Sermon Summary

The sermon centers on the supremacy and sanctity of the name of Jesus, urging listeners to reorient their fixation on passing brands toward the eternal name that saves, heals, and judges. It argues that Jesus is not merely a moral teacher or prophet but the incarnate Word—fully God and fully man—whose life, death, and resurrection form the foundation of Christian theology. When people genuinely encounter Jesus and confess him, the Holy Spirit comes, empowering believers for speech, prophecy, and holy living; the narrative in Ephesus shows disciples receiving baptism in Jesus’ name and being filled with the Spirit. Teaching and sustained engagement with Scripture are presented as the means by which Christians grow in understanding, while miracles in the narrative function as God-credited validation of the gospel rather than as trickery or objects of superstition.

The sermon also issues a stern warning against the casual or exploitative use of Jesus’ name. Imitators who simply mimic phrases without relationship are exposed as powerless and are met with rebuke, demonstrating that invoking the name does not substitute for commitment. The congregation is confronted with historical examples of public repentance in Ephesus—where people burned their scrolls and renounced former practices—as a model for genuine turning from syncretism and misused faith.

The preacher urges a posture of humility, repentance, and sustained attention to Scripture, calling for inward transformation that produces outward acts of surrender. Ultimately the name of Jesus is to be honored, not commercialized or politicized; it demands reverence, obedience, and a life consistent with the gospel it proclaims. The talk closes with a summons to lift up Jesus’ name in worship, reminding listeners that the power attached to that name belongs to the God who vindicated Jesus in resurrection and continues to work through faithful witness.

Key Takeaways

1. Fixate on the greatest name [02:16]
Fixating on cultural brands reveals the human tendency to seek identity and security in created things. Redirecting that fixation to the name of Jesus reorders desires toward the source of true worth and lasting hope, not transient approval. This is a practical invitation to replace consumer-driven loyalties with a trust that shapes daily choices, relationships, and priorities.

2. Jesus is the center of faith [03:24]
Christianity collapses into confusion when Jesus is relegated to merely one option among many philosophies. Recognizing Jesus as the incarnate Word—the one who lived, died, rose, and intercedes—clarifies every doctrine and anchors worship, ethics, and hope. This conviction reshapes how Scripture is read and how life is lived toward holiness and resurrection power.

3. Confession brings the Holy Spirit [12:21]
Encounter with Jesus issues in a decisive response: confession, baptism, and reception of the Spirit. The Ephesus account shows that the Spirit’s presence follows genuine recognition of Christ, enabling speech, witness, and transformation rather than ritual for its own sake. This invites believers to examine the authenticity of their profession and to expect God’s empowering presence after true turning.

4. Miracles authenticate God’s work [16:16]
Miraculous healings in the text are credited to God, not to talismans or human cleverness; they function as signs that the resurrection-empowered God is at work. Such acts invite belief, not spectacle, and call the church to point every marvel back to God’s glory rather than personal fame. Expectation of God’s power should be coupled with theological sobriety—God, not gimmicks, is the agent.

5. Beware abusing Jesus’ name [21:40]
Using Jesus’ name as a slogan, political stamp, or personal amulet is identity theft: it divorces the name from its claims and cost. True use of the name requires submission to Jesus’ lordship, ethical coherence, and willingness to repent where cultural comforts have been smuggled into faith. Public repentance and renunciation restore honor to the name and reestablish the integrity of the gospel.