No Other Name

This morning we will be back in the book of Acts.

And if you're using one of the Bibles around you, you can find that on page 857.

And I'd encourage you to follow along.

It's been about four months since we were last together in the book of Acts.

And so before we come to chapter 4 this morning, I'd like to take a few minutes and remind us where Luke has brought us.

One of the most important things to remember about Acts is that Acts is ultimately a book about Jesus.

Luke begins by reminding Theophilus that in his first book, what we call the Gospel of Luke,

he wrote about all that Jesus began to do and teach.

You see, the Gospel records what Jesus began to do and teach during his earthly ministry until the day when he was taken up.

Acts records what the risen and exalted Jesus continues to do and teach from heaven by his Spirit through the witnesses he's chosen and commissioned.

And that's what we've watched unfold in these opening chapters.

In Acts 1, the risen Jesus commissions his witnesses.

You remember Jesus had been crucified, but he's alive.

And he spent 40 days with his disciples, giving them many proofs that he had risen from the dead and teaching them about the kingdom of God.

And before ascending to the Father, he gave them both a promise and a mission.

In Acts 1, 8, we see Jesus said,

You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.

So there to be his witnesses testifying to who Jesus is, what he's done, and the salvation that's found in him.

Now, they'll do that, not in their own power, but in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Then we see in Acts 2 that the exalted Jesus empowers his witnesses.

And on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit comes upon his people.

And as Peter stands before the crowds in Jerusalem, he points them to Jesus, telling them,

Jesus was crucified.

God raised him from the dead.

He's been exalted to the right hand of the Father.

He is both Lord and Christ.

And from this place of exaltation, Jesus has poured out the Holy Spirit.

So Pentecost is not merely a story about what happened to the disciples.

It's evidence that Jesus Christ is alive, that he's exalted, that he's reigning and carrying forward his work.

Then, as you may remember, Peter calls the people to repent and to turn to Christ.

And about 3,000 receive the word, are baptized, and are added to the church.

And suddenly, there was a substantial growing community in Jerusalem devoted to the apostles' teaching and a fellowship,

to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.

And we see them worshiping together, caring for one another, bearing witness together.

Their lives being marked with gladness and generosity and worship and fellowship.

And Luke closes the chapter by telling us,

The Lord added to their number, day by day, those who were being saved.

Jesus is forming a people.

He's building his church.

Then in Acts 3, we see the reigning Jesus working through his witnesses.

Peter and John meet a man at the temple who had been lame from birth.

And you remember, he asks them for money, but Peter says,

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.

And immediately, the man who had never walked is strengthened, and he gets up,

and he enters the temple walking and leaping and praising God.

And everyone recognizes him.

A crowd begins forming and staring at Peter and John,

but Peter immediately redirects their attention, saying,

This is not our power.

This power belongs to Jesus.

The same Jesus they had rejected.

The same Jesus they delivered over to be killed.

The same Jesus whom God had raised from the dead.

The risen Christ is still at work.

So, Peter preaches Christ again and calls the people to repent,

to turn back to Jesus so that their sins may be blotted out.

So, by the time we reach Acts 4, there's a clear pattern developing.

Jesus is alive.

Jesus is reigning.

Jesus has poured out his spirit.

Jesus is empowering his witnesses.

Jesus is bringing people to faith and repentance.

Jesus is building his church.

And as a result, Jesus is making his name known throughout all of Jerusalem.

And now, those witnesses, commissioned in chapter 1,

and empowered by his spirit in chapter 2,

and bearing witness to the power of his name in chapter 3,

are about to face their first official opposition.

The controversy will ultimately come down to one question.

What are they going to do with the name of Jesus?

Now, as the passage unfolds, Luke will show us that the name these people oppose

is the name the Spirit empowers us to proclaim.

The name that God has vindicated through the resurrection

and the only name by which anyone can be saved.

And by the end, the question will no longer merely be

what these leaders will do with Jesus.

The question will be what each of us will do with him.

So, starting in Acts 4.1, let's consider the first point.

Opposition to the name.

Opposition to the name.

Now, notice how chapter 4 begins,

because the chapter division doesn't mark the end of the scene.

It says,

You see, Peter and John are still speaking when the temple authorities arrive.

