A Bold Church

Acts 4:13 ESV

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

Romans 1:16–17 ESV

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Intro

This morning were going to get back into our series on the Origional Church that we find in the book of acts.

I hope you have taken the time over the last few weeks to read through the book of acts and I know it will have been an encouragment.

Series

If you have been here for this series you’ll remember that so far we have looked at two major halmarks of the church

Two things that lead to their growth both personally and corperatly

The church Gathered regularly

The first was that they made a point to gather regularly

they were faithful to be togther in temple on the sabath, in their homes, in the city and things such as that.

And we talked about how making it a point to be in church and meet regularly with those in the church helps us to grow and mature in the faith.

The church was a Caring Community

the second hallmark we looked at was that they were a caring community

The church we see in the book of acts was not just a church that came to a meeting once a week and left..,

They didnt just see each other at temple..

rather, they were a community of believers that practiced the lifestyle of christian community.

They didnt just do church together

they did life together

they ate together

studied together

prayed together

worshiped together

cared for one another in sacrificial ways

took care of one another

and so much more.

Today

Today were going to continue to look at the some of the things that made this origional church so special and successful.

and today I want us to look at the fact that

the early church was a Bold Church.

they were bold in being witnesses for the gospel.

A bold shift

When we first come into the story of the early church in acts

in their origin story if you will..

We see a signifigant shift in the boldness of the believers who are gathers.

the upper room

One Particular example of this is found Just after the outpouring of the holy spirit

early in acts 2

and Its part of the story of peter.

Story

The spirit has just been poured out

Toungues of fire dancing on thier heads

the people of the upper room speaking in other toungues..

and a crowd has gathered.

hearing the commotion..

hearing the people of the upper room speaking the wonders of god in thier own different languages..

And peter, filled with the spirit..

seizes the moment..

and this happens

Look at verse 14...

Acts 2:14–16 (ESV)

But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:

Peter goes on to preach the message of Jesus

the message of the gospel..

and we know that from this one sermon 3,000 people are added to the kingdom..

This is a Shift

I want to point out though..

this is a signifigant shift in the personality of peter..

Earlier in the story..

we find a very different peter..

Jesus arrested

As recorded in all four gospels..

Jesus is arrested by the temple guard

and peter follows Jesus with the small crowd

And three different times peter is given the oppurtunity to acknowldege that he is a follower of Jesus..

and all three times, as Jesus told him he would, he denies him..

going as far as to curse to prove he is not one of them..

Peter was a coward in these moments..

And afterwards became very grieved and bitter towards himself for it..

Now

but now ..

now that he has witnessed the ressurection..

He has seen the risen Jesus..

He has witnessed the assention..

and been filled with the power of the holy spirit..

we see a different peter..

a peter who is no longer afraid to witness..

A peter who has been emboldened to stand for christ..

Fruit

and its this boldness that enables him to preach the gospel to this crowd....

and because of it we see this massive group of peopel added to the kingdom..

but this is not the only time we will see this in peters life..

Second Act of Boldness

a couple chapters later

in acts 3 and 4 we find another bold event in the life this early church,

now peter is joined by john

Story

peter and john are on their way to prayer in the temple..

and on their way they enounter the lame man by the gate.

and through the power of the holy spirit he is healed..

and as the man gets up a crowd is gathered..

Peter and john seize the moment to declare the gospel to the crowd that has gathered..

and then are imedialty arrested by the temple leaders and brought before the sanhedrian..

and look what the bible says..

Acts 4:1–4 ESV

And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.

Another 5,000 people added to the kingdom in this event..

Twice..

The boldness of the early church at its inception..

lead them to procalim the gospel.

and throusdands were saved..

Many more

if we go through the book of acts we find this halmark all through the church..

not just peter or john..

in chapter 5 we see all of the apostles in the temple witnesses..

in 6 and 7 Stephen will stand in boldness for christ before the whole temple.. and lose his life for it.

Phillip will go to the jews hated brothers.. the samaritains and declare the gospel..

Saul will shift to paul and proclaim him through the known world at the time knowing full well that it will end in his suffering..

other individuals who we will only see for a couple verse will stand for the gospel..

THE EARLY CHURCH WAS A CHURCH THAT WAS NOT ASHAMED TO STAND FOR JESUS AND DECLARE WHO HE WAS.

AND BECAUSE OF IT, MANY CAME TO A SAVING KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS AND WERE ADDED TO THE COMMUNITY

THE GOSPEL EXPANDED THROUGH THE WORLD AND NEW PEOPLE GROUPS WERE REACHED

SON AND DAUGHTERS, BROTHERS AND SISTERS WERE ADDED TO THE KINGDOM!

ALL BECAUSE OF THE BOLDNESS THEY HAD TO WITNESS!

You and I

im willing to bet that there was a time in your life when someone got bold enough to tell you about Jesus

It may have been a preacher..

it may have been a family member..

it may have been a stranger..

but the odds are that you didnt come into the kingdom on your own..

someone bold enough to declare Jesus showed up in your life..

today

and I want to remind you today..

God is still looking for a bold church to wintess for his name..

The great comissions in matthew 28:18 is still the valid operating comandment for the church..

