The Name Above All Names | Acts 4:1-22

Intro

There’s a question kids learn to ask intuitively on the playground: “Sez who?” Or the longer, edgier version: “Oh yeah? Sez who?” That’s what we want to know when we’re told what to do or how to do something. And it’s one of the most important questions in life. It’s relevant to kids playing in the backyard and adults engaged in the public square.

The more formal question is: By what standard? Every truth claim and every moral judgment rests on an appeal to ultimate authority. By what standard? By what authority? In whose name? Says who?

If you believe men can become women, that love is love, or that abortion is healthcare … Says who?

If you believe men and women are unique, that marriage is between one man and one woman, and that abortion is murder … Says who?

All of your beliefs, knowledge, and conduct is built on a foundation of allegiance to some ultimate authority. For some, ultimate authority is their own preference or opinion: Says me! For some, ultimate authority is scientific consensus: Says the experts! For others, ultimate authority is society: Says the majority!

Our claim as Christians—and the claim of our text today—is that Jesus of Nazareth, the God-man—He is the ultimate authority. All truth and goodness rests on him. His name is the name above all names. Does he have your allegiance?

Acts 4:1–22

1 And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. 5 On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 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 saved.” 13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. 14 But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. 15 But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, 16 saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” 18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” 21 And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.

Acts 4 continues the story we looked at last week in Acts 3, where Peter and John healed a lame man in the temple in Jerusalem, and the scene begins dramatically:

“And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them” (Acts 4:1).

It’s one thing to be confronted by a heckler or by opponents in the crowd. Peter and John were abruptly interrupted and confronted by the temple authorities.

The other day, Pastor Matt and I drove up to Brookings to meet a street preacher on the campus of SDSU. While we were observing this evangelist, a man walked up to me. He introduced himself as the Director of the Student Union. That’s a position of authority, and I was initially worried we were going to get in trouble. He turned out to be friendly and let us know we were well within our rights. He had even notified campus police so they could protect us if there was any trouble.

The authorities who confronted Peter and John were not so friendly. They were “greatly annoyed,” upset and bothered about two things.

First, Peter and John were teaching the people in the temple. That was a direct challenge to their authority as the religious rulers. The priests and scribes were the ones who taught from the Law in the temple. Who are these uneducated and unauthorized men who were directly challenging their authority and teaching their people on their own turf?

Second, Peter and John were proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. This was a huge problem for the Sadducees. The Sadducees were the Jewish party that all the temple priests belonged to (Ac 5:17). They were the ones who possessed judicial authority, political power, and institutional influence. And Luke tells us in his gospel account that the Sadducees denied that there is a resurrection (Luke 20:27).

This is like a college freshman standing in front of a lecture hall that belongs to a tenured professor of evolutionary biology, proclaiming that God made the world in 6 days and that evolution is false. The institutional power disparity is huge, and the challenge is direct. It’s like David and Goliath actually.

But not only are Peter and John teaching a doctrine the Sadducees reject. They are proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus. And in v. 6, Luke mentions specific rulers who were present—Annas the (former) high priest, Caiaphas the (current) high priest, and other members of the high priestly family, along with other rulers, elders, and scribes. These are the members of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council in Jerusalem.

This was a really big deal. How big? Well, these are the same men who paid Judas to betray Jesus into their custody. These are the same men before whom Jesus stood trial, who condemned Jesus to death just months before this. These are the men from John 19 who cried out to Pilate, “Crucify him, crucify him!” How intimidated would you have been if you were in Peter and John’s position?

Not that they had done anything wrong. It’s not like it was illegal or immoral to heal a crippled man. That wasn’t the problem. But the council wanted to know one thing:

“By what power or by what name did you do this?” (Acts 4:7).

The question was one of ultimate authority, of supremacy. Who said you could do this? Who authorized you? What is his name? His name is Jesus.

The Name of Jesus Is Supreme

Peter does not hold back:

“Let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:10–12).

The name of Jesus is higher than any other name, title, or authority. Jesus is the source of truth, of light, of knowledge, wisdom, and revelation. Jesus is the source of life and salvation. The claim of the Apostles is that the name of Jesus is higher than any other name or title in heaven or on earth. And that means Jesus deserves your allegiance.

Jesus has ultimate authority over every human being, over all rulers and authorities. His name is the name above all names. And that means every person and every nation owes Jesus ultimate allegiance.

