When I had been a believer for five years, I went to China for a short period for missionary work. At that time, I was neither a pastor nor an evangelist. I was a lay believer who had been moved and called by God to go and preach the gospel in China.

I met God at Sungrak Church, and here I often heard the message, “Every believer in Jesus has power.” But until I went to China, I had few chances to truly experience those words. Before that, I had never preached a sermon, and though I had prayed for the sick and seen some healed, it was mostly people with common pains like headaches or backaches. I had never prayed for a blind or mute person to be healed, simply because I had rarely encountered such people. However, while I was preaching in China, I found that in every village there were people who were blind, deaf, mentally ill, paralyzed, or unable to walk. I continually met people with serious conditions.

To them, I proclaimed, “Jesus healed the sick by His word,” and “That same Jesus is with us today!” Naturally, I needed to pray for the sick and indeed prayed for them. Yet even when I prayed, I often wanted to say something else afterward. For example, if there was a blind person, after praying for them I wanted to say, “Keep praying and live faithfully, and you will gradually get better.” Saying that would mean I didn’t have to take responsibility for what happened. But when I looked at the Bible, I saw that Jesus did not do that. He would confirm the healing right there on the spot. When He prayed for a blind man, He asked, “What do you see?” The man answered, “I see men like trees, walking.” Then Jesus prayed again and asked, “What do you see now?” and the man replied, “I see people clearly.” Since even the Lord prayed with courage in such a way, I knew I should do the same as one who preaches the gospel. So whenever possible, I prayed for the sick on the spot and looked to see the result.

When I first went to China, I couldn’t speak Chinese. But I had an opportunity to preach with the help of an interpreter. It was my first sermon there. Among the people gathered, an elderly woman had come, pulling a cart. On it, she had placed a large wooden board like a bed, and her husband was lying on it. The people there seemed familiar with this sight. They helped her bring the cart forward, placed the old man at the very front, and then stood behind him to listen to the message. Later, I learned that this man was unable to stand up or walk. So, as I preached, I thought to myself, “When the message ends, I should pray for him.” That day, I preached, “God is love.” After the message, I told everyone, “Let us all pray together for this man.” I didn’t pray alone first. Because every believer in Jesus has the power God has promised, I said, “Everyone, let’s help this man through our prayer!” Then all of us laid our hands on him and prayed. When the prayer ended, everyone returned to their seats.

Then I went over to the man. The old man who was paralyzed was lying there, and I said to him, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” “Silver and gold I do not have” — in other words, I didn’t have any money. I couldn’t give him money for surgery or treatment, but I said, “What I do have, I give you — in the name of Jesus, I command you: rise up and walk!” After saying this, I took his hand and helped him up. From his lying position, his upper body slowly lifted until he was sitting upright. At that moment, I didn’t realize how serious his condition had been, so I wasn’t immediately surprised. But when he sat up, the people around began shouting with joy and clapping their hands. Apparently, even sitting up had been impossible for him before. Yet that wasn’t the end; my purpose was to help him stand. So I said, “In the name of Jesus, I command you: stand up!” and pulled him by the hand. Then as he exclaimed, “Oh—oh—oh!” he stood up. He was standing on his feet, and I let go of his hand. Still, he remained standing. At that moment, the whole crowd leaped up from their seats like springs, and someone started singing, “Glory, glory, hallelujah!” It was then that I learned this hymn also existed in Chinese. The entire village erupted in praise, and the elderly woman who had brought her husband on the cart wept and gave thanks and glory to God. It was truly an unforgettable moment.

I was truly amazed at that moment. It was the first time I had ever witnessed so clearly the work of God before my eyes. Yet what happened was already written in the Bible as a promise given to those who believe. Do you remember what I said earlier? “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ, rise up and walk.” Why did I choose to say exactly those words out of so many possible things I could have said? The reason is that this very passage is recorded in the Bible. This event actually took place in Acts chapter 3, just before today’s main passage in chapter 4. The disciples of Jesus, including Peter, had witnessed everything—Jesus’ death on the cross, His resurrection, and His ascension into heaven. But the people of the world did not believe in His resurrection or ascension. They only knew that “Jesus had been condemned to death and executed on a cross.” From their point of view, it seemed strange that the disciples of a man who had died were walking around so boldly. As Peter and John were going up to the temple gate called Beautiful, they saw a certain man lame from his mother’s womb, begging for money. He cried out, “Please help me! Give me something!” Then Peter said, “I do not have what you are asking for. I cannot give you money. But what I do have, I give to you. I have the name of Jesus!”

