This Sunday evening, December the 3rd, 1972, in
Richmond, Virginia, ministry is being given through Brother
Stephen Kong.
Thank God for getting us together here tonight.
I wonder if some of you still
remember what we fellowshiped together, I think just
two months ago.
We mentioned that as we are approaching the
end, this is the time that we should
look back to the beginning.
Because he is the beginning and...
And this is the time that we shall
see if the end will meet with the
beginning.
I do believe that when God begins, he
has in view the end.
And the end shall meet with the beginning.
And for this reason, we feel that we
should, as we are approaching the end of
this age, as we are approaching the end
of the age of grace of the Church,
this is the time that we shall go
back to the Book of Acts and see
how God began with his Church.
So that's where we left off last time.
Now tonight, I'd like to read from the
third chapter of the Book of Acts.
Acts chapter 3.
We'll begin with the first verse.
And Peter and John went up together into
the temple at the hour of prayer, which
is the ninth hour.
And a certain man who was laying from
his mother's womb was being carried, whom they
placed every day at the gate of the
temple called Beautiful, to ask alms of those
who were going into the temple, who, seeing
Peter and John about to enter into the
temple, asked to receive alms.
And Peter looking steadfastly upon him with John
said, Look on us.
And he gave heed to them, expecting to
receive something from them.
But Peter says, Silver and gold I have
not, but what I have, this give I
to thee.
In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene,
rise up and walk.
And having taken hold of him by the
right hand, he raised him up.
And immediately his feet and ankle bones were
made strong.
And leaping up, he stood and walked and
entered with them into the temple, walking and
leaping and praising God.
And all the people saw him walking and
praising God.
And they recognized him that it was he
who set for alms at the beautiful gate
of the temple.
And they were filled with wonder and amazement
at what had happened to him.
And as he held Peter and John, all
the people ran together to them in the
portico, which is called Solomon's, greatly wondering.
And Peter seeing it answered the people, Man
of Israel, why are ye astonished at this?
Or why do ye gaze on us as
if we had by our own power or
piety made him to walk?
The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob,
the God of our fathers, has glorified his
servant Jesus, whom he delivered up and denied
him in the presence of Pilate, when he
had judged that he should be let go.
But he denied the Holy and Righteous One
and asked that a man that was a
murderer should be granted to you.
But the originator of life he slew, whom
God raised from among the dead, whereof we
are witnesses, and by faith in his name.
His name has made this man strong, whom
ye behold and know.
And the faith which is by him has
given him this complete soundness in the presence
of you all.
Chapter 4, verse 5.
And it came to pass on the morrow
that their rulers and elders and scribes were
gathered together at Jerusalem.
And Annas the high priest, and Theophas, and
John and Alexander, and as many as were
of the high priestly family, and having pleased
them in the midst they inquired, In what
power or in what name have ye done
this?
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said
to them, Rulers of the people and elders
of Israel, If we this day are called
upon to answer as to the good deed
done to the infirm man, how he has
been healed, be it known to you all
and to all the people of Israel that
in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene,
whom ye have crucified, whom God has raised
from among the dead, by him this man
stands here before you sound in body.
He is the stone which has been set
at naught by you, the builders, which is
become the cornerstone, and salvation is in none
other.
For neither is there another name under heaven
which is given among men by which we
must be saved.
One afternoon, about three o'clock, this was
the time of evening prayer for the Jewish
people.
You know the Jewish people, they had set
times of prayer.
Usually three times each day.
The morning prayer, the noon prayer, and the
evening prayer.
The morning prayer was at about nine o
'clock.
And you remember that was the time, in
chapter two, when the Holy Spirit came down
upon the hundred and twenty.
They were filled with the Holy Spirit.
The church, the body of Christ, was born
at the time of morning prayer.
So when people mocked and said, these people
were drunk.
Peter's answer was, this is not the time
to be drunk, because this is the time
of morning prayer.
And according to the custom of that time,
they will not drink or eat anything before
the morning prayer.