TO GO.. and MAKE DISCIPLES..

to go into the higways an hedges and seek the lost..

TO GO INTO ALL THE WORLD..

TO GO INTO OUR HOMES..

OUR SCHOOLS..

OUR WORKPLACE

WALMART..

AND EVERYWHERE WE CAN AND MAKE DISICPLES..

BEING BOLD WITNESSES FOR CHRIST..

Not just preachers

And this comission is for everyone!

All followers of Jesus are to go..

to take the light into the darkness

GOD IS LOOKING FOR US TO BE A BOLD CHURCH

BECAUSE PEOPLE GET SAVED WHEN THE CHURCH GETS BOLD!

What was it that made the early church so bold?

So what was it that made the early church so bold.

they had a firm Belief in Jesus

they knew in whom they believed and who they belonged

without a doubt.. they knew

not just a head knowldge..

not just infomationally..

but they knew in a way that rocked there world..

look what peter tells the crowd after the lame man is raised..

Acts 3:11–16 (ESV)

While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s. And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.

Acts 5:29–32 (ESV)

But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Peter says… we are witnesses to this..

The early church had seen Jesus resurected..

They had experienced the power of the holy spirit..

they believed he was who he said he was so much they were willing to die for it..

THEY BELIEVED.. AND IT MADE THEM BOLD...

Could it be that we are not bold today because we dont truely believe Jesus is who he says he is?

If you truely believed JEsus is the son of god.

the sovereine king of the universe..

who had the ability to do anything..

and we really believed in heaven and hell..

and that we make that descisions here on earth..

wouldnt that compell us to be bold?

We have to believe..

they embraced the power of the holy spirit

The second thing that we see made them bold was

they were embolded by the power of the spirit

look what the bible says of peter.. when addressing the sanhedrian the first time..

Acts 4:8 (ESV)

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders,

and of stephen in

Acts 7:55 (ESV)

But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

In acts 2… the holy spirit had just fallen and filled those in the upper room when peter stepped out on the porch to preach..

The holy spirit gives us boldness..

paul

paul writing to timothy in 2 timothy 1:7-8 tells him this..

2 Timothy 1:7–8 ESV

for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,

The amplified verse says this..

2 Timothy 1:7–8 (AMP)

“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].both of the storys about peter.. the biblle tells us “and being filled by the spirit”

You see the holy spirit produces boldness in ourlives..

but even more so..

He trains our mouth to speak what we need to say

Look what Jesus told the disicples in luke 12

Luke 12:11–12 ESV

And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

The holy spirit is the one who authors boldness within us..

And speaks through us the testimony of Jesus..

he is the power at work within us..

to witness to the world

but we have to be willing to let him work..

they were not afraid of the consequences..

They embraced rejection and suffering

Look what the apostals declared after being scolded and whipped by the jews for declaring Jesus..

Acts 5:41 ESV

Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.

What ifs

The biggest fear people have in witnesses is not what do I say..

Its what will happen if I do....

Will people reject me..

Will it get confrontational..

what will they think of me afterwards..

And the enmy uses this fear tactic to keep us quiet…

early church

They early church didnt have this problem at the start..

they knew in whom they beleived..

they were empowered by the holy spirit..

and so they didnt care what happened..

Martyrs

Many of them lost their lives willingly for the witness of the gospel..

They embraces the suffering that came with fulfilling the call of the great comission on their lives..

Today

The consequences of our witness today are much less than death..

but still we fear the what ifs..

Jesus addressed this in matthew 10:28

Matthew 10:28 ESV

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Even if we did lose our life for shairng the gospel..

the one we serve is greater still..

how do we become a bold church

let me give you some quick practical steps about how we can become a bolder church..

each of us..

Grow in our own realtionship and beleif..

the stronger our relationship with god..

the bolder we will become for him..

Get out of the church walls..

This is not just for events..

but whens the last time you talked to someone about Jesus outside of the church..

Make it a point to share him where you are..

Understand we are all soul winners..

the modern church has places the burden of soul winning on the pastors, staff and evangelist..

but its all of our jobs..

benney tate, a pastor from georgia was in our minsiters meeting this week.

and he shared something Ive heard him say before..

shepherds do not birth sheep..

sheep birth sheep..

If all of our jobs to win people of the kingdom..

One

If everyone in this church would win one in a year..

the church would double in a year..

Next month..

were going to launch a campaign about reaching the one..

and im going to challange everyone to reach one person for the gospel..

thats all of our jobs..

Build intentional relationships..

most people are not won to the kingdom through people standing on the corner screaming repent..

they are won through relationship..

Build intentional relationships..

pray that god will open doors in those relationships..

and when the time comes release the gospel message into that relationship..

choose to be bold..

Get up everymorning and choose to be bold..

pre descide that when the time comes..

your going to anwser the call of god and walk through the door he has opened for you..

Ask god for boldness..

look what the believers prayed in acts 4.. believers prayed for boldness..

Acts 4:23–31 (ESV)

When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit,

“ ‘Why did the Gentiles rage,

and the peoples plot in vain?

The kings of the earth set themselves,

and the rulers were gathered together,

against the Lord and against his Anointed’—

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, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

Altar Call

God has called us to be bold witnesses in our world..

are you going to anwser the call?