In The Name of Jesus

We're in the book of Acts chapter three. And I wanna ask you a question as you're turning to Acts chapter three. If I handed you this blank check, how much would it be worth? The answer is, it depends. It depends upon whose name is on the signature line. If my name was on here and it was a blank check, you'd be good for a couple of burritos at Chipotle and that's about it. I'm just kidding. Right, the value of a blank check is dependent upon whose name is on the signature line. Are you with me? Look at your neighbor. The one that you really, really love. The one you came with, maybe they're a stranger. Tell them the title of my message. Tell them in the name of Jesus. That's who signed the check for your salvation. His name is Jesus. You could never pay the price. He don't have to. Jesus did on the cross. That's what Easter is all about. That's what Easter is about. The value of the check is determined by the authority of the name on the signature line. And Pastor John Michael hit a grand slam last week. Wouldn't you agree when he kicked off this series?

He talked to us about Acts chapter one and two and the early church and they got filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. I wanna build upon that and talk about the purpose of it. Because I think it's one thing to receive power. It's another thing to release it. Oh, that's better than you think it is. It's one thing to receive the power of the Holy Spirit. It's another thing to release it. See, I think a lot of us believers, we like the idea of God moving. We just kinda get hesitant when it requires us to step out. See, we think it's my job as a pastor to preach the gospel to people. You're gonna preach to people that will never come to this church or watch me online at your workplace, in your neighborhood, at the grocery store, in your family and your sermon is how you live your life. They're watching, they're paying attention. And when I was praying this last week, I was studying and praying and I said, "Lord, who's this message for?" And it is for everybody. Hopefully everybody can get something out of this message, but the Lord told me there are people coming to church on April 19th, 2026 who feel worthless. They feel like they don't matter. They feel like they don't have value. They've considered checking out.

You know what I'm saying? Ending it. They're done. They're tired, they're overwhelmed. The weight of life is too much. Y'all can listen, but I'm just telling you, the Lord gave me an assignment to preach a word to somebody today that feels overlooked, they feel passed by, they feel unseen, they feel overwhelmed, you feel like the lame beggar and Acts chapter three. Let's read it together starting with verse one. It's what the word of God says. One day, Peter and John, they were going up to the church for the time of prayer at three in the afternoon. Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called beautiful. He was put there every day, every day, every day. He was put there to beg from those who were going to church. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looks straight at him as did John. And Peter says, look at us. So the man gave them his attention expecting to get something from them. Verse six, then Peter said, you ready for this? Silver or gold, I do not have, but what I do have, what I do have. Come on, stay there with me. What I do have, what I do have, what do you have?

What'd I do? Got the name of Jesus, don't you? He said, what I do have, what I do have, what I do have, I give to you, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk. How did Peter know that that would work? How did Peter know that if he said in the name of Jesus walk that it would work? See, in John chapter 14, Jesus is with the disciples and he's telling them before he dies. Hey, I'm gonna die, but when I do, the Holy Spirit is gonna come to the earth and he's gonna fill you with power and with knowledge. And he says, the Holy Spirit will remind you of these things I'm teaching you. In fact, write this down, John chapter 14 verse 12. In John chapter 14 verse 12, Jesus says, you will do the things I have been doing and you will do even greater things than these. You can ask for anything in my name and it will be done. I think the Holy Spirit reminded Peter at the temple gate called beautiful of what Jesus taught in the upper room. And I think that's why he had the faith to believe that it would work if he said in the name of Jesus walk. Verse seven, taking him by the right hand, Peter helped him up and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. He went with them into the temple courts,

walking and jumping and praising God. And when all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called beautiful and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished. They came running to them in the place called Solomon's Colonnade. And when Peter saw this, he said to them, fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness, we had made this man walk? Jump down to verse 16. Peter continues by faith. Here's my sermon title, in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is in Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him as you can all see. The word of God, amen. Amen. Now don't miss it. Peter and John are at a gate called beautiful and they encounter a man whose life was anything but beautiful. A man who liked maybe some of us. Maybe we're not literally lame, but maybe we feel beaten down by life. Maybe we feel passed over,

