Acts 4:23-31

Acts 4:23–31 KJV 1900

23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. 24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: 25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? 26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. 27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, 28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. 29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, 30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. 31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

The Believers Pray for Boldness

Last week, Bro. Wilson covered the first portion of Acts 4 where Peter and John stood before Annas, Ciaphas and the Sadducees.

At the conclusion of that discourse between Peter and John and the leaders they commanded them to stop preaching in the Name of Jesus. Peter and John replied, when it comes to a choice of obeying you or God, we are going to obey God.

they leaders threatened them and then released them.

This is where we pick up with this next segment, titled by the English Standard Version, the believers pray for Boldness.

they returned unto their own company

Acts 4:23 KJV 1900

23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.

Warren Wiersbe in his commentary on this portion of scripture stated, true Christians always return “to their own company”

1 John 2:19 KJV 1900

19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

this is not to say that we are some sort of cult and that we believe that the only place that someone can grow is here at Living Hope on Chancellors Run road. I would say that it is imperative that we are connected to a truth preaching church.

Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus in Ephesians chapter 3 verses

Ephesians 3:14–19 ESV

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Pauls prayer for the believers in Ephesus was that they would be rooted and grounded.

The Lexham English Version of the bible says it this way…that you would be “firmly rooted and established”

There are a few factors that help us to be rooted and established.

Don’t get planted in a garden with a fence not a gate.

Don’t join a church with the mindset that you can always leave if something comes along that you don’t like.

Don’t bring soil from your old garden. One of the most frustrating things for a church culture is when people compare where they are planted with where they used to be planted. Every church has their culture.

There are obviously times that transitioning is necessary…but it shouldn’t be when a little wind starts to blow.

3. Get rooted in the garden that you are planted in

4. We need the church to be able to go back to. Peter and John were arrested, reprimanded and threatened…they needed the strength of their company to go back to.

they went back to their company and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them

Vs. 16 and 17 where the chief priest and elders admitted that a notable miracle had been done through them and that they couldn’t deny it…was not said to them, it was said when they were out of the room.

Vs. 18 they call them back in and they commanded them not speak at all in the Name of Jesus

Vs. 21 they threatened them further

This is what Peter and John come back and report to their company. We have been commanded not to preach Jesus and we have been threatened if we do.

NOTE: It doesn’t say that they reported back what they had said to them…they weren’t taunting…they weren’t arrogant and full of themselves…we told them to go jump in a creek…we were preaching Jesus…No, they were letting their company…the believers know…They are telling us to stop preaching Jesus.

Look at the response of the believers.

Vs. 24 And when they heard that...

they lifted up their voice (not voices) voice.

Even in the midst of persecution and threatening, they didn’t splinter and separate…it wasn’t an every man for himself mentality.

Unity is never more important than when opposition and persecution come.

2. and said, Lord, thou art God, which has made heaven and earth, and the sea and all that in them is:

Peter and john’s experience did not frighten the other disciples it exhilarated them.

They took confidence in God’s sovereign control over all events, even their suffering.

Love…thou art God…you are in control!

3. The were comforted that the opposition they were facing was foreseen in the Old Testament

It what John and Peter had experienced and the threats that had been made against them, they saw fulfilment of Psalms 2:1&2, which they quoted.

Psalm 2:1–2 KJV 1900

1 Why do the heathen rage, And the people imagine a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying,

They were comforted in knowing that the opposition they were facing were prophesied of.

Acts 4:27-28

Acts 4:27–28 NASB95

27 “For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur.

they reference the Crucifixion of Jesus.

they recognize the crucifixion of Jesus was fulfilment of propehecy

And…even the crucifixion of jesus…Herod and Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were all gathered together to do what your hand and your counsel had already determined to be done.

the crucifixion of Jesus doesn’t make any sense unless you realize that it was the fulfilment of the plan of God.

Peter and John have come telling them that they were imprisoned, reprimanded and threatened for preaching Jesus…yet the response of the disciples was to praise God because they realized that it was fulfilment of the plan of god.

They were living fulfilment of Old Testament Prophecy

They were joining in the fellowship of the suffering of Jesus Christ.

There was eternal purpose in their circumstances

- If we can only look at the suffering

If all that we can see is the opposition and the negativity of all that is going on in our world, it is hard to praise God for what is going on.

But when we can recognize that what is happening in our world is fulfilment of prophecy

and…if we can find ourselves on the map of endtime prophecy, we can praise God in the midst of it!

Acts 4:29-31

The disciples pray for confidence when they minister the Word

Acts 4:29 NASB95

29 “And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence,

In the last days, we need ministers that minister with confidence. With boldness.

I recognize that in the context of Acts 4, probably very little of the ministry was taking place from behind lecterns and pulpits.

However, it was still the preeminent prayer of the early church that God would enable and empower them to minister His word with confidence.

I talked to our Ministers in Training on Sunday night and I told them that we need them to be confident when they minister the Word.

Acts 17:1–4 KJV 1900

1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: 2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, 3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. 4 And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.

Acts 17:17 KJV 1900

17 Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.

Acts 18:1–4 KJV 1900

1 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; 2 And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them. 3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers. 4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.

Preaching and Teaching the word of God is the work of persuading. We are working to persuade people to turn from sin and to follow Jesus Christ.

To persuade them of the wiles of the enemy, the destruction of sin, and to persuade them of the goodness and the grace of God.

If you are going to persuade someone, you have to be confident in what you are sharing.

Our confidence should not be rooted in self. Charisma, talent, ability or style.

but I want the ministers that minister in this pulpit to minister with confidence. I want sinners to be persuaded.

I want those that are discouraged to be uplifted.

Confident that I am in right standing with God - Living a repentant life

Confident that motives are right (feeding the flock…love the people)

Confident that I am ministering at God’s bidding (I didn’t make it to happen)

confident I have spent time in prayer (for the people, over the Word that will be preached)

Confident I have spent time in examination and study of the scripture

Confident in the one point that I have been tasked to deliver

Confident that I am striving to grow in effectiveness

Confident that my thoughts are well-prepared

Therefore, when these young ministers preach or teach…don’t feel like it is your job to keep them humble…because it isn’t. and don’t worry, you telling them that they did a good job isn’t going to throw them into a tailspin of pride and arrogance.

If they share something that isn’t doctrinally accurate, come and let me know and I will instruct them. I know that they aren’t doing it intentionally.

The Apostles and disciples prayed that God would help them to share the Word with confidence.

and when they had prayed, the place that they were in was shaken and they were filled wih the Holy Ghost and began to speak the Word with boldness.

They went and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them