The Power of His Name

Welcome to this edition of PowerPoint with Jack Graham later in the program will tell you, you can get a copy of Dr. Graham's eventually some bundle first hears the message the power of his name for God's word and turn with me to the book of acts chapter 4 acts chapter 4 me remind you what is happening in the book of acts. Jesus, the risen Lord is ascended into heaven he promises his followers the power the presence of his spirit on the day of Pentecost the spirit of God came upon his people, filling them with fiery words and fiery hearts and they went out spreading the gospel everywhere. The church is ignited.

Thus we have the power of spiritual engagement as they are spreading the good news of Christ across the city. Thousands are coming to faith in Christ literally thousands are being born again Bible scholars estimate that between 20 and 30 people a day were responding and receiving Jesus, the risen Savior into their lives. The church is growing dynamic witness is expanding the fire is spreading. But when God opens the windows of heaven to bless us.

Satan opens the doors of hell to blast us and so the devil launches a vicious campaign to snuff out the fires of faith. Religious leaders inspired by state attacked the church and a time of persecution begin. Ultimately, hundreds of thousands of believers died for their faith in Jesus Christ. The fact is the enemy is still like a roaring lion roaming about, seeking whom he may devour. And he attacks those who truly follow Christ and he is still seeking to devour and to destroy the church today. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ you will face opposition, while he may not be physical persecution. There will be spiritual oppression and opposition and resist. If you truly follow Christ. Peter said don't think it strange, don't be surprised concerning the fiery trial, that is to come upon you. Second Timothy 312 tells us that all who live godly in Jesus Christ will suffer persecution. So if you live godly. If you live a godly life you live for Christ.

There will be opposition. Now, if you coexist in the culture and if you don't stand for Christ. If you separate yourself to the degree that you're living in a holy hole somewhere and you're not standing up for Christ and the culture then maybe you can coexist, but if you take a stand for Christ. You will face the fire of opposition. The fact is, God often allows suffering trials and difficulties in opposition in our lives to separate the pretenders from the content those you know and follow Christ and those who are simply going through the motions. If you have a shallow faith when the fires of the fierceness of a temptation intestine life appear, then you will shrink, but the Bible says, the fear of man is a snare so many are afraid and they give up when they are assaulted or attacked. But I love Proverbs 28 in verse one. The Bible says the righteous are as bold as a lion. The guilty plea when no man pursuits, but the righteous are as bold as a line. May God give us lighthearted believers, brave hearted Christians who are willing to stand for Christ in the power of his name.

So that's what is happening here in acts chapter 4 and when your faith is challenged, you need to respond with boldness and courage and fearlessness even as we see in the text before us a look at verse one and as they were speaking to the people, the priest of the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon the greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead and they arrested them and put them in custody into the next day for it was already evening, but many of those who had heard the word. They heard the word which was the testimony of Jesus and they believe in the number of the men came to be about 5000 men from all over this community in Jerusalem were responding with both faith and as a result, their children, their wives were following them. So if the men numbered 5000 you would assume the church is now 115 20 25,000 people when a challenging man, as I often do lead the way to set the example and your family to be numbered among those who follow Christ.

There is a great feminization of the Christian faith in our generation and many men have the idea that faith is for women and children are someone who is weaker but God calls men to follow him and to be Christ followers every day of your life. It doesn't take much of a man to be a Christian but I tell you is it takes all the man there is to follow Jesus. So the number of them. The men came to be about 5000 will diversify and on the next day the rulers and elders, and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem with Annas the high priest you recognize in the same high priest presided over the death of Jesus and Caiaphas. Caiaphas also cooperated in the execution of Jesus. He names John and Alexander and all who are in the high priestly family when they set them in the midst, they inquired, by what power or by what name did you do this, then Peter and here's the key filled with the Holy Spirit filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, rulers of the people in El if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a cripple man, by what means this man has been healed of the words he say, oh, excuse us, are we on trial here today because this man, who has been crippled all of his life is standing in front of you whole complete healed. Is this what were being charged for okay then, verse 10.

Let it be known to you and all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ and his name speaks of his power speaks of his authority.

It speaks of his character.

All the is is represented in his name.

And yes, yes it does matter what we call God I'm hearing it everywhere to television, radio, the discussion of the debate theological as well as secular circles is well after all week. What ever name you choose to call God whatever name you may choose to identify your God. He is the same God. That's not what the Bible tells us the Bible tells us there's one name given among men whereby we must be saved. There is only one name that can ultimately describe our God and our Savior. We do not worship the gods in the names of other gods we worship the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and it is by his name that name, which is the name of salvation that we worship and we witness so he said it is in that name again. Look at verse 10 the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified.

This is the same Simon Peter, who shrunk in the face of the fire is Jesus is being led away and crucified. This is the same Simon Peter, who denies the Lord Jesus Christ three times what something is transformed his life.

Something has changed, and that something is Jesus and his resurrection, and now he is still with the risen Christ and he is transformed into a bold believer in witness for Christ.