The Name of Jesus Offends

Notice what Peter doesn’t do. He does not try to minimize the offense, or clarify a misunderstanding, or nuance his way out of trouble.

He says, “By the name of Jesus, … whom you crucified, … this man was healed.” Every time he has opened his mouth in Acts, Peter has exposed the guilt of the Jews in Jerusalem generally. But now he’s standing before the very men who condemned Jesus to death. And he quotes Psalm 118:22, and he makes it personal and aims it at his opponents.

“This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders.”

On one level, he acknowledges their authority. They were the builders, the ones responsible to build up God’s people. But they had rejected the cornerstone, and now they will be cut off (Acts 3:23). Peter and John claimed to have an authority that came from the One above the temple.

The supremacy of Jesus’ name is a challenge and a threat to every other authority. The authorities resorted to warnings and threats in a feeble attempt to maintain their authority.

“‘But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.’ So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus” (Acts 4:17–18).

Brothers and sisters, do not be surprised when you face hostility and opposition simply because you bear the name of Christ. Jesus prepared his disciples: “You will be hated by all for my name’s sake” (Luke 21:17). It is the name of Jesus that offends, and every teaching grounded in the name of Jesus. If you bear the name of Jesus, you can expect others to be offended—no matter how nice or winsome you are.

“And when they had further threatened them, they let them go …” (Acts 4:21).

This is the first instance of opposition in Acts. Relative to the hostility and persecution that is coming, this is rather tame. That’s not to say it’s insignificant at all. I’m not sure when you were last arrested and held in jail overnight because of your faith, but I personally have not had that experience. Though I imagine that if I did, it would feel quite significant. Threats can be very intimidating and effective.

What would it take to silence you? The loss of income? The loss of reputation? The loss of freedom? The loss of your life? One reason God gave the book of Acts to the church is to prepare each generation to suffer for the name of Jesus without fear or shame. This text is meant to motivate you to make much of Jesus, no matter the cost. That is the response of faith to the truth that Jesus is the name above all names.

The Name of Jesus Is Exclusive

Look at vv. 11–12. Peter says,

“This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

The clear testimony of the Apostles and the teaching of Scripture is that Jesus Christ is the only way anyone on earth can be saved.

Don’t miss the wording of that last phrase: we must be saved. Every single human is in need of salvation. No one is good. We are sinful by nature, corrupt in our thoughts, desires, words, and deeds. We are guilty of violating God’s law—his good and glorious ways. God alone can satisfy, but we have all treasured created things more than God. God is truth, but we have all lied. God is life, but we have all hated and cursed and slandered and killed in our hearts. God is faithful, but we have all been unfaithful.

Remember, Peter said this to the priests in the temple. They were in need of salvation. Their Jewish ethnicity could not save them. Their religious practices could not save them. Only Jesus could save them from the wrath of God against their sin.

And that is true for every human on earth. There is no other name and no other way to be saved. Not Muhammad, not Buddha, not Joseph Smith. It’s not even enough to be a conservative. Conservative values save no one. Only the name of Jesus saves.

Some claim that it’s arrogant to insist that Jesus is the only way to be saved. You think you’re right and everyone else is wrong! The truth is, everyone thinks they’re right. If you begin to think you’re wrong about something, you change your mind. And when you change your mind, you think that is right. So thinking you’re right is not necessarily arrogant. Thinking you’re right could lead to arrogance if you think you’re right because you are more intelligent, more moral, or more spiritual than others. But that’s not what Christians claim. We claim that Jesus saves sinners, even sinners like us.

You think you have everything figured out! Actually, Christians don’t claim we have all the answers. We claim that Jesus does, and we humbly rely on him. Faith in Jesus is a matter of humility. Imagine two patients who go to the same doctor for help. One insists he knows better than his doctor and refuses his help. The other trusts his doctor and follows his advice, relying on him to get well. Which one is proud and which is humble?