The miracle of the lame man's healing has drawn a huge crowd of people,

and there's ample room in the temple courts

for a crowd numbering in the thousands.

So, of course, the temple officials notice something's going on

and go to investigate what's happening.

As the temple authorities listen to Peter and John,

we see in verse 2 that they're greatly annoyed

because the apostles were teaching the people

and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

The authorities are greatly annoyed,

or maybe more clearly put,

they're unable to endure it one moment longer.

You see, the apostles' teaching,

it challenges the religious leaders' authority

and their doctrine.

Peter and John are publicly teaching

the people in the temple without any authorization.

And not only that,

they're teaching that Jesus has been resurrected,

which is contrary to what the Sadducees believed and taught.

We also see that it directly challenges their rejection of Jesus.

By declaring that Jesus of Nazareth has risen from the dead,

they're declaring God's vindication

of the one these very leaders had condemned.

So, the miracle drew the crowd,

but it's the message that draws the opposition.

And as a result, in verse 3,

we see,

they arrested them.

They arrested them and put them in custody

until the next day,

for it was already evening.

Now, do you feel the opposition growing?

Even in these first three verses,

the authorities come upon them,

confront them,

then the authorities are so disturbed,

they can't endure it a moment longer,

so they physically seize them,

and they imprison them to stop their witness.

This is the first imprisonment in Acts,

and it begins the pattern

that Jesus has already warned his disciples to expect

when he said to them,

they will lay their hands on you and persecute you.

So, we see the opposition that was once directed at Jesus

is now directed at the continuing work of the risen Christ

through his witnesses.

But,

but their attempt to silence the gospel

is already too late.

Look at verse 4.

It says,

But many of those who had heard the word believed,

and the number of men came to about 5,000.

So,

the authorities can interrupt the sermon.

They can seize the preachers.

They can put them under guard.

But by the time they do so,

the word has already gone out,

and it's bearing fruit.

Many have heard.

Many have believed.

And the number of believers now has grown to about 5,000 men.

So,

the authorities could restrain Christ's witnesses,

but they could not restrain Christ's work.

That's a theme we'll see throughout Acts.

You see,

human authorities can make Christian witness truly costly,

but they can never stop the risen Christ from building his church.

That reminds us,

the advance of the gospel

does not ultimately depend upon favorable circumstances.

It doesn't depend on cultural approval

or in powerful people

giving Christians permission or a platform to speak.

Christ is alive,

and no amount of opposition

can place his mission of building the church in danger.

It comes down to the question for us

as whether we believe that enough

to remain faithful,

especially when his name becomes costly to us.

Now,

another important point to notice from verse 4,

God ordinarily brings people to faith

through hearing the gospel.

Now,

the miracle,

as powerful as it was,

could draw attention to Christ,

but it could not explain Christ.

Peter had to speak about Jesus,

who he was,

what he's done,

so Luke says,

many of those who heard the word believed,

and that's how God ordinarily works,

bringing people to faith

as they hear the good news

of who Jesus is

and what he's done.

Paul asked the appropriate question

in Romans 10

when he says,

how are they to believe in him

of whom they've never heard?

So,

as much as our lives

should commend the gospel,

as much as our good deeds

should point people to Christ,

Christian witness cannot stop there.

We must actually tell people about Jesus.

Now,

that also helps us understand

why the opposition is growing in Acts 4.

It's not simply the sight of a healed man

that so deeply disturbs the authorities.

It's what Peter and John are saying

about that healing.

They're proclaiming that Jesus is risen

and reigning.

And so,

the opposition continues to escalate

and that's what we see

in verses 5 through 7.

It says,

on the next day,

their 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?

So,

the opposition has escalated

from an impromptu arrest in the temple

to an actual formal trial

by the key religious authorities of Israel.

And the group presented here

is probably best understood

as the Sanhedrin,

which was Jerusalem's supreme governing council.

And I think the description Luke gives us

of this trial is important

because it echoes very closely

the trial that Jesus had

only weeks before.

You remember,

Annas had interrogated Jesus.

Caiaphas had presided over the council

during the events leading

to Jesus' condemnation

and crucifixion.

And now,

Peter and John stand

before essentially

the same leadership circle

that had interrogated

and condemned Jesus

and put him to death.

