No Other Name
Acts: To the ends of the earth • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Claim (of the passage):
Salvation is found in no one else but Jesus, and that exclusive gospel provokes both opposition and boldness.
Focus (of the sermon):
To show how the apostles’ Spirit-filled witness to the exclusive name of Jesus calls the church to stand firm and speak clearly, even when pressured to stay silent.
Function (for the congregation):
To strengthen believers to trust Christ alone, speak His name with courage, and remain unashamed of the gospel in a world that rejects its exclusivity.
Pray
What happens when the exclusive claims of Jesus Christ collide with a culture that prefers comfortable pluralism?
By which I mean, a culture that wants to affirm the views,
opinions and beliefs of everyone.
Otherwise we must be arrogant radicals.
That’s is our world today— but the world has always had some form of this,
some form of serious objection to the exclusive claims of Jesus.
IN the world of Acts 4.
Peter and John proclaim that Jesus alone is the way of salvation,
and they say this,
in the heart of the religious power of the day,
surrounded by respected,
educated, and powerful leaders.
But Peter will not back down.
"There is ‘no other name’ under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)
This one sentence remains as offensive today as it was then.
In a culture like ours, that values inclusivity,
tolerance, and self-defined truth,
the idea that there is
one way, one name, and one salvation
is deeply unpopular.
It feels arrogant. Even dangerous.
And yet, the apostles proclaim it with boldness, clarity, and joy. Why?
Because they know it’s not a message of narrow-mindedness—it’s the message of grace.
So here’s the key question this passage presses upon us:
Do we really believe Jesus is the only way to be saved, from hell, for heaven.
—and what does that belief compel us to do in a world that finds that truth intolerant?
The event in Acts 4, is all as a result of the previous chapter - where Peter and John healed a lame man,
A 40year old man who had never walked - suddenly stands on his own feet and legs and starts praising God.
HArd to argue that Peter and John have some power,
and therefore thier message ought to be worth listening too,
But as is the case today and was then:
1. The Gospel Meets Resistance (vv. 1–4)
1. The Gospel Meets Resistance (vv. 1–4)
The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people.
This wasn’t just a random group of concerned listeners. These were the power-holders:
The priests – those educated in the OT,
who had duties to carry out the sacrifices and ceremonies in the temple.
The captain of the temple guard – second in authority to the High Priest.
He would have had military backing and was effectively the temple police - with power to arrest.
The Sadducees – they were the kind of theological liberals of the day. They rejected most supernatural doctrine: no angels, no miracles, no resurrection (cf. Acts 23:8).
The scribes/teachers of the law and Pharisees (vv. 5–6) will appear shortly
—they were the conservative theologians and moralists.
But despite some of the differences in these groups and people,
they now find common unity in a common enemy.
They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day.
Theologically, all these groups seem to think the resurrection was absurd and or dangerous.
AND
Politically, all these groups are afriad of this new preaching movement based on a crucified man rising from the dead.
Not only might this new movement stir up the people and cause Rome to react badly towards the Jews
- but what of their own power and control and influence!
“They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.” (v. 2)
But why the anger at resurection - the pharisees believed there was resurection life to come for God’s people.
But of cause they aren’t just preaching resurrection in general.
They are preaching resurrection in and because of the resurrection of Jesus,
And if Jesus is the firstfruits of the resurection to come - well they have to eat a large portion of humble pie - having just put Jesus to death on the cross.
As is the case today, pride, power, control, love of self - overthrows truth for many.
There has been and always will be great offence taken when we preach of Jesus’ resurrection
because it confirms Christ’s divine authority, that eternal life is only available through him,
and of course means there is also final judgment to seperate the wheat from the chaff,
the sheep from the goats.
HIs resurrection “confirms all his teaching as being from God,”
So if you don’t believe Jesus - you don’t believe in the one true God of the universe.
Just like then, the resurrection confronts our world.
If Jesus really rose, He really is Lord.
That truth doesn't let us stay neutral.
We must either bow the knee or reject Him.
We must submit to Him or suppress Him.
It is why the liberal church today on the whole unwittingly follow the 1st century rulers, they deny the physical resurrection.
and at best claim it to be a ‘spiritual’ resurrection for us to learn from morally.
