Life By Faith In His Name Through Hearing The Word

[0:00] Well, good morning, folks. It's good to see you all. It's good to be here. It's good that we're able to gather together. This is October 2020.

[0:11] We're eight months into an unknown time. Of course, the future is always unknown to us. But we're figuring this thing out. And our God is good. And he has all things in hand.

[0:23] But it's good that we can be here. It's good that we can gather. And as Stephen said, the Lord is in control. My thanks to Kevin and Elaine, my dear friends. At the start of the year, we were ministering together in prisons.

[0:37] But we're not able to do that just now. But it's great that you could join me again. It's great to be with you guys. So thank you very much. And thank you for coming out. You've all came out knowing that this church is a church that obeys the word, that holds the word valuable, that stakes their life on the word of God.

[0:58] So you've came out expecting to hear something from the word of God, which is terrific. And also, you've came out knowing that you're among people who place their lives in the name of Jesus and place their trust in the name of Jesus.

[1:12] And that's what we're here to do. And, you know, if you're out and if you're listening, we hope that you're built up, that you're encouraged, that you're strengthened, that you grow in faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

[1:22] I had a college day in PTC the other day. And we were with a guy from America, a professor. And some of the new people just starting this year were introducing themselves and saying a bit about what their churches are like.

[1:39] And one chap had said his church was small, biblical, unimpressive. And we know what he meant. But the guy, the professor from America, said something striking.

[1:54] He said, if you're a church that is preaching Christ and preaching the word in Scotland, then you are impressive. There's not many.

[2:04] There's not many. Scotland's not what it used to be like. It's in desperate need for the gospel. And we're just grateful to God that this is a gospel church.

[2:16] So it's good to be here. And as such, we're going to open in Acts chapter 3. It will perhaps be up on the screen. I'll be reading it out anyway. But before we read from that, let me pray.

[2:28] God, our great Father in heaven, creator of the heavens and earth, we give you great thanks that we are here today because of your son, Jesus.

[2:42] And we give you thanks that your word is eternal, everlasting, unstoppable. And that your word is powerful and true.

[2:58] And Father, we pray that as we open your word today, that by your spirit, you would speak to us. That you would open our minds to the scriptures and open the scriptures to us.

[3:11] That by your spirit, you would move us in heart to see Jesus. As Luke writes, as you've inspired him to write, and as your spirit has inspired your servant Peter to preach Christ, your son.

[3:28] So, Lord, we pray that we would see Jesus clearly. Who he is and what he does and what he's all about. And that we would grow in faith. And that we would hear. And that you would move us in our deeds and words to glorify your son, Jesus.

[3:43] Speak to us now through your spirit, through your word, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, Acts chapter 3.

[3:57] And we're going to be reading from verse 1 to Acts chapter 4, verse 4. Let me read. Now, Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer.

[4:09] The ninth hour. That is 3 p.m. And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate.

[4:20] To ask alms of those who were entering the temple. And seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. And Peter directed his gaze at him, asked to John, and said, Look at us.

[4:35] And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, I have no silver and gold. But what I do have, I give to you.

[4:48] In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand and raised him up. And immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.

[4:59] And leaping up, he stood and began to walk and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God and recognized him as the one who sat at the beautiful gate of the temple asking for alms.

[5:16] And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. And while he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them and the portico called Solomon's.

[5:28] And when Peter saw it, he addressed the people. Men of Israel, why? Why do you wonder at this? Or why do you stare at us as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?

[5:43] The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate when he decided to release him.

[5:59] But you denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you. And you killed the author of life, whom God raised from the dead.

[6:13] To this we are witnesses. And his name, by faith in his name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know.

[6:25] And the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all. And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers.

[6:37] But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent, therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.

[7:07] Moses said, The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.

[7:23] And all the prophets who have spoken from Samuel and those who came after him also proclaimed these days. You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

[7:44] God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.

[7:56] And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed, because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

[8:12] And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of those who had heard the word believed. And the number of the men came to about 5,000.

