostom, perhaps the greatest preacher since Jesus Christ lived in the late 300’s into the early 400’s. He observes how the religious and political groups of that day had become even more brazen after the Crucifixion of Jesus. Before Jesus execution He preached in the temple and none dared to stop him. He moved freely and publically and the pharisees did not dare to publically oppose Him. The arrest and trial of Jesus was done at night. It was not until Jerusalem was filled with visitors coming in for passover and after a fake trial that the Pharisees and Sadducees publically called for the execution of Jesus.

In the same way sin likes to begin taking control of a person in silent, subtle, hidden ways. It is not until it is full grown that it bursts forth in bitter opposition to the well known truth of the gospel. No one who had not seen the risen Jesus knew better the truth of His resurrection than these religious leaders. They had payed the tomb guards to falsify a story about the grave being robbed. They knew that it had not been. They knew the precautions they had taken and knew that Jesus disciples had not stolen His body. They knew that He had been dead, they knew well the many who had claimed to see Him, they heard the apostles preaching on the Day of Pentecost. They knew better than almost any living soul the truth the message the apostles preached. Yet in the face of this they resisted.

Not only did they resist, they tried to stomp out the message of Jesus resurrection. When Jesus preached they slunk around in the shadows and schemed about how they might be able to stop Him. Yet with the disciples they arrested them in the middle of a sermon, after a miracle, in the presence of a crowded temple, in front of thousands. In spite of the evidence of the resurrection, their boldness had only grown. They sent the temple police to publically and shamefully silence Peter and John. Not because what they were preaching was false, but because they knew it was true and challenged all that they claimed.

This arrest was particularly made because the Sadducees. While the pharisees missed Jesus. Seeking salvation through the law of Moses, the Sadducees missed it because they disbelieved in the eternal, in the hereafter. They only believed in the here and now. In this life and not the next. The message of Peter and John was especially offensive to them. They preached the resurrection of Jesus and through Him the resurrection of us all. The Sadducees sought salvation, such as they believed in the concept, through politics. The only thing that mattered was this life, this made control of the present day government systems the highest aim this religious group.

Unafraid of the multitudes they arrested Peter and John, and since it was evening they threw them in a holding cell. In the Jewish political law of the day, which the Sadducees controlled it was not permitted to hold trial at night. In the unjust trial of Jesus they expedited against their own rules so that only their prepaid false witnesses would be able to take a stand and that by the time morning came a conviction was already handed down. For Peter and John and unpleasant night would hopefully break their spirit. besides this public example would surely break the spirit of the other apostles. Seeing their leaders dragged off in chains and publically humiliated should keep others from preaching. It also should keep the people from believing. Clearly believing in the resurrection of Jesus was not allowed, nor was following His teachings and the teachings of His apostles. This should serve as an example for the listeners and onlookers to know better.

It did not work out the way they desired. As for the crowd of listeners? 5000 believed. Whether this 5000 is the total including the 3000 who believed the sermon of Peter on the Day of Pentecost just before this and means an added 2000, or 5000 added to that number is not important. Either way this was a stupendous backfire for the plan of the Sadducees. I prefer the idea that about 5000 were added again on this occasion. It was 5000 who listened to and were fed by Jesus. I see no reason to suggest that another 5000 were not here converted.

As far as the other apostles. We know that they each went on a preached and shared the message. And Peter and John were not discouraged. This night only gave them time to pray. They came from this prayer meeting full of the Holy Ghost and when the questions began Peter responded with such convicting boldness that even the earthly-minded Sadducees were left speechless. No, the Spirit of the apostles and the people could not be broken for what they had seen and heard and experienced could not be argued. Nor did the Sadducees even dare to argue. They tried by force to discourage the spread of the good new but they failed.

They question Peter and John, by what name, by whose power, by what authority have you done this? What supernatural thing had they done that even the Sadducees could not argue or deny and that had caused 5000 to believe in spite of possible physical consequences? This is Acts chapter 4. In chapter 2 we read the account of the Day of Pentecost. On that day a miracle was performed and another was testified to that none could reasonably deny. The miracle testified to was the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The miracle performed that day was that every person heard in his own language the message Peter shared. With so many witnesses to the resurrection no one could argue it. With thousands from all over the world in town for Pentecost celebrations all hearing one speaker in their native tongue, no could deny this either.