So now imagine this piece standing in front of the same crowd the crucified Christ the same bunch that sent Jesus to the cross, a Nazarene fisherman. I learned an uneducated buddy standing courageously and boldly in the midst all of the anything you crucified the Savior. You know when you have blood on your hands and you gone so far as to kill someone killing the next one is not that big a deal, so he is looking in the faces of those who put Christ on the cross and I'm not speaking here of a race of people.

I'm speaking on a religious sect in this day which determined that Christ was not their Messiah, and therefore turning over the Romans to.Jesus died because of the sins of all of us. And yes, we are at the cross we sent Jesus to the cross. All of but having said that, it is a historical fact that Peter stood before the very Sanhedrin and accuse them of crucifying Christ, but notice what God did, whom God raised from the dead, and by him this man is standing before you well. Now look at verse 11. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. The centerpiece of civilization. The cornerstone of life. Verse 12 and there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be say.

Now when they solve the boldness of Peter and John and perceive that they were uneducated, literally the word is illiterate. They were not trained in the rabbinical schools of their time. These were untrained, uneducated men, men now doing an uncommon thing they were astonished and they recognize they had been listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and today's message the power of his name. You have a God-given calling to take the gospel to the world. That's why we put together a special bundle of resources to help you grow in your letter of the gospel and share it with others. This evangelism bundle includes three of Pastor Jack Graham's books the help of Easter like stuck in God's promises for doubt filled days. This evangelism bundle is our thanks for your gift today and thanks to a generous matching grant your gift today will be doubled.

So call now to request your evangelism bundle when you get call 1-800-795-4627 that's 1-800-795-4627. You can also text the word PowerPoint to 59789 and don't forget to visit Jack Graham.org where you can shop our E store.

Give the gift online or sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email devotional our website again is Jack Graham.Margie now it's Québec. Today's message the power of his name theme of accept really is bold fearlessness.

Every believer should be bold in faith and bold in witness that we talk about boldness when talking about brashness not getting in people's faces and shouting, but rather boldly and openly obeying God in our faith and our witness is a word which which means openness, confidence so openness and confidence before God and before man wide-open about our faith not holding back nonhighly. No secret disciples but open standing for Christ confidently proclaiming our faith. This is a faith that is fearless and courageous. What separated these believers Peter and John and all the rest of the fact that their faith was conspicuous there faith was contagious and there faith was courageous. These words describe your faith conspicuous contagious and courageous because of the power of his name persecution became inevitable. Interestingly enough, they the ages, the greatest persecutor of Christian faith is often religion this case they were before the Sadducees. You often hear in the New Testament, especially in the days of Christ in the Gospels of the Pharisees. The Pharisees were prominent sect among the Jews in that day, but the Sadducees were also very prominent and very powerful Sadducees where the ruling class.

The aristocratic wealthy class and they were in league somewhat with her own letter, dated to the rule of Rome because they therefore were able to maintain their position, their power, their prestige, and yes their profit is about the money theologically. They were limitless they were rationalists who denied the supernatural. They didn't believe in the supernatural in any way they did believe in angels that believe in miracles.

They didn't believe in life after death they didn't believe in heaven.

They certainly didn't believe in the resurrection.

So Peter and John are boldly standing before the who denied Christ and deny the resurrection, and they proclaim the resurrection and it is the resurrection and the message of the risen Christ that brings these Christians into conflict with the world. Unfortunately today the message of the modern church the contemporary churches often so diluted with rationalism and universalism. That is not even recognizable today. We are so afraid of it appearing that were dogmatic about anything and the person with therefore strong biblical conversions is seen Arctic convictions rather is seen as an intellectual artifact or are a fool or fanatic. Time and again we meet ministers on talk shows on television and radio, and when asked the hard questions about salvation in Christ alone or heaven or hell or any difficult question that separates the Christian faith from all the religions of the world in this pluralistic environment.

So many are waffling and we can in my view, there is nothing more pathetic than a week preacher would give an opportunity to stand for Jesus Christ ultimately denies not these men, these who stand for Christ. Therefore, the persecution is inevitable. I've already said if you take a bold stand for Christ, even sometimes in your own family and among your own friend opposition will role in the whole goal. Initially, the opposition was to shut them when they realize that they could not imprison them rightfully later on in this passage.

They said we command you never to speak in the name of Jesus again don't speak this name again.

Don't talk about this any more.

So Peter and John are saying okay wait a minute here you say don't talk about it. God says talk about what you think the good they said we must obey God and not man they would ultimately say we can't help but speak of those things which we have seen and heard. Frankly, one of the reasons that many who claim the name of Christ, never name the name of Christ is because they haven't seen very much, and they haven't heard very much. If you truly believe in the reality of the resurrection. If you believe that is these minutes. Having seen Christ that Jesus is alive that Jesus is Lord of life and Lord over daddy you truly believe that in the stop you from talking about Jesus not not the fear of man, but the fear of opposition.

Nothing would stop you from talking about Jesus. If you truly have been with Jesus.

I'm convinced that the reason many do not name his name or speak of him or talk of him at all because they have never been say I realize that not everyone can share their faith in the same way God has made us in the same way as a design this we all have different abilities and liabilities we all have different gifts and talents and personalities. And God chooses to use us with what we have and and and not everyone can do it like Peter and John did it. I can't. You can't. But God has given us a witness in God's given us a message and what we need to do is to find our way of telling that message of sharing that message and make sure we're doing it God's way.