But here you'll find in this chapter, it
was during the time of the evening prayer.
And Peter and John, they went to the
temple to pray.
You know they lived in a transitional period.
It was a transitionary period between the old
covenant and the new covenant.
The old and the new.
So somehow they still kept the habit of
going to the temple to pray at the
set hours.
Though at other times, you remember, they met
together as the church to remember the Lord.
So it was during that evening prayer.
Peter and John, they went to the temple
to pray.
And as they were entering into the temple
area, they saw a man laying from birth.
He was carried there by his friends and
put at the front of the gate called
Beautiful.
Asking alms from those who came in to
pray.
What a contradiction.
The gate was called Beautiful.
But by the sight of the gate Beautiful
was an ugly scene.
A man laying from birth.
That is.
This gate was called Beautiful because people told
us it was a gate made of massive
brass.
Greatly adorned.
This was one of the three entrances to
the temple.
Now this man who was born lame.
He was at the front of that gate.
By the side of that gate.
He was not allowed to enter into the
temple to pray, to worship, to serve God.
He was kept outside of the temple.
All he could do, the best he could
do was sitting by the gate and asking
for alms.
You know when people went into the temple
to pray, this was the time that people's
hearts should be soft, you know.
So he was, in a sense, psychologically, he
was at a good advantage because people who
were going into prayer, surely, they would like
to give some alms.
And there he was.
Brothers and sisters, what is the temple?
When Solomon built the temple, he prayed.
He said, God, the heaven and the heaven
of heaven cannot contain me.
How can I expect you to live in
this temple?
Even though this temple is made of massive
stone, of gold, majestic, gorgeous, splendid, yet
the heaven and the heaven cannot contain him.
How can God live in such a small
place?
But, this temple was built that God may
set his name.
In other words, the temple was the place
where God's name was placed.
The temple was different from all the other
houses in one respect.
Not because this was more beautifully built than
might the other houses that are equally beautiful.
The only difference between this house and all
the other houses was in the fact that
the name of the Lord was set upon
this house.
And because the name of the Lord was
set upon this house, the ears of the
Lord were there listening to the prayers offered
in that house.
The eyes of the Lord were upon this
house.
And he saw everyone who came in.
In other words, the temple, the characteristic of
the temple was in the fact that the
name of the Lord was there.
And because the name of the Lord was
there, the Lord was there.
Even though at that time Solomon's temple was
already destroyed.
The temple at that time was rebuilt by
the Jewish remnants who came back from captivity
from Babylon.
They rebuilt the temple.
And then King Herod, he enlarged it, beautified
it, spent 46 years on it.
So awkwardly, it was still a magnificent edifice.
Beautifully adorned.
And you remember, even towards the very last
of the life of our Lord Jesus, the
last time he left Jerusalem, his disciples pointed
to the Lord, the stone, the precious stone
that made up that temple.
A beautiful thing.
Wonderful place.
But, was the name of the Lord really
there?
This was supposed to be the place where
the name of the Lord was placed.
If this was a fact, then the Lord
was there.
If the Lord was there, then every problem
should be solved.
There would be no need for the lame
to be barred from entering into the temple
to worship God.
He could go into the temple, experience the
work of the Lord, and he could pray,
and pray, and worship.
The temple was there.
By all professions, it was God's temple where
his name was set.
And yet, there was no power, no reality.
There wasn't a living presence of the Lord
in that temple.
On the contrary, it became a house of
merchandise.
A robber's den.
No wonder.
All it could do to a lame person,
to a person with problems, was giving him
some alms just that he might live by.
That was all.
This beggar was not expecting anything more than
that from the temple.
All that he received from the temple was
a little money that he might live on.
And he didn't have any hope of anything
better.
That was the condition at that time.
And here came Peter and John.
Brothers and sisters, in the preceding chapter, we
find that the church was born on the
day of Pentecost.
Peter and John, when they entered into the
temple, they represented the
living house of God.
