"In His Name"
Date: 14 August, 2016
Text: Acts 9
Title: IN HIS NAME.
Introduction:
How important is the NAME of Jesus to you?
lyrics - Lydia Baxter's hymn, Take the Name of Jesus With You
1. Take the Name of Jesus with you,
Child of sorrow and of woe,
It will joy and comfort give you;
Take it then, where’er you go.
o Refrain:
Precious Name, oh, how sweet!
Hope of earth and joy of Heav’n;
Precious Name, oh, how sweet!
Hope of earth and joy of Heav’n.
2. Take the Name of Jesus ever,
As a shield from every snare;
If temptations round you gather,
Breathe that holy Name in prayer.
3. Oh, the precious Name of Jesus!
How it thrills our souls with joy,
When His loving arms receive us,
And His songs our tongues employ!
4. At the Name of Jesus bowing,
Falling prostrate at His feet,
King of kings in heav’n we’ll crown Him,
When our journey is complete.
Would anything in your life change if that precious name was taken away?
I was reading Acts 9 this week and it struck me how often "the name" of Jesus was mentioned in that passage. So, just from that passage - what do we do IN HIS NAME?
I. IN HIS NAME - we pray.
Acts 9:14 And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.
exp. Believers - had been given new authority from Jesus about prayer. They were to pray in the NAME OF JESUS.
ill. When we pray we often add at the end, "In Jesus Name I pray amen."
question; Why do we do that?
John 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
John 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
John 16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
John 16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
John 16:26a At that day ye shall ask in my name:
question: If Jesus told His disciples 6 times in one sermon to use His name when praying - do you think it is important?
ill. If you were a common peasant and came to the kings gate and said, "In my name, open the gates." There would be no commotion, no urgent shout, no rush to do your bidding." But, if you came as a peasant to the gate and said with authority that was given to you by the king, "In the name of the king open the gate."
exp. Are there no conditions other than asking in Jesus name?
Should I expect an answer when I misuse his name?
Jas 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
exp. God hasn't promised to meet wants, but he has promised to meet needs - IF WE ARE PUTTING HIM FIRST IN OUR FINANCES.
ill. The Philippian were meeting Paul's financial needs and he promised them.....
Php 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Mt 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Should I expect an answer if I'm not right with Him?
Ps 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
exp. Harbored sin takes us out of fellowship with God. We can't pray until we deal with the sin.
app. You could wear yourself out saying, "But, I'm asking in Jesus name." He will not respond to your request until you deal with what is hindering your prayers.
Should I expect an answer when I'm not concerned about His will?
I John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
exp. But, If I know that He has heard my prayer because it was rightly prayed according to his will, then I ought to expect an answer. I John 5:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
app. Do you know the joy of coming to God in the Name of His Son Jesus? IN HIS NAME - we pray!
II. IN HIS NAME - we go.
Acts 9:15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
exp. Paul wasn't a secret Christian. He would preach Jesus to Gentiles, Jews and Kings!
app. Christianity is not a secret society. When we get saved, God gives us the privilege of bearing the name of the Lord Jesus.
ill. Back in the day of more primitive warfare, you had banners that were carried by the soldiers. That flag stood for the nation for which you were fighting.
ill. Covenanters banner - Jehovah Nissi - THE LORD IS MY BANNER.
Question: Do you fly the flag of Jesus? Are you bearing His name?
ill. Paul did in his life and ministry
Here are some quotes from Paul on trial....
Before the Governor Felix
Acts 23:14-15 But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets: And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.
Before King Agrippa
Acts 26:22-23 Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
exp. God chose Paul as a vessel to carry the message of Jesus. He went out bearing the name of Jesus.
app. Are you carrying Jesus name? Are you carrying anything in your vessel to give a thirsty world who needs the water of life?
III. IN HIS NAME - we suffer.
Acts 9:16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.
exp. The suffering which Paul faced was because He identified with THE NAME OF JESUS.
ill. Peter escaped suffering but to do so he had to deny Jesus.
Luke 22: 60 And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew.
61 And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
62 And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.
exp. Can you imagine the look on the Saviour's face as he turned to look at Peter when He denied him?
note: You will either identify with Jesus and suffer - or you will deny him like Peter!
question: Have you ever asked someone, "Are you a Christian?"
ill. Recently a young man in Edinburgh told me that, "I have been a Christian all of my life." He didn't go to church. Didn't really believe in God. Did not have Jesus as His personal Saviour. But he had been a Christian all his life.
exp. "Christian" today has been redefined to mean....
· I have a vague belief in God,
· I am somewhat religous.
· I think people should be good people.
· I am tolerant of all other faiths.
note: To be a Christian in Jesus day meant that you were a follower of Christ. AND IT COST SOMETHING TO CARRY THE NAME OF CHRIST.
A. Early Christians did not live for themselves.
Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
exp. The disciples left their employment and families to follow Jesus and Jesus did not say that their devotion to him was extreme.
B. Early Christians didn't live ungodly lives.
2 Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
exp. The idea that "God accepts you with your sin" is absolutely contrary to God's Word. God expects believers to LIVE GODLY IN AN UNGODLY WORLD.
I Corinthians 6: 9 ¶ Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
C. Early Christians didn't expect the world to congratulate their "faith."
Matthew 10: 23-25 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?
app. If we are living as God intends believers to live - we will suffer IN HIS NAME. Unless you think you deserve something better than Jesus - you will embrace His cross as your own.
IV. IN HIS NAME - we preach.
Acts 9:20-21 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?
Acts 9:27-29 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem. And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.
exp. Paul's message very simply was - Jesus Christ crucified and risen again for the sins of the world.
ill. The early church preached IN HIS NAME.
Acts 4:2 Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
Acts 5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
Acts 8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
Acts 17:18 Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.
2 Corinthians 1:19 ...the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus....
app. Apologetics have their place - arguing for Creation and Creator - but Jesus needs to be the heart of our message. We preach - IN HIS NAME.
V. IN HIS NAME - we triumph.
Acts 9:32-35 And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda. And there he found a certain man named Æneas, which had kept his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy. And Peter said unto him, Æneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately. And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord.
exp. The miracles done by the apostles after the resurrection of Jesus were in the NAME AND POWER OF JESUS.
ill. The lame man at the temple - Acts 3:6 Then Peter said, 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.
ill. David - 1Sa 17:45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
conclusion:
Lydia Baxter had the right idea about the Name of Jesus.
1. Take the Name of Jesus with you,
Child of sorrow and of woe,
It will joy and comfort give you;
Take it then, where’er you go.
IN HIS NAME....
1.) We pray.
2.) We go.
3.) We suffer.
4.) We preach.
5.) We triumph.
