Is there power in the name of Jesus?

But there is another thing. They are described as not denying the power of that name — His name as a centre. That name is one that must not be slighted. It is the resource for all difficulties from forgiving sin to the dealing with every kind of need. It is the only name of holy power; and, for this very reason, a name of unfailing avail in dealing with what is contrary to God in the way of false doctrine or unholiness. Where is it that there are children of God who love to confide in it, to gather round it, knowing what it is to trust it? Where then must we look for those to whom the Lord says distinctively — "Thou hast kept My word, and hast not denied My name?" It is not for me to say where they are. It is for you to find them out. And may the Lord give you to prayerfully search before you settle the question! For you ought to know well that no one here wishes to urge anything that does not commend itself to the conscience of the children of God. Christ's word and name concern them most nearly; and He assuredly speaks of those who cleave to both.

The importance of the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the Christian cannot be over emphasised. It is the only Name in which salvation is to be found (Acts 4:12). Baptism is performed in His Name (Acts 8:12, 16; Acts 10:48; Acts 19:5). Prayer to the Father and the Son is in His powerful Name (John 14:13-14; John 15:16; John 16:23, 26). Works of miraculous power were done by the apostles in His Name (Acts 3:6, 16; Acts 4:30; Acts 16:18). If sin raised its ugly head in the Corinthian assembly it was judged in the power of the Lord's Name (1 Cor. 5:4). The authority for judging evil is not in casting votes but in being true to the Name of the Lord. There may be opposition from relatives or friends but the resource of the faithful lies in the Name of the Lord Jesus. The effects and power of sin were overcome in the Lord's Name (1 Cor. 6:11). The day is not far distant when every knee will be compelled to bow to the Name of Jesus. That Name is above every name (Phil. 2:9-10). The graphic picture of Jesus coming in power and glory as described in Revelation 19:11-16 demonstrates the greatness of His Name and His great triumph over evil powers. He has a Name that no one bears but Himself. His Name is called the Word of God and He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. It is no wonder that Paul could state with triumph in a Roman prison “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil. 4:13). Paul's Saviour and Lord is ours. Have we Paul's faith and experience?

Among the signs and wonders a very special feature is pointed out in ver. 15; their bringing out the sick into the streets and putting them on beds and couches that the mere shadow of Peter as he came along might overshadow some one of them. So did the abundant goodness of God by man in honour of Jesus fill men's hearts with confident expectation. Nor do we hear of disappointment. On the contrary we are told that the multitude also of the cities round about Jerusalem flocked thither, bringing sick people and those troubled by unclean spirits; and healing was vouchsafed to them all. How wondrous the virtue of that Name which thus unfailingly invested His servants with power superior to every demand over evil seen or unseen!

It was indeed a sign admirably calculated to awaken the Jews, to attest the grace of God towards their utter weakness, to manifest the power of the risen and glorified Messiah, and so much the more as it was not His presence but His answer from on high to the power of His name appealed to by His servant on earth. If such was the instant virtue of the name of Jesus for the lame man, what would not follow faith in that name if Israel believed?

Further proof that He is living, though absent, is the fact that His name has been the power by which the lame man had been healed, a man they knew. Peter, by faith, had used that name with such amazing results. It was not in Peter, but in the name of Jesus that tho power was. The man was presented, not only healed, but strong and in perfect soundness of health before them all.

But power had come into the world at last, wonder-working power, delivering power, and that power lay in the Name of Jesus of Nazareth . No better title could be given to the Book of The Acts of the Apostle than “The Power of the Name.” Peter and John knew its power, and boldly used it, saying to the crippled wretch, “IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH rise up and walk.” Quick from his helplessness leaped the man, his withered limbs thrilling with a new life at the sound of that name, and with feet made strong he entered the Temple with the apostles, “walking, and leaping, and praising God.”

Peter, you will observe, informs the Jews that day, that they and God had taken two quite opposite courses. You put Him into a grave, God took Him out of it, "whereof we are witnesses," — and further, He has put Him into glory. Nor this only, "His name through faith in his name, has made this man strong, whom ye see and know. Yea, the faith which is by him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all" (Acts 3:16). And only faith in His name can do anything now for you, my friend. It is His name, and faith in His name alone, that secures blessing for the soul. This man rose up, and walked in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and, my unconverted reader, I say to you, In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise out of your bed of sins, and come to Him. You may be saved this very moment if you have faith in the name of Jesus.

