The Obstacle of Fear

As the years went by, his two daughters committed their lives to Christ and married men who went into full-time ministry. The two couples produced four girls and one boy. Each of the girls married a minister, and the boy became a pastor. The first two children born to this generation were both boys. Upon graduation from high school, the two cousins chose the same college and became roommates.

Series: Lead

During their sophomore year, one boy decided to go into the ministry. The other didn't. He undoubtedly felt some pressure to continue the family legacy, but he chose instead to pursue his interest in psychology. He earned his doctorate and eventually wrote books for parents that became bestsellers. He started a radio program heard on more than a thousand stations each day. The man's name was James Dobson. Through his prayers, George McCluskey affected far more than one family.

Title: Leading from Your Knees

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Pic - Steak

Pic - Ice cream

Pic - Krispy Kreme

Slide - “Anybody hungry???”

(Show pics of delicious foods: Steak, Ice Cream, Krispy Kreme: End with the Caption: Anybody hungry?)

Wow! Maybe we should just dismiss now, right? I know some of you are saying, “Rusty, I didn’t have time for breakfast and you have just made sure I am going to be sitting here in torture till I can get to the doughnuts in class or the meal at Western Sizzling. You are making me very hungry right now!”

BACKGROUND

Sorry for the torture, but I want to make a point. Like you, when I see some of those pictures I get really hungry, but I’ll have to be honest. There are also some passages of Scripture which, when I read them, make me hungry. Now I’m not saying that they make me hungry for food. They actually make me hungry in another way. Can I read one of them to you?

Acts 5:12–14 NKJV

And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch. Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly. And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,

(NKJV) — 12 And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people . . . Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly. And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,

(NKJV) — 12 And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people . . . Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly. And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,

That makes me hungry. It makes me hungry to see God do something like that here—in this place. We have been in this series entitled On the Move: Overcoming the Obstacles of Growth. The first week we talked about the obstacle of initiative and said that until every disciple internalizes the power of God and takes the initiative, we will struggle to grow. Last week we looked at the obstacle of apathy and showed how, by listening to the Spirit and capitalizing on our opportunities, we can begin to multiply.

Today we want to look at a huge obstacle that keeps us from growing. It is an obstacle that affects each of us personally and it is an obstacle that affects us as a church. I’m talking about the obstacle of FEAR. See, I know that many of you, like me, are hungry to see God at work. We long to see this church bring the people of the Wilson community to a place of such reverence for God that it causes them deep conviction and opens their hearts up to the gospel.

Pic - Book

But sadly, at least in this country, that is not where we are. In his book, UnChristian, Dave Kinnamon revealed that the research shows that people living in this country see the church as judgmental, hypocritical, too political, irrelevant, insensitive and boring. Hey, the people of Jerusalem in the first century may have hated the church, but they would have never seen it as irrelevant and boring.

First there was the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came and they people began to speak in other languages so that everyone could clearly hear the gospel, no matter what their native tongue was. Then came Peter and John’s trip to the temple in Acts chapter 3. They were accosted by a beggar who could not walk. They were empty of money, but they were full of the Holy Spirit. In the name of Jesus, his ankle bones came alive the Bible said, and that new believer started making laps around the temple praising God.

Because of his testimony and Peter’s message, the powers that were called them on the carpet and demanded that they stop talking about Jesus. They said, “No! Can’t do that!” So the powers that were said, “O yeah? Well if you don’t stop we will stop you!” Peter replies, “You do what you gotta do, but we can’t stop talking about what we have seen and heard.” So they threatened them some more and let them go (I mean, what else could they do?)

But the secret to their great impact is found in what happens next. Read it with me in (Read text).

Acts 4:23–31 NKJV

And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: ‘Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things? The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the Lord and against His Christ.’ “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

(NKJV)

23 And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, 25 who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: ‘Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things? 26 The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the Lord and against His Christ.’ 27 “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. 29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

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And how we need that kind of impact! We need that impact personally. If you are like me, I feel so inadequate and afraid when talking to others about Jesus. I don’t want to think that I am ashamed of Jesus, but I have to admit that sometimes I am silent when I should speak up. I sacrifice my impact on the altar of my fear. Do you?

And what is true for us as individuals is true for us as a church. We often are so timid and afraid. Sometimes we’re so afraid of losing givers to other churches that we don’t make the moves in ministry we need to make. Sometimes we are so afraid of offending someone that we are afraid to call out sin that needs to be called out. Sometimes we are so afraid of losing a building or losing a family or losing our claim to be the “biggest church in Wilson,” that we are afraid to be bold in our ministry. O, we need confidence! We need impact!