So,

having set Peter and John

in their midst,

the leaders ask,

by what power,

by what name,

did you do this?

I think Luke is intentionally

trying to highlight

another parallel

between Jesus

and his witnesses.

You see,

in the Gospel of Luke,

Luke 20:1

chapter 20,

verses 1 and 2,

Jesus faced a similar question.

It says,

one day,

as Jesus was teaching

the people in the temple

and preaching the Gospel,

the chief priests

and the scribes

with the elders

came up

and said to him,

tell us by what authority

you do these things

or who it is

that gave you this authority.

So,

we see Jesus teaches

in the temple

and the religious leaders

challenge his authority

and now,

Jesus' witnesses

teach in the temple

and the religious leaders

challenge their authority.

The truth of the matter is,

it's very likely

the leaders already know

the answer to their question.

but,

in demanding

that Peter

say to publicly,

providentially,

they give him

exactly the opportunity

he needs

as he's empowered

for the name.

Empowered

for the name.

Continuing with

verses 8 and 9,

it says,

then Peter,

filled with the Holy Spirit,

said to them,

rulers of the people

and elders,

if we're being examined

today,

concerning a good deed

done to a crippled man,

by what means

this man has been healed?

Now,

this scene

provides an especially

powerful contrast

with Luke chapter 22.

Luke 22 · chapter mention

Again,

remember,

only weeks earlier,

during Jesus' arrest

and trial,

Peter

is cowering

outside in the courtyard.

And when confronted

by a mere servant girl,

his fear led him

to deny

that he even knew

who Jesus was.

But now,

after Jesus' resurrection,

after his ascension,

after pouring out

the Holy Spirit,

we see Peter brought

inside

before the very authorities

who condemned

Jesus

and put him

to death.

Yet,

this time,

instead of being

controlled by fear

and denying Christ,

he's filled

and empowered

by the Holy Spirit.

Now,

if you don't stop

to think about this,

it's very easy

to overlook

this moment

as one of Acts'

most dramatic

demonstrations

of what being filled

with the Holy Spirit

actually looks like.

You see,

the man who only weeks ago

feared association

with Jesus

before this very group

of leaders

is now

about to proclaim

Jesus to them

boldly.

And it's after

they've actually

crucified Christ.

You see,

Peter has no doubt

about what these men

might do to him.

So,

I think it's worth

us noting

that throughout

the book of Luke

and Acts,

the filling

of the Spirit

characteristically

gives God's people

words to speak.

And Acts,

specifically,

that Spirit-given speech

repeatedly becomes

a bold witness

to Christ.

So,

we see Spirit-filling

results in

proclamation.

Right?

At Pentecost,

they were filled

with the Holy Spirit

and began to speak.

Here,

we see Peter

filled with the Spirit.

He's about to speak.

In a couple of weeks,

we'll see after

the church prays,

they're all filled

with the Holy Spirit

and continue to speak

the Word of God

with boldness.

Now,

on your listening guide,

you can find

a more extensive list

of passages

from both Luke

and Acts

showing

that Spirit-filling

repeatedly

empowers God's people

to speak

God's truth,

often bearing witness

to Christ

and the salvation

that God has accomplished

through Him.

I think this means

we should not treat

this being filled

with the Spirit

primarily as an inward

or emotional experience.

And especially

in this context,

we can see

that the visible result

is faithful,

courageous,

Christ-centered speech.

I think it's also easy

to overlook

the second part

of verse 8

where Peter says,

rulers of the people

and elders.

Because we see

Peter speaks courageously,

but he does not speak

contemptuously.

He recognizes

their position,

but we see

that his boldness

is not rudeness.

He respects

their office

while refusing

to compromise

the truth.

And I think

that's very useful

for us

as Christian witnesses

living in such

a harsh

and confrontational

time.

We should seek

to show respect

without fear,

to have submission

without silence,

and to have courage

but without contempt.

I think it's also

easy to imagine

that boldness

belongs

to a certain

kind of personality,

but Peter's life

tells us

otherwise.

You see,

Christian courage

is not

a natural

fearlessness.

It's what happens

when the Spirit

makes the reality

of Christ

greater to us

than the people

we fear.

That's exactly

what we see

here in Peter.

Then continuing

in verse 9,

Peter respectfully

exposes

the strangeness

of the situation.