Some worry that it’s divisive to say that Jesus is the only way. Insisting Jesus is the only way will only lead to more division and hate. In this polarized and divided climate, we all need to work toward unity and emphasize what we have in common. All people have two things in common: that we are human and that we are sinners. It’s possible to find some similar moral views between different religions. But what makes the gospel of Jesus Christ transformational is not what it has in common with other religions. The hope for the world is found in everything unique about Jesus Christ. That Jesus is fully God. Every other religion was founded by a human, even if that human claims divine revelation. Jesus claimed to be God. That Jesus became a man. Other religions offer an escape from this world. Jesus took on our humanity—body and soul—to save our bodies and souls and to redeem this world. That Jesus died as a sinless sacrifice in the place of sinners. Other religions require you to be good enough for God. Jesus saves sinners by grace through his death, which leaves genuine Christians humble and grateful, not arrogant and divisive.

Some fear that it’s even dangerous: Insisting Jesus is the only way leads to oppressing and marginalizing people with other beliefs! The claim that Jesus is the only way is exclusive. But the offer of salvation in Jesus is inclusive. One of the many scandals of the gospel is that it is freely offered to the whole world:

“Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:21).

“For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself” (Acts 2:39).

The Name of Jesus Is Powerful

This scene magnifies the power of Jesus’ name. First and most obviously, a crippled man in his 40s was physically healed by Jesus’ name. No one denied that, not even the enemies of Jesus.

“But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition” (v. 14).

The incontrovertible fact of the healing stripped the authorities of their authority. In their own words,

“What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it” (Acts 4:16).

Not only could they not deny it. They couldn’t punish Peter and John “because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened” (v. 21). And that the healing was done by the power of Jesus’ name.

The power of Jesus’ name is also evident in the boldness of Peter and John. Facing an inquisition from the authorities that crucified Jesus, Peter shows no sign of intimidation or fear, but boldly proclaims the name of Jesus. Peter and John are radically different men than they were just several weeks earlier. At the end of John’s gospel, we see these very same men hiding out in locked rooms “for fear of the Jews” (Jn 20:19). Now they are “teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead” (v. 2), even though it offends the men who sentenced their Lord to death. What changed?

“Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them … ” (Acts 4:8).

Peter and John were authorized by Jesus and empowered by His Spirit. Even their opponents could tell that this courage came from Jesus.

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).

The contrast is stark: Peter and John were uneducated, common men, yet they spoke with boldness, clarity, and conviction. Powerful, important men like Annas and Caiaphas knew they had seen this same boldness before. They recognized it as the same boldness they saw when Jesus stood on trial before them. And we know it was the same boldness because the very Spirit of Jesus was now filling and empowering the disciples of Jesus.

Jesus once said this to his disciples:

“And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say” (Luke 12:11–12).

That promise came true for Peter that day in the temple. Doesn’t it encourage and embolden you to know that your witness as a Christian depends on the promise of Jesus and power of His Spirit and not on you? This is the power of Jesus’ name. When you open your mouth to bear witness to Jesus’ saving work in your life, to testify to Jesus’ authority in the world, or to explain the gospel to someone, you do so in the power and authority of Jesus’ name. When we testify that God made us male and female in his own image to glorify him, that is not our opinion, that is authoritative truth from God. When we maintain that abortion is murder or that men cannot become women, we are speaking on behalf of the risen King of heaven and earth. And when we declare that all people everywhere—black or white, gay or straight, Muslim or Jew—must repent and trust in Jesus, we are not spouting our opinions but announcing to the world good news from the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Listen to Peter and John’s response to the threats and warnings at the end:

“Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19–20).

That is where Spirit-empowered courage comes from. It comes from resolving to fear God and not any man. Out of love for Christ and love for the world he died to save, you must be prepared to not care what the world thinks about you.

But the most glorious display of the power of Jesus’ name is not merely that his people proclaim his name, but that when his name is proclaimed, Jesus saves sinners. Did you catch what Luke said in v. 4?

The authorities arrested Peter and John,

“But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand” (Acts 4:4).

When the gospel of Jesus Christ is proclaimed, God saves. He opens blind eyes. He quickens dead hearts. He raises the dead.

There were 120 disciples in Acts 1; 3,000 in Acts 2; and now 5,000 men alone. So maybe 10,000 men and women in the church in Jerusalem. What was their church growth strategy? Proclaim the name of Jesus! That is the way God builds his church. That is the way He will build this church.

The name of Jesus is the highest name, the ultimate authority, and the only name by which we must be saved. Have you put your trust in Jesus? Have you given your allegiance to Jesus? The purpose of your life is to exalt the name of Jesus, no matter the cost.