Boldly Trusting in God's Plan

Big Idea for the Series: In the book of Acts, we see God advancing his Kingdom by his Spirit through his Church.

FCF: Most Christians are rather timid in their faith and their evangelism. But the mark of being filled with the Spirit is boldness in our faith which is rooted in confidence in the sovereignty of God.

Series Title

The Backstory (Acts 3)

Acts 3-4 are really all part of one long story, so we’re going to take it as a unit today, but I’m only going to really focus on chapter 4. But, in order to understand what’s going on, we need to at least get the gist of the story that unfolds in chapter 3 that sets the stage for what happens in chapter 4.

Chapter 3 starts off with Peter and John going to the temple to pray.

Peter heals a man at the gate of the temple who had been lame from birth (3:1-10)

The lame man asks for alms, Peter replies:

Acts 3:6–8 ESV

6 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.

Everyone is amazed to see him walking and leaping because they all knew the man was born lame and he’s 40 years old. This was no parlor trick, it was clearly a miracle.

A crowd gathers in the temple courtyard and Peter preaches the gospel of Jesus, calling the people to repent (3:11-26)

So, Peter preaches to the crowd in the temple courtyard and calls on them to repent. Many people do repent and believe, and the number of believers swells to about 5,000. The religious leaders get upset about all this and throw Peter and some of the Apostles in jail for the night.

So, we pick up with our passage in chapter 4 verse 5 on the following day.

Text:

Acts 4:5–31 ESV

5 On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 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, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” 13 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. 14 But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. 15 But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, 16 saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” 18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” 21 And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old. 23 When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 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, 25 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? 26 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’— 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 plan had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 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.

Prayer

On Wednesday evenings, we’ve been going through some evangelism training. We’ve looked at several different passages where we see examples of evangelism, and one of the consistent factors in successful evangelism is boldness. And we see that boldness all throughout this passage.

Acts 4:13 ESV

13 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.

Those who are with Jesus will be bold like Jesus.

Jesus was bold. A lot of people have this picture of Jesus in their heads where he’s this airbrushed, effeminate, goldilocks kind of guy who always spoke in hushed tones, never raised his voice, and never judged anyone. That just isn’t who Jesus was or is.

When Jesus came into the temple and saw the religious leaders taking advantage of the people and extorting them through their corrupt marketing, he flipped tables and drove the people out with a whip. When the Pharisees tried to twist his words and trap him Jesus called them “whitewashed tombs—pretty on the outside but full of death on the inside” to their faces in front of a crowd of their followers. Jesus told people that if they didn’t repent and turn to God they would suffer an eternity in Hell. He was the boldest man who ever lived.

And if we’re going to follow Jesus, we need to be more like him.

We must boldly tell people they need Jesus.

When the lame man asked Peter and John for money, they saw directly to his deepest need and they gave him Jesus instead.

Acts 3:6 ESV

6 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!”

When we read this, we focus on the healing. And certainly that was important. But the really significant part of this passage, the reason that it’s so important, is because the healing was done in the name of Jesus (v. 6)

The “in the name of Jesus” part is not an inconsequential add-on. The miracle of physical healing here is merely the sign that points to what Peter is truly doing. Peter makes that clear that the healing only came because of the power of Jesus:

Acts 3:12 ESV

12 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?

Acts 3:16 ESV

16 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.

The miracle that Peter performs points to a deeper spiritual truth—Jesus is the source of life and healing. Peter recognized that this man’s deepest need wasn’t money, it was Jesus, and so he’s pointing the man to Jesus and providing the healing as evidence that Jesus was who he claimed to be. The point that Peter is making here is that Jesus brings the healing for what ails you.

When we encounter people who are suffering illness or injury, or when we ourselves are suffering, it’s not wrong to comfort them and meet their physical needs. That’s right and good. But we always need to remember that the primary need of those in the hospital, struggling with chronic pain, or even on their deathbed is Jesus Christ.

The fact of the matter is that even if you recover from whatever illness or injury currently plagues you, you will eventually die. This lame man who was healed eventually died. All of the people that Jesus healed in his earthly ministry, even Lazarus whom Jesus raised from the dead, eventually died.

All of us have an illness called sin, and it is terminal. It has a 100% fatality rate. There’s a temptation when we or someone we love is sick or hurting to focus entirely upon their physical condition. But if we give them healing but don’t give them Jesus, what good is that?

We’ve got to start caring more about what God thinks of us than what people think of us.