And I believe that this prayer shows us what we need today. I also think that it tells us why this early church had so much impact and we have so little. In the first place:

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We have little impact because we have little boldness.

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There is no doubt that this growing band of believers had powerful impact. says that men and women by the “multitudes” were having their lives changed by the power of Christ. The reason so many people were being saved is found in v13. It says that everyone esteemed them highly and it was just a surface admiration, No! v11 says that “great fear” came on all those people who heard about all that God was doing. The people of Jerusalem were not talking about the cool tunes the Praise Band was playing or the sermon series on overcoming depression that Peter was preaching. No, I think the people were saying, “Hey you better not go to that church unless you’re ready to encounter God! God is there!” That church had impact and they were bringing great glory to God.

And why were they able to have such impact. I believe the key is found at the end of that prayer they prayed back in chapter 4. Notice what it says at the end of that prayer in :

Acts 4:31 NKJV

And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. That verse reminds me of where Isaiah sees the Lord high and lifted and it says that beams of the temple shook with presence of God. Hey man, that place was rocking not because they turned up the bass in the band but because God’s presence was there. And notice what is says happened to the people. It says that they were filled with the Holy Spirit and that they spoke the Word with what? That’s right! BOLDNESS!

O listen church! That’s what makes impact! It is the bold proclamation of the truth about Jesus Christ. We’ve got a lot of programs in the church today! We’ve got a lot of fads in the church today! We’ve got a lot of buildings in the church today, but we don’t have a lot of BOLDNESS! And hear me carefully this morning. I am tired! I am tired of “back down, mousy-quiet Christianity!” It is time to be bold!

ILL

pic - TSA wanding

During one summer, a pastor read through these chapters of Acts. He was amazed once again at the boldness of the early church when it came to sharing their faith. He noted how the settings the early disciples found themselves in were not quiet and serene, yet they were willing to speak up.

On a flight, he experienced this kind of boldness in an unlikely place. He was on his way to a denominational meeting in June. He was doing the whole TSA screening thing that all of us love to go through. He was asked to stop after his x-ray exam to be checked by the screener with the all-seeing, all-knowing wand. The screener asked him to step back and to resist the urge to reach out and “help” him. As he poked, unloaded things, unzipped pockets and felt the linings of the pastor’s suitcase, the pastor noticed that the man was wearing a silver cross. He complimented the guy on his cross. To his surprise, the TSA agent responded.

Yeah, the cross. It means I'm a follower of Jesus. You know, in my job, one of the things we worry about is dynamite. But do you know where that word comes from? It's from the Greek word dunamis, which means 'power.' As a Christian, I know that all of the power belongs to God. That's why he sent Jesus. So while I'm doing my job, I know that he is doing his job. That's where I put all of my trust. It all belongs to him, and he's here with us. "Well, Mr. Johnson, have a great trip," he said before moving on to the next person.

The preacher walked away with a smile. This guy had boldly proclaimed Jesus. It was not an extended conversation because there was a long line of people waiting and he had plenty of work to do, but this guy, in less than 30 seconds, spoke of his faith to a total stranger with confidence and without hesitation.

TRANS

O how we need this kind of boldenss, and O, how we often lack it. Now you might say, “Well, preacher, I’m not sure I agree with you. I know a lot of obnoxious Christians who are pretty argumentative.” Yes, I’m sure you do. I know them too. But they are not BOLD. To be bold like these people were bold means that your boldness must have the same kind of motivation theirs had. These people were bold for a very specific reason. You see we have little impact because we have little boldness, but

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We have little boldness because we have little power.

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You see, I would contend that the obnoxious Christians are not bold for the right reason. They’ve got lots of bluster, but they have little spiritual power. I want you to notice why these people became so bold. It’s found in their prayer in . It says,

Acts 4:29 NKJV

Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word,

Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word. That’s their request. They pray for boldness, but they also ask God for the mechanism by which they are to receive boldness.

The prayer of these disciples reveal a very specific means by which they are to be made bold. They say, “We want you to give us boldness how? V 30:

Acts 4:30 NKJV

by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”

by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” In other words, they were not trusting in their outlines, nor their sermon illustrations for the power to move the hearts of people. They were saying, “God we want You to show up with such power that people will have to attribute everything that is going on to You. Stretch out your hand and heal and do signs and wonders in the name of Jesus.” These folks were bold because they were confident that God was going to show up!

