Co-Mission Sunday, Pray for Boldness (2)
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You’re going to need bibles.
PRAY
Before We Speak, We Pray: Asking God for Boldness to Share Jesus”
Introduction
Introduction
In engalnd, at new year we often like to make New Years Resolutions,
Things we aim to do this year that we haven’t been so good at previously!
Loose weight, run more, sort out our money, be more patient, and so on.
Last year at Grace Church as a church we started an evangelistic resolution, called ‘Making Jesus Known’.
And there where some positive steps made to make Jesus known - perhaps more than normal.
I wonder if you’ve thought much about telling others about Jesus?
About inviting people to join you at Hounslow Town churhc to hear of the hope we have in Jesus.
The forgiveness for our sins,
the love and life we find iN having a relationship with our creator God.
The hope and joy we can have in Jesus for eternal life - even when our lives might be totally messed up!
For us - Jesus should feel like everything!
But for some reason -
when we try or just think about telling others about Jesus,
about the faith we have,
we often feel afraid, or a failure ,
we have all missed some opportunities,
or didn’t create any opportunities to make Jesus known.
Fortunately, we worship a God of forgiveness,
and so we can and should repent of our unwillingness,
and or inability to do what he has called us to.
But perhaps there is something else we often forget when we think about evangelism - something we at GC are revisiting this year,
And perhaps it can be your new years resolution too.
Perhaps as every Co-Mission church looks at this passage today,
It can be everyone’s new commitment before the Lord God.
Because not only is this commitment helpful - it was also very freeing.
You see, today’s passage causes us to take a step back and ask a deep question:
Before we do anything — before we run evangelistic courses, before we open our mouths to speak of Jesus, before we make Jesus known — what should we do first?
We know we should speak of Jesus,
but if fear holds us back:
fear of awkwardness,
of rejection,
of failure,
or in realitily perhaps just fear of doing something slightly uncomfortable,
Or having enough of our own troubles to think about this…
what should we do?.
What does God’s Word say to people like us
— people who I hope want to be faithful, but often feel unable?
Today, we’ll see that the Bible doesn’t seem to ever say: “Go and do it!”
without also saying - First Pray, for Jesus, the HS is with you as you do it.
In otherwords - we start not with ourselves or on our own, but with God and His help.
And so if we remember nothing else today - let us remember and pray
And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness,
My prayer is that we’ll start this year not with more guilt or pressure,
but with repentant and prayerful dependence on God to make us bold (confident) to speak of him.
And imagine the work God might do this year, with every Co-mission church praying for God to make us bold.
Firstly then, a backhanded encouragement for us all:
1. Fear often accompanies ‘Making Jesus Known’
1. Fear often accompanies ‘Making Jesus Known’
The book of Acts begins with the risen Lord Jesus saying to His disciples:
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
To be a Christian is to be a witness — someone who speaks of what Christ has done.
This isn’t just for the apostles, or for pastors, or for the naturally confident.
Jesus says to all His followers: “You will be my witnesses.”
But Jesus also knows this calling is daunting.
And the Bible is refreshingly honest about that.
Think of Timothy, Paul’s younger co-worker.
In 2 Timothy 1:6–8, Paul writes:
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 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,
Why would Paul write this unless Timothy was tempted to be timid or ashamed?
Even a faithful gospel worker will struggle with fears.
Or take Psalm 27, where the great King David of old prays:
The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?
When evildoers assail me
to eat up my flesh,
my adversaries and foes,
it is they who stumble and fall.
Though an army encamp against me,
my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
yet I will be confident.
Notice: David has to tell himself he has no need to fear,
becasue God is for him,
but he only needs to proclaim he will not fear,
because fear is real to him.
He’s not saying - there is nothing to fear because the enemy is nothing.
The enemy is very much something - but despite that - remember - in God we have nothing to fear.
Or think of the great commission as recorded in Matt 28 - where Jesus before he ascends to heaven instructs his followers to spread his name to the ends of the earth:
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Even with the risen Lord Jesus stood before them - some doubted
- such was their fear of having to go out and proclaim Jesus who stood before them!
And so Jesus reassures the doubters not with more evidence of his resurrection
- but with reassurance that their doubt, that was fuelled by fear,
would be met with his reassuring presences with them always - to the end of the age.
Or
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”
Doors locked, fear reigns among the disciples, but Jesus has risen and has come to bring them Peace.
We haven’t touched on the persecutions and stoning and threats we read about for Jesus’ followers in the NT,
Each time someone is trying to ‘make Jesus known’ there is fear.
IN our passage we read - the nations will ‘rage’ as we speak of Jesus!
Making Jesus known will bring us opposition at times.
But They are not told by Jesus - don’t bother then - they are told:
I am sending you,
Go and make,
Fan into flame the gift.
We are called to speak of Jesus - to make him known - even though we might fear and or face objection.
Back in acts,
The Apostles have faced repeated accusations, arrest, trials, fear of death.
You’d expect them to pray a prayer that says - please protect me, Lord,
Deliver me from this evil,
give me comfort and protection.
