No Other Name

Let's begin our worship singing in Psalm 95.

Psalm number 95 in the Scottish Psalter, that's on page 357.

The tune is Lingam, verses 1 to 6.

O come, let us sing to the Lord. Come, let us everyone a joyful noise make to the rock of our salvation.

Let us before his presence come with praise and thankful voice.

Let us sing psalms to him with grace and make a joyful noise.

Verses 1 to 6, and if you're able to stand, please stand for the singing.

A joyful noise make to the rock of our salvation, of our salvation, of our salvation, of our salvation.

Let us before his presence come with praise and thankful voice.

Let us sing psalms to him with praise and make a joyful noise.

Let us sing psalms to him with praise and make a joyful noise.

And make a joyful noise.

For God a great, God a great King, above all God's He is, above all God's He is.

The strength of His, above all God's He is.

hymn I am magnified.

For God's Jesus, above all God's He is.

Before His, above all God's He is on earth.

For God's He is a great King of His, above all God's He is.

His hands, it's for my worship here, it's for my worship here, it's for my worship here.

O come, let us worship him, let us bow down with all, let us bow down with all, and on our knees before the Lord.

O come, let us bow down with all, let us bow down with all, let us bow down with all.

Let's now join together in prayer.

Our prayer at this point is for the young folks in the Sunday School and tweenies especially.

So let's join together in prayer.

Lord our God, we give thanks that you have reminded us and taught us in these great words we have sung,

that you are our God and our King, that you are worthy of all our worship,

that you are the one who has created us and brought us into being and sustains us, keeps us from day to day.

We thank you today that we are here together in relation to the gospel, to the worship of your name.

Help us to be, as we were singing, a people who draw near to God, to give him thanks, to call upon his name, to receive our strength from you.

Blessed today we pray, our young people, we give thanks for them and we give thanks that they are assured they belong to the congregation and are valuable to us.

We give thanks, Lord, especially that they are precious in your eyes.

We pray that your blessing will be with them today.

And as they receive teaching from your word, help them, we pray, to take this into their own hearts

and enable them to act accordingly and live in accordance with your truth.

And keep them as well in the world, O Lord, from all that is harmful.

Shield them about, we pray, with your own protective care.

And give them from day to day to know that you are their God and their King also.

So bless them now, we pray, and help them in all that they do in school and in their time of holiday

to reflect upon God and to think upon him and to realize the preciousness of knowing him

and of placing their trust in him.

Hear us now, we pray, and pardon our sin for Jesus' sake.

Amen.

Okay, today I'm going to ask you to remember 3, 2, 1.

Do you think I'll remember that?

3, 2, 1.

Quite easy to remember.

What do I mean remembering 3, 2, 1?

Well, 3 days, 2 events, and 1 person.

Can anybody think of what the 3 days might be?

The 3 days are the 3 days from the time that Jesus was crucified

until he rose from the dead 3 days after that.

3 important days.

Probably the 3 most important days in the whole history of the world or of mankind.

Because in these 3 days, the Son of God, Jesus, gave himself to die on the cross for our sins.

The middle day, nothing happened, but his body was still in the tomb.

And then on the 3rd day, he rose again from the dead, conquering death.

And so went afterwards back to heaven to God's right hand.

3 important days.

And the things that happened on these 3 important days are also important events.

So 3 important days, but 2 important events.

Firstly, his death on the cross.

And then secondly, his resurrection arising from the dead.

2 important events.

2 important events during these 3 important days.

His death on the cross was the death that was due to us for our sins.

But he took our sins and he died that death.

And after he had died, his body was placed in the sepulcher.

And the death of Jesus is presented in the Bible to us as so, so important.

Because by his death and then his resurrection afterwards, we come to be saved.

When we come to trust in him, all that he did by his death on the cross and his resurrection from the grave,

all that he did, all that that means, the salvation that that obtained for us,

becomes ours as we trust in him.

So the 2 important events, the death of Jesus and the resurrection of Jesus.

You'll find in the Gospels a description of how the disciples, Peter and John especially,

went to where he had been buried.

And his body wasn't there.

And 2 angels were there.

And they were told that he had risen from the dead.

And he met with them afterwards, sometime later, and with others.

Because he was now alive.

And that is the most important event along with his death in the history of the world.

Three important days.

Two important events.

One important person.

Because it's all about Jesus.