Acts 4:1–2 ESV

1 And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

Now, this is a group of people you don’t want to annoy. They have already proven beyond any shadow of doubt that they are willing to murder those that annoy them enough. And yet, the apostles don’t back down. Instead, Peter doubles down! Look at what he says to these leaders, the very men that have just recently crucified Jesus:

Acts 4:8–12 ESV

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 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, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

We don’t set out to intentionally annoy people when we share the gospel, but if people are going to be annoyed by something about us, let it be that we won’t shut up about Jesus!

I like to be liked, and I bet you do too. But, that desire for approval from other people is probably the main thing that keeps us from being successful evangelists. Boldness in sharing our faith comes from fearing and loving God more than than we fear and love people.

The fear of man—being afraid of what people will think of you—is probably the single biggest reason that people don’t share the gospel. We need the boldness to be unafraid of what people will think of us.

I want you to think of your “one.” What is it that is stopping you from sharing the gospel with them? Is it that you’re afraid of what they will think of you? Is it that you are afraid of annoying them?

There’s a time and a place for restraint—we don’t brow-beat people with the gospel. If they say “no,” we have to accept and respect that.

But, the overwhelming majority of us are at far less risk of crossing that line than we think. When I look at how boldly Jesus declared the gospel and how boldly his disciples declared the gospel, I can’t help but conclude that our problem is not that we are too aggressive in our evangelism but that we are far too timid.

Jesus was not quiet and timid. He was gentle with the weak, but he was strong and bold when he he called out sin and preached repentance. Peter has finally caught on and now Peter looks the people in the eyes and in his sermon in chapter 3 says:

Acts 3:14–15 ESV

14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.

There are people in your life who are denying the Holy and Righteous One and are trading him for their own sinful desires. Will you boldly tell them they need Jesus?

We must boldly proclaim the exclusivity of Jesus Christ.

Acts 4:12 ESV

12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

In our culture where truth is believed to be subjective and “my truth” is just as valid as “your truth,” saying that Jesus is the only way to God is not a popular message.

But it never has been a popular message. Think of the reaction that must have welled up inside of these Sadducees and Pharisees when they heard Peter exclaim this message!

See, it’s not enough to merely proclaim that salvation is found in Jesus. Most people are fine with that message. But, it’s quite a different matter to say that salvation is only found in Jesus.

Voddie Baucham, who went on to be with the Lord this year, said in a sermon recently that

“Everybody loves Jesus, as long as you don’t define who he is...If Jesus is just a good man and a good teacher, even a good prophet, he is completely acceptable. Mormons and Muslims alike love Jesus. Hindus and Buddhists are very happy with Jesus. As long as he’s just a teacher who offers sage wisdom, then Jesus is fine. But the minute that you step across that line and argue that Jesus is more than prophet, more than teacher—that he is actually God incarnate, God with us—now, all of a sudden, those who were more than willing to gather with you scatter. Everybody loves Jesus, as long as you don’t define him.” —Voddie Baucham

See, the problem is that Jesus will not be content to just be another god on your shelf. Peter didn’t make up this claim of exclusivity—he’s summarizing the message that Jesus himself preached. Jesus said things like:

John 14:6 ESV

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

He claimed to be not just “my truth,” but “the truth.” He claimed to be not just “a way” but “the only way” to God. He claimed not just to give life but that

The message of the gospel is an offensive one. It is that you and I are doomed without Christ. It is that there is only one way to God, one way to heaven, and that is through faith in Jesus Christ.

And there have been all kinds of so-called “Christian” attempts to soften that message, but it just isn’t possible if you believe God’s Word. And softening that message doesn’t result in salvation, it results in a diluted gospel that is powerless to save.

Acts 4:12 ESV

12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

We must boldly face persecution.

The religious leaders are annoyed and aggravated at the apostles for preaching about Jesus in the temple. They thought they had stamped out this Jesus movement once and for all, but here it is again, and now it’s growing.

Acts 4:18–20 ESV

18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

I just love the bold confidence of Peter and John here. That rashness that we see in the gospels has now been transformed by the power of the Spirit of God into confident, unwavering, boldness.

And you and I must be bold as we face those who reject our message, because we will face rejection if we are true to the Word of God.

Here, Peter and John stand before the leaders that just a short time ago they fled from in fear. Except now, instead of cowering in fear for their lives, they shrug off the leaders’ commands and say, “Yeah, we’re not going to listen to you. We’re not afraid of you, we fear God.”