But no…
And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness,
There is a double encouragement here
- the main one is backhanded - in that - somehow we can be encouraged to know that it’s not just us being wimps!
Every Christian it seems at some level will face fearful doubts,
opposition and difficulties when they make Jesus known.
It’s reassuring to know it’s not just us.
And the second encouragement is a challenge - ‘don’t give up’ - God is with you!
Evangelism may be scary.
We might fear rejection,
looking foolish,
losing relationships,
or just the awkwardness of it all.
The Bible acknowledges that fear — it doesn’t pretend it isn’t there.
Be encouraged - fear is normal.
Be encouraged - don’t give up - God is with us.
But what’s the first step if it’s not just go and do?
2. Pray for Boldness in ‘Making Jesus Known’
2. Pray for Boldness in ‘Making Jesus Known’
It is striking how Scripture responds to this fear.
Back to Acts 4,
Just before our reading today while 2 of the apostles are in prison the authorities discuss the situation - we read
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.” So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
Peter and John Are then released and we read,
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.
So confident are they in God’s sovereignty over all things,
that they do not see the threats as ‘obstacles to be removed’,
but as ‘God ordained plans’.
God has already used evil to bring about the death of Jesus
so that anyone who calls on the name of Jesus name may be saved.
The wrath of God at the judgement of man put upon the 1 perfect man Jesus,
so that we might be free of judgement and know the Almighty,.
All achieved by God through those who opposed Jesus and his followers!
So they don’t give up becasue of the fear before them,
Afterall they, and all of us,
are enemies of God without the forgiving work of Jesus on the cross in our place before God.
And they don’t pretend the fear and opposition isn’t real.
Instead they ask:
And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness,
They don’t pray first for safety, or comfort, or even for the threats to go away.
They pray: “Lord, make us bold to keep speaking.”
They need Jesus, just as we need Jesus - ‘give me boldness in the face of their threats’ - and our discomfort.
Prayer isn’t the optional extra; it’s the starting point.
praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
Even Paul — the apostle who was beaten, stoned, imprisoned, and kept going — still asks for prayer to speak fearlessly - as he should.
Fear is real - but keep going, how? By praying for God’s help!
And again in Colossians 4:2–4:
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.
Even Paul doesn’t presume he’ll be bold; he knows he needs prayer.
The Bible doesn’t say: “Just be bold.”
It shows us: start by praying for boldness.
Before we speak to people about Jesus, we speak to God about people — and about our own hearts.
I think this is very freeing in our evangelism.
Evangelism might be scarey -but praying isn’t!
You can do that everyday very easily.
Ask God to help you tell others about Jesus.
Of course, WHat we might be afraid of is God answering the prayer!
But we shouldn’t be afraid of that - becasue at the end of the day,
if He makes us bold - it is His work in us.
Not us just manning up and getting all confident in our character!
Your personality may be quiet or your willpower may be weak - but Boldness is not about you - it’s about God’s work in us.
3 - Boldness is from God in ‘Making Jesus Known’
3 - Boldness is from God in ‘Making Jesus Known’
Let’s see what happens next in Acts 4.
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.
Boldness came after prayer, as God’s gracious answer.
Notice: it’s the Spirit who gives boldness.
Remember Pauls words to Timothy
for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
When I was younger we used to sing the Sunday School song:
- ‘Be Bold, Be Strong’ is that a self-help call to boldness?
NOpe-
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
The source of courage and boldness isn’t self-confidence, but God’s presence sought in prayer.
Boldness to evangelise will not come simply by trying harder,
hyping ourselves up, or becoming extroverts.
It comes by asking God to fill us with His Spirit — to do what we cannot do ourselves.
So this year, let’s start not just ‘trying harder on it’s own’.
but let us start on our knees - asking God to help us to be bold in ‘making Jesus known.
We can admit our fears honestly.
trusting in the forgiveness of Jesus our saviour on the cross
So now as servants of the living God - we come to him for strength.
We confess that without Him, we won’t speak at all.
And we ask:
And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness,
Some Practical next steps:
Some Practical next steps:
Start each day praying:“Lord, give me boldness to speak of Jesus today — even when it’s awkward or costly.” - use this verse!.
As a church, gather to pray specifically for boldness - make praying with your church a priority, and at each prayer meeting and each Sunday in your prayers ask for boldness to speak of Jesus.
And let us see what the Lord God might do through you, through us as Co-mIsison, for His glory and kingdom this year.
But finally let us remember the example of Jesus himself.
He faced ultimate hostility, and did not shrink back.
And even He, when faced with the fear of death,
did not ‘man up’ and ‘crack on with it’
- first - he prayed.
And what did he receive?
The strength he needed - not from within himself as a man, but from His loving Heavenly Father who sent him help.
We read in Luke as Jesus prepares for his death:
And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
PRAY
PRAY
“Sovereign Lord, you know our fears.
Thank you that your gospel is unstoppable.
“Lord, we are weak and afraid.
But you are strong.
Fill us with your Spirit.
Make us bold, gentle, and faithful witnesses of Jesus, wherever you place us this year.”
By your Spirit, enable us to speak your word with great boldness.
For the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.”