It's all about Jesus.

This Bible is all about Jesus.

The Lord describes God the Father, God the Holy Spirit, ourselves, the creation, so many, many things.

But Jesus really is the main figure in it.

The Savior who came to save us as sinners.

3-2-1.

If I ask you tomorrow, 3-2-1, do you think you'll remember what 3-2-1 means?

I know you will.

Three days.

Two events.

One person.

Okay.

We're going to say the Lord's Prayer together.

Let's say the Lord's Prayer.

Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.

Amen.

We're going to sing again now to God's praise this time.

It's in Psalm 40.

Sing Psalms in Psalm 40, verses 1-5.

Psalms 40:1–5

The tune is Walton.

I waited long upon the Lord.

He heard my cry and turned to me.

He raised me from the slimy pit.

And from the mire he pulled me free.

He set my feet on solid rock, a place to stand both firm and broad.

He put a new song in my mouth.

A joyful hymn of praise to God.

Verses 1-5 of Psalm 40.

I waited long upon the Lord.

I waited long upon the Lord.

He heard my cry and turned to me.

He raised me from the slimy pit.

And from the mire he pulled me free.

He set my feet on solid rock, a place to stand both firm and broad.

He put a new song in my mouth.

And from the mire he put a new song in my mouth.

And from the mire he puts a new song in my mouth.

And from the mire he put a new song in my mouth.

to God.

Then he will live with

godly fear, and on the

Lord alone rely.

Blessed are they who

trust the Lord, who

shone the proud and lost

the light.

The wonders you have done,

O Lord, how many and

how great they are.

Your plans, what else are

far beyond our

how to

number or declare.

Let's turn now to read God's word.

We find that today in Acts chapter 4,

Acts 4 · chapter mention

book of the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 4.

We're going to read verses 1 to 22.

This is just following on the account we have of Peter and John and some of the ways in which they addressed the people.

So at chapter 4 at the beginning,

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.

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 five thousand.

On the next day, the rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem with Annas, the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and all who were of the high priestly family.

And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired,

By what power or by what name did you do this?

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them,

Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man,

by what means this man has been healed,

let it be known to all of you and all the people of Israel

that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,

whom you crucified,

whom God raised from the dead,

by him this man is standing before you well.

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.

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John,

and perceived that they were uneducated, common men,

they were astonished,

and they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them,

they had nothing to say in opposition.

But when they had commanded them to leave the council,

they conferred with one another,

saying,

What shall we do with these men?

For that a notable sign has been performed through them

is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem,

and we cannot deny it.

But in order that it spread no further among the people,

let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.

So they called them,

and charged them not to speak or teach at all

in the name of Jesus.

But Peter and John answered them,

Whether it is right in the sight of God

to listen to you rather than to God,

you must judge,

for we cannot but speak

of what we have seen and heard.

And when they had further threatened them,

they let them go,

finding no way to punish them,

because of the people,

for all were praising God for what had happened.

For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed

was more than forty years old.

Amen.

May God follow with this blessing that reading of his word.

Let's again call upon his name in prayer.

Our gracious God,

we give thanks for the assurance that your word gives us

of your own resurrection from the dead,

that you preside over all things

for your church and the happenings of this world.

We thank you today, Lord,

that we are gathered to worship you.

We would not be here without the desire to worship you.

We pray that that desire, Lord,

may find its fruition

in another knowledge of you in our hearts,

another experience of your spirit

applying your word to us.

Lord, we pray today that as we gather here,

so you would come to meet with us.

We thank you that you indwell your people

by your Holy Spirit.

We pray that we may know that you are here in our midst.

We ask for your blessing.

We pray for your blessing.

But we know that without your blessing, O Lord,

the purpose of our gathering will not be fulfilled.

Even though we could find ourselves following

matter and form in our worship and in our gathering,

it is your spirit alone that quickens us.

It is your spirit alone that applies your word savingly to us.

We pray to you today that that spirit

will actually be manifested in our midst

and active in our own experience.

We ask your blessing today, Lord,

upon all the gatherings of your people,

wherever they be.

We thank you today that there are many,

many people throughout the world

who gather as we do on this Lord's Day,

a day that reminds us, O Lord,

and teaches us of your own resurrection from the dead,

not only at this time of year,

but every Lord's Day that passes,

every Lord's Day that we come to experience,

is one that reminds us of the resurrection

of our Lord from the dead.

