Grace Lutheran Church Fourth Sunday of Easter, May 7, 2006

The Rev. Evan Gaertner

Fourth Sunday of Easter "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth"
May 7, 2006 Acts 4:1-12

"We're number one!" The triumphal victory chant of a champion.

"We're number one!" is the exclamation point of victory. It is an exciting chant for the basketball court, the ice rink, the soccer pitch, or the football field. But it is not the chant of the Christian in this world. It is not because we are not champions. In Christ we are victorious over sin, death, and the devil. But as we live in Christ our desire is not to be boastful. Indeed we are saved not by works but by grace through faith in Jesus so that no one can boast.

Besides the temptation to proclaim our salvation like the victorious team that shouts, “We’re number one,” which can make the losing team feel like losers. Some people attack attempts of Christians to share their faith because it appears to them that it becomes a “we’re better than you message.”

There is also a temptation by Christians to minimize the victory that we have in Jesus Christ to the point that Jesus becomes one option among men.

A joke I read recently describes what happens when you mix a Jehovah's Witness with a Lutheran. You get someone that is inclined to go knock on doors but not say anything. This joke pokes fun at our reluctance as Lutherans to be more assertive about sharing our Christian faith. And I suppose that the punchline could be true of many other mainline denominations besides Lutheras.

There are good reasons that we do not go and knock on doors, including that we live in a society that looks down upon door-to-door solicitation of any kind.

But how often do you find yourself sharing your Christian faith with anyone under any circumstances? A survey of Christians found that only two percent actively share their faith. For whatever reason 98% of Christians do not actively share their faith with others.

Why is this? Are we concerned with being pushy or forceful? I think that may be a part of the problem. There have been people in the past that in religious zeal acted in violence to force others to claim Jesus as their savior. The crusades, the inquisition, and the forceful pressures of some family members all can color our desires to actively share our Christian faith.

But I wonder if we have taken to heart the words of the apostles when they said, "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 4:11-12)

There is salvation in no one else. Do you believe this? I want you to be honest with yourself and consider the claim of the apostles of our Lord. Do you believe that there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved?

Some may respond, "Don't we just all worship the same God in different ways?" Someone else may respond, "I think that as long as a person is living a good life he should be left alone." I suppose another person may think, "God wouldn't be so cruel to keep people out of heaven just because he doesn't believe in Jesus?"

All of those responses would appear to be in conflict with what Peter said. I suppose we could argue that those were just Peter's words. But see they weren't just Peter's words. Verse 8 says, "Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them…"

After the apostles received the gift of the Holy Spirit and proclaimed the good news of Jesus to everyone gathered in Jerusalem on Pentecost, they did not finish their sermon by jumping up and down and shouting in the air, "We're number one! We're number one!"

Instead they kept going back to the temple at the hours of prayer. They did not view those that did not believe in Jesus as their enemies to be defeated. They saw the people of this world as ones for whom Christ lived, died, and rose again. Jesus is triumphant over sin, death, and the devil. Jesus came to crush the head of Satan and rescue us from our sin. Jesus did not come to crush you, he came to destroy all that gets in the way from you having a relationship with God.

This is the crossing point for why Jesus is alone the name by which we are saved. Jesus alone is the answer to our sin. If we place Jesus as one option among many, we are not taking seriously the problem of our sin and the uniqueness of Jesus as the son of God sacrificing himself upon the cross for our redemption.

Those apostles going back to the temple day after day did not go triumphantly to proclaim themselves victorious and everyone else losers. They went to where people were lost, not necessarily losers, but lost and in need. Where the people were the apostles went to share the hope and confidence that was theirs through Christ Jesus.

They found a man that was lame from birth and was being carried every day to the gate of the temple to beg. He asked Peter and John for money. Peter said, "I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!"

The man stood and began to walk and entered the temple with the apostles.

There is salvation in no one else. This statement may sound very exclusive and close-minded. But the disciples don't argue the "I'm right you're wrong" sort of logic. Instead they live and speak words of welcome.

This Jesus that you killed is resurrected. He is not dead; he is alive. Now we come delivering words of forgiveness and redemption from sins through him. Take seriously the problem of sin and you will want a solution. Have mercy on me O God for I am a man of unclean lips among a people of unclean lips.

I think it is very open minded and very inclusive of our God to welcome us into his kingdom through faith in Jesus Christ. The gates of heaven should be locked and sealed shut on account of our sinfulness. But Jesus Christ of Nazareth has opened the gates to the kingdom of God and through faith in him we are invited to enter into his kingdom. What should be locked has been opened.

When Peter and John healed the lame man at the gate to the temple, the man stood up and walked into the temple with Peter and John. When you share the good news of Jesus Christ with someone, a friend, a co-worker, a neighbor, or a family member, you are inviting her to walk with you into the kingdom of heaven.

The gospel of St. John records Jesus saying, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die." (John 11:25)

This is a wide open, everyone invited message. Jesus does not triumphantly go to the cross so that he can be better than you. Jesus went to the cross because death and the cross is what we deserve and he takes it freely upon himself. Our message as Christians, when we proclaim that there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved, is the gate of heaven which was locked and sealed shut on account of sin has been opened. We are sharing the good news that without Christ indeed we would be shut out of heaven but he has lived, died, and rose again so that we might be with him. This is the reality we should be excluded but have been included by Christ. This is the same message we bring to others. We all should be excluded but thanks be to God in Jesus Christ of Nazareth we are included, we are welcomed, we are loved, we are redeemed, we are justified by grace through faith.

We are not triumphantly announcing that we are number one! We are follow our Lord who has rescued us and inviting others to trust in Jesus Christ. I encourage you to invite people to know Jesus because Jesus alone saves. He desires for all to know him and trust in him.

Do you believe that Jesus saves us from our sin, death, and the devil? Yes. Do you believe this is a life-transforming message? Yes. May this be the peace that keeps you and sends you into the world to share with others the victory of Jesus.

Soli Deo Gloria

Grace Lutheran Church

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