Are they really

being put on trial

because of a good deed

done for a man

who's been unable

to walk?

But even in that,

Peter uses

the healing

to create

a bridge

to the gospel.

The word

translated healed

in verse 9

comes from

the Greek word

sozo,

meaning to save

or to rescue.

And we're going

to see that Luke

uses that same

word family

again in verse 12

when Peter declares

we must be saved.

So we can see

Peter moving

from the lesser

rescue

to the greater

one.

The Jesus

who rescues

this man

from physical

helplessness

is the only

one who

can rescue

us from

our deeper

spiritual

helplessness.

So if this

man's been

rescued,

then the

council's

question is

the right

one.

Who

rescued

him?

And Peter's

answer

is unmistakable.

Jesus did.

That brings us

to the

proclamation

of the

name.

The

proclamation

of the

name.

Continuing

in verse

10,

Peter says,

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.

So the

council had

asked,

by what

power,

by what

name did

you do

this?

Peter's

answer is

direct,

by the

name of

Jesus

Christ of

Nazareth.

And that's

important.

By saying

Jesus of

Nazareth,

Peter leaves

no ambiguity

about whom

he means.

He's

speaking

about the

same

Jesus

these

leaders

had

recently

rejected

and

condemned.

I think

it's also

important for

us to

remember

that we

should hear

Christ

as a

title.

It's not

Jesus'

last name.

It's the

Greek

equivalent

of the

Hebrew

word

Messiah.

And both

of those

mean the

anointed

one.

You see,

Peter is

identifying

Jesus as

God's

promised

king.

The one

through whom

God is

fulfilling his

promises of

salvation and

kingdom.

So,

in other

words,

Peter is

saying this

man was

healed by

Jesus,

the Messiah

from

Nazareth.

Now,

that declaration

would have

been explosive

in front of

this council.

You see,

these leaders

had rejected

Jesus,

but Peter

now publicly

declares that

the man they

rejected is

indeed God's

Messiah.

Then,

Peter,

drawing the

contrast even

more sharply

says,

whom you

crucified,

whom God

raised from

the dead.

You see,

these elders,

these rulers

had placed

their verdict

on Jesus

of crucifixion

and death.

But God

had overturned

that verdict

in the

resurrection.

They had

rejected him,

but God

vindicated him

as his

chosen

Messiah.

And not

only that,

but the

very evidence

of Christ's

living power

is standing

directly in

front of

them.

This man

had been

unable to

walk from

birth,

and now

he's standing

before the

council

completely

well.

The healed

man is

living evidence

that the

Jesus they

crucified

is alive.

He's

reigning.

He's still

at work.

The council

had asked

by what

power or

what name,

and Peter's

answer is

unmistakable.

The risen

Jesus did

this.

And then

Peter goes

on to

interpret

what's

happened

through

scripture.

He points

back to

Psalm 118

Psalms 118:22

verse 22

when he

says,

the stone

that the

builders

rejected

has become

the corner

stone.

Now Luke

has actually

already shown

us Jesus

applying this

very passage

to Israel's

religious leaders.

You might

remember in

the parable

of the

tenants in

Luke 20,

the tenants

reject and

mistreat the

owner's servants.

And then

when the owner

sends his

beloved son,

they kill him

too.

Jesus warns

that the

owner will

judge those

tenants and

give the

vineyard to

others.

And when

the people

respond,

surely not.

Jesus quotes

this very

verse saying

that the

stone the

builders rejected

has become

the corner

stone.

You see,

Jesus had

already identified

the pattern.

The leaders

would reject

the son,

but their

rejection would

not overturn

God's purpose

for him.

And now

Peter stands

before those

very leaders

and tells

them directly,

you are

the builders

and Jesus

is the

stone you

rejected.

Now,

Peter's

wording is

also especially

pointed.

He doesn't

merely say

they overlooked

Jesus or

they found

him unsuitable.

The word he

uses carries

the sense

of despising

him,

treating him

as if he

were worthless.

You see,

these men

had examined

Jesus.

They had

listened to

his claims.

They'd

witnessed

his works

and after

evaluating

him,

they rejected

him.

They treated

him as

worthless.

They cast

it away

like nothing.

But the

stone the

builders deemed

worthless,

God made

the very

cornerstone.