And we do thank you today, Lord,

for this reminder once again,

as we gather here today,

that we come before you to give thanks

for the risen Jesus,

for the Christ who died and rose from the dead,

and from the way that in being made acceptable

to yourself in all,

that he did as his Father in heaven.

So we too are gathered, Lord,

under all that he has obtained,

and pray and plead these things in your presence

for our acceptance also.

We ask your blessing to be with us here as a congregation.

We pray that all our activities, Lord,

in association with the life of the congregation

may go on being blessed by you.

We thank you for every encouragement that you give us,

that your work is going on amongst us,

that your Spirit is active,

that your people are engaged in the work of the Gospel,

that there are others who are interested, Lord,

in the Gospel and in all that it has to say to them.

We pray today that for each one of us,

your Word may be alive and vibrant in our experience,

that we may know it, Lord, as your Word,

piercing into the inmost parts of our souls

and giving us to further our knowledge of you

and giving us especially to rejoice in your salvation,

to rejoice in the victory that you have achieved

in your triumph over sin and over death.

So bless, we pray,

each and every aspect of the congregation's life,

every home, every family, every individual.

We commend ourselves, Lord, to you today

and ask that you would richly bless us

even beyond what we are able to ask or even think.

Remember those of our number today

who cannot be with us,

those at home through illness or old age,

we pray for them.

We thank you for the facility of livestream

by which they and others are able to partake

of this time of worship.

We pray that you would be with them, Lord,

in their circumstances.

We pray for those who are receiving treatment

at this time.

We ask that you would be pleased

to bless that to them and bless them under it.

We pray that you would bless those

who are anticipating treatment or surgery

in days to come.

We ask, Lord, that you would be with them also

to give them the calmness of heart and of mind

that would trust in yourself

and realize that all things do work together for good

to those who love the Lord,

who are called according to His purpose.

We pray too, O Lord,

for those who at this time are anxious over loved ones,

those who have difficulties of mental health,

difficult to do with addictions,

other things that cause anxiety among families,

those who have bereavement and sorrow

to contend with,

the loss of loved ones.

We commend them all to you today

and ask, O Lord, as we come together here

that we would remember them constantly,

for we know that there are so many in the world

who have problems greater than our own.

We pray for those today, Lord,

who watch over loved ones injured in hospital.

We pray again for William Graham

as he spends time in recovery.

Lord, we pray that your good hand

will be upon him today

and that the slight improvements

that he has shown over the past week

will themselves be an indication,

Lord, that your hand is upon him.

We pray that your good hand

will lead him to further health and strength,

be with Morag and with the family

at this anxious time for them

and with all in the wider family as well.

We ask, O gracious God,

that you be pleased to lay your healing touch upon him,

be near to him in his soul as well.

Lord, we thank you that even when outwardly

there may be little sign

or only a small sign of consciousness,

yet, Lord, we know that you are able

to reach into our inmost soul.

So we pray for him and for his family

and commend them to you

and all other families today

who have experiences like this

and who we know may not belong to us

as a congregation,

and yet we know of them

and we know of them in our community.

We pray for them again today.

Bless us as a nation.

Bless us in these tumultuous times.

We ask for your own blessing, Lord,

for those in government over us.

We pray that you would lead them in your ways.

Help them to value

and to live by your truths,

your commands, your promises.

We long for the day, Lord,

when we will see a movement of that kind

in our nation.

We pray to you as the God

who is able to do this

and turn us again into your ways.

So be with us now throughout the day, we pray.

Hear us now and pardon our sins

and cleanse us for Jesus' sake.

Amen.

We'll sing once more

before we turn back to this passage of Scripture

in the book of Acts.

We'll sing in Psalm 68

in the Scottish Psalter,

verses 18 to 20

to the tune Covenanters.

And in the book of Acts and Ephesians,

it's made clear to us

that these words are prophetic

of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ

from the dead,

as he has ascended up on high

and led captivity.

In other words,

has overcome sin and death

and left them vanquished.

So we'll sing these four verses.

Thou hast, O Lord, most glorious.

Ascended upon high

and in triumph, victorious

and captive, captive, captive,

captive, captive, captive, captive,

captive, captive, captive, captive,

and in triumph, victorious,

and captive, captive, captive,

thou hast received it for men,

for such a child to rebel,

in the book of Acts.

