let it be known

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

Christians make Jesus known. Christians make the work of Jesus known. In all we do, the driving goal is for Jesus and His saving work to be known by our commitment to spread the good news that Jesus saves and heals lives. Jesus does the transformative work of saving lives. Jesus brings wholeness. Jesus works in His Church. Jesus encourages and builds up His disciples. Jesus provides amazing comfort in pain and turns our losses into gains. Jesus gives power over sin and death so that the worst that life can bring us need not be feared. Jesus, Who died for us and Whom God raised from the dead gives eternal life to all who believe.

Making Jesus known in the proclamation of the gospel is the way in which we begin to obey His call on His church to make disciples. We celebrate the transformation Jesus makes. When a lame man is healed at the temple in the name and power of Jesus, Peter was quick to give all the credit to Jesus. It was a chance to celebrate and proclaim Jesus, not just to settle for the amazement of a healing. Peter pointed to the Healer. And that is what we must do every time Jesus works among us.

Two days ago my church celebrated some wonderful baptisms. Those being baptized spoke to us about their faith in Christ and the gospel was literally lived out in their stories in beautiful and personal ways. Jesus was made much of. The gospel was “white hot”, burning in the joy in our hearts as we celebrated and witnessed by baptism the clear work of God, welcoming what Jesus did in bringing them to Him. By Jesus Christ of Nazareth they stood before us “made well”. And they let it be known to all. That is the power of the gospel that we must always celebrate!