In the Name of Jesus: Healing and Bold Witness

Luke the careful doctor tells an historical story that points straight to Jesus. After the resurrection and forty days of instruction, after the ascension and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit sets Peter and John moving toward the temple to pray. The steps hold a man carried there daily, lame from birth. The apostles do not toss a coin and hurry on. The text locks eyes: Peter and John “looked straight at him,” then ask him to look at them. “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” The name does not float like a charm; the risen Jesus acts by his Spirit. Ankles strengthen. A lifetime outside the courts breaks open into walking, jumping, praising God inside.

Crowds gather. That joy draws scrutiny. Temple officials hear that resurrection is being preached in Jesus’ name and put the apostles in jail for the night. The next morning the council asks the old question: “By what power or what name did you do this?” The Holy Spirit gives Peter courage to say what the moment demands: it is “by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead.” Psalm 118 gets its due. The stone the builders refused has become the cornerstone. The council had misjudged the odd-shaped stone; God set that very stone as the capstone. Therefore the line must be drawn clean: “Salvation is found in no one else.”

The council does not ask, “What must be done to be saved?” It asks, “How do we save our standing?” That choice is the wrong side not just of history but of what God is doing in his Son. Yet something is undeniable. Ordinary, unschooled men stand before experts, and everyone can tell they “had been with Jesus.” Time with Jesus changes diction, posture, and courage. When ordered to be silent, the apostles put the matter plainly: is it right to listen to God or to you? They cannot help speaking of what they have seen and heard. The council blusters and releases them because the healed man stands there on two good legs and the people are praising God.

The name of Jesus still does what money cannot do. The Spirit still gives ordinary people courage to give attention, to speak in that name, to sow the seed and leave the growth to God. The call is not to manage outcomes but to stop being ashamed of the gospel, because the gospel is God’s power to save everyone who believes.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Give attention, then give Jesus [45:31] Attention beats a quick donation, because attention dignifies a person and listens for what God might do. Peter and John refuse to reduce a man to a problem to be paid off. The gospel gives what money never can, because it offers the presence and power of the risen Christ. Mercy that looks someone in the eye often becomes the doorway for miracle or honest repentance. [45:31]
• 2. The name of Jesus heals and saves [56:12] “Walk” and “salvation” both ride on the same name. The text refuses any backup plan, insisting there is no other name under heaven by which a person must be saved. Where that name is trusted, life rises, bodies and souls are gathered in, and outsiders are brought into the courts to praise God. Where that name is sidelined, religion keeps order but cannot give life. [56:12]
• 3. Ordinary people, Spirit-made bold [59:57] Unschooled men are recognized as men who have been with Jesus, and that is enough. The Spirit does not make them flashy; he makes them faithful, clear, and courageous. Proximity to Jesus forms a steady backbone that institutions cannot manufacture. A quiet, daily nearness to him trains a tongue to speak when silence would be safer. [59:57]
• 4. Obey God rather than man [01:03:23] The council commands silence; the apostles ask whose voice finally rules. Conscience shaped by God’s Word cannot outsource obedience to cultural pressure or institutional fear. Speech about what has been seen and heard is not bravado but stewardship. Obedience here looks like humble defiance, anchored in the risen Lord’s authority. [63:23]
• 5. Ask the right question about power [56:34] One heart asks, “What must be done to be saved?” Another asks, “How do we save our position?” Those questions never yield the same path. The text warns that self-preservation hardens the soul against the very mercy it needs. Wisdom is to get on the right side of what God is doing in Jesus, even if that means losing standing to gain life. [56:34]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [38:09] - Storytime with Luke the physician
• [42:43] - Pentecost sets the stage
• [43:10] - Temple steps encounter
• [43:57] - Look at us
• [45:31] - Silver and gold I do not have
• [47:21] - Walking, jumping, praising God
• [49:30] - Arrest for preaching resurrection
• [51:00] - By what name did you do this
• [54:36] - The rejected stone becomes cornerstone
• [56:12] - No other name under heaven
• [59:10] - Wrong side of what God is doing
• [59:57] - Ordinary unschooled yet with Jesus
• [63:23] - Listen to God or to you
• [68:23] - Do not be ashamed of the gospel

1. What did Peter and John do differently instead of giving money to the lame man, and what did they offer instead? [45:31]
2. How did the religious leaders respond when they heard Peter and John preaching about Jesus’ resurrection? [49:30]
3. What Old Testament passage did Peter quote to explain Jesus’ role, and how did he apply it to the religious leaders? [54:36]

1. Why do you think Peter referenced Psalm 118:22 (“the stone the builders rejected”) when addressing the religious council? What does this reveal about their misunderstanding of Jesus?
2. The council asked, “By what power or name did you do this?” while Peter insisted, “Salvation is found in no one else.” How do these two questions reflect opposing views of authority and salvation?
3. The religious leaders recognized that Peter and John were “ordinary, unschooled men” but had “been with Jesus.” What does this imply about the source of their courage and clarity? [59:57]

1. When have you been tempted to meet a need (physical, emotional, or spiritual) with a quick fix (like money) instead of giving intentional attention or pointing someone to Jesus? What would it look like to slow down and “look someone in the eye” this week? [45:31]
2. The name of Jesus healed the lame man and offers salvation. In what areas of your life do you struggle to rely fully on His name rather than other “backup plans” (e.g., self-effort, status, or resources)?
3. The apostles’ daily proximity to Jesus gave them courage to speak boldly. What habits or practices could help you cultivate a “quiet, daily nearness” to Him to strengthen your faith? [59:57]
4. The council prioritized saving their standing over seeking salvation. Where might you be prioritizing self-preservation or reputation over obedience to God? How can you shift your focus? [56:34]
5. When have you faced pressure to stay silent about your faith? How can the apostles’ response (“we cannot help speaking”) inspire you to steward your story of Jesus faithfully? [01:03:23]