What is the name of Jesus? It is the name of God. We might say, “I believe in the name of God,” or “I believe in the name of Jesus,” but our faith goes beyond that—we say, “The name of Jesus is in me.” To believe in Jesus means to have received His name, and we have come to know that this name is the very name of God. We believe in and serve the living God, the Most High, Creator God. He has a name, and that name is Jesus. God gave that name to His beloved Son, and now He has given that same name to us. It has been given to all who believe in Jesus. To receive that name is like receiving someone’s official seal. Imagine being given a house deed, a bankbook, and the seal that authorizes them. From that moment, everything under that seal’s authority belongs to the one who holds it. If you decide to sell land for a business, you can do so with that seal. If you want to withdraw money from the account, you can do so once you stamp the seal. In the same way, when we have the name of Jesus, we can use that name to take hold of and exercise the power of God. That is why I commanded the paralyzed man, “In the name of Jesus that I have, rise up and walk.” But this did not start with me. It began with Peter, the disciple of Jesus, who believed in Him. Peter did the same, and the man who was lame received strength in his legs, stood up, and began to leap. When such things happen, it would be natural for many people to gather, marvel, and come to believe in God—and indeed, some did. But the religious leaders of that time could not accept it. They said, “Who gave you the authority to do this?” and tried to stop them. Yet can anyone perform such works just because they wish to? Can a person open the eyes of the blind or make the lame walk simply by wanting to? No—it is only possible when God is with them. Peter could do such a thing because the name of Jesus was truly with him.

There is truly amazing power in the name of Jesus. If someone commands in the name of Jesus and nothing happens—if the sick are not healed and no change occurs—then it would mean that the name of Jesus has no power. Why would it have no power? If Jesus had died and disappeared, then of course His name would have no power. But if that name truly carries power—if demons flee and the sick are healed when the name is spoken—what does that mean? It means that Jesus is alive. The disciples saw with their own eyes that Jesus was alive. They witnessed His resurrection and His ascension. But most people did not see it, and therefore they could not believe. Yet those who did see Him testified—not only with words but through signs and wonders that proved it. Because the Son of God is alive, and because the God who sent His Son in the name of Jesus is alive, the sick are healed through that name even today. There was once a man named Mao Zedong in China—a man greatly feared. It is said that tens of millions of people died because of him. Though he may have done some good things as a national leader, he also caused great harm. When he gave an order, people had to obey, even if the command made no sense. One day he ordered, “Catch all the sparrows in the country!” So the whole nation went out and killed them all. Why did he give such an order? Because sparrows were eating the grain from the fields. But they killed so many that soon there were no sparrows left, and as a result, the insects that damaged the crops increased uncontrollably. The rice plants were destroyed, and famine followed. It is said that over ten years, fifty million people starved to death. It was an unreasonable command, but it was carried out simply because the man had authority. That command—“Catch the sparrows!”—was carried out in the name of Mao Zedong. But if the same command were given today in his name, would anyone obey it? Of course not. Why? Because Mao Zedong is dead, and his authority no longer exists. In the same way, when someone says, “In the name of Jesus, rise up and walk!”—if Jesus were dead and gone, no one could rise. But when that command is spoken, the paralyzed rise up and the blind see. So what does it show? It shows that Jesus is alive. It shows that the God who sent the name of Jesus is alive. The God who has given us the name of Jesus is alive. To believe in Jesus means that you have received that name, and by that name you live. You live with the authority of God Himself.

When Peter performed such an amazing miracle, many people gathered around him and followed him. But the political and religious leaders arrested him, put him in custody, and questioned him. During that interrogation, Peter spoke the very words we read in today’s passage. What did he say? He said, “You crucified Jesus of Nazareth, but God raised Him from the dead! It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth—whom you killed and whom God raised—that this man stands before you healed!”

The God we believe in, the Lord we follow—who is He? He is the One who was condemned to death. Strange, isn’t it? If someone were to choose a religion, people would think it makes more sense to follow a person who lived an admirable and successful life. They cannot understand why Christians would follow someone who was sentenced to death. But this is not just a religion—it is reality. We did not make and choose Him; we believe and follow the One who is truly alive. Two thousand years ago, in a Roman court, He was sentenced to death and crucified. Yet that very One is the Lord whom we now serve. This is our life of faith. This is what it means to live as a Christian. If I were to invent a religion to deceive people, I would choose a person of great achievement—someone who spoke beautifully, lived successfully, and earned admiration from everyone—as the object of worship. But Jesus we believe in did not live a life that the world would call successful. Instead, He was sentenced to death. At that time, there were several methods of execution, but crucifixion was the most painful and cruel. Dying on a cross was considered a curse. A person would be stripped naked, their hands and feet nailed to a wooden cross, and left hanging while the crowd looked on and mocked. The victim wasn’t killed instantly by a stab to the heart but left to die slowly as blood dripped away drop by drop. It could take up to three days. That was the death our Lord suffered—a death reserved only for the most vicious criminals. When Jesus was crucified, there were three crosses. On His right and left were criminals, condemned for murder and robbery. Jesus hung between them. This alone showed that to everyone watching, He looked no different from a sinner.

It is God Himself who has led us to believe in such a One. The world said, “This man is a sinner! He is evil!” and nailed Him to the cross, yet He is the very One we now believe in. It is impossible to believe in Him by human reason or conscience alone. It is also impossible to understand Him through worldly ambition or the desire for success. By the standards through which people usually choose a religion, believing in such a Jesus makes no sense at all. There must be another reason behind it. I cannot explain all of it at once. Yet this strange faith of strange people is the very work of God—what the world calls foolish, is God’s wisdom.