In the book of Acts,

the Lord is the Lord,

in the midst of them I dwell.

In the midst of them I dwell.

In the midst of them I dwell.

In the midst of them I dwell.

Let's feed the Lord to his true trust,

of our salvation God.

Who live with his benefit,

as well as he has seen the Lord.

As well as he has seen the Lord.

As well as he has seen the Lord.

Who live with his benefit,

as well as he has seen the Lord.

He of salvation is our God,

who is our God most strong.

And unto God the Lord from death,

the issues to belong.

The issues to belong.

The issues to belong.

And unto God the Lord from death,

the issues to belong.

Let's turn now to Acts chapter 4,

Acts 4 · chapter mention

where we read a short time ago.

And let's read again from verse 8.

Then Peter filled with the Holy Spirit,

said to them,

Rulers of the people and elders,

if we are being examined today

concerning a good deed done to a crippled man,

by what means this man has been healed,

let it be known to all of you

and to all the people of Israel,

that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,

whom you crucified,

whom God raised from the dead,

by him this man is standing before you well.

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.

Prejudice always blinds people

to some aspects of reality,

even to the most important things

that we should know.

Prejudice always has that effect.

It closes minds.

Minds not prepared to think of any other possibilities,

but that which prejudice thinks of

as the only important thing.

And you can see that here in this chapter.

You can see here in verse 9, for example,

if we are being examined today

concerning a good deed done to a crippled man,

by what means this man has been healed,

let it be known to all of you.

In other words,

Peter is really saying,

what is the sense in you focusing on

what you're focusing on to these Sadducees

and the priests and the captain,

the rulers there,

the spiritual rulers at the time?

What is the sense in focusing

with your objections to what we're doing

when you can see for yourselves

that a good deed,

a good deed,

a deed which really is a holy deed,

to a crippled man,

a man who really was in dire need

of such a thing,

of such help being given to him,

what is the sense

in just ignoring that,

in just putting that to the side

and focusing instead

on your objections to us

and to the Lord

and the gospel that we preach.

They should have rejoiced

that this man who had been crippled

and is now restored,

that they should have rejoiced

that this was indeed the case now with him.

Instead,

they're finding fault with James,

with Peter and John

and the other disciples.

They're finding fault with them

for what they're doing.

Now, they knew,

fine,

when they were asking this question,

who has actually given you the power?

In verse 7,

by what power

or by what name

did you do this?

They knew very well

by what name

they were doing this

because you go back

to the beginning of the chapter,

as they were speaking,

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.

They well knew

by what name

they were doing this.

They well knew

the nature of the message

that they were giving,

that it was about Jesus

and about the resurrection.

And yet,

they are so prejudiced

against these men

and against Jesus

that this is what

they're focusing on.

And Peter responds,

and it's interesting

and important,

the beginning of verse 8 there,

that you see the description,

Peter filled

with the Holy Spirit

said to them.

Peter was not giving

his own opinion.

Peter was not doing

anything less

than speaking

in the name of God

and by the Spirit of God.

And so,

what he said to them here

was something

that had come

from the Holy Spirit's

indwelling of his person.

And therefore,

added even more

significance to it.

And two things

I want to take

from this passage

briefly today

about Jesus.

First of all,

here is Jesus

the powerful Savior.

And secondly,

here is Jesus

the only Savior.

Jesus the powerful Savior.

Jesus the only Savior.

Now, they see,

they had asked them here

in verse 7,

by what name,

by what power,

or by what name

do you do this?

And Peter in his reply,

let it be known to you

and to all the people

of Israel,

by the name

of Jesus Christ

of Nazareth,

by him,

this man is standing

before you well.

Now, the name

is something

that goes back

to the Old Testament.

because the name of God

was associated

with the character,

with the attributes,

with the ability

of God.

You go back

away to,

for example,

to Exodus,

Exodus 34 · chapter mention

chapter 34

of Exodus.

Remember God

revealing himself

there to Moses.

And when,

especially in verses

5 to 7,

we read that the Lord

came down

in the presence

of Moses.

The Lord descended

in the cloud

and stood with him there

and proclaimed

the name

of the Lord.

And that explains

to us

what is meant

by proclaiming

the name of the Lord

by God himself.