Without the resurection we can do anything we want with the teaching of Jesus,
‘with how we want to come to God,’
with the path we choose.
But if the resurrection really happened
- and this is why the NT was written =- to convince us of the resurrection,
then we must now submit to all that Jesus says he was.
Which means the gospel will be resisted.
even in some churches.
As Paul though says
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
But of course we are not to be pitied.
IN God’s kindness, to day, as then, many do believe the truth:
But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.
2. The Gospel Exalts Christ Alone (vv. 5–12)
2. The Gospel Exalts Christ Alone (vv. 5–12)
Peter and John are arrested and put in jail over night.
And
The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family.
More authorities and rulers join the party.
IN fact the Sanhedrin is called together—the highest religious court in Israel. Seventy-one members drawn from:
The high priestly family (vv. 6: Annas, Caiaphas, John, Alexander),
The elders – respected leaders from influential families,
The scribes – legal experts, scholars of the Law (often Pharisees).
This is the same body that condemned Jesus just weeks earlier (Luke 22:66).
So imagine the tension:
Peter and John now stand before the very men who delivered Jesus to his death.
They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: ‘By what power or what name did you do this?’
The temptation to save their own lives here and deny Jesus
far outstrips our pathetic excuses
when we’re a bit embarrassed to tell a colleague or friend that we follow Jesus!
The question they ask is insightful - and it’s really one of authority.
They want to know who gave these fishermen the right and ability to speak and heal publicly.
Notice the irony: they ask about the power and name,
not realizing that the very ‘Name’ is the one they condemned to death,
and he is the one who had the ‘power’ to overcome death itself.
So will Peter faulter?
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: ‘Rulers and elders of the people!
Just as Jesus promised (in Luke 12:11–12),
the Spirit empowers Peter to speak—not with defensiveness, but gospel boldness.
This is not Peter the coward who denied Jesus 3 times,
This is now Peter the Spirit empowered.
—this is Peter the apostolic witness, transformed by the resurrection and Pentecost.
The heart of this HS’s message is in v10-12:
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.
The HS, through Peter, gets straight to the point:
Jesus Christ – “Messiah,” the anointed one of God.
Of Nazareth – the despised place (cf. John 1:46). God’s salvation came from where they least expected.
You crucified... God raised – The most powerful theological confrontation all humanity must face.
Our part is to crucify Jesus, our sin against God caused this.
But God who hold the keys to life and death,
Raised Jesus, God incarnate to eternal rule.
And that crucified a raised man, Jesus. He did this..
“This man stands before you healed” as a living testimony of Jesus’ resurrection power.
Peter isn’t finished:
Quoteing Psa 118v22
Jesus is ‘ “the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.”
You are the builders he says – the religious elite.
You rejected the stone – Jesus, cast aside as worthless.
But God made Him the cornerstone – the foundation of a new people, a new temple, a new covenant.
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.’
This is the exclusive claim of the gospel:
Not one of many names.
Not one of many paths up the same mountain.
The only name under heaven.
The resurrection proves it.
And notice - this name, Jesus, has been
Given – not discovered, earned, or achieved.
It is a gift of grace.
By which we must be saved – it is not optional.
It's not just “how Christians are saved”—it’s how anyone is saved.
The HS - The Gospel - will always points to Jesus.
In a moment that humanly you’d expect Peter to deny Jesus at all costs.
The HS - points to the only name under heaven that can save.
The exclusivity of Christ is not human arrogance—it is divine mercy.
And all need to hear his name.
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.’
Our 3rd point might sound famliar..
3. The Gospel Meets Resistance (Even when it’s undeniable) (vv. 13–17)
3. The Gospel Meets Resistance (Even when it’s undeniable) (vv. 13–17)
That;’s right - it’s the same as the first.
But it’s worth repeating - becasue this is going ot be our reality when we share the gospel.
And so often the fear of resistance is what stops us sharing the name of Jesus!
But it must not.
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realised that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
The rulers are stunned—not by miracles, but by boldness.
These are “Unschooled, ordinary men” – Literally, – no formal rabbinic training
Not scholars. Not priests. Just fishermen.
But their clarity and courage showed they had ‘been with Jesus.’
That’s the key - for all of us to share the Gospel.
Not human credentials—but who we spend our time with!.