[8:28] Hallelujah. Praise the Lord. Amen. Well, as you know, last time it was the busiest, one of the busiest days of year in Jerusalem, the Feast of Pentecost.

[8:42] Thousands and thousands and thousands of people. And God marked out this group of disciples in an extraordinary way. And the people asked, What does this mean?

[8:54] And Peter, in his previous sermon, took the people from that question, What does this mean? To the question, What shall we do? Because he preached the gospel of Christ to them in power.

[9:06] And then those who heard the word and believed, there were about 3,000 added that day. What a miracle. What a great thing that was. What a victory. And now, on some other day, later on, Peter and John are going to the temple.

[9:23] And again, more specifically through Peter, he does this incredible miracle by healing this man. And then Peter, again, in the amazement of the people, preaches Christ.

[9:38] Preaches the gospel and takes them from amazement to the question of, what shall we do? And he tells them, repent, put your faith in the name of Jesus. Receive life and the author of life.

[9:49] And that's where we're at today. Peter, at this moment, through his sermon, has presented a choice to the people. A choice of life or death. And those that responded were about 2,000.

[10:03] And the church, the church became about 5,000 strong that day. Amazing. Well, there was a game show on the TV in the 80s and 90s.

[10:13] I'm sure you all remember it. Cilla Black was the host. She was assisted by, ah, Graham, the voice who helped contestants choose a partner based on a brief description.

[10:26] Of course, I'm talking about Blind Date. The audience and the viewers got the best vantage point because we could see both sides of the screen.

[10:39] There was a contestant who was going to pick a date out of three people and they were on the other side of the screen. And did you know, actually, a couple of people who met on Blind Date are still married to this day?

[10:52] How amazing is that? Anyway, the concept's simple. You're given some information and then you make a choice. You get to see the two people that you didn't pick first and then, standing behind the screen, your choice is revealed.

[11:07] And there's a first impression that was this choice good? But you don't really know from the first impression whether it is good or not. I'm sure the couple that are still married are glad of that.

[11:17] But many did not get married. You don't really know right then and there how your choice will pan out. It's not immediately evident. But eventually you will. So in this section today, like the last time, the people are presented with some information.

[11:33] Presented with a choice. And this is in fact the way it is throughout the entire Bible, is it not? The way it is through the entire Bible. Even today, from Genesis up to Jesus' day, through Moses, the prophets, the kings, Jesus, the apostles, and even now today, we are presented with a choice.

[12:01] One of the big questions throughout the entire Bible, a question applicable to every single person throughout the world, throughout every single age, is what will you choose? Life or death?

[12:15] Now put like this, it seems pretty obvious, doesn't it? Who wouldn't choose life, right? Well, let me read a short section from Deuteronomy 30. Moses gets all Israel together.

[12:25] Those have been rescued from slavery, remember. They were slaves in Egypt and they were rescued mightily by the hand of God. and they're making their way to the promised land. And Moses, Moses knows that he's not going to enter the promised land with them.

[12:40] But he's the spokesperson, the prophet, the mediator for God, for these people. So he speaks very frankly with these people, with Israel, about the covenant and whether they'll be faithful to God or not.

[12:54] So in Deuteronomy 30, he says, for this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you. Neither is it far off. It's not in heaven that you should say who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us that we may hear it and do it.

[13:11] Neither is it beyond the sea that you should say who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us that we may hear it and do it. But the word is very near to you. It is in your mouth and in your heart so that you can do it.

[13:26] See, I have set before you today life and death. Life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.

[13:53] But if your heart turns away and you will not hear but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today that you shall surely perish.

[14:04] You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse.

[14:16] Therefore choose life that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him for he is your life and length of days that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to give to them.

[14:37] Choose life, says Moses. These people are presented with the choice before the hand, before the fact. They've got no excuse for what happens afterwards because they've been given the choice and they've been told choose life.

