Boldness Defeats Opposition
Notes
Transcript
Acts is all about telling people about Jesus. It is the charge of
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.”
Those of you who have been Christians a long time, or even a short time know that there are an abundance of people who disagree with you about Jesus.
Which doesn’t surprise us because there will be people who disagree with you about everything. There will come decisions that have to be made and hills that you must choose to die on. Yet, as Christians we want everyone to agree with us on this one topic. We want, more than want, we actively work to convince everyone that what we believe about Jesus is what they should believe about Jesus as well. Namely, that Jesus died for our sins, and if we accept his forgiveness for our sins we can be saved. We want everyone to believe this. We need everyone to believe. This is much the attitude of Martin Luther when he says, “I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other—my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. God help me. Amen.”
What happens when opposition comes, because it is coming. What happens when our conscience steps up against the misinformed and the enemies of God. I am certain we will need boldness in the face of opposition and I hope to show you today from Acts 4.
Opposition starts when world views are challenged.
Opposition starts when world views are challenged.
And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.
On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 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. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 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.”
Our message challenges world views.
What is a world view? It is the lens by which we look at the world. Christians see the world through a particular lens. The Sadduccees saw the world through a particular lens. Did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. This talk of a resurrected Jesus challenged what they thought and they didn’t like it.
Often those who oppose us offer up all of the people that agree with them to make our position look good. Notice, they got all of their friends and family together to help.
We will often be intimidated by large groups, or when we are outnumbered. But, I want you to remember something: Truth is always truth, even if you are alone, truth remains. If the entire world decides they disagree with God’s word and actively oppose it, it is still the truth.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God will stand forever.
People around us will not like our worldview because our worldview challenges theirs. How we feel about marriage, abortion and the sinful condition of man rubs against everything that they believe in. Expect opposition when you speak the truth.
It is scary to challenge people:
Dr. Theodore Ferris tells of a young Presbyterian minister who was in charge of a large city church. The most active and generous member was a woman whose wealthy husband never attended. With the passing of the years, the young cleric felt impelled to do something about it. He finally made an appointment with the industrialist. The businessman seemed even more austere as he sat quietly behind his great desk. Awkwardly, the young man came to the point of his visit. In very simple language he set forth the Christian proposition and then added, “I think you ought to do something about this one way or another.” The man did not answer. Carefully the minister reiterated his conversation. Again there was silence. A third time the preacher rephrased the claims of Christ. Finally the well-to-do man reached for his memo pad and scribbled this note: “I am so deeply moved that I cannot speak.” The minister was the first person in years to challenge this giant to confess Christ. He became a member of his church and was an effective Christian.
The only way to win people to Jesus is to challenge their worldview.
Opposition wants us to just be nice.
Opposition wants us to just be nice.
But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, 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. 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. 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, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” 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. For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.
The world would rather that we just be good people, doing nice things, and keep all the other things to our self.
Notice they liked the miracle, they didn’t like the message. I fear in a world that is less tolerant they will not even like our good deeds if we do not first change our message.
Look to Samaritans Purse and the opposition they faced when they set up field hospitals in NYC. Certain false churches and other groups were telling people to stay away because Samaritans Purse stood up for biblical values such as marriage and the sanctity of birth and life.
What the world fails to understand is our good deed are directly tied to the message we believe. Notice what Peter and John say, “I can’t but speak of what I have seen and heard.” There is no way for a Christian to separate the work they do from the reality of the salvation that was obtained on the cross of calvary.
Our opposition will often come to us and offer a deal that we can keep doing our good works but we can’t speak of Jesus and in reality what they are asking us todo is oppose our conscience and to capitulate to their worldview. May we determine that we will both do good works and tell others about Jesus.
Opposition is overcome with encouragement.
Opposition is overcome with encouragement.
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. And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 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.
This to me is one of the craziest passage in the bible. It tells us that when everyone got back together they praised God because the opposition God has promised had actually come. They saw opposition as the confirmation that they were doing what God wanted them to do.
But they also saw the opposition as being against Jesus and not them. When opposition comes see it for what it is, attacks against the glory and majesty of Jesus Christ and not attacks against you. We count it a blessing to suffer as those who proclaim the message of Jesus.
But notice the praise that raised to God. They knew that opposition was coming. They did not think it strange the trial that was coming against them.
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.
Opposition is not strange at all. It is expected and has it happens we should be willing to not only accept, not only to praise God through it, but to encourage one another as we overcome it.
Opposition does not slow the gospel of Jesus. It only ignites it more. Opposition does not hinder our witness. It only gives us more opportunities to proclaim the goodness and glory of God and the grace and mercy offered through Jesus.
Encouragement is the natural cure against and opposing force. Christian encourage one another today to stand fast in the face of opposition.
Opposition is defeated with boldness.
Opposition is defeated with boldness.
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.
And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness,
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.
As we conclude, and if we are honest, opposition can shake the strongest Christian and turn them into a yellow bellied scaredy pants. But we have have boldness. We can proclaim Jesus boldly in the face of opposition. Why? Because boldness is not about being arrogant or prideful. Boldness in a confident humility in the finished work of Jesus. Peter and John were bold because they knew Jesus, because they had faith in Jesus, because they knew that Jesus was going to save the day.
This is kind of like Walker, Texas Ranger. Alex bold in the face of danger. Why? Because Walker was coming. We are all like Alex, and Jesus is Walker. We laugh, but as we look at opposition all around us we must be bold in our witness. It is why I pray for boldness at the end of every service. We need boldness to face the enemy. We need boldness to proclaim the message of Jesus. We need boldness because it testifies to the world that this is not about me, but about Jesus.
My favorite verse in this passage is:
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.
They recognized that they had been with Jesus. When you deal with the opposition all around can the world tell that you have been with Jesus.
I hope and I pray that when I deal with people and share with and show them the love of Jesus that they can look at me and know that I have been with Jesus. That’s the point. That’s why boldness is needed.
I know based on my outline that it may have been more appropriate to call this a sermon about opposition. But it is not. It is a sermon on boldness and the sufficiency of Jesus to be with us in the face of CERTAIN opposition. Christian be bold. Christian stand up in the face of opposition, because Jesus did.
The first step of boldness for each of us was to say yes to Jesus. To turn from our sins. Friends, if you are here today and you have never said yes to Jesus, will you. Will you come and see that Jesus is better than anything in the world. Will you at the moment confess you are a sinner, call out to Jesus to save you, by simply saying in your heart Jesus save, and then going and telling the world.