The real temple.
The physical temple was standing there in name,
but not in reality.
But here you find two men, living stone,
building to a living house.
And the name of the Lord was there
with them, in them.
So they came forward.
And this beggar looked at them thinking that
they were just another worshippers.
So he was expecting some alms from Peter
and John.
So Peter and John looked at him and
said, Look on us.
He looked.
He was expecting something.
And Peter said, Silver and gold I do
not have.
But what I have I give to you.
In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazarene,
rise up and walk.
And he took hold of that man, got
him up, and suddenly his ankle bone and
leg became strong.
He stood.
He leaped.
He ran.
He praised the Lord.
He entered into the temple to worship God.
Brothers and sisters, what did Peter and John
have?
They do not have silver or gold.
But they do have something.
They have the name of the Lord Jesus.
That's what they have.
And in the name of the Lord Jesus
this name from a beggar he became a
worshiper.
Brothers and sisters, what is the meaning of
the church?
What is the church?
The church is a spiritual house.
A holy habitation of God.
The church is the place where the name
of the Lord is placed.
You know, the name is very important in
the Scripture.
Now, what do you mean by name?
If you look up Webster's International Dictionary, you
will find in that dictionary it says what
is a name?
A name is a title by which a
person or thing is known or designated.
A distinctive appellation.
And then he says a descriptive appellation.
In other words, a name is a title
that identifies a person.
A name is distinctive.
Not only distinctive, but descriptive.
It describes that person.
It expresses that person.
The Bible emphasizes very much on the name.
Often times you'll find God changes people's names.
For instance, Abraham to Abraham.
Jacob to Israel.
Simon to Peter.
God puts great emphasis on names.
And when we say we know God, how
do we know God?
We know God by knowing His name.
And you'll find in the Bible God reveals
His name to His people in a progressive
manner.
He revealed Himself in that burning bush to
Moses.
Moses said, now what's your name?
What's your name?
I am that I am.
That's my name.
And throughout the Scripture you'll find that He
reveals His name gradually to His people.
And as one name is revealed, His people
know Him.
We know God by knowing Him.
Of course, knowing Him is not just a
mechanical thing, technical thing.
This knowing is you really know Him.
When He reveals Himself in a special name
that reveals Him.
That reveals who He is and why He
is.
And in knowing that, you know Him a
little bit more.
That's why God has so many names.
Our Lord Jesus has many names.
Even before He was born, a name was
given to Him.
He shall be called Jesus.
Why?
Because He will save His people from their
sin.
He shall be called Emmanuel.
God is man.
His name is wonderful.
Counselor.
Prince of Peace.
Almighty God.
Father of Eternity.
He has many, many names.
And we know His name.
We know Him.
A name identifies a person.
A name describes that person.
It is the right name.
Especially when a person is absent.
Then His name stands in for him.
For his person.
Remember our Lord Jesus before He left His
disciples?
He said, He is told, You have not
asked anything in My name.
But now if you ask anything in My
name, My Father will hear you.
In other words, our Lord was leaving His
disciples.
And in leaving His disciples, He left with
them His name.
And when His disciples prayed in the name,
in His name, it was as if He
was praying.
His name stands in for Himself.
That's why His name is so powerful.
It represents it.
Brothers and sisters, this is the most precious
thing that God, that our Lord has left
with us.
Physically speaking, He is not with the Church
today.
But spiritually speaking, He has left His name
with the Church.
This is our heritage.
And using His name means that He Himself
is involved.
He Himself is involved.
That's the importance of the name.
What is the Church?
Where two or three gather together unto My
name, there am I in the midst of
them.
That is the real meaning of the Church.
When two or three are gathered together unto
His name, out of all the nations, God
has called a people unto Him.
In other words, this people is different from
all the people of this world.
In one sense, they have the name of
the Lord Jesus.
And having the name of the Lord Jesus,
they have the Lord Himself.
If we measure the Church in this, with
this measurement, where do we stand?
