Friday, April 21, 2017

One Name

Peter and John walk into the Temple. They see an invalid begging, they focused in on him and demanded "look at me." "Look at me" is an invitation, even a command, to make human contact. The authority which they felt and the power surging in them was connected to Jesus. They had begun to live as Jesus' ambassadors of the Kingdom. Their level of intensity was increased dramatically, as the cross had given way to the resurrection, and the Holy Spirit gift was manifest. Absolute confidence, as they say "Look at me."

American culture is money driven. Money is power. We pursue money because we believe that we can "buy" what we need. Money does matter, but it is not the answer to every problem. Being an invalid is not a money problem, getting food to eat is. The man was beyond hoping to be cured, he was resigned to his situation. He just wanted to beg enough coin to eat that day. The apostles, bristling with Holy Spirit fire and brimming with healing light, had no money. "Sorry, we do not have gold or silver, nothing to give.... Well, except one thing. We have Jesus. Jesus our King sent us with the power and authority to do wondrous things in His Name. So we give  you what we do have.....Stand Up. Walk." It is a permanent solution to the real problem. The invalid was no more, now he was a man. Strong and able to walk. A new creation in Christ!

There is an explosion in the crowd. Amazing deeds baffle and excite them. Peter explains about Jesus, in particular His cross and death, and the resurrection. The unauthorized preachers are dragged before the leadership. It becomes testy. In every age, the powerful see Jesus as a threat and adversary--in the religious communities at times, in the secular community always. The Lord stands against the principalities and powers, so they push back.

Peter utters the central truth. The man is healed by the holy Name of Jesus. There is no other name for salvation. Jesus. Yeshua. Yasha. The Name is "YHWH saves." The Name is salvation. victory. healing. The Name is a declaration that the One and True, the One and Only God---the One Who is Who He is, YHWH--- Is saving and rescuing  and healing people already, in anticipation of The Day, the Last Day when all creation will receive the final make over.

There is no other name for salvation than 'God is salvation.' There is no other option. The Name is also the Man. Jesus the Name and Jesus the Man are one and the same. In Jesus God the Father ("The Father and I are one," He said) is saving. There is no other venue, how can there be? How can one go to God and not go through God?

It is popular in contemporary culture to minimize Jesus. We hear discussions of salvation which sound more like friendly debates about 'who is the best baseball player ever,' or 'what is the nicest vacation spot?' "Why you like the Mountains and I prefer the Beach," we say with open minded magnanimity, "can we not say there are many wonderful vacations and to each his/her own?" Jesus, however, is not an option or preference. When one says the word God, Jesus is included in the definition of the word. Jesus is God incarnate, the Son become flesh. "There is no other name for salvation--Jesus (YHWH saves) is the name and the person. Jesus heals.

We ponder why the healing and salvation is not always manifest. We wonder what was in Peter and John that is stifled in us? Why does the Name seem ineffective in most churches? Where is the power exploding in healing wonders and bold preaching? We ponder and face the truth. We are not confident (literally "with" + "faith") much of the time. We are tentative, shuffling into the Temple, not striding with power and authority. We are timid, offering a word of meager hope ("I will pray for you, who knows, perhaps something good will happen") while barely stuffing our deepest fears and feelings ("But let's be clear, your situation is very bleak and looks hopeless. God can work miracles but let us refrain from expecting such a thing...") We do not preach the Name (good manners dictates that we give equal footing to all manner of belief and unbelief, besides, we are not totally sure our beliefs are accurate, so why 'impose' them by publicly saying they are true?) In the end, we are not dragged before any authority of any type. Why would we be, we are quiet harmless...

The inner battle of belief and unbelief, the temptation to forego the ministry which baptism demands and the Spirit empowers--such things are a daily struggle. Perhaps this is the reason we need to read the Bible more than we do. Reading Acts 3 opens us to possibilities which are otherwise unthinkable. Yes God can, so yes we should. There is no other Name and we know the Name! We have the Name and can pronounce it. To forgive sinners, to set free the captive, to heal and exorcise... The Name, not us, the Name, that is what we have. Our silver and gold cannot provide what the world needs most. Money is not the answer. Salvation is the answer. God is the answer. The Name of Jesus--YHWH is victorious, healing and saving--the Name of Jesus is the Answer! 

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