Here is the temple which had been built by Solomon according to God's glory, and renewed, just for a moment, that Jesus might be there. And Jesus having died upon the cross, and being risen from the dead, and now at God's right hand exalted, we find these two men going up to the temple to pray. And there is another who is brought there - a lame, helpless creature. He never had walked. He is laid there, in his helplessness, in the place of blessing, but it was powerless to help him. No blessing comes from that place. No blessing comes to the powerless man laid there, except in another way. The place is desert, though it be the beautiful temple that Solomon had built, though it be the beautiful gate of that temple, and though it be Solomon's porch where the lame man is laid, it is but a desert place now. The blessing to him must come from elsewhere. And these two men, these two vessels of power and grace, these two temples of the Holy Ghost (one likes to look at it in that way, not two unknown and ignorant men) - these two temples of the Holy Ghost, these vessels of grace, full of blessing from God Himself, come up to the temple to express dependence upon God; and the poor helpless one looks at them, hoping to receive something of them. Then Peter looks upon him, and says, I have no silver, and I have no gold; but such as I have give I thee. He does not say at first what that is, but he is in the conscious possession of it. It is possible for us also to have it. It is not merely the case of an inspired apostle, but it is the Christian's possession, the possession of a power that is outside this world - the power of the name of Jesus. It was not merely that Jesus had been here, was crucified, and now risen, but Peter had in himself the power of that name - he had possession of it; and he says, I have not silver, and I have not gold; but such as I have give I thee. He was the poorest man in the world in one way, he was the richest man in another - he had possession of the power of the name of Jesus. Have you and I that power? We are - not inspired apostles - no one ever thought we were; but have we the power of the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth? Have we really now the power of that name? Do we know what it is, by the grace of God, to have touched that blessed One, to be linked up with that power? Now Peter says, "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." It is wonderful the way the Spirit of God puts these names together. Peter does not say the glorified Christ, and he does not say the crucified Christ, but he says, "Jesus Christ of Nazareth," the despised One here, the humiliated One, the despised Man here upon the earth. Well Peter knew Him in the glory, but when he comes to meet this man in his need, where he was, he says, "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth" - the despised man - "rise up and walk."

There is the power of the name. You and I may sit and sing about Christ glorified, and gazing on Him, and it is a blessed reality; but the reality of gazing on Him is also the finding, here in this world, that it is Jesus Christ the despised One. We gaze upon Him there, and we sing of Him there; and what answers to that glory is the humiliation here in this world. And so Peter speaks to the lame man "in the name of Jesus Christ," not the glorified One, but "of Nazareth;" and he says, "Rise up and walk;" and the man rises up, and walks. And now look at the effect of that directly. Everyone is against him, and the whole world is roused. All the religious authorities and the powers of the world are set against this man - a poor man. What has he done? He has healed a man that never had walked in his life. He had brought into the midst of sorrow and weakness and pride, and hatred of God, the life-giving power of "the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth."

And look at the effect of that healing, how it brings glory to God. "All the people saw him walking and praising God." There was glory to God. The possession of the power of the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth here upon earth produces glory to God, and sets the world in a flame against the poor vessel, the honoured vessel. There was no poverty there. There is poverty in the silver and the gold; but there is no poverty in the name of Jesus. There is rejoicing, blessing, light, in the possession of that name. "Such as I possess give I thee." And so we find the whole world is against Peter and what he had done. He had brought blessing to a poor lame man, but on a new ground altogether. Not the effort of man, nor anything of man, but the power and healing that comes from One who was entirely outside this world; a humility and a power the world could not gainsay or deny, but which it yet was resisting; a power that found all the world against it, and against the one that possessed it. Do you think it is a wonderful thing that, with this power, the world is against you? If you have not this power of the name of Jesus you will not find the world against you - either in animosity, or in wiles.

Of Christ it is said that, "He taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes" and, "With authority commandeth He even the unclean spirits, and they do obey Him" (Mark 1:22, 27). In Matthew 9:1-8 Christ heals the man who had palsy, which was an act of power giving evidence of His authority as "Son of man" to forgive sins. He had in sovereign grace taken His place as "Son of man" and so He had in His own Person both the right and competency to act and power by His Spirit to enforce His acts.

In Matthew 10 we read, "And when He had called unto Him His twelve disciples, He gave them power (or authority) against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease" (v. 1). Later He sends out the seventy. "And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through Thy name" (Luke 10:17). The authority and power was through His Name and by His Spirit alone. The same is true in principle with both apostolic and assem­bly authority. Governments have a sword and parents a rod put into their hands to back up their authority with power, but neither the apostles nor the assembly had such power given them to enforce their acts. The assembly's authority to act is derived from the Lord in the midst in whose Name it acts, and the power to back up and enforce its acts of authority resides in the energy of His Spirit's working in the hearts and consciences of the saints.

The apostles had not long departed ere the church forgot God as the source of power. It forgot that it was only in the name of Jesus that the world could be overcome. "In my Name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover" (Mark 16). In Mr Name only. Not using His Name as a mere talisman, as Sceva's sons attempted (Acts 19) but in true faith, and then the wondrous results follow. The church in its name and strength dared to contend with the world, and the world won the victory as easily as the men of Ai over Israel.