BULLETIN ARTICLE – 4 March 2018

One of the songs I vividly remembered singing in our Kindergarten Sunday School was “One Way God Said”:

     One way God said to get to Heaven,
     Jesus is the only way.
     One way to reach those pearly mansions,
     Jesus is the only way.
     No other way, no other way,
     No other way to go.
     One way God said to get to Heaven,

Jesus is the only way. As a song for young children, the lyrics are simple but the message is clear: there is only one way to Heaven – through Jesus. Now that I am older, the song might seem too simplistic in its content, for the salvation that comes through Jesus is more than just about getting to heaven. Even then, do we truly believe that salvation is only found in Jesus?

Our church’s theme verse for 2018 is Acts 4:12 – “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” In Acts 4 we read that Peter declared this in the midst of persecution. He and John were questioned after being imprisoned by the priests, the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees (the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the dead) for proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. Yet they did not shy away.

I recall the times when I might have cowardly foregone the opportunity to speak of the saving work of Jesus to a group of non-Christians when the situation so presented itself, perhaps out of fear of rejection. Not so the apostles. Peter and John were bold and quick to exalt the name of Jesus – the One “whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead”, despite being questioned by the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law as to “what power” or “what name” they did this. They must have been very convinced of their message to do so. The effect of this was that when the rulers and the elders “saw the courage of Peter and John… they took note that these men had been with Jesus”. The power of the resurrected Jesus was also seen in the healing of the lame beggar and through the many who believed in the message.

This has implications on how we live our lives today. If we truly believe that salvation is found in no one else but Jesus, then we too, like the apostles, “cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard”. We need to boldly and urgently proclaim Jesus’ name to those around us. In doing so, our courage will show others that we too have been with Jesus as we experience Him in our lives. Do not fear – the power of the resurrected Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, will enable us to share this glorious message.