The Lord passed

before him

and proclaimed

the Lord,

the Lord,

a God merciful

and gracious,

slow to anger,

abounding

in steadfast love

and faithfulness,

keeping steadfast love

for thousands,

forgiving iniquity

and transgression

and sin,

but who will

by no means

clear the guilty

and so on.

In other words,

what is happening

there is God

is actually unfolding

for Moses

the contents

of his name,

what his name

signifies,

what his name

is actually

to be understood

as containing,

what God's character

is like,

what God's attribute

is like,

what God is like.

And you take that

with you

into Acts,

the name of Jesus.

And as you read

through these early

chapters of Acts,

you'll find that sometimes

all it says

is that,

for example,

they were accounted

worthy themselves,

they saw themselves

worthy of suffering

for the name.

Because the name

is really identical

with Jesus

who is identical

with God.

And here is

the name of Jesus,

the name that really

means exactly the same

as what it means

in the Old Testament,

the name of God,

the contents

of the name of God,

the attributes of God.

Remember in John chapter 1,

John 1 · chapter mention

for example,

speaking about the way

in which Jesus,

the Son of God,

came into the world.

He came to his own,

but his own

did not receive him.

But to those

who did receive him,

to them he gave

the authority,

the power,

the authority,

to become

or be known

as the children of God.

to all those

who believed

in his name.

In his name.

Who took him

to be what he himself

claimed to be.

Who saw in him,

in his characteristics

and character

and attributes,

the very God

who is the Savior

of his people.

And this is what

Peter is presenting

to them here

in this incident

in Acts chapter 4.

Acts 4 · chapter mention

You see the same thing

in chapter 3.

You go back

to verse 16

of chapter 3.

His name,

by faith in his name,

has made this man strong

whom you see and know.

And the faith

that is through Jesus

has given this man

this perfect health

in the presence

of you all.

You see the way

the name again

is a feature there.

And his name.

By faith in his name.

But there's the extra,

the added detail there.

By faith in his name.

Which of course

is such an important addition.

It's not just the fact

of knowing

who Jesus is,

but knowing Jesus

for yourself

that brings you

in to experience

the benefits

of all that he has done

by his death

and resurrection.

Faith in his name.

You see he's saying

we're looking

at the power of Jesus.

Jesus the powerful Savior.

Savior.

But you only come

to experience

the power of Jesus

for yourself

when you place

your faith

and your confidence

and your trust in him.

When you come

to believe in his name.

When you receive him

as he's offered

in the gospel.

When you actually say

this is the Savior I need.

This is the Savior I want.

This is the Savior

that I require.

This Savior who has

all of these attributes

and characteristics.

This must be

my Savior too.

who believe

in his name.

Who believe in him.

By him,

Peter says,

this man

is standing

before you well.

But then he went on

to add to that

whom you crucified.

This Jesus of Nazareth.

You see he's describing him

with all of these words.

Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

In other words,

he's saying

the very same

historical figure

that you knew

prior to his crucifixion.

This Jesus of Nazareth

whom you crucified,

whom God raised

from the dead,

by him,

this man is standing

before you well.

What a lot,

Peter packs into

that one statement.

the name of Jesus,

the characteristics

of God,

the historical figure

of Jesus,

the actual person

who lived

as Jesus of Nazareth,

who was crucified,

who rose from the dead,

or whom God raised

from the dead.

In other words,

God set his own

imprimatur

or acceptance

on him,

his mark of acceptance,

and raising him

from the dead.

Remember,

the resurrection

of Jesus

is itself

an indication

of God's full acceptance

of the death

he died on the cross.

And God is really saying

by the resurrection

of Christ from the dead,

by raising his son

from the dead,

everything that that cross

has done,

everything that happened

on that cross,

has covered

all of my requirements

as God

with respect to sin.

And so he is now

raised from the dead

and set him

at his own right hand.

This Jesus,

he says,

by him

is this man

standing

before you

whole or healed.

You see,

this is the emphasis

of the gospel.

The very one

who died

on the cross,

the very one

who came

as Jesus

of Nazareth

to live

amongst us

human beings,

the very one

who was raised

from the dead

by God the Father.

He is the Savior.

He is the powerful one.

He is the one

who has the ability

to change lives,

to turn things around.

The one

who is

despised

because of

his death

on the cross.

It's the very one

that did this

is what Peter

is saying.

