The Source of Courage

Good morning. We have arrived at the final week of our series, "Ambassadors." Over the last month, we have built a comprehensive picture of our identity and mission as followers of Jesus Christ.

We started with our commission from Matthew 28. We are official representatives of King Jesus, sent out with His absolute authority and sustained by His constant presence. Then, we examined the character of the ambassador from Galatians 5, learning that our message is only authenticated when our lives are being transformed by the Holy Spirit. In week three, we clarified our unshakeable message from 1 Corinthians 15—the death, burial, resurrection, and appearances of Christ. And last week, we looked at our delivery in Colossians 4, discovering a strategy of prayer, a wise life, and gracious speech.

We have our commission, our character, our message, and a model for our delivery. But if we’re honest, there is one final, massive obstacle that stands between knowing all of this and actually doing it. It’s the great paralytic of the Christian life. It’s the emotion that keeps our mouths shut when God opens a door. It’s fear.

Fear of rejection. Fear of being misunderstood. Fear of sounding foolish. Fear of losing a relationship. Fear of damaging our reputation at work. Fear of personal cost. This fear is the primary reason why so many well-intentioned ambassadors become silent diplomats. We have the best news in the world, but we are often too afraid to share it.

If we are going to fulfill our commission, we need something more than just information or a strategy. We need courage. We need boldness. But where does that come from? Is it just a personality trait that some people have and others don’t? Is it something we’re supposed to muster up through sheer willpower?

This morning, we’re going to look at the early church at the very moment they faced their first terrifying, official threat. We’re going to watch them huddle together and pray. And in their prayer, we are going to find the divine blueprint for boldness. We’re going to see where true, sustainable, supernatural courage comes from. If you have your Bible, please turn to the book of Acts, chapter 4, starting in verse 23.

Here we find a profound truth that must become the foundation of our witness:

Supernatural courage for our mission is not manufactured by us, but is given by a sovereign God in response to dependent prayer.

The Context: A Credible Threat

To feel the weight of this prayer, we have to understand the pressure these believers were under. Just before our passage, in Acts chapter 3, Peter and John healed a man who had been lame from birth. This miracle drew a huge crowd, and Peter preached a powerful sermon, proclaiming the resurrected Jesus as the Messiah.

This act of healing and heralding did not go over well with the religious authorities. The Sanhedrin—the same powerful council that had condemned Jesus to death just a few months earlier—had Peter and John arrested. They put them on trial and were furious that these uneducated fishermen were causing such a stir.

Look back at Acts 4, verse 18.

Acts 4:18 KJV 1900

And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

This is a direct, official, legally binding command. It comes with an implicit threat: "We killed your leader. If you continue this, you will be next." After threatening them, they let them go. This is not a hypothetical fear. This is a credible, life-or-death threat from the most powerful body in their society. Their mission has just been declared illegal.

The Response: Unity and Theology (v. 23-28)

Now, what is their first response after being released? Where do they go? Verse 23 gives us the crucial first step:

Acts 4:23 KJV 1900

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

Their first move was not to go into hiding. It was not to complain on their own. They ran straight to their community. They went to "their own people"—the church. They understood that ambassadors do not face threats alone. They shared the report, and the entire church community shouldered the burden together. This is the first step in finding courage: lock arms with your fellow believers.

When threatened, their first move was to run to their community.

And what did this community do when they heard the report? Did they panic? Did they brainstorm a new, safer ministry strategy? No. They prayed. And the prayer they prayed is one of the most theologically rich and instructive prayers in the entire Bible. Before they asked God for anything, they spent time rehearsing who God is. Look at verse 24:

Acts 4:24 KJV 1900

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:

They begin by addressing God as Despotes. This is not the usual Greek word for Lord, Kyrios. This is the word from which we get our English word "despot." It means absolute master, the one with unlimited power and total control. In the face of a threat from the Sanhedrin, their first act is to declare that the Sanhedrin is not in charge. Their God is the Sovereign Lord.

Then, they anchor their present crisis in the ancient Scriptures. They quote from Psalm 2, a Messianic psalm written by David a thousand years earlier. They say, "'...who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit,

Psalm 2:1–2 KJV 1900

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

They looked at their situation—the religious rulers (the peoples) and the Roman authorities (the kings of the earth) gathering against Jesus (the Anointed)—and they recognized it as the direct fulfillment of prophecy. They saw that the opposition they were facing was not a surprise to God; it was anticipated in His Word.

And then they make a breathtaking theological statement in verse 27 and 28:

Acts 4:27–28 KJV 1900

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, For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.

Read that again. They are saying that the most evil act in human history—the conspiracy and crucifixion of the perfect Son of God—happened because it was within the predetermined plan of a sovereign God. They understood that God is so sovereign, He can take the sinful, rebellious actions of human beings and weave them into the tapestry of His unstoppable redemptive plan.

This is the bedrock of their courage. If God was sovereign over the crucifixion of Jesus, then He is surely sovereign over the threats of the Sanhedrin. As Dr. H.A. Ironside would surely emphasize, a high view of God's sovereignty is the only antidote to fear. When we see the threats against us not as random disruptions to God's plan, but as events that are held firmly within His powerful and purposeful hands, it changes everything. It shrinks our fears and magnifies our God.