How do we have this kind of boldness and confidence? This is only possible if we are as confident in the sovereignty of God as the apostles were.

Boldness in our faith comes from confidence in the sovereignty of God.

Peter and the apostles in this passage have an almost reckless indifference about the opposition of the religious leaders. The only way they are able to have such confidence is because they know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God’s plan will succeed.

Acts 4:24–28 ESV

24 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, 25 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? 26 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’— 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 plan had predestined to take place.

There are two truths in this passage that we cannot diminish nor compromise.

1. God is exhaustively sovereign. All that he predestines or ordains will certainly come to pass.

Acts 4:24 ESV

24 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,

If God created it, then he rules over and governs it.

Acts 4:25 ESV

25 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?

This is a quote from Psalms 2:1-6

Psalm 2:1–6 ESV

1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, 3 “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” 4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. 5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, 6 “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”

The Apostles know that God’s opponents (the priests and Sadducees and rulers of the people) are plotting in vain. Their plans are pointless.

When God sees the wicked scheming against him, he doesn’t wring his hands and say, “Oh no! What will I do?!?!” God is not worried. He is not concerned that his plan might be thwarted. What is his response? He laughs. He holds them in derision, which means he mocks their plans. The plans and intentions of evil men are amusing to God. They are not a threat to him. Why?

Acts 4:27–28 ESV

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 plan had predestined to take place.

Here’s the theological bombshell, the inescapable truth of Acts 4:

The reason that God laughs when evil men plot against him, the reason that all their plotting and scheming is in vain, is because all their best plans end up doing nothing but fulfilling exactly what God has already predestined to take place.

Look at what all that includes:

Herod—his waffling and indecision, his passing the buck back to Pilate

Pontius Pilate—his cowardice and failure to stand up for justice

The Gentiles—this includes both Pilate as well as the Roman soldiers who crucified Jesus

The peoples of Israel—the crowds’ and the priests’ rejection of Jesus, their demand for him to be crucified

This truth makes people uncomfortable, but it’s all over Scripture.

Isaiah 46:9–11 ESV

9 ...I am God, and there is none like me, 10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ 11 calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it.

Psalm 33:10–11 ESV

10 The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. 11 The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.

We want to think that we’re in charge. That we make our own destiny. Essentially, the reason that we have such a problem with a God whose sovereignty is so exhaustive is because it challenges our own sovereignty.

This is almost identical to what Peter has already said elsewhere:

Acts 2:23 ESV

23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.

So, whatever God plans, purposes, predestines, or ordains will absolutely come to pass. There are dozens more passages that affirm this truth, but we don’t have time to explore all of those today.

But there’s a second truth here that Acts 2:23 and Acts 4 affirms...

2. Mankind is morally responsible for his actions.

Peter calls on the people to repent. He holds them responsible for crucifying Jesus:

Acts 4:10 ESV

10 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, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well.

He says they were plotting against Jesus:

Acts 4:25 ESV

25 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?

And, right after affirming that the people of Israel bore responsibility for crucifying Jesus, Peter calls on them to repent and receive forgiveness for their sins:

Acts 2:38 ESV

38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

So, God is exhaustively sovereign and yet mankind is still morally responsible. Jesus himself affirmed these two truths before he was crucified:

Matthew 26:24 ESV

24 The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”

If God is sovereign, how can man be responsible?

If God has predestined it, how can he hold men responsible for doing what he himself has predestined?

This is a great mystery in Scripture, and unpacking it fully would take a series of sermons itself—much longer than we have today. We don’t get an answer to this question in Acts 4, but I do think other passages in Scripture point us in the right direction.

I think that the answer to how these two truths come together is found in intentions and motives—the intention and motive of God, and the intention and motive of man.

Isaiah 10:5–6 ESV

5 Woe to Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hands is my fury! 6 Against a godless nation I send him, and against the people of my wrath I command him, to take spoil and seize plunder, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.

God says in this passage that he is sending Assyria against a godless nation (Israel), that he is commanding Assyria to “take spoil and seize plunder, and to tread them down.” This is a prophecy that foretells of the coming invasion of Assyria into Israel, which was fulfilled in 722 BC.

What is God’s motive/intent? God is disciplining his people Israel because of their centuries’ long disobedience and refusal to repent.

What I want you to notice is that despite the fact that God has commissioned Assyria to do this and describes them as the “rod of my anger,” yet God says, “Woe to Assyria!” That means that God is going to judge Assyria for doing what he has commanded them. How is that fair? Keep reading...

