Last Sunday, we heard from Acts 4, "...there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved." For the second time, Peter makes his case for healing a crippled man who had lain at the Beautiful Gate. This time, he confronts the authorities who have obviously sensed a loss of power and influence among the people. The man was healed in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, "whom [you] crucified, whom God raised from the dead..."

It would be easy for Peter to fall into the same trap of power and influence as his detractors; he doesn't, after all, follow a leader who wields a sword, but who calls his followers to love their enemies, to forgive even the most sinful individuals.  My question, then: How does a faithful follower of Jesus hear and understand Peter's words that there is salvation in no other than Jesus of Nazareth? Are these words of exclusion, or is something more meant by Peter? It would be easy to use Peter's sermon in a way to incite violent reaction to anyone who didn't believe exactly like "I" do; how can "I" faithfully follow this Jesus in whose name is salvation?

PT