Salvation in no other name than Jesus, Acts 4:12

1.    Someone has associated several of our hymns with things in life.

2.    Stand up, Stand up, has been called the chiropractors hymn.

3.    It has been said that the “electrician’s hymn” is “Send The Light.”

4.    The telephone man’s hymn is “There’s A Call Come Ringing.”

5.    The Salesman’s hymn is “Almost Persuaded.”

6.    Car accidents have been associated with, “We saw thee not.”

7.    In this list I am drawing from another hymn is listed.

8.    Why Do You Wait.

9.    This has been called the “Crossing Guard’s hymn.”

THE WORDS IN WHY DO YOU WAIT BRING US TO OUR TEXT.  IN THE SECOND STANZA OF THIS SONG WE FIND THESE WORDS:  “THERE’S NO ONE TO SAVE YOU BUT JESUS, THERE’S NO OTHER WAY BUT HIS WAY.”

A.   Let’s think about what these words say.

B.    There is no one to save you but Jesus.

C.    Our world finds safety in a lot of places.

D.   People feel safe in their homes, sometimes in their jobs, and their benefit packages.

E.    People feel secure in material wealth and health.

F.     The song that we sing says that these things cannot save us.

G.   In the song that we sing we make another point.

H.   We sing, “There is no other way but His way.”

I.      This is exclusive language.

J.      What about Allah?  Confucius?  Mohammed?  Buddha?  Dahlia Lama?

K.   We have a world full of people who think they are going to heaven their own way.

L.    Most of us have heard at least one person say that they have their own path to God.

M.  The country of New Zealand is full of people who say, “We have our own religion.”

N.   I would estimate that 90% of the population in that country would make this claim.

O.   Yet, we sing a message that is without compromise.

P.     Should this part of the song be sung?  Is it true?

Q.   Let’s look again at what Peter said in Acts 4:10-12 – READ.

2.     There was a time in Peter’s life when He had let the Lord down.

A.   At a previous time Peter had denied Jesus in three separate ways.

B.    On this occasion he was sure of himself.

C.    He said (verse 10) -- be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel.

D.   Peter said that he had a message for the people of his nation.

E.    He said that his people—the Jews—had “crucified” Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

F.     In spite of this evil deed, God had “raised” Jesus from the dead.

G.   Through the power of the resurrected Messiah a miracle had been performed.

H.   The miracle was important but this was only an indicator of something much greater.

3.     Jesus was a “stone.”

4.     Verse 11 says that He was the “cornerstone.”

5.     The word “cornerstone” is a compound word.

6.     It is made up of a word that means “highest” and a word that means “angle.”

7.     The word is only found here and 1 Pet. 2:6.

8.     Sometimes people use something to line things up.

9.     When people are in a group they are sometimes told to “form up” or line up by or behind a person.

10. The word “cornerstone” means that we “line up” on Jesus.

A.   Many believe that we can line up on whatever religious object or group that we choose.

B.    In the first century some wanted to line up on Moses.

C.    Others wanted to line up behind false Messiahs.

D.   Peter told the religious leaders that all people needed to look to the Lord and line up on Him.

E.    Jesus had been rejected by some (verse 11) but the time of ignorance was past.

11. PETER DROVE HIS POINT HOME WITH THE INFORMATION IN VERSE 12 – READ.

12. Where is salvation?

A.   The Bible says that it is “in Christ” (2 Tim. 2:10).

B.    Both Peter and Paul said that salvation is in Christ.

C.    Peter added that salvation is in “none other.”

D.   Ouch.

E.    Can we imagine how well the Jewish officials received this information?

F.     These people had hated Jesus so much that they endorsed and supported His death.

G.   The Lord’s disciples were on trial and they said that salvation comes through Jesus.

H.   Salvation is through the one that these people helped kill.

I.      Peter then added that salvation is only through Jesus.

J.      That is, if we do not pursue salvation through Jesus Christ of Nazareth we will not be saved.

K.   Peter said that there is “no other name under heaven” that can save us.

L.    The force of this statement is absolutely incredible.

M.  Only Jesus has the power to save us.

N.   The words in our hymn are right.

O.   They are radical and exclusive, but they are right.

13. THE CORRECTNESS OF THESE WORDS IS ESPECIALLY CLEAR WHEN WE EXAMINE ACTS 4:12.

A.   When Peter spoke about “another” he used two different words.