Those whom the world calls wise, those who consider themselves righteous, and those who believe they can find happiness on their own will never see who Jesus truly is. They cannot see Him. Even if you came to church, if in your heart you think, “I can find happiness by my own strength. I can gain freedom by my own effort. If I try hard enough, there is nothing I cannot do,” then you will not be able to see Him. But if you can confess, “I am a sinner. No matter how hard I try, I cannot understand how this world was made. My soul longs for what is eternal, but I cannot gain the joy that satisfies eternity by my own strength. I cannot make myself free,” and if you kneel before God saying, “I am cursed. I am a sinner,” then the One who was crucified will be revealed to you. Through this very way, by revealing Jesus—the One put to death on the cross—God has shown His love. I also knelt before God, whom I did not yet fully know, and said, “I am a sinner. I need You.” From that moment, I began to hear His voice. Then my soul came to know that He is my God. Now I not only believe that He is alive, but I also live with the authority to bear witness to that truth. This is the promise God has given to those who believe in Jesus. The world cannot believe in God, cannot see Him, and cannot follow Him. Yet God is alive. And to those who believe this and kneel before Him, He will reveal Himself. I bless you in the name of Jesus, that you will surely meet the living God and live in the power and authority that come from Him.

You and I were never qualified to receive this authority. I am no different. That is why, when I pray, I often say, “God, I have come before You again today. But with the words I speak, the thoughts I think, and everything that fills my heart, I have no right to stand before You or lift my face to You. You are holy, and I am truly unworthy and impure before You.” Even now, I am a sinner. With my actions, with my heart, and with my thoughts, I don’t deserve to come before God. And yet, here I am, standing before Him today. Why? There is only one reason. As I said earlier, God sent His own Son to bear the punishment of the cross and to die for me. I believe that He paid the full price for my sin. That is why I can come before God with confidence. If I were to stand before God without Jesus, I would surely deserve to be cursed—because I am a sinner. You may not know my sins, but my soul knows them very well. I know not only the wrongs I have done before people, but how ungrateful and disobedient I have been before God. For this reason, if I were to come before Him as I am, I should immediately be cursed and sentenced to death. Yet here I am, boldly coming before His face—neither fearing His curse nor His punishment. Why? Because Someone has already taken that curse and that punishment for me. And who is that Someone? It is Jesus.

In fact, just being saved like this is something I’m endlessly thankful for. Even if God had said, “I’ve saved you. Now stay out of My sight,” that alone would have been more than I deserved. But instead, God gave me the name of Jesus and allowed me to be baptized in that name. What is baptism? It is becoming one with the Son of God, Jesus, whom God loves so deeply. In other words, it is being grafted into Him. When a branch is grafted onto another tree, it becomes part of that tree. Our senior overseer once used this example: when a mandarin branch is grafted onto a wild citrus tree, the wild tree begins to bear mandarins. The fruit becomes slightly tangy because of the wild tree, yet it remains sweet. The wild tree is known for producing much fruit, so the grafted mandarin branch can now bear abundantly. The mandarin draws sap from the wild tree. It becomes one with it. In the same way, though we originally had nothing to do with Jesus, we have been grafted into Him through baptism. We have become part of Jesus Himself. Therefore, the love that God gives to His Son, Jesus, is the very same love we now receive in Him. In short, I am already thankful just to have been forgiven. God could have said, “I’ve spared your life, so now go away and never show yourself before Me again.” But instead, He made me His child. He treats us the same way He treats His own Son, Jesus. That is why I pray like this: “God, I thank You not only for saving me but also for loving me in this way. This too is Your grace. Because You have given me the name of Jesus, I have become one with Him and now receive this love as Your child.”

And to confirm that this love is eternal, God has poured out the Holy Spirit—His own Spirit—upon us. Through this, He continually reveals that His love for us will never end. What an amazing grace we have received.

Dear beloved, I bless you in the name of Jesus to kneel completely before God, just as He desires, and to know that, what we could never gain by our own strength, God longs to give to us. May you receive that grace in the name of Jesus. I bless you to receive the same love that God gives to His Son, and to live in the authority that comes from God Himself.

Let us pray. Please repeat after me. I will lead a prayer to receive the name of Jesus, so if you are willing, follow along with me, one line at a time.

“God who raised Jesus Christ from the dead,

thank You for giving Your Son.

I confess that Jesus’ death was to pay the price for my sins.

Thank You for giving me the name of Jesus.

I welcome that name into my soul.

I want to receive the love of the living God.

I want to be treated as a child of God.

By my own strength, I cannot be free.

By my own strength, I cannot be happy.

I want to find my joy in God.

I want to receive the grace of the name of Jesus.

Please remember me, Lord!”

Father God, today these souls have opened their mouths and confessed their desire to receive Your name and to share in Your glory. Father, please help every person who has made this confession to experience the great glory and authority that belong to You alone. Let everyone here enjoy the happiness that You have promised and desire to give. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.