Acts 4:1-7: a reflection

1As they spoke to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came to them, 2being upset because they taught the people and proclaimed in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3They laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was now evening. 4But many of those who heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to be about five thousand. 5In the morning, their rulers, elders, and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem. 6Annas the high priest was there, with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and as many as were relatives of the high priest. 7When they had stood Peter and John in the middle of them, they inquired, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?”

When Peter and John are arrested for healing a lame man and proclaiming the resurrection, the authorities bring them before the council and put a pointed question: By what power or by what name did you do this? They want to know the source of what the apostles had done. And the answer, which Peter will give, is a name: the name of Jesus Christ. What the apostles had done, they had not done by their own strength or in their own name, but in the name of Jesus, the risen Lord.

Notice the question and its answer. By what power, by what name? The rulers assumed there must be some source, some authority, behind the healing and the bold preaching. And the source was not the apostles themselves, their own ability, their own name, but Jesus. It was in his name, by his authority, that the lame man was healed and the message proclaimed. The apostles were not the source; they were servants of a name greater than their own.

That is worth remembering about our own service and witness. Whatever good we do in God's work, whatever we accomplish in serving him, is done not in our own name or by our own strength, but in the name of Jesus and by his working through us. We are not the source; he is. This keeps us humble, taking no credit for what is his, and it makes us bold, for the name we serve in is one of authority far beyond our own. When you serve or witness, do it in the name of Jesus, not your own; take no credit for what his working accomplishes, and take courage that you act in a name greater than yourself. By what name? The name of Jesus.

Lord, when Peter and John were asked by what power or name they had healed and preached, the answer was your name, the name of Jesus, not their own strength or ability. Help me remember that whatever good I do in your work is done in your name and by your working through me, not my own. Keep me humble, taking no credit for what is yours, and make me bold, for the name I serve in is one of authority far beyond my own. When I serve or witness, let me do it in your name, not to build my own; and give me courage, knowing I act in a name greater than myself. Thank you that it is not my strength but yours that accomplishes anything of worth. Be glorified in your name, through me.