B.    The first word (“none other”) means “similar; like; of the same character.”

C.    The Jesus that God sent into the world was a Messiah.

D.   Jesus promised that other Messiahs would arise.

E.    The word “Christ” means “anointed.”  It is the Greek equivalent of “Messiah.”

F.     Listen to Mt. 24:5 – READ.

G.   Jesus made His point again in verse 24 – READ.

H.   Jesus said that many “Christ’s” (Messiahs) would arise.

I.      This is exactly what Peter described in Acts 4:12.

J.      The first “other” means similar/like.

K.   There would be “other” people like Jesus in that these others would claim to be the Messiah.

L.    Peter affirmed that these “others” were not Messiahs.

M.  God intended for only Messiah to come and He has arrived.

N.   The first “other” describes people who would have made Messianic claims.

14. The first “other” would include those who either claim to be from God or can deliver us from sin.

15. The first part of the verse affirms that all religious potentates are frauds and deceivers.

16. People who make messianic claims must be immediately rejected.

17. The only messianic figure from God is Jesus Christ.

18. Anyone who makes a messianic claims is either a liar, a deceiver, or mentally ill.

19. This is the significance of the word “other” in 12a.

A.   At the end of this verse Peter used a different word.

B.    He said “any OTHER name under heaven.”

C.    This word means “different in character.”

20. This word describes the person who says “I am not the Messiah, I am His prophet.”

21. The word could describe some other type of messenger.

22. At times people claim that they are divine messengers from God.

23. We need to follow them because they have a special message.

24. Peter said that this is nonsense.

25. There is “no other name under heaven” that God is going to use besides Jesus.

26. This description gets everyone.

27. It includes Joseph Smith, Mary Baker Eddy, the Jehovah’s Witnesses leaders, Mohammed, etc.

28. Anyone besides Jesus who says he or she has a message from God is preaching a different gospel.

29. In Gal. 1:6-9 Paul said that these people are “accursed.”

30. “

31. Jesus is the only Messianic figure and the Bible tells us about the Lord’s helpers.

32. Those who appeal to anyone besides Jesus and the apostles are involved with the wrong people.

33. If we are not using Jesus and the apostles we are not dealing with people who are from God.

34. TO THIS SOMEONE MIGHT SAY, THESE OTHER PEOPLE SEEM TO BE GOOD PEOPLE.  THEY ARE FRIENDLY AND GOD FEARING.  THEY SPEAK WELL OF GOD AND SEEM TO BE OKAY.

A.   God has issued some warnings about these very things.

B.    I will start with the Old Testament – Prov. 14:12.

C.    This was, for reasons I no longer remember, one of the first verses I remember learning.

D.   Before becoming a member of the church I had found this verse.

E.    For more than 20 years it has been a good guide – READ.

F.     This is consistent with what Jesus said in Mt. 7:13.

G.   The Lord said that there are “two gates.”  One is wide and the other is narrow.

H.   The narrow gate is difficult.

I.      One of the reasons that things are hard is found in verse 15 – READ .

J.      Teachers of error are often in disguise.

K.   They blend in with the sheep.

L.    They seem pious and obedient to God.

M.  The Lord warned that they are destructive.

35. Remember how from Mt. 24 Jesus said that even the “elect” could be led away.

36. Acts 4:12 is one of the most powerful verses in the Bible.

37. It tells us that if we are not following Jesus and His apostles—and only them—we are on the wrong road.

38. This also tells us that Christianity is incompatible with other religions.

39. We live in a time which is somewhat similar to the first century.

40. People told Christians, “We will join together.  We accept your God and religion; accept ours.”

41. Christianity says to the world:  no deal.  No compromise.

42. We have no religious leader but Jesus and no guidelines but those given by His apostles.

43. With Acts 4:12 we may add Heb. 13:8 (Jesus is unchanging).

44. Together these references show that till the end of time the point in Acts 4:12 is true.

45. No matter what kind of religious groups arise, salvation can only be found through Christ.

46. To many people the point in Acts 4:12 is offensive. 

47. The song that we sing says that Christ and His way is 100% exclusive.

48. Do we believe what we sing?  Do we believe what Peter said?

49. There is no way to salvation but Jesus and no way but His way?

50. If we are fully convinced that this is true, are we trying to share this story with others?

51. Have we come to the Lord in the way that He has described?