Sermon -- 4th Sunday of End Time: Christ the King (November 26, 2017)

O WN is the Greek phrase, "He who is."

ACTS 4:1-12

WE ARE SAVED BY CHRIST ALONE.

In the name + of Jesus.

     St. Peter did not waste any words getting to the point.  When the temple leaders began to interrogate Peter and John because of their preaching, Peter declared, “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)  Peter did not say that Jesus is a nice man or a good teacher.  Peter did not suggest that Jesus is one of many preachers who speaks about eternal life.  Peter did not say that all religions eventually lead to the same place.  Peter did not leave room for any of that.  Neither did Jesus.  The entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is consistent and insistent: We are saved by Christ alone.  There is no other Savior.  There is no other God.  There is no other way to be saved.  There is no other source of forgiveness.  This is it.  We are saved by Christ alone.
     The Bible makes bold claims about salvation.  The Bible is also very particular about who God is.  From the prophet Isaiah we heard, “I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God.” (Isaiah 45:5)  It is not enough that we acknowledge there is “a god.”  That confession is almost meaningless.  It is only slightly better than atheism.  Atheists reject any notion of God, and there is a simple reason for it.  Atheists do not want to be accountable to anyone. 
     But if God is real, then whatever he has to say matters.  If God is real, then he is the source of everything that exists. If God is the source of all things, then he has the right to say how all things should run.  In other words, he sets the rules for what is good and what is evil.  To reject God is to reject his word and his commands.  While some consider this freeing, it is actually a death sentence.  If you insist you are not accountable to God, that does not mean God is no longer there or that his word no longer applies.  It is like telling the police officer who pulls you over, “I reject the speed limit, and I reject your authority.  Therefore, I will just go my own way.”  You know that traffic stop will not end well for you.  It will go from bad to worse.  It will be much worse for those who reject God.  You are accountable to God no matter what you think about him.
     Now, to simply acknowledge that there is “a god” does no more than let you pick and choose what set of rules you will follow.  While that may sound convenient, it finally makes you your own god.  It means you get to pick and choose what you think is good and evil.  This may make sense in your head, but it does not work if other people adopt the same attitude.  Others will conclude that it is evil that you have better possessions, more friends, or higher praise.  They will deem it good to knock you down a few pegs, or to steal or destroy your goods, or to sully your good name.  They will regard this as good because it evens the playing field.  So if it is wrong for others to decide for themselves what is good or evil, you are also wrong for doing so.  It may seem good to you to lie to make yourself look better, but you are wrong.  It is evil.  It may seem right to despise people who have more or who seek aid from you because you have more and because they are in need, but  you are wrong.  It is evil.  It may seem brilliant to think that your opinions are equal to God's, but you are wrong.  It is evil.  It is not merely atheists who want to avoid accountability to God.  We do it too.  Repent.
     There is some truth to the statement, “All religions eventually lead to the same place.”  They all lead to hell, because there is no Savior in any of them.  If God is to be taken seriously, then his word matters.  If his word matters, then he will hold us accountable for our obedience to it.  If God is righteous, then he will judge fairly.  And if God knows all things and judges us fairly, he must damn us and all people; for all are sinners.
     This is what the Lord says: “I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God.” (Isaiah 45:5)  God does not share his glory, power, or judgment with anyone.  Therefore, when Jesus of Nazareth preached, his claims were undeniably bold.  Jesus did not merely talk about a way to heaven.  He declared, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)  Jesus did not merely speak of eternal life.  He declared, “I am the resurrection and the life.  Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.” (John 11:25)  What the Lord says through the prophet Isaiah: “There is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me” (Isaiah 45:21), Jesus of Nazareth declared of himself.  In fact, Jesus was either bold or blasphemous.  So, Jesus is either God or he is a wretched liar.  There is no middle ground here.
     If Jesus is our Savior, how does he save?  Peter and John answered that when they were being interrogated by the priests at the temple.  The apostles of Jesus were working with the authority of Jesus when they healed a lame man at the temple.  Just as Jesus had restored health to many sick and diseased, so Peter and John did.  Jesus came with healing because he had come to reverse everything that had been corrupted by sin.  The reason people suffer sorrow, shame, grief, and guilt is because sin has corrupted us all.  Jesus came to save us from all of that.
     We are saved by Christ alone.  Jesus did far more than bring hope to the crippled; he gives hope to the dying and even to those who would be damned.  For Jesus not only has compassion on the sick, he has mercy on everyone who has been corrupted by sin.  Jesus has taken our shame and guilt from us.  All that would condemn us has been transferred to Jesus who has accepted every charge and accusation which has stood against us.  And that is why Jesus went to the cross.  Jesus died under the curse which our sins have brought.  Jesus died in shame for our shame. 
     We are saved by Christ alone.  But Jesus is not just some nice guy who said he would take the hit for the human race.  It does not work that way.  You cannot pay for my sins, and I cannot pay for yours.  The Bible assures us, “No man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life.” (Psalm 49:7)  God cannot accept a corrupt sacrifice for you.  Therefore, God himself has stepped in to ransom you.  The Lord alone is a Savior; and so the Lord saves you.
     Jesus is the Lord God in the flesh.  As a man in the flesh, he suffered and died for all sinful flesh.  But as the Lord God, his sacrifice is the perfect payment for all mankind.  That is why Christ crucified is the focus of our preaching.  Jesus did not live and die for himself; he lived and died for sinners to pay for your sins, to acquit you of all charges, and to remove God's wrath from you forever.  He does not command you to fix your life to be saved; he takes away your sins so that you are saved.  We are saved by Christ alone.  Apart from him there is no Savior.
     Peter and John healed a crippled man at the temple, they did not take credit for it.  Rather, they declared, “Let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well.” (Acts 4:10)  While it is true that Jesus suffered and died for sinners, it is also true that Jesus of Nazareth is risen from the dead.  That is how we know his sufferings and death actually has paid for our sins.  Death had claimed Jesus as its victim for our sins, but Jesus lives.  Death could not overcome Jesus; instead Jesus has overcome death.  He paid for all our sins, so he lives to declare that our sins are paid for now and forever.  No one else has conquered the grave, and that is why no one else can promise the resurrection to everlasting life.  Since no other teacher or prophet or religion can make these promises, they all end up going to the same place eventually—to hell.  But not so with Jesus Christ. 
     We are saved by Christ alone.  While it is true that there is no other Savior, it is also true that Jesus Christ is the Savior of all.  No one else can assure you that your guilt has been removed and your shame has been covered.  That is why “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)  
     There is one God before whom we are all accountable.  His word stands.  Although that word shows us that we are sinners, we are not damned sinners.  God is not hostile toward sinners, only unbelievers.  Whoever believes in Jesus Christ and is baptized into his name, however, is saved.  God's word also reveals our only Savior from our sins—Jesus Christ.  He alone rescues us from the guilt of our sin, from the terror of the grave, and from the flames of hell.  Jesus alone has conquered death and makes us children of the resurrection.  Jesus alone lives to impart the forgiveness he won for sinners.  Jesus alone is our Lord and Savior.  There is no other.  We are saved by Christ alone.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.