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How unlike us! Most of us, your pastor included, get into such a routine that we can go to church and hardly even think about what we are doing. We don’t expect anything so we don’t receive anything. And do you know what the tragedy is? Because we don’t believe God for power we have no power and the world just looks on us and says: You are boring! You are irrelevant. We have little boldness because we have little power.

Does that bother you? We serve a living Savior Who walked out of the grave with the keys of death and hell and we wring our hands as if all is lost over a Supreme Court ruling. I am afraid that in this country we have somehow begun to think that spiritual power equals political power. If our issues are losing at the ballot box, then let the hand-wringing begin! That is just the opposite of what you have here. These people weren’t depending on Rome to validate them. They were not looking for permission from the Sanhedrin! They were not expecting some Jewish Zealot to arise and win a victory for them so that they could worship in peace. Their power was not political, it was spiritual!

Pic - Ballot box

Now please don’t misread what I am saying. You live in a democracy. Shame on you if you do not go to the polls and exercise the rights that brave men spilled their blood to give you. No Christian has any0 excuse not to vote. It is your duty as a citizen. Shame on you if you do not use your vote as much as possible to bring about the morality and justice described in this book. It is your duty as a citizen. But the ballot box had better not be the source of your power! Our power comes from God and His power gives us boldness!

We have little boldness because we have little power. And how is it that we have so little power? Well . . .

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D3 WE HAVE LITTLE POWER BECAUSE WE HAVE LITTLE PRAYER

WE HAVE LITTLE POWER BECAUSE WE HAVE LITTLE PRAYER.

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I tell you that prayer seems to have been second nature to this church. Notice some things about the prayer of these folks. Notice it was their first response. 4:23 says,

Acts 4:24 NKJV

So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them,

Prayer was their first response.

And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 So when they heard that, (watch!) they raised their voice to God. Prayer was the first thing they did. It was their first response.

Prayer was their unified response.

But notice that it was also their unified response. V24 says that they raised their voice to God with one accord.

Prayer was their intense response.

And it was also their intense response. Notice that they “raised” their voice to God in v 24 and when it says in v31 that they “prayed,” that word “pray” there is very intense. It has the sense of begging and pleading. These folks weren’t “now-I-lay-me-down-to-sleeping” or “God-is-great-God-is-gooding” when they prayed. They were crying out to God. It was their intense response.

Prayer was their glorifying response.

But it was also their glorifying response. The point of their prayer was not about them and their preservation but about God and His glory. Notice that it didn’t ask for relief, but for strength. V29 says,

Acts 4:29 NKJV

Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word,

Now Lord look on their threats and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your Word. They didn’t ask for the pressure to be taken off nor for the Sanhedrin to drop dead or be voted out of power. They said just make us bold to speak Your Word. They didn’t ask for relief but for strength.

And notice, they didn’t ask for less but for more. They didn’t ask for the threats to lessen, they, in a very subtle way, ASK FOR THEM TO INCREASE! You say, where do you get that Rusty? Well, I see it in v30.

Acts 4:30 NKJV

by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”

They ask for boldness to speak the Word (notice) by stretching out Your Hand to heal. Now let me ask you: What was it that had started all of this trouble in the first place? That’s right! On the way to the temple, Peter and John, filled with the Spirit, had stretched out their hands, operating in the authority of the name of Jesus, and had healed that beggar. These people were saying, “God, pour it on! If it means that we all get put in prison and beaten or even killed, keep it coming. We’re ready to put your glory ahead of our comfort!

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O listen, do you believe in the power of prayer? Do you believe it could change your life? Do you believe it can change this church? Do you believe it can change this city?

Pic Steve Farrar

In Point Man, Steve Farrar tells the story of George McCluskey. When McCluskey married and started a family, he decided to invest one hour a day in prayer, because he wanted his kids to follow Christ. After a time, he expanded his prayers to include his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Every day between 11 a.m. and noon, he prayed for the next three generations.

As the years went by, his two daughters committed their lives to Christ and married men who went into full-time ministry. The two couples produced four girls and one boy. Each of the girls married a minister, and the boy became a pastor. The first two children born to this generation were both boys. Upon graduation from high school, the two cousins chose the same college and became roommates.

