Bold Witness

Intro IMPORTANT

Peter and John heal a man, preach to the masses in the name of Jesus. This is where they pick up.

Acts 4:1–22 CSB

While they were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple police, and the Sadducees confronted them, because they were annoyed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. So they seized them and took them into custody until the next day since it was already evening. But many of those who heard the message believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. The next day, their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all the members of the high-priestly family. After they had Peter and John stand before them, they began to question them: “By what power or in what name have you done this?” Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders: If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a disabled man, by what means he was healed, 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 and whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing here before you healthy. This Jesus is the stone rejected by you builders, which has become the cornerstone. There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.” When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus. And since they saw the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in opposition. After they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin, they conferred among themselves, saying, “What should we do with these men? For an obvious sign has been done through them, clear to everyone living in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But so that this does not spread any further among the people, let’s threaten them against speaking to anyone in this name again.” So they called for them and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. Peter and John answered them, “Whether it’s right in the sight of God for us to listen to you rather than to God, you decide; for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” After threatening them further, they released them. They found no way to punish them because the people were all giving glory to God over what had been done. For this sign of healing had been performed on a man over forty years old.

Do the Work

Do what you are called to do.

Faithfulness to the mission is important. Had Peter and John walked on by, this story would not have happened.

How many times have you, “Walked on by”

Don’t let good get in the way of great.

They healed the man, but they did not let that be the end of the journey.

They used the good thing God had done in the man to declare the greater thing of salvation for all who believe.

When you do the work, you will have to understand that...

People Will React

People will react negatively to the good you do for Christ.

Because they healed this man in the name of Jesus they were arrested and questioned.

Absurdity of the case

They arrested Peter and John for healing someone.

Peter’s Response almost seems a little tongue in cheek:

“Rulers of the people and elders: if we are being examined today about a good deed done to a disabled man, by what means he was healed, 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 and whom God raised from the dead— by him this man is standing here before you healthy.”

Clarity of the sign

Performed on a man over 40 years old.

The man was before them! This was not a claim by them, but something evidenced to all the people and by the man himself.

They didn’t deny what was done, but they didn’t like the way that it was done.

We should seek to make the work that we do, as undeniable as possible so that it is clear that the issue is with the message of Christ, not in what we have done.

The Sanhedrin hated the name they healed in, not the healing itself.

Let us do good works that are undeniably good, explicitly in the name of Christ.

We CANNOT compromise this.

There have been many churches that have compromised this, and they eventually cease to be churches that are biblical.

You cannot lead people to Christ without at some point vocalizing the truth about Jesus Christ.

We must be prepared for this response, because we know that it is going to happen.

John 15:18 CSB

“If the world hates you, understand that it hated me before it hated you.

It will happen in varying degrees.

I have felt the tone shift in conversations dramatically when I tell someone that I am a pastor, or if I mention anything about church or God.

At some points it can turn into what Peter and John faced. Standing before a legal body.

This is not the case in our country at the moment, but there are places around the world where it is illegal to speak the name of Jesus.

When people respond to what we do in the name of Christ we should…

Respond with Boldness

Boldness of Witness

The response of Peter was to respond to their questioning with boldness and clear affirmation of what he stood for.

There was no sugarcoating his message because he was with people with authority.

He spoke to them directly and clearly about what truly mattered. That Jesus is Lord!

You MUST be CONFIDENT about what you are BOLD about.

Boldness is not a trait that is only characteristic of Christians proclaiming the Gospel — Far from it!

Many of the problems that exist in the world are because people are far too bold in their interactions with one another, and then in turn people are bold in their response!

Far too often Christians speak boldly and confidently about the WRONG things!

COVID as an example. The primary problem was the conviction with which the matters at hand were fought for.

Situations that are nuanced require an approach layered with Christian Charity and Grace.

You don’t use a shovel when you are panning for gold.

There is truth to be found, but finding it requires much more grace and care.

We must be careful to let our BOLDNESS match the IMPORTANCE of the issue.

You are unlikely to end a friendship over small disagreements, though certainly small disagreements have done that.

Thus you should avoid being overly bold over things that are not that important.

Doing so will have a boy who cried wolf effect.

If you will boldly speak about unimportant issues and decry and dismiss anyone who disagrees with you, when you speak about things that actually matter, they will listen to you less.

If I were to come to you and tell you I knew about a place where they had the BEST burgers and invited you to come along, and I took you to McDonald’s. You might question any future recommendations I make.

Conversely if someone puts you on to a place that becomes your favorite restaurant, you will likely listen to their next recommendation immediately.

We should be MOST bold about Salvation alone through Christ!

This is what Peter fought for!

“If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a disabled man, by what means he was healed, 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 and whom God raised from the dead — by him this man is standing here before you healthy. This Jesus is the stone rejected by you builders which has become the cornerstone. There is salvation in no on else, for there is no name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.

This is the main thing we must and should be bold about!

From here, our boldness should be present but lacking in proportion.

There may be times when we will stand to account for what we do for Christ.

We must be willing to speak plainly and boldly.

We must seek to grow that we might be prepared to do so.

We must trust that God will provide in the midst of the situations.

Throughout life, we will face consequences (of varying degrees) for boldly living and speaking for Christ. Because of this we must…

Make a Decision

Who should we listen to?

God or Man?

“Whether it’s right in the sight of God for us to listen to you rather than to God, you decide; for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

The reaction of people should not hinder us from doing the good.

2 Corinthians 5:10 CSB

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

When we remember that we will stand before God, the fear of standing before men should not hinder us.

Matthew 10:28 CSB

Don’t fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

When we keep eternity in mind, we should not fear men at all, but remember that we serve a God that we will live with forever and we should be obedient to him.

So today...

Are you doing the work?

Are you not only doing good, but moving into the great?

Are you being bold in your witness?

About the right things?

Have you trusted in Christ, the only name in which you might be saved, for salvation?

How do you need to respond today?