God made

him.

And if

God has

vindicated

Jesus in

this way,

Peter's

conclusion

really is

unavoidable.

There's

salvation in

no other

name.

Salvation

in no other

name.

Verse 12,

Peter says,

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,

there's four

things we

need to

consider in

this final

crucial statement

that Peter

makes.

First,

what does

salvation

mean?

What does

salvation

mean?

And the

concept of

salvation has

already been

well developed

in Acts.

We've seen

it includes

the forgiveness

of sins,

deliverance

from judgment,

the gift of

the Holy

Spirit,

and restoration

to God

through his

Messiah.

So,

by verse 12,

Peter's clearly

moved beyond

the physical

healing of

one lame

man.

He's speaking

about our

deepest need.

Our need to

be rescued

from our

sin,

from our

selfishness,

from our

pride,

from our

rebellion,

and our

need to be

rescued from

the judgment

and wrath

that we

deserve because

of it,

but also

our need to

be restored

to an

intimate

relation

with God

through his

Messiah.

Second,

we need to

see the

universal need

for salvation.

The universal

need for

salvation.

When Peter

says there's

no other

name under

heaven given

among men

by which we

must be

saved,

he's

communicating

a universal

need.

Everyone,

everywhere,

needs to

be saved.

No one

is exempt.

I think it's

also important

for us to

notice that

Peter says

we.

He doesn't

say because

these religious

leaders crucified

Jesus or

because they

rejected God's

precious cornerstone,

they must be

saved.

He says

we must

be saved.

Peter doesn't

place himself

outside of

the need

he's declaring

because there's

one human

need and

there's one

savior to

meet that

need.

So Peter

stands here

before the

Sanhedrin,

not merely

condemning

their rejection

of Christ,

but as a

man who

himself has

denied

Christ and

received

mercy.

received

mercy from

the same

savior that

they desperately

need.

Third,

we need to

delight in

God's

gracious

provision

of salvation.

God's

gracious

provision

of salvation.

Notice

that Peter

not only

shows us

we all

desperately

need to

be saved,

but that

God has

not left

us without

a savior.

The phrase

given among

men is

beautiful.

It's a

humbling

phrase because

Peter's

wording reminds

us that

salvation is

not something

that humanity

has accomplished.

God has

given the

savior.

And praise

the Lord,

the savior

God has

given remains

his sufficient

and enduring

provision for

salvation.

So,

so Peter's

not saying

we

Christians

have chosen

Jesus as

our preferred

religious

path.

He's

saying God

has

acted.

God

sent

his

Messiah.

God

raised him

from the

dead.

God

made the

rejected

stone,

the

cornerstone.

God has

given this

name by

which we

must be

saved.

Now,

just stop

for a

minute.

Just

consider

the immense

grace and

mercy that's

captured in

this truth.

You see,

from birth,

apart from

grace,

our hearts

are turned

against God.

God,

we reject

his rule,

we despise

his glory,

and yet,

at great

personal cost,

our glorious

God provided

the Savior

that we all

desperately

need.

Now,

that naturally

leads to the

final consideration,

salvation,

the exclusivity

of salvation

in Jesus,

the exclusivity

of salvation

in Jesus.

The verse

begins literally

something like

this,

and in

no other

is there

salvation.

Then Peter

reinforces

and explains

that same

truth a second

time when he

says,

there's no

other name

under heaven.

So,

so this

verse

doesn't say

what our

billboards

and bumper

stickers so

often say.

Jesus saves.

Nor does

it even say,

Jesus is the

best way

to salvation.

It says,

salvation

does not

exist

in anyone

else.

And

lest there

be any

ambiguity

that there's

no other

name

under heaven

that's been

given.

You see,

Peter leaves

no possible

alternative.

Salvation

in the name

of Jesus

means salvation

in Jesus

himself.

Peter's

not presenting

a formula

or a prayer

to be prayed

or an act

to be done.

He's

proclaiming

a person,

Jesus,

the Messiah

from Nazareth.

So,

so this

morning,

the question

remains for

each of us,

what will I

do with

the name

Jesus,

the Messiah

from Nazareth?

You see,

the religious

leaders did

not lack

information

about Jesus.

They'd heard

his teaching.