Acts chapter 3 tells of the healing of the lame man. Peter and John headed to the temple to pray. A lame man called out to them for alms and Peter responded “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.” This well known lame man, a man who could not so much as stand on his own, who sat by the temple gates begging just to survive suddenly jumped to his feet and ran around jumping and leaping and praising God. Understandably a crowd gathered around Peter and John and the healed lame man. Peter took this opportunity to declare salvation through Jesus. He declared that he and John had done nothing, but that Jesus had healed the lame man. He explained that the one they had crucified through their ignorance had risen from the dead and now offered to them that spiritual healing just as he had given physical healing to the lame man. If they would turn away from the evil that they had done and turn to Christ for forgiveness and healing then he would forgive, he would heal them too! If they would believe on Him as the Messiah and turn from their sinful ways their lives would be made new! This risen savior had risen for them!

It this message that the Sadducees tried to stop and interrupted. It was miracle and this message that had gotten Peter and John thrown into prison. Now the council gathered. The high-priest was there. The former high priest, and many of his family member who would one day also serve in the office of high priest along with the rulers, the elders and the scribes. Everybody was there! Now these were the most notable and powerful people in all Israel. It would be like getting called before the president, vice presidents, some former presidents, the supreme court, as well as congress. The political and religious leaders were all gathered together to stop the spread of this message that even though they knew to be true they didn’t like because it challenged their belief systems and their power. A council meant to frighten these apostles into silence.

The question was asked. “By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?” Instead of being cowed by the tremendous collection of powerful people in from of him Peter simply allowed the Holy Ghost to speak through Him. Luke 12:11–12 says “And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.” I’m sure this message from Jesus resounded in Peter’s mind as he let the Holy Ghost teach him what to say. Instead of offering some legal defense of his right to speak Peter strikes to the heart of the matter and shares the truth of the gospel with these mighty men.

King James Version Chapter 4

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.

These corrupt leaders had turned good to evil and evil to good. It was this same group of men that had not too long ago paid Judas to betray Jesus. Who had arrested and tried Jesus at night with false paid witnesses. It was this same group of men who had crucified Jesus. It was the same group of men who railed on Jesus for healing on the sabbath day. The same group of men who had turned the temple into a den thieves by extorting those who came to offer sacrifice. Now they held the apostles and called them into question for healing a lame man and telling people who really deserved the credit and what He could do for them.

These were not just ordinary men. Peter acknowledges that. He says that this Jesus is the stone which was set at nought by you builders. He calls them builders. He is referring to their position as leaders of the only religion that sought to worship the true God. They were the ones responsible for building the kingdom of God and spreading His message. Yet when the Messiah came, the key to their whole message they rejected him. They cast him away as less that worthless. Yet that Jesus, that stone these builder sought to destroy had become the head of the corner. It was this stone on which all the rest of the building would stand! He brought his message to a close in way that surely struck these men to core. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” They claimed to have the truth and the way but Peter standing their with his life in their hands tells them that they are nothing. The one they sought to destroy had become the foundation stone and the salvation they sought to offer could only be found through Him they had crucified.

They couldn’t argue. They must have arrested the lame man to for Acts 4:14 says “And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.” Their threats had thus far failed. Their power had not frightened Peter and John, nor the people. And no logic could help them out for there standing in front of them was the man who yesterday could not stand, much less walk and leap. They couldn’t haul these people before Pilot and ask for their crucifixion. Pilate surely would not stand for another unjust death and they could not rile the crowd up into a murderous frenzy this time for the crowd believed the words of these apostles. Their power was broken and their position had no effect on these Spirit filled apostles.

Left with no bite to go along with their bark the council threatened the apostles to keep quiet and they would forget about it all. Even this failed spectacularly for the Holy Ghost filled Peter and John’s mouths with a response to which there could be no argument. “Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” With nothing left to do the council let them go.

Salvation through Jesus Alone

Now that was the introduction. Now its time for the body of the message! Don’t worry. The message is shorter than the introduction. I want to focus our attention onto verse 12. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Scripture teaches one way of salvation and one sacrifice on whom we call. Jesus.

Not Through the Laws of Moses

During Jesus ministry he combatted mostly the Pharisees. He leveled them a charge that is not what most people seems to think it is. He did not accuse them of placing too high a value on the law of Moses. He accused them of adding to law the words of men and subtracting from the law the words of God. He also accused them of hypocrisy, laying out in front of all that these religious leaders only obeyed the law in public and that their own law, not the law given to them to keep and spread. Had the Pharisees been honest and true they would have seen that Jesus was the fulfillment of the law and that he came to establish the new law. Nicodemus did seem to recognize this to a certain degree at least. Yet the rest of the Pharisees recognized rightly that Jesus did not teach the same message they did. He taught that the law was a law of love. A law of the heart. Not only did it matter what one did on the outside, it also mattered equally what they did inside, what they thought in their hearts. Jesus taught that the attitude of the heart was equal to the action of the body. They recognized that if people followed Jesus they would no longer be under the control of the Pharisees neither would they respect the Pharisees. They were the keepers of the old law, which as Hebrews says was ready to pass away. They had failed to accurately preserve the truth and they failed to live it out. Faced with this reality of the end of their system of salvation they fought Jesus at every step.