[14:54] They know what it means to choose life and not to choose life, to choose God and not to listen. They know where it will go. Moses has already spent a time in the law talking about all the blessings if you obey the commands and all the curses if you do not.

[15:11] And it's like this little picture I've got up here is a fork in the path in the forest and there's a little boy standing there and looking at all the pictures that I could have used there was men in suits with a suitcase and wondering what to do but I thought this one was particularly striking because it's a little boy just a wee lad timidly looking at what choice to make and wouldn't you want for an innocent young boy wouldn't you want him to choose life?

[15:37] Wouldn't you want him not to go down a dark path that's going to harm him? You know we might think differently if it's an adult but when you look at a little boy or think about a little boy when I think about my boy I desperately want him to choose life and knowing the word of God I know what that means to love the Lord to choose Jesus Now why read all that in the Old Testament?

[16:02] Well it's just to show that this theme actually runs throughout the entire Bible and even beyond us today you might think that if you did a survey in the streets of Bells Hill to see whether people would choose life and death that it would be obvious Would it be obvious?

[16:20] The thing is when you look around at what people are doing is it so obvious then? You might think everyone would surely choose life but when you look around and see what is in their words and deeds are they actually choosing life?

[16:36] or are they choosing death? I've been there myself I lived a life that was choosing death The question is are people willing to both hear and do what is necessary to have life?

[16:52] Now you'll remember perhaps in the Gospels the rich young ruler who came to Jesus and asked what must I do to inherit eternal life? What a great question Many of us might think that it would be good if things were clear if only things were clear about the will of God then we would be able to do them but we don't like this ambiguous kind of grey area where we don't quite know we might think it would be easy if we just knew exactly what to do if only God if only God was clear and specific about his will it would be easier but that's simply not the case here's a young man asking a really important question what must I do to inherit life eternal life asking a really important question and the thing is Jesus actually gives him an answer of how to inherit eternal life this guy got the answer to one of the most important questions you can ask and you might think it would be then obvious that he would do what Jesus said but he didn't he didn't choose life he was told the answer and he did not choose life the way to eternal life was set before him and he turned away now it's not complicated it doesn't require any special skills or anything like that it's for everyone the way is for everyone anyone can choose life it is simple it's just not easy why?

[18:21] because like the the rich young ruler the young man it required letting go of something that we treasure letting go of something that you treasure and most people will find that very difficult to do even if they're told that their treasure is infinitely less valuable than what is offered still humanity is both gripped by darkness and grips onto darkness Peter and John are heading into the temple at the usual time of prayer and on their way they meet this crippled man he's been unable to walk since birth and Luke tells us later that he's over 40 years old he gets carried to the temple gate every day so that he can receive charity from his countrymen anyone who's visited the temple will be aware of this man that's an interesting thing isn't it?

[19:09] the man's over 40 he's probably been doing this begging at the temple for many years Jesus visited the temple didn't he? not so long ago as well Jesus probably knew who this man was probably went by him but yet there he is still lame never healed Jesus didn't heal everyone nor was that why he came and likewise the healing that is done by the apostles here wasn't their main mission nor was it always a feature of their ministry but as with Jesus these miracles do have a purpose like in Acts 2 we see the same pattern here in Acts 3 a miraculous event a response of amazement and a speech by Peter and then a response at the end however a couple of notable differences between this and Acts 2 is that this time the miracle is now more directly done through the apostle himself and the opposition comes after the speech now the miracle itself has a similar effect as before where before the language miracles singled out the Jesus followers as the one accepted by God more specifically this time it singles out the apostles as the ones attested by God

[20:25] Peter and John are going into the temple this man asked to receive charity now remember the man was there every day watching countless legs go past him asking countless people for charity and doubtless rarely lifting his head so Peter said look at us the man's got his hands out for charity but he's probably got his head down and Peter says look at us so the man would pay attention to them and no doubt Peter would have been moved by this man not so much confident in his own ability but with the compassion of God through the spirit within him and definitely confident in the name of Jesus and the spirit that filled him so he says I have no silver or gold but I have a better treasure that I will share with you a better treasure than silver and gold in the name of Jesus of Nazareth rise up and walk now it's certainly not bad to share your silver and gold with people but charity charity of a monetary kind is no match for sharing the name of Jesus now that might seem trite