walked by, overlooked, insignificant. Like I said, that's who the Lord told me to preach to today. Those of us who are sitting, hoping, waiting and desperation for something, for someone, for anyone, please, to reach out. And can I just tell you, you don't have to make it all the way in to church for Jesus to meet you. What's really, really fascinating about this story is that religion, what religion couldn't fix at the gate, the name of Jesus changed in a moment. The man's spent his whole life at this gate called beautiful and the beautiful gate couldn't save him. Listen, a religious system can't save you as great as Journey Church is. Journey Church cannot transform you. Jesus does that. Jesus transforms you. If you'll let him, he will change your whole life. Jesus said in John chapter 10, verse nine, "I am the gates." The man, some of us were sitting at the gate in desperation, wondering why we keep getting passed by. Still not married. I still don't have kids. I still didn't get promoted. I still don't have enough money. I'm still sitting here stuck. Why not me God? Do you see me God?

Do you hear me God? Am I preaching to anybody today? And I came to tell you, God sees you. He loves you. Don't give up Don't quit Don't end it At just the right time maybe one day and Acts chapter three is two day for you And maybe this message Maybe the Lord might use this message today for you to receive the hope That's you need see the gate was beautiful, but the name of Jesus is powerful It changes everything Everybody else walk past this man for years But not Peter Not Peter See I want to tell you I Want to speak a word of truth over your life right now the the the value of your life is Determined by the authority of his name the Value listen to me listen to me the value of your life journey church is Determined by the authority of his name You know who signed this check You know who signed this check for your life. It's not Phil curlin. It's J. E. S. U. S Now how much is it worth? Who's it written to who who paid to the order of all who? believe Come on all who believe Now how much is it worth? There's no value you could put on it

limitless in the name of Jesus for all Who believe do you believe? I said do you believe in the name of Jesus not just that he saved you But that he's given you power to preach to your sphere of influence and by preach. I don't mean what I'm doing right now see back in Journey Church celebrated our five-year anniversary My wife and I we were at the five-year anniversary dinner this little restaurant in Westlake man We were celebrating all the amazing things that God did in the first five years of the church And and I remember getting in the car with my wife and at the time She was a labor and delivery nurse working night shifted and I remember she got a little bit emotional and she started thinking Man, I just there's so many great things happening and what you do feel like the ministry that you're a part of like I'm just a nurse I remember saying to her Something to the effect of see listen Katie people come to journey to hear us preach You go to room 204 to that single mom who has nobody else and you be Christ to them You preach and every day you're in that hospital Don't you say I'm just a nurse. I'm just a teacher. I'm just a mom. I'm just a dad I'm just a businessman You if you're saved by the blood of Jesus and filled by the power of Jesus preach Your neighbor ain't gonna come hear me, but he's waiting and he's watching for how you preach Well, how you love your kids How you love your wife Your life is the best sermon anybody could ever hear See, but we get stuck We believe these lies. We say things like I don't know enough. I'm not ready I don't have what it takes. Here's the first thing I want to show you at first point I want to give you what you have is enough What you have is enough? What do you have? You got JE SUS right do you have time to stop when everybody else is in a hurry Peter and John did

Do you have the eyes of Christ to see somebody that everybody else is walking past? What do you have? Do you have humility to speak to a lame beggar a Less than marginalized person that everybody else walks by Listen, I was recently traveling and and we were in this nice area and restaurants and and ice cream Come on somebody ice cream and there was this homeless couple and the man was pushing I think it was probably his wife or maybe his sister I don't know in a wheelchair and and I walked past him I Was just studying this and I walked I don't carry cash the man said do you have any cash sir I said if I did I'd have given it all to him that's why I don't carry cash it's a bad budget plan to give me cash silver and gold I don't have but I can go into kiln's and buy two bottles of water this isn't about me it was hot y'all I was sucking down water and ice cream and I had to go on a mission to find this couple and I said I don't have cash I went and found him I was like what are you doing dad silver and gold I don't have but I can stop I can see you I can look at you I can say God bless you I see him right now in my eye and some of you you feel like you're them you might not be homeless but man you're broken you're desperate you're hurting and you've asked so many people and they walked past you make you weepy a church that stops walking past people you don't got to give them a blank check just give them a bottle of water quit walking past your kids to go back to work quit walking past your neighbor and stop and share the gospel hey man I was at church I heard this great message can I share it with you guys kind of crazy he yells a lot I used to go to football he's not mad at you he just he gets excited what do you have Peter had faith to believe for a miracle here's what I've been wondering about how does denying Peter become bold Peter I've been thinking about it all week what happened how'd that happen John chapter 14 verse 26 I referenced it earlier Jesus says the advocate the Holy Spirit whom the father will send in my name will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you listen you may not have everything but you have his name you bear his name and his name is powerful second thing I want to show you is that we are on mission point number two to make his