And that's why

really the language

he's using

is a language

that is really

setting before

these people,

you know,

it's as if he was saying,

you know,

it's remarkable

that when you know

what this man

has been

and is now,

this crippled man,

and when you know

that's by the message

that we present

of Jesus of Nazareth

that he has done this,

it's remarkable

that you're still

so prejudiced

in your views,

that you're still

against him

and against the idea

of resurrection.

Jesus,

the powerful Savior,

do you know him

for yourself today?

Has he come

into your experience

as the powerful Savior?

Have you been rescued

from your sins?

Have your sins

been dealt with

in the sense

in which the cross

of Christ

has particularly

been taken by you

as God's answer

for your sins?

Has this Christ

who died

today come

to live in your life?

Have you come

to place your faith

in his name?

is your trust

in this name

that carries

all the characteristics

and the attributes

of God

so as to rescue us

from our sins?

Are we today

saved

through faith

in the name

of Jesus?

The powerful

Savior.

That's one thing

to be able

to say,

I know he's

the powerful Savior

Savior from what

I find written

in the Bible,

from what other

people tell me.

But friend,

you have to be

able to say

as I have to be

able to say,

he is my

powerful Savior.

He's a powerful

Savior to me

also.

So Jesus,

the powerful Savior,

and secondly,

Jesus,

the only Savior.

Peter went on

that this

Jesus,

in verse 11,

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.

Now he speaks here

of the cornerstone,

and that's going back

to the Old Testament

too,

as you know,

back to the likes

of Psalm 118,

where it's mentioned

as the cornerstone

that the builders

rejected,

the same has become

the head of the corner.

In fact,

you'll find in

Matthew chapter 21,

Matthew 21 · chapter mention

you'll find a reference

to that

on the part of

Jesus himself,

who obviously

saw himself

as the fulfillment

of the cornerstone

of the spiritual temple,

as he's there

in the parable

of the tenants,

and in Matthew 21,

you come to verse 42,

Jesus said to them,

have you never read

in the Scriptures?

The stone that the

builders rejected

has become

the cornerstone.

This was the Lord's

doing,

and marvelous

in our eyes,

and so on.

So there is Jesus

obviously presenting

himself as the

fulfillment of that

great prophecy.

And what is the

cornerstone?

Well, the cornerstone

literally is the

chief foundation

stone of a building,

especially in those

days.

And not only is it

the chief foundation

stone that takes

a lot of the

strain of the

building,

but it also,

it's the stone

that sets the

angle of the

walls that

follow out from

it, if you like.

The stone had to

be a perfect

shape,

perfectly angled,

so that every

other stone that

was then set in

relation to it

would actually

have a proper

straight line or

be in the right

direction.

So the cornerstone

is the vital stone

in the building.

It's not the stone

at the top of an

arch, as some

people think it

might be.

It's actually a

stone set in the

foundation, takes

some of the strain,

a lot of the strain,

but it also sets the

angles for the

building.

In other words,

Jesus, as he is the

cornerstone spiritually

of the spiritual

temple, the angles of

our lives are set by

that.

The direction of your

life is set by that.

The direction of the

church of God, as it's

founded upon Jesus,

founded upon that

foundation, as it is

really related to that

foundation stone.

He is the vital angle

setter, if you like,

for your life, the

direction setter for

your life and for the

life of his people.

And of course, the Jews

were waiting for that

fulfillment.

They knew the Messiah,

the promised Messiah,

was coming, that he was

coming into the world,

that it was going to

happen in the history

of humanity.

But they rejected

Jesus as their

Messiah.

They're still waiting

for their Messiah,

most of the Jewish

people are, who have

that religious attitude

to life.

He has been set as the

cornerstone through his

death and resurrection.

The cornerstone was set

by God through the

incarnation, the God

Son taking our

humanity, and then his

death and his

resurrection and his

ascension, but especially

his death and his

resurrection.

These are the means by

which the stone was set,

by which he was set as

the cornerstone in the

building.

That's where the

offense is.

Who's going to accept

somebody who was

crucified on the cross?

Somebody who couldn't

save himself as it was

put at the time?

How can he be the

Savior of sinners?

How can he be

almighty?

How can he be the one

that has power over

death?

Well, of course, you're

going to come to

appreciate that when you

really believe in him

and trust in him and get

to know him and realize

his power in your own

life, that that is

exactly who he is.

