Habitually Bold

have some deep thoughts to hit you with this morning

Blessed are the peacemakers what Jesus says

peacemaking is different than cowardice

But sometimes there is a time for conflict.

I'm a crappy friend because I don't like conflict. I remember I had this roommate ... Steve and Scott not staying over.

But sometimes there is a time for conflict.

My passiveness just made me a coward.

At the same time I'm avoiding conflict I want adventure.

Life can get stuck into habits of church, work, kids stuff, work, 2 job work, family stuff, etc.

Everything forming into habits but I'm not sure where these habits head.

Are you there too?

You've been checking out this Jesus thing for a while or even grew up around church people. You want to be a good person but it seems that Jesus is actually dull.

Culture even reminds you of how dull they think following Jesus is.

Have you ever noticed that anything immoral is labeled "adult."

Their is a subtly implied idea that if you want to be an adult you should be able to do this immoral stuff and handle it.

Like what Charlie Sheen said once, "some people can hande their crack and some can't."

It's nuts!

For many of us we have chased after

their is little to the adult things except being locked into a habit or worse an addiction.

Even the adult becomes an addiction to self what pleases me, makes me feel good, and doesn't cause to much trouble.

what pleases me, makes me feel good, and doesn't cause to much trouble.

some of us switched the habit of focus on what feels good when we began to follow Jesus to a habit of being good. What we think of as good, of behaving.

work, chores/family, tv, work, chores/family, tv, work, family, tv, ...

Yet where’s the adventure?

Didn't God create us for more than this?

Yes He created you for a relationship with Him.

Two guys that actually had a physical relationship with Jesus, they walked with Jesus daily for three years, both started as fisherman. Just working guys, one becoming Jesus best friend , Peter, and the other one who started as the guy with the quickest temper to becoming the guy who Jesus told to watch after his own mother Mary, that guy was the apostle John. Peter and John show us the kind of habit we need to form to follow Jesus

Remember

Acts 3:6–7 CSB

6 But Peter said, “I don’t have silver or gold, but what I do have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!” 7 Then, taking him by the right hand he raised him up, and at once his feet and ankles became strong.

God used Peter and John to heal the crippled beggar at the temple gates

God used Peter and John to heal the crippled beggar at the temple gates

- the people were amazed

Peter went on boldly speaking in an truly powerful way.

He and John were arrested.

Acts 4:1–3 The Message

1 While Peter and John were addressing the people, the priests, the chief of the Temple police, and some Sadducees came up, 2 indignant that these upstart apostles were instructing the people and proclaiming that the resurrection from the dead had taken place in Jesus. 3 They arrested them and threw them in jail until morning, for by now it was late in the evening.

Never judge whether you’re following God based on pleasurable things happening as a result.

Steve left me alone after I backed down

having sex outside of marriage feels good; using drugs without a dr’s guidance feels good.

Exercise makes you hurt. Studying sucks, Standing for Christ can you get ghosted or worse

- the next day's trial Peter and John woke up to stand trial

Acts 4:5–7 CSB

5 The next day, their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem 6 with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all the members of the high-priestly family. 7 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?”

Acts before the Sanhedrian (verse 5-6)

Bible nerd note - the Sanhedrin is a generic name for a governmental group

The Jews had an official religious Sanhedrin that only met in the day, did not meet before Sabbaths or holidays, and could legally order someone killed but that was frowned upon. Any more than 1 death in 7 years thought of as a bloody council

Then their was a political Sanhedrin. Made up of the Chief Priest of the temple and friends. Or religious leaders who were friends of the king. They couldn’t kill anyone themselves but they could refer to the Romans for killing.

My best guess is this was a political Sanhedrin. It gets worse

This was the same group who handed Jesus over to Pilate to be killed and the same people who were trying Jesus when Peter denied him 3 times.

,

John 18:15 CSB

15 Simon Peter was following Jesus, as was another disciple. That disciple was an acquaintance of the high priest; so he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard.

John 18:24–25 CSB

24 Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. 25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said to him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.”

In that first time Peter was filled with fear. It became the lowest moment in his life.

same representative body as convicted Jesus ,

- This time Peter Stood up!

Acts 4:11–12 CSB

11 This Jesus is the stone rejected by you builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.”

How did Peter get the courage when he had been such a coward? He developed a habit.

But I’m not ready to tell you about the habit, because that’s not where we are at in the story. First we have to see what happened. The last time Peter saw these people they ordered Jesus to be handed over to the governor to be crucified and could easily do so again.

Acts 4:13–15 CSB

13 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. 14 And since they saw the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in opposition. 15 After they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin, they conferred among themselves,

The Sanhedrin didn’t know what to do. Just get them out of here.

The facts - Peter and John had no training yet could talk to the highest court of their people

The guy was healed

Peter and John developed a habit of boldness in Jesus.

Peter and John developed a habit of boldness.

People can be bold, for themselves and their own desires. But these guys were bold in God - they healed a guy.

