Easter 3 (4)

Acts 4:8-12 (NIV) 8  Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! 9  If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, 10  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. 11  He is "'the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone'. 12  Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

Our text today does not follow the chronology of the church year. In the church year we are between the resurrection and the ascension of Jesus as our Gospel lesson reminds us. Our text occurs not long after Pentecost which took place 50 days after Easter. Peter and John had healed a beggar in the temple who had been crippled from birth. They had done it “in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth”. They believed that Jesus was unique and that the risen Savior had the power to work miracles through him. They believed that we was the way, the truth, and the life and that people were saved through him and only him.

But the enemies of Jesus disagreed. They believed that Jesus as a blasphemer and taught a way to life different that their own adopted method of works. Peter explained his actions in this way:

Acts 3:12–26 NIV84

12 When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. 14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 16 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 him, as you can all see. 17 “Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. 18 But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer. 19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. 21 He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. 22 For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. 23 Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his people.’ 24 “Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold these days. 25 And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’ 26 When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”

This led to their arrest and an investigation.

Acts 4:1–12 NIV84

1 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. 2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3 They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4 But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand. 5 The next day the rulers, elders and teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6 Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the other men of the high priest’s family. 7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, 10 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. 11 He is “ ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.’ 12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

Our text concluded with a very strong statement by Peter about the exclusiveness of Christianity. Exclusive means that only certain people are given certain rights and privileges and that others are not included. They are excluded.

Have you ever been excluded? Not allowed to do something or go somewhere because of what we may have perceived to be arbitrary reasons?

Of course you have. Unless you broke the rules.

Movie theaters exclude certain people from going in to see certain movies. Ratings such as PG-13, R, and X base entrance on your age.

Age is also used as a criteria when it comes to getting a drivers license, purchasing tobacco and alcohol.

Recently the majority of people in the United States were temporarily excluded from getting the COVID-19 vaccination although now it has become much more inclusive.

I have had experience with being excluded. The most surprising may be that I was not allowed to participate in a Bible class! Bible Study Fellowship is a worldwide organization that encourages people to attend weekly meetings on Monday nights to study and discuss the Bible. In order to emphasize the teachings are from the Bible and not from a denominational viewpoint, pastors regardless of their denomination, are politely asked to stay away. Of course, their teachings are very Calvinist so it isn’t as non denominational as they would let on.

Our congregation and our synod is also exclusive in certain areas as we follow a conservative approach to the role of man and woman and fellowship principles.

People may chaff at this. Why can’t I be included? Why can’t I decide for myself if I’m mature enough to watch that movie, have that drink, or smoke that cigarette? Who are you to tell me that I can’t golf of your special course or eat in your restaurant unless I wear a tie?

Because of our desire to be included in all things (even though we realize that exclusions do apply), we may think we are being gregarious in believing that because of God’s great love and mercy, heaven is open to all people regardless of what the Bible says. And because it seems that more and more people are swayed by public opinion than by reading the Bible, they may be shocked to hear what Peter says where. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name given to men by which we must be saved.” This is parallel to how Paul asked the jailor at Philippi’s question at a later time in a different place, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.”

Heaven Is Not the Default Destination

Another misconception is that heaven is the default destination. Bu you don’t automatically go to heaven. The Bible says that you can be saved because there is something you needed to be rescued from.

Rom. 6:23 (ESV)For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Bible says that the wages, or penalty, of sin is death. Sin is when we depart from God’s way and go our own way. Sin is what separates us from God. Sin leads us into brokenness in this life.

Rom. 3:23 (ESV)For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

You don’t automatically go to heaven. The destination of mankind is separation from God. If God is life and the author of life, our sin has led us away from God and into spiritual death.

The whole story of the Bible is that God makes a plan to rescue and redeem people from the lake of fire. To “get to heaven” in the Bible means to be saved from death and eternal separation from God. What are we saved from? From sin and the results of it. We are rescued from our eventual destination, the lake of fire.

2 Cor. 4:4 (ESV)In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

According to the Bible, people have been blinded from the truth. It takes God’s work to help you see the light of what your real situation is and understand the good news of what God has done for you through Jesus.

This needs to be repeated because of popular sentiment. Not because it hasn’t been taught and preached before. Above we see how God’s Word teaches the way of salvation.

Last week I started reading a book of sermons by a Lutheran pastor from 1905. The first thing to note is that even though it was written by a WELS Lutheran pastor before the first world war, it is in English. German was the predominant language in our churches and seminary yet at that time. He had this to say about the way to eternal life.

But God should not be unknown to the children of men he has revealed himself. He has made himself known yes step out of the darkness in which he is shrouded before the eyes of the natural man. He has spoken to us and has pointed out to all men the way of life. God who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the prophets hath in these last days spoken unto us by his son. Does not God speak to us in the Bible? Is not all scripture given by inspiration of God did not the holy men of God the writers of this holy book speak as they were moved by the Holy Ghost? And how clearly has got pointed out the way to life in this book. Can anyone be misled can anyone be missed directed that follows the bible's instructions and walks the way which the Bible is pointed out as the way of life? Is not this so clearly shown in the Bible that every reader will and must find it if he does not willfully shut his eyes and maliciously pervert the plain words to make them suit his own fancy?

