I'd just like to thank Reverend Salt for his kind words of welcome. It's good to be with you all here tonight. If you just take your Bibles, please, and turn to Acts chapter four, the book of Acts, and the chapter four, and we'll just read from verse one of the chapter of Acts chapter four. And as they spake unto the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, being grieved that they taught the people and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on him and put them in hold unto the next day. For it was now eventide, howbeit many of them which heard the word, believed, and the number of the men was about 5,000. It came to pass on the morrow that their rulers and elders and scribes and Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest were gathered together at Jerusalem. And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power or by what name have ye done this? Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, ye rulers of the people and elders of Israel, if we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole? Be it known unto you all, 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, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at naught of you builders, which has become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled and they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus. And beholding the man which was healed, standing with them, they could say nothing against it. But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, saying, what will we do to these men? For that, indeed, a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But that it spread no further among the people, let us straightly threaten them that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye, for we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them because of the people. For all men glorified God for that which was done, for the man was above 40 years old on whom this miracle of healing was showed. Amen, we know that the Lord will bless the public reading of his word. We'll just still ourselves now and ask for God's help at this part of our meeting. Our loving God and Heavenly Father, we come into thy holy presence, Lord, and we come in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Lord, we ask For your help now, we ask for thy Holy Spirit, Lord, to come and be one of our number, Lord. We ask, Lord, that you would bless our time together. We thank thee for everything that's gone before now, Lord. Lord, I come, Lord, knowing my own weakness, and I confess my sin and my weakness to thee, Lord. And I ask, Lord, that you would fill me with the Holy Spirit, Lord, and Lord, that you would bless this word to the hearts of thy people. Lord, that you would use this word to convict by the Holy Spirit, Lord. There may be a lost soul here tonight. There may be a backslider here tonight, Lord. Lord, we pray, Lord, that your Holy Spirit would apply the words to the hearts of one and all. Lord, we confess our need in these days, Lord. Lord, I ask now that you would just be with us and give help in the preaching. And for we ask it all in Jesus' precious name. Amen. The Boeing 747 Superjet sat majestically at Tokyo's Haneda Airport, awaiting the arrival of over 500 souls who were to board her. She was unique. And the fact that she bore the honored name of the world's largest airliner ever built, the Boeing 747 Superjet, built in Washington at a cost of over $7 $100 million. This was no common aircraft. It was the 13th of April, 1966, that Boeing gave the first details of a gigantic airliner that soon would captivate the jet edge world. Made up of 4 and 1 half million parts, including 135 miles of wiring, combined with the efforts of 18,000 workers, She was the experienced pilot's dream. Her takeoff weight was as high as 418 tons, yet she could cruise flawlessly at 601 miles per hour. This was the plane that caught the eye of Japan Airlines. And in 1972, seven of the 747 super jets were ordered. So fast forward, it was Monday. the 12th of August, 1985, that Tokyo's Haneda Airport made the announcement that flight 123 was ready to board. Hundreds arose, some bidding friends and relatives goodbye, and others perhaps saying, see you later. Tickets were taken. The people began to board. Boeing 747s were an impressive sight at close range. Their wingspan was over 195 feet. Their length was over 231 feet. And the tip of their tail towered 64 feet above ground. If anyone would feel safe in a plane, it would be those who entered the 747. Those who crossed its threshold on flight 123 were expressing their faith in the pilot and the 747's ability to get them to their desired destination. Taxiing to the runway, takeoff position was granted by the tower. Then the signal was given. Experienced hands thrust four throttles forward and the giant 747 roared to life with four tremendous engines producing 50,000 pounds of thrust, the queen of the sky began to thunder down the runway. And in a matter of seconds, she was airborne, climbing for the sky with 524 souls on board. The time was 6.12pm. Some peered out the windows, looking at their native land receding beneath them, not realising that they would never walk on its soil again. Thirteen minutes after takeoff, the captain radioed, asking for instructions to turn back. Something had gone wrong. Let alone, he didn't know that the pressurised cabin air had rushed through a fault into the tail fin and was destroying it. At 6.46 PM, he radioed and said, I am experiencing unreliable control of the plane. At 6.54 PM, he radioed again, stating he did not know his position, and he pleaded for help. He was told that Haneda Airport had been cleared for emergency landing, but there was no reply. Inside the distressed 747, people, panic arose with people. Some wrote notes to their loved ones, bidding them forever goodbye. Others wailed and screamed as death seemed imminent. The huge queen of the sky was about to give up her throne. Hundreds that fateful day put their faith in her. But instead of taking them to Osaka less than 250 miles from Tokyo. She was going to take 520 of them into eternity. From the north side of Mount Ogura, only moments away. Widely and uncontrollably sailing from side to side, the final plunge came. With faith crushed and all hope gone forever. The time, 6.57pm. 520 souls perished, even though they had faith in a seemingly trustworthy plane. Is there not a lesson in this for us? As we think of our flight through time, is there not a final destination? Aren't people today placing their faith in their good works in their church attendance. Some are trusting in some other way. And then there are some who are on the plane of ignorance. And they believe that they're already good enough to get to heaven. Maybe they're totally ignorant and indifferent to their need of a savior. They don't realize they were born into this world as a sinner. Where is your destination tonight? What plane of life have you taken? What plane are you putting your faith in to see you to heaven? Our text tonight is verse 12. And it's beyond misunderstanding. You can't take it out of context and twist it. You can't interpret it any other way. It stands alone completely. Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Those who are ecumenical and believe that there are other ways to heaven, there are other ways to God the Father, There are other ways to experience peace with God, other ways of entering into newness of life, other ways to obtain salvation. Well, they will find Acts 4 verse 12 impossible to distort or deny, impossible to take out of context. It's absolutely clear that there are no ifs, no ands, and there are no buts about this text. With that being the case, There are certain verses that those who promote other ways of salvation, other than Jesus Christ, they simply just ignore them. They never think about them. They never preach on them. They just try to avoid them and pretend that they don't exist. With our text, those who believe there is another way to heaven, they have to ignore this Bible text. There's absolutely no way around this verse. It tells us in unmistakable terms, we must be saved. It's not that some people need to be saved, it's the fact that all of God's chosen people need to be saved and are in need of God's salvation, which is through Jesus Christ, the only door to heaven, the only means of salvation. It tells us we must be saved. Now, there may be some verses which you could lift out of context and manipulate in a certain way, and you can try and twist, but here is a truth that there's no other way around. It tells us we must be saved to enter into heaven. If you don't go away, With anything else tonight, please take hold of this. If you are not saved, you must be saved. You need God's salvation. You need to come in faith to Jesus Christ. You must be saved from the power, the penalty, and the pollution of sin. You must be saved through faith in Christ. to escape a lost eternity in hell. Not only does this text tell us that we must be saved, it exposes to us that salvation is a gift. And that gives us our first point, the exposure of salvation as a gift. We read in our text that, neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men. We all like to receive gifts, and I'm sure you all received and gave plenty of gifts at Christmas, but you can only receive a gift if it's given. Salvation is a gift from God. It is given to men. The message of the gospel is preached and proclaimed among the nations. And we read in Romans 6, verse 23, for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. We also read in Romans 5, verses 15 to 18, and just listen carefully, to how many times the term free gift or gift is mentioned. But not as the offense, so also is the free gift. For if through the offense of one, many be dead, much more the grace of God and the gift by grace, which is by one man. Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offenses onto justification. For if by one man's offense death reigned by one, much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ. Therefore, as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men onto justification of life. Our text in Acts 4 exposes that salvation is not of ourselves. And at the start of Acts 4, we read that Peter and John are being opposed by the rulers and elders and scribes. Annas, the high priest, and Caiaphas. Annas and Caiaphas sentenced Jesus Christ. They're now taunting Peter and John. But why are they doing this? The priests, the religious leaders, were opposed to Jesus Christ and to his teachings. They were jealous for the priesthood, just as much as Caesar was jealous for the monarchy. They saw Jesus Christ as a rival. as he was being preached of as the great high priest. This was the sin of pride. These men thought more of their own position and their own standing in life. They weren't willing to humble themselves and receive the gift of salvation. How many there are today, and they're offended by the gospel. They see others being saved, but they believe it's not for them. The rulers, elders and scribes and Annas and Caiaphas had seen others being saved as we read in verse four. Just if you read there in verse four, how be it many of them which heard the word believed, and the number of the men was about 5,000. Peter also speaks in verse 14 of Acts four, referring to the man who had been healed, the lame man, around 40 years of age. We read in chapter three, the previous chapter, that he had been healed of his lameness, who had been lame from birth. These rulers and priests had all seen this miracle performed. They had seen the Lord crucified and knew of his resurrection. They knew that the Lord Jesus Christ had risen from the dead, but they weren't willing to receive the gift of salvation. The message which Peter was proclaiming had exposed that they couldn't be sure of heaven on their own merits. Is there someone here tonight, or maybe someone that'll listen at another time, and does this verse, in verse 12, does this expose that you need a savior? Does the exposure of this gift and the need and the necessity that you receive this gift of salvation, that being receiving Jesus Christ, and the fact that you need to trust in him alone. Does that offend you, like the self-righteous priests? It's our prayer that the Holy Spirit would open up your eyes and expose the sin in your life and expose the darkness of your heart and that the Spirit would prepare your heart and soul ready to receive this gift. So verse 12 of Acts 4 exposes that salvation is a gift to receive. We also learn that salvation is exclusive. the exclusiveness of salvation. In her text, and we'll read it again, neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. There is salvation in no other name but Jesus Christ. Only Jesus Christ can save. Only faith in him and the sharing of his precious blood on Calvary's tree, the fact that he rose from the dead and is now seated in heaven. Please just turn over to Hebrews chapter 10, and we'll just read a short portion there of Hebrews chapter 10, verse one. For the law, having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never, with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered, because that the worshippers, once purged, should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he