In my preparation for the sermon this Sunday I’ve hit upon a theme that I may not end up including in the sermon, but it’s been rattling around in my brain and I need to get it out…so here we go.

We’re going through the book of Acts and we’re at the part of the story where Peter & John have healed a man who hasn’t been able to walk since he was born (over 40 years). When Peter heals him, this is what he says:

“In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!” (Acts 3:6, NLT)

This causes a big commotion and Peter preaches to a big crowd (with big results). This is what Peter tells that crowd:

“Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name has healed him before your very eyes.” (Acts 3:16, NLT)

Peter & John then get arrested by the religious leaders. They get to spend a night in jail before being grilled by the religious elite. What’s the first question they ask Peter & John?

“By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?” (Acts 4:7, NLT)

Peter’s answer…

“Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene,* the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead.” (Acts 4:10, NLT)

The council doesn’t like this answer and they have a little sidebar to figure out what to do. They can punish them because the people saw the miracle and have started to believe in these men and in Jesus. They also can’t do nothing because they already arrested them…that would make them look stupid. So what do they do? Here’s the compromise they come up with:

“They called the apostles back in and commanded them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus.” (Acts 4:18, NLT)

Peter &John basically tell them “No can do” (my paraphrase) and the council ends up letting them go with a stern warning.

Are you seeing the pattern? This whole thing focuses on the concept of healing, teaching, and preaching “in Jesus’ name”. Peter & John even return to the church and tell them everything that happened. The church prays for boldness and they ask God:

“Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” (Acts 4:30, NLT)

This is a concept we don’t fully get in our day and age. We’ve watered down the idea of “Jesus’ name” to the point where it’s not much more than the rote ending of our prayers: “In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen”. I’m guilty.

But it’s so much more than that. The Hebrew concept is that when you do anything in someone else’s name you are doing it on their authority…as if they where there doing it themselves. I miss that mark…not even sure I’m hitting the target.

And I was reading Richard Foster this morning and this is what he had to say on the subject…

“To pray in the name of Jesus means to pray in full assurance of the great work Christ accomplished—in his life, by his death, through his resurrection, and by means of his continuing reign at the right hand of God the Father…To pray in the name of Jesus means that we are praying in accord with the way and nature of Christ. It means that we are making the kinds of intercessions he would make if he were among us in the flesh.” (Richard Foster in Prayer).

So I’m re-thinking how I use Jesus’ name. I want it to be more than just the punctuation mark of my prayers. I want it to be the power in my spiritual life…as Jesus representative. His power not mine.