Are we like the temple in Jerusalem, supposed
to have the name placed with us and
among us?
And yet there is no reality, no reality,
no power.
All we can do is to give a
little alms.
We cannot bring them to be worshippers of
the Father.
Or are we a people who really possess
the name of the Lord Jesus?
And because that name is there, He is
there.
And He manifests Himself as living.
He is able to bring people into the
very presence of the Fathers and make them
worshippers.
Not just keeping them out, but bring them
into the very presence of God.
There is a story about this verse.
One day, a famous theologian by the name
of Thomas Aquinas, you know, in the Roman
Catholic Church, Thomas Aquinas was one of the
greatest theologians they ever produced.
And one day this great theologian was visiting
the Pope, Innocent II.
And while he was visiting with the Pope,
the Pope showed him all the wealth of
Vatican.
And when the Pope showed him the wealth
of Vatican, the Pope said to Thomas Aquinas,
He said, Today we do not need to
speak like Peter.
Silver and gold have I none.
And Thomas Aquinas answered, Yes.
But neither can we say, In the name
of Jesus Christ, rise up and walk.
Which is better?
What do you want?
Do you want silver and gold?
And give some pennies to the beggars?
Or you want the name of the Lord
Jesus?
That will transform that beggar into a worshipper.
What is the mission of the Church?
What is the meaning of the Church?
It is not on this earth just to
do a little good social thing.
By the grace of God we should.
But we should do more.
The very existence of the Church on earth
is to make people worship us in spirit
and in truth.
But do we have the power?
Do we have the authority?
Is the name of the Lord Jesus that
living, that real among His people?
In one sense, God has called us out
of every nation, every tribe, every tongue and
every people and gather us together unto His
name.
Thank God for that.
We are those who call upon the name
of the Lord.
And are saved.
There is no name other than the name
of the Lord Jesus whereby one can be
saved.
Because no other name is given.
In one sense, yes.
We who believe in the Lord Jesus, He
has given His name to us.
We are called by His name.
That's true.
By the way, are you satisfied by being
called with His name?
You know, one problem that really is a
problem.
I don't know whether you have such embarrassing
experience or not, but I had many times.
In many places that I go, people will
come up to me and say, now, are
you a Christian?
I say, yes.
But they are not satisfied.
They say, what denomination?
In other words, the designation of Christ is
not enough.
You have to be designated something more in
order to be recognized.
When I answer and say, well, I said,
I don't take upon myself any other name.
I'm just a simple Christian.
They shake their hands and say, that cannot
be.
Now, this may be a very small thing,
is it?
But it speaks a lot.
What is our attitude towards the name of
the Lord Jesus?
Is His name sufficient for us?
Or do you need some more names in
order to be something?
You know, it's like in a marriage.
Our brother and sister are newly married, so
let me use them as an illustration, you
know.
It's good, so.
When a man and a woman are married,
you know what happens.
We say they are joined into one.
Yes.
But how do you express that oneness to
the world?
Something tremendous happened on the day you are
married.
Before you are married, each of you has
your own name, your family name, your surname.
In other words, you belong to a certain
family.
That's where you belong to.
You are under a certain name.
That designates you, identifies you.
You belong to that family.
But when a man and a woman are
married, what happens?
Now, according to Chinese custom, after a woman
is married to a man, he takes the
name of the husband upon her.
She is no longer called Miss So-and
-So.
She is called Mrs. So-and-So.
In other words, her name was submerged in
under the name of her husband.
So our sister is now Mrs. Wood.
In other words, the woman, when she wants
to get married, she voluntarily gives up her
name and puts herself under the name of
her husband.
That makes them one.
From now on, your husband's name is yours.
It's your possession.
Other people cannot use your husband's name, but
you can.
You have a right to your husband's name.
Everything that belongs to your husband is yours.
Even his death.
You are now one.
That's the importance of the name.
And when you go out and do something
in the name of your husband, the world
recognizes it, as if your husband has done
it.