The death and

resurrection and

exaltation of Jesus,

the cornerstone of God's

spiritual temple, what a

tragedy that they rejected

having examined him, as

they did literally before he

was crucified.

We have no other king but

Caesar.

having examined him, they

came to the conclusion, no,

he's not for us.

He doesn't meet with our

expectations, with our

measurements of the

cornerstone.

And so, crucify him.

Crucify him.

What a great tragedy that was

for them at the time.

What a great tragedy that

that's still happening in

our world.

That this Jesus presented

in the gospel, this cross

of Christ, this death of

Christ, this resurrection

from the dead, is so much

not only put aside but often

ridiculed as being absolutely

ridiculous nonsense.

Who can possibly believe in

such a thing as foundational

for the development of human

life and human expectations?

You see, that's the tragedy

that human beings like you

and I, and most of us

probably did the same until

we came by God's grace to

know the truth for ourselves.

The very one who meets all

our need is the one that we

choose to reject.

This very one, that's what

Peter is getting at.

This Jesus of Nazareth,

whom you crucified,

whom God raised from the dead,

by him is this man standing

before you well.

This Jesus is the stone

that was rejected by you,

the builders,

but has become the cornerstone.

Whether they like it or not,

that's really what has happened.

And that's what the gospel

is saying to us today.

It doesn't matter how many

millions of people in the world

think otherwise.

He is the cornerstone.

He is the foundation of hopes

for human beings.

He is the foundation of our salvation,

of our redemption.

Nothing's going to change that.

And even if the likes of you

and I go on refusing him,

it's not going to change

who he is,

what he has done,

what he is for,

why he's important.

And he goes on to say,

there is salvation

in no one else.

And Peter is being

so emphatic in what he says.

He's the stone

that was rejected by you.

There is salvation

in no one else.

For there is no other name

under heaven

given among men

by which we must be saved.

saved.

And the word saved,

as you find it there

in verse 12,

is exactly the same word

as you find in verse 9,

for healed.

And you'll find that often

in the Gospels

that some of the miracles

that Jesus did

actually include

an emphasis on being made whole.

Being made whole.

For example,

you find a woman

with the hemorrhage of blood

where you find

Matthew chapter 9,

Matthew 9:22

verse 22,

and the other accounts

of it as well.

You'll find this is

what Jesus said to her.

Your faith has made you whole.

Literally.

It may be not always

translated that way,

but that's exactly

what this word means.

To be saved,

you see,

means to have your whole person

brought under the provision

that Christ has made

of salvation

so that ultimately,

if you think of it

ultimately in heaven,

that is what human beings

in heaven

in their state of resurrection

and glory will be.

They will be whole.

They will be entire.

Mentally,

spiritually,

physically,

they will be perfect.

They will be saved.

All the vestiges

of sin,

of death,

will have gone.

That's what Jesus

came into the world for.

To make us whole.

To put together

what we,

by our sin,

fragmented

and tore apart.

And He came into the world

to mend this.

To fix this.

To make us whole.

To be the kind

of human beings

that God

created us for.

Salvation,

you see,

really restores

everything.

It restores

everything we lost

in our sin

against God.

restores

our righteousness.

Restores

our perfect holiness

ultimately.

Restores

our relationship

with God.

Our relationship

to God's requirements.

Everything

that we require

is restored

in Christ.

Go your way,

He said to the woman.

Your faith

has made you whole.

Salvation

is making you

whole,

entire.

the very thing

that we need.

And there is no other

name given

amongst men

whereby

we must be saved.

You see the name,

the word name

is used again there.

There is no other

name under heaven

given among men

by which we must be saved.

In other words,

he's really,

Peter is really

making his point again

forcibly

and emphatically.

there is no one

else that has

these attributes

that Jesus has.

Nobody else

has the name

that he has

because he is God.

Nobody but God

has that name,

has these attributes,

these qualities.

No other name

is given

under heaven

amongst men.

It's all in him.

Muhammad doesn't have it.

Buddha doesn't have it.

Hindu gods

don't have it.

The Christ of liberal

theologians

doesn't have it.

Secularism

doesn't have it.

Atheism

doesn't have it.

It's nowhere else.

It's all here

in the person

of Jesus.

There is no

other name

given under heaven

whereby we must

be saved.

You know,

I think we've lost

in our nation

and even through

the church,

in a wider sense

at least,

we've lost

something of

the dishonor

that's done

to Jesus

when any alternatives

are placed along

with him

as the means

to salvation.