[21:47] I know that but the reality is silver and gold as valuable as that may be will be of no use on your deathbed see even if this man was a millionaire he would still be lame even the world's richest people today are subject to the same things that we are aren't they once again remember the rich young ruler even if he did give away all that he had it was not for the purposes of buying eternal life see no amount of silver or gold will be enough to pay for eternal life no amount of silver or gold all the silver and gold in the world will not be enough to pay for eternal life why?

[22:29] because it's the wrong currency altogether the only currency that will buy you eternal life is the blood of the righteous son of God nothing less will do as it says in Hebrews 9 where a will is involved the death of the one who made it must be established for a will takes effect only at death since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive of course Hebrews is talking about the eternal inheritance just before when he says of Christ he is the mediator of a new covenant so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the old covenant silver and gold can only do so much but what Peter gives to this man is a foretaste of life in the name of Jesus that's what the miracles of Jesus and the miracles of the apostles were all about it was a foretaste of the life that is in Christ that's what the healing is about and other healings whether by the apostles or Jesus they are a reversal of the things that belong to a fallen world and a taste of the new world see the fact that it is by Peter's hand that the miracle occurs is important because it's a developing theme and a developing sign remember in Acts 2

[23:52] Peter quotes Joel Peter quotes Joel and says I will show you wonders and signs and then after quoting Joel he said that Jesus of Nazareth was attested to them by God through mighty works and wonders and signs see Peter's making a connection with Joel wonders and signs to Jesus wonders and signs saying this is how God is attesting his servant to you the miracles Jesus did attested that he was from God and his works authenticated his words then at the end of Acts 2 in verse 43 it says that many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles the same term done through the apostles now they are the ones that are being attested to through the same thing their works are for the purpose of attesting that they are from God their works are authenticating their words as Jesus was the sent one from the father so these apostles are the sent ones from Jesus now this is a big example of that that Luke has drawn on here a great example of that that's going on see Paul says in 2nd Corinthians 12 these are the signs of a true apostle signs and wonders and mighty works they mark the apostles of Christ the witnesses the ones to whom people should listen we must remember where we are in the history of church see Acts 3 isn't about whether miracles are for every

[25:22] Christian and every age Acts 3 is an example of how the apostles of Jesus are being attested to the people by God through signs and wonders just as Jesus was and just as Joel said because the apostles are the chosen witnesses of Jesus resurrection Acts 1 8 before any Christian the apostles are the ones being authenticated as the ones who speak for Jesus just as Jesus was authenticated as the one who speaks for the Father that's why Jesus says I and the Father are one and so as we seen last week and we see again such miracles cause amazement and wonder that's why they're called wonders I guess and as such they make people wonder but again as with last week asking what something means or wondering about a wonderful wonder isn't enough once again Peter needs to connect the dots in their mind this was not just us or our power that did this let me tell you who did this men of Israel the God of Abraham the God of Isaac the God of Jacob the God of our fathers do you see what Peter's doing

[26:41] Peter's going to great lengths to show them that this is their very God their very own God he is talking about this is really really important because he's saying men of Israel your God our God the God of our nation since Abraham do you know what he did this God of ours he glorified his servant Jesus our God glorified the one that you put to death wait wait wait wait what yes that Jesus yeah he that Jesus that you put to death yeah he's the servant of the Lord in Isaiah yeah he is that Jesus you know the one that you delivered and denied in the presence of Pilate yeah when he decided to release him the pagan Pilate a pagan ruler decided to release Jesus seeing him as innocent and you put to death the servant of the Lord yeah that Jesus that same very Jesus our very God has glorified how about that the holy and righteous one yeah the one that you denied you people of God denied the holy one