And sometimes even when your husband tries to
explain, now I haven't told her to do
that, but no matter how the husband explains,
it's done.
As if the husband himself has done it.
Now is it all right?
That's the importance of a name.
Brothers and sisters, when we believe in the
Lord Jesus, do you know what happens?
When we call upon His name and He
gives His name to us, from now on,
He is identified with us.
We are identified with Him.
We are one.
Whatever we do, He is involved.
And many times I think the Lord in
heaven will say, Farewell.
You're really involved.
Brothers and sisters, is the name of the
Lord Jesus enough for you?
Isn't it a tremendous privilege that we have
the name of the Lord Jesus?
All the named Christians, Christ, man.
We belong to Him.
He belongs to us.
That's a wonderful name.
Isn't that enough?
You know, in the book of Revelation, chapter
3, of the seven churches in Asia, one
church was praised by God, by the Lord.
Only praise.
No reprimand.
It was the church in Philadelphia.
And do you know why the Lord commanded
the church in Philadelphia?
For several reasons.
First, the brotherly love there.
They really love one another.
If you love one another, the world will
know that the Father has sent you.
Second, they keep His word.
They keep His word.
In spite of all the circumstances and environment
that seem to speak differently, they keep the
word of God.
The word of His patience.
Third, they do not deny His name.
In other words, no matter what happens, His
name may be persecuted, rejected, despised.
They do not deny His name.
They go along with Him.
They declare that they belong to Christ.
They keep on to His name.
They will not deny His name.
Dear brothers and sisters, is there not a
lesson for us?
He has given us His name.
Should we not honor that name?
But, on the other hand, it is true
that He has given His name to us.
We have a right to His name.
That's true.
But on the other hand, sometimes you may
use His name and it doesn't work.
You involve Him, yes, but somehow He does
not respond.
Now, if that should happen, then you are
really in a narrow place, you know.
This is not something automatic or mechanical.
Not because He has given His name to
us, therefore we can use His name carelessly.
You know, the third commandment is do not
utter the name of the Lord in vain.
You will not be considered innocent.
You will be guilty if you utter His
name in vain.
Well, what does that mean?
It means that you use His name, but
in vain.
Because His name represents Him.
To have His name is to be under
His authority.
Where two or three are gathered together unto
my name, spiritually, if we really want to
use His name, and when His name is
used, He honors it, there is a condition.
Now look at Peter and John.
They say silver and gold we do not
have.
But what we have we give to you.
In the name of the Lord Jesus, rise
up and walk.
And the lame rose up and walked.
Why is it when they use the name
of the Lord Jesus, the Lord honors, and
things happen?
Why?
You see, it is not a mechanical thing.
It is not a technical thing.
It is a spiritual thing.
Why?
Because these two men, before they used the
name of the Lord Jesus, they were first
wholly committed to that name.
Read their history.
They were not only believers of the Lord.
They were followers of the Lord.
One day the Lord walked by the Sea
of Galilee.
He saw Peter there, casting the net.
And the Lord said, Come, follow me.
He left everything and followed the Lord.
The Lord went a little distance, and he
saw John there, mending the net.
And he said, Come, follow me.
He forsook everything.
Silver and gold have I none.
If you have too much, you may not
be able to use his name so effectively.
In order to use his name, they give
up everything.
They give up everything for that name.
They give up everything to put themselves under
that name.
They were fully committed to that name.
And because of their commitment to that name,
the Lord committed himself fully to their using
his name.
Brothers and sisters, the reason why today, there
isn't that power when his name is mentioned,
when his name is used.
One reason is, we who are the Lord,
we have too much of other things.
We are not fully committed.
Put it in another way.
We forsake too little.
Therefore, we possess very little.
Now that is a bargain.
No, it is not a bargain.
It is not a bargain.
But it is a spiritual principle.
You know, to really be under his name
requires that we forsake everything.
We deny everything, even ourselves.
Otherwise, we cannot say we are really under
his name.