name known what you have is enough whatever I'm not talking about a dollar amount I'm talking about the name of Jesus the place you live and work is enough that little bit of mustard seed faith is enough a bottle of water is enough a prayer is enough a kind a word in twenty twenty six my goodness holding the door for somebody in twenty twenty six is enough going on a date with your phone in your pocket is enough instead of dating your phone while your spouse is sitting cross from you you got to make his name known I love this because the crowd starts looking at Peter and John like look what you guys did look at verse 11 Acts 3 11 while the man held on to Peter and John all the people are like whoa that was really cool Peter saw this he's like wait wait wait wait fellow Israelites why does this surprise you why do you stare at us as if by our power we made this man walk I want you to look at your neighbor the one that feels offended because you haven't talked to them yet today come on tap him on the shoulder tap my shoulder say neighbor it's not a curse word because it doesn't have four letters it just has three say neighbor DBS come on neighbor DBS Pastor Jose DBS don't be surprised why are we surprised when we pray about things and then they happen do we forget that there's power in the name of Jesus in the mighty name of Jesus can I just remind you what you sang a little bit ago I draw a permanent boundary line the enemy has no right to come near my family no scheme could ever undo God's plan no matter the circumstance the cross has sealed my destiny I proclaim that every weapon formed against you, journeyed search, will not prosper. Will not prosper. We have to make his name known. This isn't just about us, we're not a country club. We are on mission. What are we focused on in 2026 at Journey Church? You ready, are you ready? If you're ready, say I'm ready. Oh, I'm like marching in place, ready. Boldness. Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, I said boldness.

Listen, you don't need more confidence in yourself. You need more belief in the power of the name of Jesus. When you believe in the power of the name of Jesus, game over, everything changes. Don't be surprised, as long as we don't make it about you and we make it about Jesus, can I just tell you, don't make it about you? Listen, people are gonna start looking at you like they did Peter and John. There are at least 12 documented that I'm aware of, miracles that happened at Journey Church in the month of March. Like I'm talking physical bodily miracles, like tumors disappeared, pain in the body gone. I'm sorry, like yes, come on, that's the kind of church we are and the kind of God we serve. And when a miracle or sign in wonder happens, there's at least three reasons why. Number one, say number one, for the person who got healed. Number two, say number two, to build faith in other people. Number three, say number three, most importantly, when a miracle or a sign or a wonder or a healing happens, it's to point people to Jesus. Don't make it about you. It's not about you, it's about Jesus. The final thing I wanna show you this weekend, the most important point of the message, if you thought I was fired up, I'd just get started. Point number three, his name has power. (indistinct) That's why they were so upset in the book of Acts.

See, if you keep reading this week for your homework, they arrest Peter and John and they flog them, beat 'em, put 'em in prison. Peter's like, "Why are you punishing us for healing a man?" That y'all walked by, you know this man, you walked by him on your way to church, "Well, let's go to church and walk by for years, a man in desperate need of a touch from God." Peter and John stopped and they believed in the power of the name of Jesus. And the rulers said, "No, no, you can't teach in that name." You know why? Because the name of Jesus has power. You wanna know something? At the name of Jesus, the devil runs. When you speak the name of Jesus, you know what all the demons of hell do? They shudder in fear. There's power. I think, listen to me, I think we have, we have downplayed the phrase in the name of Jesus to become a casual, cliche, closing phrase, and our prayer over breakfast. Lord bless my food and my day and my marriage and my kids in the name of Jesus, amen. You're kidding me? And the book acts, when Peter said in the name of Jesus, he got arrested and flogged and put on trial. We've missed the whole point, point three.

