Lord’s Day, Vol. 9 No. 28

Faith in Jesus’ Name

Acts 3:16 (KJV) And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

The man limb from his mother’s womb was healed through faith in the Name of Jesus Christ. The scene took place at 3pm at the gate of the Temple in Jerusalem which is called Beautiful, at Solomon’s porch.

The encounter was on this wise: 

Acts 3:2-8 (KJV) And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; 3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. 4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. 5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. 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. 7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

The joy was unspeakable and as Peter would describe in his epistle full of glory (1 Peter 1:8).

What a day of rejoicing! The man was walking and leaping and praising God, in the Name of Jesus Christ. It was in the Name of Jesus that this miracle effected.

Jesus is God, He is the prince of life (v15), the Giver and Sustainer of all life, that was unjustly crucified. God raised Jesus from the dead. This is the power of God through Christ that healed the man. This is the power of God unto salvation whom Peter and John were not ashamed to proclaim to the people who gathered to see the man who was healed. They were witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

Acts 3:15 (KJV) And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.

This is that Jesus of Nazareth in Whose Name the man was healed. Peter explained that it was faith in the Name of Jesus that has made this man strong. 

Romans 10:9-10 (KJV) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

This man was granted faith by God to believe in His Son Jesus and was gloriously saved.

The hymn “He Keeps Me Singing” described well the walking, and leaping, and praising of God by this man whose sins are forgiven that reverberated the city of Jerusalem that day.

There’s within my heart a melody
Jesus whispers sweet and low,
Fear not, I am with thee, peace, be still,
In all of life’s ebb and flow.

Refrain:
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
Sweetest Name I know,
Fills my every longing,
Keeps me singing as I go.

All my life was wrecked by sin and strife,
Discord filled my heart with pain,
Jesus swept across the broken strings,
Stirred the slumb’ring chords again.

This man experienced a great stirring in the heart to believe with all his heart the Name of Jesus. He experienced the refreshing presence of the Lord when he repented of his sins.

Acts 3:19 (KJV) Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Peter explained to the people that was gathered to behold the man who was healed by Jesus, that He is the Christ – whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all (v16b).

He is the “Messiah” that was preached in the Hebrew Old Testament Scriptures. This is He which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began (v21). 

Faith in Jesus has given this man perfect soundness “wholeness” – the forgiveness of sins brings God’s peace attested by his ability to walk again authenticating the power of God through the Person of Jesus. God’s unmerited favour “this grace” effected by faith, caused him to literally and spiritually stand, in other words, enjoy fellowship with God presently and finds its culmination in the heavenly fellowship to come when sin will no longer plague His people – Romans 5:1-2 (KJV) Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Peter pressed upon the people to believe that Jesus is the Christ – Acts 3:17-18 (KJV) And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.

The suffering of Christ was recorded in Isaiah 53 – Isaiah 53:4-6 (KJV) Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Jesus Christ bored our sins upon the cross that we through His suffering might be saved. This miracle of healing for the lame man was recorded for posterity so that we, in our time, might behold the power of God unto salvation through faith in the Name of Jesus. That we might believe on Jesus. 

Acts 3:26 (KJV) Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

Though this gospel was first preached to the Jews, this offer is given to all who will believe upon the Name of Jesus! Amen.

Yours lovingly 

Pastor Lek Aik Wee