You remember the Lord said, if anyone wants
to be my disciple, let him deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
One day, a young man came to the
Lord.
This young man was very serious.
Very serious.
He ran to the Lord.
And he was a ruler, a wealthy man.
But he was so serious.
He ran to the Lord.
And before the crowd, he knelt before the
Lord and said, Teacher, what should I do
to inherit?
Now this was unusual, you know.
For a young man, a ruler, a wealthy
person, to run and to kneel before the
Lord, before the crowd, that was unusual.
No wonder the Lord looked at him and
loved him.
And loved him.
But you know what the Lord said?
Go.
Sell everything.
Give to the poor.
Come.
Come and follow me.
And that young man, when he heard that,
he ran away serious.
And the Lord said, It is more difficult
for a rich man to enter into the
kingdom than for a camel to go through
a needle's hole.
So the disciples were surprised and said, Then
who, who can be saved?
So the Lord said, With man it is
impossible.
With God all things are possible.
Now brothers and sisters, do you think our
Lord is a little bit too hard on
that young man?
This young man had a real heart for
spiritual things.
Do you think that our Lord should be
a little bit more tactful or...
Sell all.
Give to the poor.
Come and follow me.
Not because he was rich.
But because he trusted in his wealth.
I remember our brother said, Is there anyone
who can really sell all?
Forsake all?
Is there anyone who can do that?
You may think that young man, because he
had so much, he was difficult.
Well you don't have that much.
It shouldn't be that difficult.
But you try.
Is there anyone who really can sell all?
Give away all?
And follow the Lord?
So our brother said, The problem with this
young man is not that he cannot do
it.
The problem with that young man is he
went away sadly.
In other words, what he should do.
The Lord knows with men it is impossible.
The Lord is asking something impossible from that
man.
He knows that man cannot do it.
But why?
Why should he ask that question?
The reason is, with God all things are
possible.
If only that young man would say, Lord
you know I cannot do that.
I cannot.
But if you want it, you have to
do it in me and for me.
And if he did, the Lord would do
it in him.
He did not need to go away sad.
No.
If he only trusted the Lord, if he
only committed himself fully to the Lord, the
Lord would commit himself fully to him.
And great things would happen.
If you don't believe that, read the next
chapter.
You know in Luke, these two chapters come
together.
You read the next chapter and something happens.
Another rich man.
Probably this man was richer than the other
man.
Why?
Because he was the chief of tax collectors.
That is, he was an older man, and
a young man might inherit his wealth.
But an old man, he worked hard to
get his wealth, you know.
Humorously speaking, it was more difficult for Zacchaeus
to part with his wealth.
But here was Zacchaeus.
The Lord said, I will go to your
house tonight, today.
And Zacchaeus came down happily from that tree,
you know, ready to receive the Lord, and
the crowd began to murmur.
The Lord didn't say anything.
The Lord didn't preach to him.
The Lord didn't tell him what he should
do.
Not like what he did to the young
man.
He told the young man what he should
do.
But with Zacchaeus, the Lord didn't say anything.
The Lord said, I'll go to your house.
That's all he said.
And you know what happened?
Zacchaeus said, I'll give half of all that
I have to the poor.
And if I have extorted anybody, I'll repay
four times.
You know, according to Mosaic law, all you
need to do is add one-fifth as
interest.
If you want to be legalistic, just add
one-fifth.
And you'll pay.
But here you'll find the grace of God,
or the love of Christ has so constrained
him.
When Christ came in, money went out.
He said, I give half to the poor.
And what I did to others wrongly, I
repay four times.
In other words, he became poor.
By believing in the Lord Jesus, he lost
everything.
But he gained Christ.
With God, all things are possible.
Brothers and sisters, we are not suggesting that
you should go to your home tonight and
sell everything.
We are not suggesting that.
But in spiritual principle, this is what it
is.
If we want to use the name of
the Lord with power, there is a condition.
We must be fully committed.