They got their teaching right (the resurrection’) and their boldness right,
because they spent time with Jesus -
And what they don’t realise is that Jesus is actually still with them, by His HS.
Following Pentecost.
This is why we must read your bibles - because we will only get our teaching and boldness right - when we spend time with Jesus in His Word, asking His HS to open our hearts, minds and mouths to declare his gospel.
Pause
But sadly,
As obvious as it all was to the council,
They resist - see how they develop their though hardness of heart…
But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say.
God’s salavation plan of Jesus, is visibly embodied in the healed man -
but they still want to silence the message and the messengers..
“So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together.” (v. 15)
As with our world, the council’s concern isn’t truth—it’s control.
‘What are we going to do with these men?’ they asked. ‘Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it.
Miracles can never convert a hardened heart—
Peter speaking words from the HS, cannot change hardened hearts,
Only the will of God can bring a sinner like us to our knees in repentance.
And so these men will silence the truth that is plain to them
17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.’
I think this verse gives us a telling insight to the reason for the state of many churches today.
Peter and John would be welcome to go talk to other people -
do nice things, encourage good morals and civil behaviour.,
as long as it’s not in the name of Jesus the resurrected.
Many churches today will talk of Jesus the moral teacher,
But that is not the name and power of Jesus.
The name and power of JEsus they are really afraid of is the truth that:
If he really rose from the dead - then ‘we’ cannot decide who he is,
We must repent and bow to who he is.
Unless we proclaim the resurrection of Jesus,
and the forgivenss of sins in the name of Jesus,
as the grace and gift of God through the HS,
We have not been saved.
We have not obeyed Jesus, we have obeyed this 1st century Sanhedrin council to stay quiet.
You are free to go, but don’t speak in the name of Jesus.
BUt those who truely have spent time with Jesus,
we have a different call:
4. The Gospel Excites us to Courageous Obedience (vv. 18–22)
4. The Gospel Excites us to Courageous Obedience (vv. 18–22)
“But Peter and John replied, ‘Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him?’” (v. 19)
The bible is very clear we are to respect and obey the authorities of our land,
that is, unless God’s law supersedes man’s law (cf. Exodus 1:17; Daniel 3; Acts 5:29).
20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.’
This is gospel compulsion. Not bravado. Not unnecessary defiance. But courageous obedience.
They fear God more than Man.
I can’t see Peter saying, ‘well my employer says I can’t speak about Jesus, so I’ll have to only evangelise at home.’
No in those sort of situations, Peter would surely say:
20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.’
Would we hear Peter say ‘I mentioned Jesus breifly to my neighbour, but I could tell they would think I’m crazy so I kept quiet .
No,
20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.’
Peter and John are so captivated, convinced and exitied by the risen Christ, they cannot stay silent.
Perhaps Jermiah 20v9 was on their minds at this moment:
But if I say, ‘I will not mention his word or speak any more in his name,’ his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.
This is the mark of true gospel witness:
Spirit-empowered speech about the name of Jesus, his resurrection, rooted in personal heart conviction.
After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened.
The healed man becomes a public testimony that all of Jerusalem cannot deny.
And the Apostles live another day to proclaim the name of Jesus.
So, What have we learnt?,
Our obedience must be shaped by fear of God, not fear of man,
And captivating joy at what we have read and experienced of JEsus forgiveness of our sins in His Word and Spirit.
If we truly believe Christ is the only way, we cannot be silent.
Courage to do all this,
does not come from personality, or education,
but from being with Jesus.
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.’
Jesus Christ—has done everything necessary to reconcile sinners to God.
And so to the Christian, v12 is of massive encouragement
- a verse to learn and treasure,
But In our world of spiritual relativism and religious pluralism, Acts 4:12 is more urgent
than ever.
Even though
there will be resistance.
So how do we tell people?
Well, like Peter did:
1 - Humbly: We don’t believe Jesus is the only way because we’re smarter or better
—but because God gave this Name to mankind. It is grace, not arrogance.
2 - Boldly: We must resist the pressure to soften the gospel. Truth cannot be diluted. Sin, hell are real, and forgiveness and salvation are only important when we remember that.
3 - Lovingly: Because there is only one name, we must speak it—clearly, compassionately, urgently.
Pray
There is no other name.