[27:52] I mean what does that say the people of God denying the holy one what does that say about the people you people of the law denied the righteous one something's not making sense here what does that say about you you not only denied him but you asked for a murderer to be released instead you people of the law remember the survey go out into the streets what do you want life or death you may tick that box that says life but when you would rather have a murderer walk your streets than the holy righteous one what does that say you see this is the same thing that happens today in our streets like the men of Israel back then people now might find it quite alright to talk about God but how they respond to the name of Jesus will tell you where they really stand with

[28:53] God Peter says how about this for an oxymoron you killed the author of life the very author and source of life was put to the death by the ones whose lives are in his hands now that will tell you whether someone wants life or death won't it what they do with the very author of life see how someone treats Jesus reveals how they treat life do you want life or death well God raised him up that's the thing and the apostles are witnesses of that and his name says Peter the name of Jesus by faith in his name that is what made this man strong the faith that is through Jesus has given this man perfect health in the presence of you all again this isn't about health and wealth avoiding suffering and pain getting your best life now and all that no it's not about that what Peter is talking about by this man having perfect health by faith in the name of

[30:06] Jesus is because Jesus is the author of life life comes from Jesus and this man having faith in the name of Jesus is why this man has got perfect health it's not that everyone who has faith in the name of Jesus gets perfect health but this is a big sign that faith in the author of life is the one who gives true life it's a foretaste of the world to come that's what it's about notice as well the man wasn't healed because he had faith in Peter the man had faith in the name that Peter invoked and as such Peter goes to great lengths himself to explain to the people that it was not anything to do with him but rather the name of Jesus why do you look at us and wonder as if it's us or by our power or piety or anything like that it's by the name of Jesus and what happens when you have the choice between life and death and you choose death well it's like what

[31:10] Moses said I have set before you life and good death and evil that's what it's like for these people right then and there through this amazement and Solomon's portico loads of people gather together and Peter explains this and he says listen this is what's before you life or death look at this man this is a foretaste of life and where does it come from the name of Jesus it wasn't the name of the temple or the name of the Sanhedrin or the name of the chief priest or anything like that now it wasn't even the name of Yahweh the name of God although it is through God but it was the one who he glorified his servant Jesus the one put to death that's whose name it is the one that you denied so you still have a choice life or death will you listen to the prophet that's like Moses will you listen to the holy and righteous one will you listen to the author of life the servant of the Lord who is it

[32:12] Jesus of Nazareth will you listen to him will you put your faith in his name or will you choose Barabbas do you just want murderers roaming your streets is that all you want choose life but they say crucify life crucify life and give us a murderer and when that happens when you made that choice and the one that you've killed comes back to life oh that means trouble certainly you would shrink back that's why in Acts 2 they were cut to the heart they were terrified and I think that also applies to any person in any age I don't know about you but I once rejected Jesus I once lived in such a way to reject the author of life it was a wee church in East Gobride I don't know if I've told you about this before threshold church that had the big words on the wall outside John 14 Jesus says

[33:13] I am the way and it was just that you know it wasn't the complete thing or anything like that but great big words Jesus said I am the way I used to go buy it every day and mock it the way to what Jesus who no thanks no thanks author of life no thanks life no thanks eternal life no you're alright but as true as that may be thankfully Peter is preaching the good news here and praise to God someone preached the good news to me and someone preached the good news to any of us here and that's why we're here today because Peter says and this applies to all of us at one point I know that you acted in ignorance that's what Peter says you did this yes you're culpable but you acted in ignorance how can so many people even in our own streets today live in such a way as they would rather choose death than life how can so many people deny and reject the author of life the holy and righteous one and show by their actions and their words that they would rather have a murderer walk their streets how can that be true unless the whole world is deceived living in ignorance living in the domain of darkness skewed by sin but what