Isaiah 10:7 ESV

7 But he [Assyria] does not so intend, and his heart does not so think; but it is in his heart to destroy, and to cut off nations not a few;

Assyria’s intentions—their motives—are not holy. They are not waging a just war, they’re not consciously and humbly obeying God’s command, their heart is “to destroy and to cut off nations.” In other words, their motives are evil.

God intends to judge Israel and use that judgement to bring them to repentance. God wants to restore Israel, but they’re not listening, so he raises up Assyria to be his “rod” to give Israel a “spanking.” That’s the imagery being used here.

But Assyria is not doing this because they are seeking the Lord and saying “We want to be used by you, Lord!” They’re doing it because they’re evil, bloodthirsty killers.

So, Assyria is morally responsible to God, even though they are doing what God has commanded, precisely because their motives do not match the motives of God. Motives matter.

And so, it says...

Isaiah 10:12–13 ESV

12 When the Lord has finished all his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, he will punish the speech of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the boastful look in his eyes. 13 For he says: “By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I have understanding; I remove the boundaries of peoples, and plunder their treasures; like a bull I bring down those who sit on thrones.

Assyria, God’s spanking “rod,” is arrogant and thinks that they’ve defeated Israel “by the strength of my [own] hand.” So, God rebukes Assyria too!

Isaiah 10:15 ESV

15 Shall the axe boast over him who hews with it, or the saw magnify itself against him who wields it? As if a rod should wield him who lifts it, or as if a staff should lift him who is not wood!

And so, when we come to the crucifixion of Christ, we must acknowledge that this was a part of God’s sovereign plan. But what God intended as a sacrifice for mankind, what God has commanded, ordained, predestined for our good, evil men carried out not because their motives were holy, but because they hated God.

So, how can God hold Pilate, Herod, the Priests, the Pharisees, and Judas responsible? Because they did not set out to humbly fulfill the will of God. Their hearts were set against God and they were actively trying to resist him.

The fact that they ended up fulfilling exactly what God had predestined does not at all excuse them for the evil that was in their hearts. As Joseph sums it up to his brothers when they sold him into slavery in Egypt:

Genesis 50:20 ESV

20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

And so, the great mystery of God’s sovereignty is this—that the greatest evil committed in human history, the murder of the Son of God, committed by the evil men who hated and resisted God’s plan ends up bringing about the greatest good ever given in human history, the salvation of the people of God and the accomplishment of God’s divine plan.

What does this have to do with boldness?

Confidence in the sovereignty of God gives us boldness.

Acts 4:29–31 ESV

29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 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.

See, if you truly believe that God’s plan will succeed no matter what, and you know that nothing happens without his approval, then you don’t have to be afraid of men. If even the plans of God’s enemies end up furthering his sovereign will, then everything that happens to us is ultimately from the hand of a God who loves us and has our good in mind. Who cares if men meant it for evil? God means it for your good.

Romans 8:28 ESV

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

The reason that we can rest in the assurance of God’s promises in Romans 8:28 is because of God’s sovereignty in Romans 8:29-30

Romans 8:29–30 ESV

29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

If you know that those who would oppose you when you share the gospel cannot succeed, when you truly grasp the fact that you cannot fail in your evangelism because it is not up to you, it fills you with a boldness that you will never have if you think that it all depends upon you.

Remember how earlier I said that much of what holds people back in sharing the gospel is fear of man and fear of what people will think? The antidote to fear of man is faith in the sovereignty of God—a confidence that God’s plan will succeed despite and even through your feeble and clumsy efforts.

If God can work through those who are actively working against him to accomplish his will, how much more can he work through those who desire to be used by him to advance his kingdom?

Conclusion:

So what about you? Do you trust in the sovereignty of God? Do you believe that everything that has come into your life, good or bad, is from the hand of a Father who loves you and has your best interests at heart? Do you believe that even in the midst of a terrible situation and even through the actions of evil men God is working for your good? Do you believe that if God is for you, no man can stand against you? Will you commit to being bold in your proclamation that...

Acts 4:12 ESV

12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Reflection Questions :

1. How can you be more bold in your evangelism?

2. What two truths are revealed in the apostles’ and elders’ prayer in Acts 4:24-28?

3. What does it mean that God is “exhaustively sovereign?”

4. If God is sovereign, how can we still be responsible for our actions?

5. How does confidence in God’s sovereignty give us boldness in our evangelism?

6. How does God’s sovereignty give us comfort in hard times?

Benediction

Romans 8:28–39 ESV

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.