Their courage was founded on a massive view of God's sovereignty.

[ILLUSTRATION PROMPT: Use the analogy of watching a scary movie. If you're a child watching it for the first time, it's terrifying because you don't know the outcome. But if you're an adult who has already read the script and knows how it ends, you can watch the scariest scenes with a sense of calm because you know the hero is going to win. The early church had "read the script" of prophecy and knew God was in control, which gave them calm in the face of a terrifying scene.]

The Request: Boldness over Safety (v. 29-30)

It is only after they have established this massive view of God's sovereignty that they finally make their request. And what they ask for is shocking. It reveals the true heart of a faithful ambassador. Look at verse 29:

Acts 4:29 KJV 1900

And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,

Pause here. What would we pray in this situation? If we're honest, most of us would pray for the threat to be removed. "Lord, protect us. Lord, keep us safe. Lord, change the hearts of the Sanhedrin, or better yet, judge them!" We would pray for self-preservation.

But they do not pray for safety. They do not pray for their circumstances to change. They pray for their character to change within their circumstances. They essentially pray, "Lord, we see the threat. Now, give us the courage to walk right back into it." Their primary concern was not their own comfort or security. Their primary concern was the continuation of their mission. They knew that the worst thing that could happen was not being thrown in jail; the worst thing that could happen would be for the Word of God to be silenced by their fear.

Their primary concern was the continuation of their mission, not their personal comfort.

This is one of the most counter-intuitive and challenging prayers in the Bible. It forces us to ask: What is the primary goal of my prayers when I am facing fear or opposition? Am I praying for an escape route? Or am I praying for the courage to be faithful right where I am?

And they ask for something to accompany their bold speech. Verse 30:

Acts 4:30 KJV 1900

By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.

They wanted God's supernatural power to authenticate their supernatural message. Their desire was not for their own reputation, but for the name of Jesus to be magnified. Their prayer was completely aligned with the mission they had been given.

The Result: Power and Proclamation (v. 31)

God’s answer to this bold, mission-focused prayer is immediate and dramatic. Verse 31:

Acts 4:31 KJV 1900

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.

First, there is a physical sign of God's presence. The place was shaken. It was a mini-earthquake, a tangible reminder that the Creator of the universe had heard their prayer and was present with them in power.

Second, there is a spiritual filling. "They were all filled with the Holy Spirit." This is the direct answer to their prayer for boldness. Courage for the Christian is not a personality trait. It is not something we muster up from within. Boldness is a gift. It is the direct evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit. This is the source. The reason we lack courage is because we are trying to operate in our own strength instead of continually asking to be filled with His.

And what is the result of this filling? "They continued to speak the word of God with boldness." God gave them exactly what they asked for. They didn't receive a promise of safety. They didn't get a new political situation. They received the supernatural courage they needed to fulfill their commission right in the middle of their dangerous reality.

Boldness is not a personality trait; it is the direct result of being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Conclusion: The Ambassador's Blueprint for Courage

The story of this prayer meeting is not just a historical record. It is a timeless blueprint for every ambassador who has ever felt the chill of fear. It shows us God’s designated pathway to courage.

First, when you are threatened, run to your community. Don't isolate yourself in fear. Share your burdens with the church.

Second, when you pray, rehearse your theology. Start by reminding yourself of who God is. Get a massive view of His sovereignty over all things, even the things that scare you.

Third, when you ask, reorient your prayers. Prioritize the mission over your comfort. Ask God for boldness to be faithful in your circumstances, not just for a way out of them.

And finally, be ready to receive the power of the Holy Spirit. True, lasting courage is a gift He delights to give to ambassadors who are dependent on Him and dedicated to His mission.

So, as we close this series, we come full circle. We have a great commission, and the only way to fulfill it is with a courage that is not our own. The fear is real. The threats are real. But the Sovereign Lord is more real. His plan is unstoppable. And His Spirit is available.

Let me leave you with these final questions.

1. When you feel afraid or threatened, where is the first place you run?

Do you run to isolation? To distraction? To worry? Or, like the early church, do you run to your community of believers? Who are "your own people" that you can be honest with?

2. Is your view of God big enough to handle your fears?

When you look at the scary things happening in the world or in your life, do you see them as outside of God's control, or do you, like the disciples, see them as happening under the watchful eye of a Sovereign Lord who is working out His perfect plan?

3. What is the honest focus of your prayers when you are afraid?

Take a moment and think about it. Are your prayers primarily centered on your own safety and comfort? Or are they centered on asking God for the boldness to continue being His faithful ambassador, no matter the cost?

Church, we are ambassadors. We have been given the highest privilege imaginable: to represent the King of kings. It is not an easy calling, but we have not been left alone. The same sovereign God who heard the prayer of that small, threatened church in Jerusalem is our God. And the same Holy Spirit who filled them with boldness is available to fill us today. Let's be a people who pray for it, receive it, and walk in it, for the glory of His name.

Let's pray.