You want to be so bold that you could scare Political leaders? That’s what was happening. They didn’t know how to deal with them.

It scared the Sanhedrin, check out how scared they were.

Acts 4:16–17 CSB

16 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. 17 But so that this does not spread any further among the people, let’s threaten them against speaking to anyone in this name again.”

The first time Peter met them, all he could think about was staying alive. He was caught in fear.

vs 16 - 17 the fear of the Sanhedrin

Fear is the opposite of boldness. Peter and John developed a habit to reduce fear.

This time the Sanhedrin is afraid. They are caught in their own political problems of the people caring more about what these bold guys say and the people following them.

Acts 4:18 CSB

18 So they called for them and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

This is funny, Peter and John were told to treat the name of Jesus like Hogwarts was supposed to treat the name Voldermort.

Don’t say his name, don’t mention him. Don’t talk about Jesus of Nazareth.

Today people can still be uncomfortable when the name of Jesus is brought up.

VIDEO

vs 18 the order of the name that should not be said

We have bought into what the Sanhedrin was asking Peter and John to do. Religion is impolite to talk about.

I wonder though, if it really is and the problem for us is not that people don’t like to talk about it but we aren’t willing to build a habit to see Jesus come up naturally.

Peter and John were not listened to because they were great speakers. The Sanhedrin said they could tell they were unlearned men. They were listened to because God had acted. God healed a man through them.

It was the habit that Peter and John developed that made them speak when God acted.

So they couldn’t shut up. It was their habit.

Acts 4:19–20 CSB

19 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; 20 for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Acts 4:

Peter shut up before out of fear but now he had a new habit.

The guy who denied stood up. He can’t shut up anymore. He is loved by God and He loves God.

vs 19 - 20 representing Christ

1 John 4:18 CSB

18 There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. So the one who fears is not complete in love.

The guy who denied stood up

We do not need to be afraid of losing anything.

our brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka, in Africa, in India, in China, in the Middle East they aren’t afraid of losing stuff, they don’t have anything. They are only concerned with standing up.

Acts 4:21–22 CSB

21 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. 22 For this sign of healing had been performed on a man over forty years old.

Acts 4:21–24 CSB

21 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. 22 For this sign of healing had been performed on a man over forty years old. 23 After they were released, they went to their own people and reported everything the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together to God and said, “Master, you are the one who made the heaven, the earth, and the sea, and everything in them.

Peter and John could not be punished for anything real. We need to live our lives so that the only things we deserve punishment on are the things of God. If your stealing, committing fraud, cheating others, than stop praying about getting away with stuff and instead stop trying to please yourself. That’s a life of fear.

Peter and John could not be punished for anything real. We need to live our lives so that the only things we deserve punishment on are the things of God. If your stealing, committing fraud, cheating others, than stop praying about getting away with stuff and instead stop trying to please yourself. That’s a life of fear.

1 Peter 2:11–12 The Message

11 Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. 12 Live an exemplary life among the natives so that your actions will refute their prejudices. Then they’ll be won over to God’s side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives.

The Sanhedrin chose to do nothing to Peter and John on that day. Then they went home and went back to their powerful habit

Acts 4:24 CSB

24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together to God and said, “Master, you are the one who made the heaven, the earth, and the sea, and everything in them.

The Habit of Peter and John was Prayer.

But this wasn’t a prayer about focused on making their lives easier it was focused on God. It was focused on the truth that everything is in God’s power. That all that had happened with Jesus was approved by God. That God was doing mighty things above the powerful people that they saw in front of them. That all of life is God’s story playing out.

In their prayer of saying what was really happening in life, they were also adjusting their understanding of it to what God did.

Then they ended in powerful obedience

Acts 4:29–30 CSB

29 And now, Lord, consider their threats, and grant that your servants may speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand for healing, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

Ask for Boldness. Ask for God’s Hand.

Will you begin your day with this prayer. We need to get out of our ruts. I need to see the Hand of God touch our city, touch our lives, change the focus from fear to boldness, from cowardice to courage, from regret over mistakes to rejoicing over redemption!

This will not come through us, it will come from God. The prayer is our reminder to see God. Our habit is our relationship building.

The Habit of Peter and John formed a relationship with God. You can to.

Habits are easiest formed if they are put with something that already happens every day like brushing your teeth, eating breakfast, getting out of the car to go to work, checking a daily text.

Here is our prayer:

Acknowledge God’s Power

Ac

Control is God’s - tell God exactly what He is allowing

Danger - give your perceived threats to God

Call for boldness

Power - Request God to stretch out his Hand.

A

C

D

C

P

Acknowledge God’s power

Control is God’s - tell God exactly what he is allowing

Danger - give your perceived threats to God

Call For Boldness

Power - Request God to Stretch out his hand

Will you develop this new habit?

When? How?

Imagine seeing more of the Hand of God in your life, knowing that you are doing exactly what God would have you do, putting aside the worries of a life you weren't supposed to be worried about holding on to anyway. Taking in all of the life that God actually has you here for.