And which is the way that God himself points out as the way of life in all parts of his divine word from Genesis to revelation? He clearly points out the way. There we are told in the 1st place that the way to life is by grace. The Old Testament says the Lord the Lord God is merciful and gracious longsuffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin. The New Testament says by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast. We are told in the 2nd place that the way to life is in Christ. The Old Testament proclaims that in him the promised one all the nations of the earth will be blessed. In the New Testament Jesus says I am the way and the truth and the life no one comes to the father but by me and the Apostle says, “Neither is there Salvation in any other , for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. We are told in the 3rd place at the way to life is through faith. The Old Testament proclaims that the just shall live by his faith and the New Testament says God so love the world that he gave his only begotten son and whosoever believe that him should not perish but have everlasting life this is the way the way to life by grace in Christ through faith

Is this approach to salvation still being taught in Christian churches? Yes, and not just in our conservative WELS. We find this presentation of the way of salvation from Focus on the Family on the internet.

Strict adherence to a list of do's and don'ts is not what Christian salvation is about. Romans 3:20 reads, "no one will be declared righteous in his [God's] sight by observing the law."

Acts 16 provides one example of the many adventures and challenges faced by the early Christian church. It recounts the preaching of Paul and Silas, their persecution, and their imprisonment. Rather than feeling discouraged, while in jail the two Christians prayed and sang hymns. An earthquake shook the prison, the doors opened, and the chains of all the prisoners were loosed. The jailer, greatly concerned, approached the two, falling before them and pleading, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Paul and Silas replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved …” (Acts 16:30-31, NIV). The passage is important in relation to the topic of salvation or, technically, soteriology. In everyday language, salvation has to do with how we are saved or delivered from our fallen condition. We are, as noted in another article in this series,[1] rebels in God’s image, fallen and in need of restoration. In Christian terms salvation refers to this restoration – setting right what is wrong. What Salvation is Not Before clarifying salvation in biblical terms, it will be helpful to look at ways of “salvation” that are not in line with Christian theology. Probably the most common approach is works-based. As the name suggests, this approach to salvation relies on human works and what we can do in order to save ourselves. But when it comes to salvation Christianity is Savior-centered, not self-centered: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV). Good works are the natural outcome of following salvation through Christ. Neither is salvation universal, meaning that not everyone will be saved. This does not mean that God does not love everyone. Indeed, He “wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4 NIV). But only Christ is “the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6 NIV). Salvation is not found in legalism, either. Strict adherence to a list of do’s and don’ts is not what Christian salvation is about. Romans 3:20 reads, “no one will be declared righteous in his [God’s] sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.” We all “fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 NIV). Some beliefs claim that salvation in a biblical sense is not required. Instead, terms such as “spiritual liberation” or “enlightenment” are used. Most of the time this is found in variations of Eastern worldviews such as pantheism. Usually the core idea is that human beings need only realize that they are perfect and divine, resulting in “salvation.” But we are far from perfect and deep down everyone knows this fact. God exists, but He is not us and we are not Him. Biblical Salvation What then is biblical salvation? It’s not by works, legalism enlightenment, and it’s not universal. What, then, must we do to be saved? It’s important to keep in mind that salvation encompasses what God has done for us, not what we can do for Him. God has taken the initiative in His plan of redemption, reaching out to us through Christ. Hence, the answer regarding the question of salvation as given by Paul and Silas is, “Believe in the Lord Jesus …” (Acts 16:31 NIV). The Greek word translated “believe” in the passage is pisteuo, meaning “to believe, put one’s faith in, trust, with an implication that actions based on that trust may follow.”[2] Belief, then, encompasses more than just knowing about Jesus. One must also act on this knowledge, combining faith and trust and acting on it. Salvation also entails repentance – a sincere willingness to radically change our behavior (see, for instance Matthew 3:2; 4:17; Mark 6:12; Luke 13:3-5; Acts 2:38). There is a certain degree of humility that is also required on our part in order to submit to Christ and receive salvation. In the story of the jailer, for instance, we are told he “fell trembling before Paul and Silas” (Acts 16:29 NIV). He also addressed them as “Sirs,” using a term of respect and acknowledging the authority of Paul and Silas in Christ. In other words, the roles are reversed. Rather than the Christian prisoners being under the authority of the jailer, it is the jailer who now humbly submits to them, sincerely seeking God’s salvation.

Jesus clearly taught the exclusiveness of Christianity and faith in him as the way to salvation. This was the fulfillment of God’s plan of salvation. His affirmation of the way of salvation did not end with he departure. The book of Acts and the Epistles for that matter, teach us how faithful Christians have continued to trust in Jesus alone for salvation and to proclaim that in sermons, Bible classes, and publicly through every media available to us.

May the Lord reassure us that he has saved us through faith in Jesus and may we never waver from our trust in him alone as our Savior. Amen.