It's a dishonor

to the name

of Jesus.

It's an honor

to the reputation

of Jesus.

It's a dishonor

to the person

of Jesus.

It's an honor

to the work

of Jesus,

to the death

and to the resurrection

of Jesus,

to even suggest

that there could be

a semblance

of qualification

on the part

of anyone

or anything else

but him.

And actually,

you and I

are doing the same

when we refuse

to accept him

and bow

in obedience

to his authority.

That's really

just going back

into yourself,

trusting in yourself.

today,

if you and I

are rejecting

Jesus,

we are

dishonoring him.

We're

dishonoring his name.

We're saying,

I know that

this is what

the Bible

tells me

about him

and I wouldn't

say it's untrue

but,

but,

but,

please don't

dishonor Christ,

dishonor his cross,

dishonor his resurrection

by refusing

to receive him

into your life

as your Savior too.

Because there is

no other.

And to have

any other

is to dishonor

him,

the only Savior

who exists.

And you see,

finally,

by whom

we must

be saved.

Doesn't say

might be saved.

Doesn't say

could be saved.

It says

by whom

we must

be saved.

You see,

being saved

is an

indispensable

thing for us.

And because

being saved

or salvation

is indispensable

for human beings

like you and I,

therefore the call

of the gospel

is in the imperative.

It's in the way

of a,

yes,

it's an invitation

of course,

but it's also

an invitation

in the form

of a command.

Repent.

Believe.

Come to me.

Because salvation

is indispensable

for us.

How can we

think of it

as anything else?

Therefore,

today,

friend,

today,

make Jesus

the powerful

Savior,

your Savior.

Make Jesus

the only

Savior,

your Savior.

By trusting

in Him,

by receiving

Him,

by acknowledging

Him as

the one

who has the

right to

control your

life,

by receiving

Him as the

Savior of

sinners,

by confessing

your sins,

by trusting

in Him,

by taking

Him at

His word,

or in the

simplest

language,

believing

in His

name.

Let's pray.

Amen.

Amen.

Lord, our

gracious God,

we pray

today that

through faith

in Your

name we

too may

know the

freedom with

which Christ

makes us

free.

We may

know the

righteousness

that He

died to

achieve for

His people.

We may

know that

acceptance with

You, our

God and

Father in

heaven, so

that we come

into Your

presence as

those who are

no longer

regarded as

guilty before

You, but

freed and

washed from

our sins.

We ask, O

Lord, that

through this

day Jesus

may be

precious to

us more

and more,

and may it

be so for

us as life

goes by,

that His

preciousness

increases in

our estimation

and our

commitment to

Him likewise.

So bless us

now we pray

and receive

our worship,

cleansing all

that is of

sin in

Jesus' name.

Amen.

Let's now

conclude our

service singing

in Psalm

118,

118 from

verse 19,

that's on

the Sing

Psalms version,

page 156,

tune as

Heron Gate,

singing

verses 19

to 26.

Throw

wide the

gates of

righteousness,

I'll enter,

and give

thanks to

God.

This is

the gate

of God

through which

the righteous

come before

the Lord.

You answered

me, I

will give

thanks.

Salvation

comes from

you alone.

The stone

the builders

had refused

has now

become the

cornerstone.

Verses 19

to 26.

To

26.

Throw

wide the

gates of

righteousness,

I'll

enter,

and give

thanks to

God.

This is

the gate

the gate

of God,

through which

the righteous

come before

the Lord.

You answer

me, I

will give

thanks.

salvation

comes from

you

alone.

The stone

the

builders

have

defused,

has now

become

the

cornerstone.

known.

The Lord

himself

has

come

of

this,

and

is

a

marvel

in

her

sight.

This

is

the

day

the

Lord

has

made.

In

let

us

take

great

delight.

Save us,

O Lord,

we humbly

pray.

O Lord,

we may

grant us

success.

He's

blessed

to

count

in

God's

faith

in

you

from

the

Lord

has

we

blessed.

I'll go to

the door to my

right here

after the

benediction.

Now may the

grace of the

Lord Jesus

Christ,

the love of

God the

Father,

and the

communion of

the Holy

Spirit be

with you

now and

evermore.

Amen.

be

blessed

Lord

Lord

for

this

day

for

a

good

opportunity.

Thank you.