saith, sacrifice an offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, lo, I come in the volume of the book it is written of me to do thy will, O God. Above, when he said, sacrifice, and offering, and burnt offerings, and offering for sin, thou wouldst not, neither hadst pleasure therein, which are offered by the law. Then said he, lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second, by the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices which can never take away sins. But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, forever sat down on the right hand of God. Verse 12 of Hebrews 10 tells us that Jesus Christ was offered as the ultimate sacrifice, the one and only remedy for sin. And after he had offered this, he ascended to heaven, and he sat at the right hand of God the Father. No priest can save you. Baptism cannot save you. Church attendance cannot save you. Your good works cannot save you. Or being a good neighbor cannot save you. No other sacrifice can save you, for it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Some religious leaders would say, just do your best. He's a good man. She's a very decent lady. They wouldn't do you any harm. I go to church every Sunday. I pay into my church. I was baptized. I was confirmed. My mother and father are believers. My husband is saved. My wife is saved. Dear friend, tonight, none of these things can save you. There is no other way to escape judgment of the law. There is no other way to escape the penalty of sin, and that is death and ultimately hell. Tonight, do not be fooled. Satan wants you to remain blind in your sin. and to remain dependent on your own merit or the merit of a family member. Our text makes it absolutely clear. There is no other way. So this message that Peter was proclaiming so boldly offended the priests of that time and the Sadducees. And we've just read earlier in verse 11 of Hebrews 10, And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. It offended the priests and the Sadducees because it was in conflict with what they were teaching. They were also grieved because there was people being saved. Annas and Caiaphas had thought that when they had sent Jesus Christ to death, that his disciples would have been ashamed and afraid to own him, and that the people would have been against his teachings. It now vexed them to see themselves disappointed that this gospel, the gospel of Jesus Christ, had got ground instead of losing ground. Psalm 112 verse 10 says, the wicked shall see it and be grieved. He shall gnash with his teeth and melt away. The desire of the wicked shall perish. The desire of the wicked shall perish. If tonight you aren't saved, the Bible teaches that you were born in sin and your heart is wicked. The truth of this, this may offend you. The gospel may offend you. the fact that this text exposes there is a gift to receive. It exposes that you need to receive this gift of the Lord Jesus Christ. It also exclusively tells us that there is no other name under heaven whereby we must be saved. We are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousness are as filthy rags. There is none that doeth good. We must be saved if we are to enter heaven. If we are to enjoy peace of sins forgiven, we must be saved. We must turn from our sins in repentance. We must trust in Jesus Christ. Finally, that leads on to our last point. The essentiality of salvation. It's essential that you are saved. We read in our texts, whereby we must be saved. Tonight, if you're here and you're not saved, you must be saved. You must stop trusting in yourself, in your good works, in your church, your church attendance. As we've seen now, none of these things can save you. You must receive the gift of salvation. You must be born again. The Lord himself says it, and this can only take place when the soul rests at all in the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness, cleansing and salvation. Faith alone in Christ can save you. Dear friend, tonight we started off with the plane that left Haneda Airport in 1985. 120 souls, 24 souls placed their faith in the Queen of Airliners to take them to Osaka. Did their faith take them there? No. They had placed their faith in something that had failed. And tonight, if you're putting your faith in something you think is right, instead of what God's word says, you too will fail. to reach your destination, the desired haven of rest, and that is heaven. The free church cannot save you. No minister can save you. No family member can save you. Your good works or moral uprightness or your moral standing in this life cannot save you. Neither can your political persuasion save you. In summary, and to conclude, we have seen the exposure of salvation as a gift. It is found alone in Jesus Christ and his finished work. And he is the one who paid the price for your sin. And by repenting of your sin, the gift of receiving Christ as your savior is offered to you. We also have seen the exclusiveness of salvation. There is no other way to be saved. The only way to heaven is through Jesus Christ, the only door to heaven. He says, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father, but by me. The essentiality of salvation. When death comes, and it will come to us all, It is essential that we are saved. Unless your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life, you will not spend eternity in heaven. There is a way to heaven and it has been made possible through Jesus Christ and his death and resurrection. We are in the day of grace, therefore this exclusive way and this gift of salvation is being offered to you tonight. Dear friend, there is no other name under heaven whereby we must be saved. Jesus is the only way. Come to him tonight, that your faith and trust in him alone Many years ago, I saw that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, a sinner like me. And that by the sharing of his blood in Calvary's tree, he could cleanse me. And I put my faith on that truth. The Holy Spirit opened up my eyes to my spiritual darkness. And the light of God's word shone in. I received the gift of salvation in Christ alone. And now the peace of God is mine. Why won't you put your trust in him tonight? He's ready to receive you. Do not delay. Come to the Savior. And if I can be of any assistance, your own ministers here tonight as well, to help and to point you to the Saviour. Just make it known to us on the way out. You don't even need to wait until you walk out. You can repent of your sins just now and ask the Lord to come into your heart, just where you're sitting. Amen. I'll just hand back over to the Reverend.