During their sophomore year, one boy decided to go into the ministry. The other didn't. He undoubtedly felt some pressure to continue the family legacy, but he chose instead to pursue his interest in psychology. He earned his doctorate and eventually wrote books for parents that became bestsellers. He started a radio program heard on more than a thousand stations each day.

Pic - James Dobson

The man's name was James Dobson. Through his prayers, George McCluskey affected far more than one family.

TRANS

There is power in prayer! I just love the prayer that these early disciples prayed. What a prayer! When I read it I am convicted about my own praying, not just because I don’t spend as much time as these folks probably did actually praying, but because I often find that I am not asking what they were asking for! I so often just want relief, not boldness. O God, change us! Change me! We have little power because we have little prayer.

And why is it that we have little power and little prayer. Well:

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WE HAVE LITTLE PRAYER BECAUSE WE HAVE LITTLE FAITH.

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They knew they prayed to the God of Creation.

You know, I think these folks were able to pray because they were so certain of Who God was. They say of God in v24,

Acts 4:24 NKJV

So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them,

You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them. I love that because “all that is in them” includes the members of the Sanhedrin who was issuing the threats. He is the God of Creation.

They knew they prayed to the God of Revelation.

And He is also the God of Revelation. In the next couple of verses, they quote , a Psalm of David which speaks of the suffering Messiah. It says,

Acts 4:25-

Acts 4:25–27 NKJV

who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: ‘Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things? The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the Lord and against His Christ.’ “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together

who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: ‘Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things? The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the Lord and against His Christ.’ In v 27, the prayer of the church reflects all of this onto Christ. “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together.

They knew they prayed to the God of Who is Sovereign.

Now the reason that their prayer speaks of this prophecy is to show that all that had happened with Jesus and, indeed, all that was happening to them at that very moment, was a part of the plan of God and totally under His control. They say that specifically in v 28 when they say,

Acts 4:28 NKJV

to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.

to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.

This is why they could pray this way! They truly believed that God was up to something. That all that had happened to Jesus and to Peter and John was all a part of something God was doing. So they didn’t WANT the trouble to stop. They just wanted to be given the power and the boldness to carry out all that God had for them.

O how we need to hear this! The church seems to have been thrown into such a blue funk by all the stuff that has been going on in this country as if God didn’t know our government would grind to a halt under the assault of partisan politics; as if God didn’t know that Russia would once again threaten us or as if God didn’t know that China would again persecute believers, or as if God didn’t know that Socialism would rise in this country to threaten our freedom. Hey church we do not need to cower in fear. Our God is not intimidated if the nations rage; Our God is not cowed because the kings of this earth take their stand against the Lord and His Christ. It’s not time to retreat and retrench! It’s time to say, “Now, Lord, look on their threats and give us all boldness to speak your word.” It is time for us to call on God to stretch forth His hand to heal and to perform signs and wonders through the name of His Holy Servant Jesus.”

It’s time to pray, believe God, and be bold! And I am convinced that the reason we don’t pray more is that we really doubt that God really moves in response to our prayers.

ILL

Pic - Burned out bar

There was a small town that had been “dry” historically. For those of you who may not be from around here, that simply meant that there was no alcohol served, nor sold in the city. But all that changed when a local business man saw a money-making opportunity. He opened a tavern and was doing a pretty good business.

Of course, local pastors were upset. They could see the coming moral decline and began to call on their people to pray. Finally a group of Christians from one local church were so concerned about the bar that they planned an all-night prayer meeting asking God to intervene and shut down this din of sin.

Not long after that prayer meeting, a thunderstorm came up and lightening struck the tavern, it caught on fire and burned to the ground. Well what do you think the bar owner did? He sued the church! That’s right! He claimed that the prayers of those Christians were responsible for his bar burning to the ground. Of course, the church hired a lawyer who went to court and argued that they were not in any way responsible for this tavern owner’s misfortune.

The presiding judge, after his initial review of the case, said, “No matter how this case comes out, one thing is clear. The tavern owner believes in prayer and the Christians do not.”

Listen, since we have little faith, we have little prayer; since we have little prayer, we have little power; since we have little power we have little boldness; and since we have little boldness, we have little impact! Church we need to see God and then we need to beg God for His power to impact this world.

So we are going to pray!

Silent prayer

Have someone lead

Challenge them: Spend one solid hour in prayer this week. Pray specifically for boldness and for God to work in this church.