That name must make us poor of everything.
Not only our wealth, our opinion, our ideas,
everything.
We must lose everything.
We must be able to say like Peter,
silver and gold I do not have.
It's all gone.
It's not mine.
It's all yours.
I have no right over anything now.
I'm yours.
I'm under your name.
Brothers and sisters, if we are so fully
committed to his name, then he is fully
committed to us.
And when we use the name of the
Lord Jesus, you will find there is power.
His name is power.
His name is authority.
So when the council, you know, they brought
Peter and John in and they began to
inquire, they said, in what name and by
what authority have you done this?
They know.
The name is authority.
Oh, the wonderful thing is that name once
represented humility, even humiliation.
Jesus of Nazareth.
That's a humble name.
But one day, God has given him a
name that is above everything.
And in that name, every knee shall bow
and every tongue confess that Jesus is destiny.
That name has power.
That name has authority.
And that name is placed in the church.
It's meant for the church to use that
name with the right.
It is not just a nominal name.
It is real.
He is behind his name.
His power is authority.
He is behind that name.
And whenever that name is used by the
church, things happen.
Why?
Because the church in the early days was
fully committed to that name.
Dear brothers and sisters, we have the name
of the Lord Jesus.
But why is it that name doesn't seem
to carry that power and authority that it
has?
One reason is today we are not that
fully committed.
That's the problem.
We have not given up everything to that
name.
We have not given up our name and
come under his name, under his authority.
If we do, you'll find the same thing
as in the third chapter of Acts.
One thing more.
Having that name is such a privilege.
There is such authority and power in that
name.
But of course, great responsibility as we have
mentioned.
But there is another thing.
We have to suffer.
Why?
Because today that name is still despised and
rejected by the world.
Anyone who follows that name, who is serious
with that name, must suffer for that name.
And when the apostles suffer for that name,
what was their attitude?
They thanked God that they were considered as
worthy to suffer for that name.
Is that our attitude today?
Apostle Peter said, now do not suffer because
you have done something wrong.
You know?
But if you suffer because you are a
Christian, you are called by his name, do
not be ashamed because the glory of the
Lord is upon you.
Oh dear brothers and sisters, anyone who is
fully committed to that name will have to
suffer.
Do not think that the day of suffering
and persecution is over.
Do not think that we who are in
this country is spared from suffering.
That our brothers in other part of the
world, it may not be physical, but if
we really mean business with that name, you
will find there will be suffering.
But our attitude is we are not worthy.
That name that is above every name, we
are not worthy.
If we are counted worthy to suffer for
that name, it is an honor.
It is an honor.
Now that should be our attitude.
And the Bible said, if we suffer with
him, if we endure with him today, one
day we shall reign.
You know in the book of Acts, there
are about, I think, 26 times when the
name, his name, or thy name are used.
Maybe more.
It shows that what a place the name
of the Lord Jesus had in the early
church.
And because of their respect for that name,
when they prayed, when they used the name,
the Lord honored it.
It's all real.
It's all living.
So dear brothers and sisters, tonight this is
the only burden in my heart.
One burden in my heart.
As we are approaching the end, the name
of the Lord Jesus should be recovered in
the church.
There should be the due honor and respect
to that name.
And to due respect to that name, it
demands that we really surrender our all and
put ourselves under his name, under his authority.
And if we do, we shall find his
presence with us.
We shall find his power and authority because
he is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.
Shall we pray?
Our Heavenly Father, how we praise and thank
thee that we are a people called by
his name.
How we praise and thank thee that thy
name is not nominal.
Thy name is real.
There is authority.
There is power in that name.
Oh, that we may honor thy name.
We may see what thy name means.
That we may really put ourselves under thy
name.
Fully committed to thy name.
And Lord, may thy name be so real
among thy people that there may be power
and authority manifested when thy name is used.
Oh Lord, thou hast put thy name in
the church.
May thy name be hallowed.
We ask in thy exalted name, the Lord
Jesus.