You see no longer is salvation through the law of Moses. Were it even possible for you to keep the Old Testament law in perfect accordance and reject Jesus you would not have salvation. That was old law, written on tables of stone. Salvation is through the name of Jesus alone. The law is no longer on tables of stone but rather written as Hebrews further says on our hearts. As we serve God and seek to obey Him and please Him in every moment we then fulfill the law of Love and thereby, through the name of Jesus we may be saved!

Not Through Political Systems

The Sadducees constantly fought with the apostles. You see the Sadducees core belief was that the here and now was all there was. They did not believe in an afterlife nor a resurrection of the dead. The core of the message that the apostles shared was that Jesus was raised from the dead by God and that one day all who believe in and serve Him would also be resurrected unto life eternal. To believe this message was to disbelieve the very foundation of all that the Sadducees taught. They relied on political negotiations and leaned on the power of Rome to further themselves as much as possible in the here and now because to them that was all there was.

Salvation is not through political systems for we are not focused on the world. The Apostles taught that we are not citizens of this world nor its kingdoms but citizens of heaven simply passing through this life on the way to the next. So it is. While scripture tells us to be good citizens of whatever earthly government we find ourselves under we cannot be wrapped up in it! This is not where salvation can be found either here or in the hereafter. Salvation is found in the name of Jesus. Healing for our country and for this broken world can only come through the name of Jesus. Our government system I believe is the best their ever was and is set up with a robust system of checks and balances but as John Adams said “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious People. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other” It is not in political striving that we can turn people back to being moral and religious. It is only through the name of Jesus!

Not Through Right Deeds

Some today seek salvation by hoping their good deeds outweigh their bad. For those trusting that they have mostly been good and will thereby be saved I have bad news. James 2:10 says “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” Which of us can say that we have not offended in any part? In some ways similar to today where it doesn’t matter if we only murder people on one day out of the year we will still be convicted as a murderer or if we only steal we don’t do anything else illegal we will face punishment and be named a felon so it is when we disobey God. When we break the moral law of love by placing ourselves and our own wishes above God and act in disobedience to him we have broken the law of God and are therefore guilty of being a lawbreaker and therefore justice demands punishment.

Salvation is not through right deeds. But to you who have been trying to tip the scales in your favor and almost certainly failing for can anyone truly do enough good to outweigh the bad? To you I have good news! Though there are not enough good deeds in the world nor enough time to do them to make you worthy of eternity in Heaven with God, Salvation is available to you! It is through the name of Jesus! Peter told you the way. Repent! Which means to turn away from your old life of sin and self striving and turn to Jesus in trust and belief and obedience. Repent and be converted! Salvation is not through right deeds, but it is through the name of Jesus!

Not Through Right Belief

Some recognize that they could not earn salvation through what they do. Yet they still claim salvation through their own works. Not the works of the body but the works of the mind. THeir is a sinister doctrine that has been hanging around the church long enough to be addressed by John in Scripture. The idea is that salvation is through right belief, that the works of the body do matter and that flesh is necessarily evil but by simply believing the right things intellectually one can be saved. To you who are trusting in the works of your own mind I say that you cannot save yourself whether you are trying with your body or with your mind!

Salvation is not through right belief! James 2:19 says “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” All the believing in the world is of no use. It makes you no more worthy of heaven than the devils! You see you are still trusting in yourself, in your own mind! You must trust in the name of Jesus! By His name and His name alone can you be saved!

Doing the right thing is great start. It is wonderful to do good deeds but not saving. Believing the right things is necessary for salvation just as is doing the right thing but again it is good, but not saving. It is not in our name, not in politics, not in religion, not in the law of Moses, but it is in the name of Jesus that we are saved! Romans 10:13 says “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” To be saved we must believe in Christ and then we must call upon Him! We must trust in Him to save our souls! We must turn our lives over to Him making him our Lord and Master! Through His strength and the Law that He will write on the hearts of all who trust in His name for salvation we will then have right deeds. We will then live as good citezens, and good “religious people”. But we will find that our right belief did not save us. Our right actions did not save us. Our good citizenship did not save us. Our pure religiosity did not save us. We will find at the end of all this striving that in the end there was no other name whereby man could be saved but by the name of Jesus. Jesus can be more than the messiah we believe, more than the teacher we try to obey, more the cornerstone of the religious we espouse, He can be your Savior.