[34:39] God foretold that is Christ his anointed king would suffer he fulfilled how do we get out of this mess when we've just been told the good news the gospel when we've been told the truth about who Jesus is that's part of the gospel Jesus has risen he's the holy one he's the author of life in fact to reject Jesus is to reject life we have rejected Jesus they might think how's that good news Peter says well repent you still get a choice repent and turn back that your sins yeah your sins can be blotted out you can have a time of refreshing come from the presence of the Lord that he may send that very anointed one for you Jesus whom heaven must receive until the time of restoring all things about which God spoke through his holy apostles holy prophets long ago yeah Jesus is the one that's going to restore all things he's the one that's going to bring refreshing he's the one that can blot out every sin praise God

[35:53] I don't know about you but I'm very very thankful for that things about me that none of you know and none of you would want to know and none of you would accept me in here if you did know and I'm sure that's true about every one of us but Jesus blots them out by his blood by faith in his name Moses said the Lord will raise up a prophet like me from your brothers remember Moses being a prophet implored the people to choose life but did they listen no well Moses said that the prophet that is coming Jesus is the one that you really must listen to you shall listen to him and whatever he tells you and it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people and that's the running theme in the New Testament to reject Jesus is to reject life and therefore perish you think God wants people to perish absolutely not in Ezekiel it says

[36:54] God does not take pleasure in the death even of the wicked but that they may turn from their sins and have what have life C.S. Lewis said that the fact that there's a hell is only true because people make the choice to reject life it's not because God made it and likes to send people there or anything like that it's because people reject life in God and Peter quotes Genesis 22 Abraham has just gone to sacrifice Isaac that's the point that Peter's quoting Genesis 22 Abraham's going with Isaac his boy to sacrifice him I can hardly talk about that story there's a song that Andrew Peterson sings about that story I can hardly listen to it because it makes me think of Levi my little boy just I mean God gave Abraham

[37:56] God gave Abraham a taste of what God's heart is like because God sent his son now just because he's God and just because Jesus rose from the dead don't think that that was easy for God the father who loves the son in fact the whole Bible is a story about how much the father loves the son the whole of creation and Colossians was for him a gift for the son the father loves the son so Peter's quoting from Genesis 22 Abraham's just gone to sacrifice Isaac and if you know about that story you'll know that God would never ask somebody to do that and there's a big point that he's making in that he needs Abraham to know that Isaac's the son of promise that's the only reason why I asked him to do it and that's why in Hebrews it says that Abraham thought at that point that God would raise him from the dead because he finally got it God had to tell him numerous times no this is the son not

[38:59] Ishmael not by your own flesh this is the son of promise the one that I gave you this is the one whom all this is going to come through and Abraham finally got it and that's the only reason why Abraham took him to sacrifice him but he was stopped the angel commanded him to stop and the Lord said at that point in Genesis 22 because you have not withheld your son your only son I will surely bless you and multiply your offspring and then he says and in your offspring singular through one of your offspring one of your seed all the nations of the earth will be blessed and Peter uses this to reveal three things one who the seed is two what the blessing is and three what the extent of the blessing is see the offspring singular of Abraham and whom the whole world is blessed is Jesus verse 26 the next verse God having raised up his servant sent him to you first remember

[40:04] Isaac being the son of promise in that episode of sacrifice he was a foreshadow of the seed of promise the son of promise a foreshadow of the seed of promise and Hebrews tells us that Abraham got that that God would have raised him from the dead if he'd went through with it because he knows the promises through him you understand the promises through Jesus God raised Jesus from the dead just like Abraham thought he would have done with Isaac see the promise is not null and void because Jesus is not dead he's risen that's what the seed of promise Jesus the whole world might be blessed through him so Jesus the seed the offspring through whom the whole world is blessed but what is the blessing see Peter finishes saying that the blessing is turning people from their wickedness I don't know if you've ever heard that being a definition for blessing I received a blessing bless you would you like a blessing the blessing is to turn people from their wickedness now that's just a roundabout way to say the blessing is that everyone anyone in the whole wide world might have life through Christ they might be turned from their road the path that's leading to death and perishing turned from their wickedness that's a really great kind thing for God to do