They knew

about his

works.

They'd

examined

his claims.

But

after examining

him,

they rejected

him.

They treated

as worthless

the Savior

God had

given.

And it's

very easy

for us

to do

the same

thing.

We can

know facts

about Jesus

without

bowing

to him

as Lord.

We can

admire

parts of

his teaching

while rejecting

his authority.

We can

attempt

to add

Jesus

alongside

the other

things that

rule our

lives,

our comfort,

our reputation,

our desires,

our possessions,

our relationships,

or our

ambitions,

trying to

just add

him to

the midst

of it

all,

but without

receiving

him as

our only

Lord and

Savior.

But Jesus

will not

remain one

option among

many.

You see,

the one the

leaders rejected

is the one

God raised

from the dead.

The one

they condemned

is the one

God vindicated.

The stone

they discarded,

God made

the corner

stone.

And the

name that

they attempted

to silence

became the

only name

given under

heaven among

men by

which we

must be

saved.

Now,

the word

we is

important

because it

includes

everyone

in this

room.

We need

to be

rescued.

We need

to be

rescued from

more than

difficult

circumstances

or emotional

challenges

or financial

difficulties

or physical

ailments

or problems

in our

relationship

or whatever

you would

fill in the

blank.

We need

to be

rescued

from our

sin,

our rebellion

against a

holy God

and the

judgment

that we

deserve

because of

it.

And no

matter what

we do,

we cannot

accomplish

that rescue

ourselves.

But God

has not

left us

without

hope.

In mercy,

he's given

the Savior

we need.

Jesus

Christ

died

for sinners.

God

raised him

from the

dead.

He lives,

he reigns,

and he

will save

everyone

who turns

from sin

and trusts

in him.

So this

morning,

do not

merely

examine

Jesus

and then

walk away.

Don't

try to

place him

alongside

the other

gods that

compete for

your heart.

I challenge

you,

turn from

your sin

and trust

yourself

completely

to Jesus

Christ.

He's the

only Savior

God has

given.

God has

given.

Now,

if you're

here this

morning,

if you

already

belong to

Christ,

I challenge

you,

remember

what this

passage

teaches us

about

bearing

his name.

Opposition

cannot

stop

his work.

The

Spirit

can give

fearful

people

courage,

courage,

and the

message

that we

sometimes

are so

tempted

to hide

is the

very

message

through

which

God

saves.

So let

us speak

with respect

but not

fear,

and with

humility

but not

shame,

and with

courage

but not

contempt.

Let us

clearly

tell people

who Jesus

is,

and what

God has

done

through

him,

and what

God has

done

through

him

for

us.

Because

there's

salvation

in no

one else.

There's

no other

name under

heaven given

among men

by which

we must

be saved.

If you

don't know

whether you

have trusted

in Christ

as Lord

and Savior,

please don't

leave today

without speaking

to me or

speaking to

somebody around

you,

we'd be

honored to

talk with

you about

the Savior

God has

given.

For there

is salvation

in no

one else.

For there's

no other

name under

heaven that's

been given

among men

by which

we must

be saved.

Let's

pray.

heavenly

father,

we

are

humbled

by your

goodness

and your

grace.

Knowing

that our

hearts

from birth

are at

enmity with

you, we

fight against

you, we

rebel against

you, we

despise your

glory, and

yet you

in your

infinite

mercy have

pursued us

in love, sending

your son who

willingly comes to

live the life we

could not live, and

then taking our

sin on himself,

taking the wrath and

the punishment that

we deserve, giving

us the privilege of

through faith becoming

your children, of

knowing the

same love that

you have for

your son.

Father, how

glorious are the

truths of the

gospel.

Father, help us

not to forget.

Help us to

daily remember

your grace,

your mercy.

Help us not to

become so content

with the gifts

that we forget

the one who's

given them.

And to give us

eyes to see

those around us

who've not

experienced the

hope and the

love that we

have found in

Jesus.

Help us to be

bold.

Help us to be

courageous.

And help us to

be kind.

Father, we ask

these things that

your son would be

glorified and that

more and more

people would come

to know him,

love him, and

worship him as

he deserves.

Father, we

thank you again

for your word.

We thank you for

this day.

We thank you for

your salvation

given.

In Jesus' name,

amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

may

!