Every regardless of the persecution because secondly you see there is an irrepressible proclamation but got these men in trouble was the fact that they preach the resurrection they knew he was alive. Thousands were believing these 5000 men were believing why were they believing it. Such an unprecedented rate. Why, because the message was believable.

Then there is invincible power. Power his name. There is an irrepressible message. There is inevitable persecution, but there is invincible power, they said, how have you done this in what name I want authority. Have you done this thing without hesitation. They said by the power of Jesus Christ his name in his name only. Then he gave that verse that echoed the words of Christ himself that there is salvation in him and him him for the Christian faith is not a copy is an original. The Christian faith is unique and distinctive in all the faith of the world.

Of all the religious systems of the world because we believe that Christ and Christ alone is Savior and Lord, that it is only in him by his name as the Scripture says that we are say this echoes the words of Jesus himself in John chapter 14 verse six is that I am the way the truth and the life and no man comes to the father except by me always and on this issue.

Later, when he says there is one mediator between God and man. One go-between between God and man, one who brings man and God together and it is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the one mediator between God and man. Jesus said if you have seen me, you have seen the five so when you see Jesus this is God performing their this is God dying on the cross. This is God coming out of the great. This is God living in the life of the believer bar God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself. Therefore, no matter how good we may be or how hard we try, though we may feel better about ourselves. What because we live a good life.

No amount of good living can gain the favor of the appeasement of a holy God, and only by the blood of Jesus Christ. Are we saved only by the power of his name. Do we enter in to eternal life. That is the unique and distinct message on the Christian faith. Under no circumstance should we deny the exclusivity of the gospel of Christ, the very word of God which says there is salvation and no other but this night is that what I want everybody to be say I want all these people out there know God to be in heaven will don't you think God wants these people to be in heaven more than anyone more than you.

God is not willing that any should perish but that all would come to repent. So God sent his son Jesus because of his love, he gave his son, his only begotten son to die on the cross to provide salvation through his resurrection to all who would believe in the millions who are in darkness and who are on that Broadway that Jesus said leads to destruction can get on the narrow road to eternal life and salvation through Christ who is the way the truth of the line we must not deny the message of Christ.

The fact is, all truth when you say something is true is intolerant of error why we in this pluralistic generation of ours have such a hard time believing that there is a true God, and that there are.

What's our problem with the word of God is so clear that Jesus is not just a Savior.

But they say he's not the best way they haven't been. The only way to have. There is no name given among men whereby we must be saved with the name of listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham in today's message the power of his name. 3.2 billion people in our world still have no access to the good news of Jesus, and we must do whatever it takes to reach the lost with the help of Christ. That's why were excited to tell you about a matching grant that will double when ever you give today to help reach more people to PowerPoint your support will help broadcast the gospel into some of the most spiritually dark corners of the earth will say thanks for your gift by sending you three of Pastor Graham's books Tempe share the gospel right where you are. This evangelism bundle includes the help of Easter life and God's promises for doubtful days. So call now to have your gift doubled by the next requester evangelism bundle: 800-795-4627 that's 1-800-795-4627. You can also text the word PowerPoint to 59789 that's PowerPoint to 59789 and don't forget to visit Jack Graham.org where you can shop our E store.

Give a gift online or sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email devotional our website again is Jack Graham.Margie*what is your PowerPoint for today. As I mentioned in today's program. It would be criminal if you discover the cure for cancer, but That you are to yourself. Yet at the same time. Many Christians have received eternal life in Christ they found the cure for sin and salvation and never mention it to anybody else. The fact is, if you know Christ you want to make him known. If you believe he is forgiven.

You of all your sins, change your life and give you a hope in the future that is forever with him. How can you not speak of him and what he is done for you today. If you are a child of God. Think about the difference Jesus is made and is making in your life how you change your thought life, how he is change your habits the way you behave.

The piece that you now have in your life.

I want to challenge you then to share the ways that Christ has changed and is changing you every single day that you are not the person you ought to be, but you are not the person that you used to be.

Jesus is changing you now this doesn't have to happen in some Forster canned conversation. It could be something as brief as a note of encouragement to someone who is hurting, or can be a phone call to let someone know you're praying for them. It can be a quiet conversation over coffee just reeking of the things of the Lord in your life. The Bible says let the redeemed of the Lord say so whatever God leads you to do, do it right now. If you're afraid or nervous about talking of Jesus and the things of God that asked God every day to give you the power and the boldness that in the name of Jesus you will share him and his love with somebody else. I truly believe as you commit to sharing Christ with others. God will give you an incredible courage that you've never known before, and I believe that he will use you influence others for him and that is today's power. Remember when you give a gift PowerPoint gift will be doubled by a matching grant call one 800-795-4627 1-800-795-4627. You can also text the word PowerPoint 259-7891 the next PowerPoint. Dr. Graham brings a message about why you need prayer and our it unleashes your life. That's next time on PowerPoint with Jack Graham PowerPoint with Jack Graham is sponsored by PowerPoint ministries