[41:35] I know in my life it was a great kindness of God to turn me from my wickedness and the blessing of that is eternal life in Christ I wonder if that's what you think of when you think of being blessed but it's consistent with scripture see Moses told them to choose life or death and he also talks about in terms of blessing and cursing and Psalm 32 King David as well says blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered if your sins have been forgiven then you are very blessed because that means that you will not perish but you will have eternal life and that goes back to silver and gold doesn't it because what many people don't realize or think about when they use the term blessed or blessing is the true blessing the blessing that Jesus brings to the world is repentance turning from sin forgiveness reconciliation and you might want all the silver and gold but let me tell you that the uber blessing is forgiveness being turned away from sin that's the uber blessing because it equates to life and life eternal given and found in the author of life himself in the name of Jesus you cannot take your silver and gold with you when you die nor can you can your silver or gold prevent you from dying nor can you buy a ticket to heaven with your silver or gold and nor can you purchase eternal life with it neither can you pay off the judge of the world with silver and gold but with faith in the name of

[43:05] Jesus the author of life you will receive the free gift of God sins blotted out and eternal life hallelujah praise God what do you want do you want life or death because life comes from Jesus the author of life the father granted it to the son to have life in himself Jesus self exists life is in him he doesn't rely on anyone else for life what are you going to do when you run out of breath who are you going to turn to where do we get our breath from who is even the one that is given each and every one of us breath right now it's not us we don't have life in ourselves and so it became obvious there and then that some still shunned life and chose death how after all that how could people still choose death but they did didn't they temple temple priests

[44:12] Sadducees ones that arrested Peter for talking about how people can get life but the great thing is Peter had already spoken it was too late many of those who had already heard believed oh we thank God for the faithfulness of his servants that speak the true word don't we we thank God for people preaching the gospel whether they're imprisoned or not because when people hear it and believe it 2000 people just granted eternal life what an amazing thing they grew from around 3000 to 5000 what a great thing not just this lame man but a couple of thousand people also put their faith in the name of Jesus and this day this very day right now they are in heaven in the presence of the author of life enjoying that life that is in Jesus because they heard and believed listen to that prophet

[45:19] Moses says because just like 2000 souls life comes through faith in his name faith in his name comes through hearing the word and if you haven't heard the word already if you haven't believed then do so now and if you're listening to this then do so now turn from your sin put your faith in the name of Jesus because his is the name the only name that will give you life because he is the author of life and if you have then never ever underestimate the power of both the name of Jesus and the word of God in the mouths of ordinary people like me and you never underestimate the name of Jesus in your own mouth to someone else never underestimate the truth of God in your mouth to someone else because if they hear it and believe they will have life the only way that anyone else has any hope to be able to choose life is if me and you speak about the name of Jesus and his gospel let us set life before others that's what we're called to do we're not called to be skilled

[46:39] Peter says it wasn't anything to do with us it's the name of Jesus that this man believed it's nothing to do with us it's to do with God who works through us who's given us his spirit that we might set life before the people that are in our town life before our families that we may set life before people that's what we're called to do that's how we're called to break the brokenness that's in our families the evil that's in this world the light is already shining the true light the darkness is passing away brothers and sisters you are the salt of the earth you are the light of the world you are the ones that have faith in the name of Jesus and by sharing that with others you are setting before them life an eternal life and it's the only way that they'll be able to choose it if it's set before them a world deceived a world skewed by sin a world ignorant in darkness but you are the light so let us glorify let us lift the name of

[47:53] Jesus let us sing about Jesus let us pray in the name of Jesus that's why we do that and let us speak about the name of Jesus and just now I'm going to invite Kevin and Elaine with our last song your name specifically talking about the name of Jesus so let that sink in glorify God in your hearts and enjoy hearing about the truth of his name and I'll pray at the end and the I'll pray for you if it's