His name has power. So I wanna interrupt my own sermon for the last five minutes and just say something that needs to be said. I think some of us have been exposed to some bad teaching about healing and miracles and spiritual gifts. I think there's a lot of confusion around the gifts of the spirit that we learned about in Pastor John and Michael's message last week. And I think sometimes we start hearing people say things like I'm a healer, I'm a prophet, I have this power, I have this gift. And before long when we talk like and we hear those things said, it shifts from being about Jesus to being about a person or a personality. The power is not in your name. The power is in the name of Jesus. See, Peter shuts down immediately the attention they're trying to put on him and he's like, "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, hold on. "This wasn't me, don't get it confused. "This wasn't about me and John, we ain't that good. "This is about the name of Jesus." Listen, the Bible's clear that there are gifts that are given to us from Holy Spirit. We believe in it, I just told you. There's documented healing miracles at journey. There are gifts of healing and gifts of prophecy. Can I just tell you something? You don't own the gift.

You steward it. It's not about you. You're not the source, you're the vessel. God works through you, not because of you. And if anybody ever has told you that they are a healer, that's bad language. God is a healer. The name of Jesus. No, listen, I think I know what they mean, but instead of saying I am a healer, instead of saying that, we should say God heals people despite me, through me. Instead of saying, I'm a prophet. The better language is to say, hey, God is speaking something to me that I wanna share with you to encourage and uplift you. It's about Jesus, friends, not Pastor Phil, not Pastor John Michael, not Pastor Jeff, not Pastor Jose, not Pastor Fred, Jesus, Jesus. See, the moment that we think it's about us, we either become prideful when it works or discouraged when it doesn't. But when you know it's about Jesus, you stay humble and you stay bold. Boldness, it's not about how bold you sound, it's about the name that you speak. Jesus, all Peter said, he didn't even touch the man till after he started getting up. He's in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk. Why do we make it so weird?

So complicated, so religious. We need the man of God who has the ability to heal. No, no, we need the name of Jesus that makes demons shudder. I feel like they're shuddering right now, 'cause some of them have taken up some space in your head and heart. We about to kick 'em out. They are welcome up in here. You have the authority. But listen, the power isn't in what you say, it's in his name. It's in his name. And I wanna bring this full circle for a second and remind you that today, well, for me, it was back in 1997 at church camp. Maybe for you, it was 1976. And maybe for you, it was March 10th, 2024. I don't know what the day of your salvation is, but I wonder if it might be today. I wanna remind you that all who believe let's do it in red. (gentle music) All your sin was paid in full by Jesus' blood. All your sin. We sometimes think that we have to clean ourselves up to be good enough to get saved. Friends, the whole point is that you come just as you are and the blood of Jesus does the cleaning.

And there might be some life changes we need to make when we begin a relationship with Jesus, right? Of course, but all your sin was paid. It was paid in full. It was paid in full. And everything that we've talked about today, healing and boldness and power. Peter, he looks up at the religious leaders in Acts chapter four. I wanna show you this, verse 12. He says something so bold. He says something so clear. He says something that I cannot water down. See, sometimes at church, we try to make the Bible like a cushy pillow. you, that's what the devil does, but it might convict you that you've got to live a little different. That's why some of us, we don't like to read it because it reads us. But in Acts chapter 4 verse 12, you can flip there if you'd like or we'll put it on the screen. Peter, I mean you've got to read the whole thing, but Peter's on trial basically and he says, "Salvation is found in no one else, no one else, no one else." For there is no other name, I feel the power of God right now moving in this place. There's no other name under heaven, given to mankind, by which we must be saved. Save from what? All our sin. But you know something, Jesus didn't just die to save you of your sin, he died to set you free. Free from your past, free from your shame. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and you believe in your heart that

God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Why? Because of the name of Jesus.