With All Boldness
Notes
Transcript
With All Boldness
With All Boldness
.Acts 4:1-31
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.
The Cost of Proclamation
Peter and John had just healed the lame man.
The crowd was astonished and amazed to see this man that they had walked past for many years suddenly leaping and praising the Lord.
He was restored. He was healed. He was made new by the power of the Holy Spirit in the Name of Jesus Christ.
However, there was going to be a price to pay. There were going to be consequences b/c at the name of Jesus people get offended. People get scared. People rebel.
So Peter and John are arrested by the priests, captain of the temple and the Sadducee.
they were “greatly annoyed” b/c Jesus was being proclaimed. But not just Jesus the power of and reality of resurrection.
The Sadducees didn’t believe in any type or kind of resurrection. They believed nothing happened after death.
Not only was Jesus’ resurrection causing some theological issues, but there was also potential for some political issues as well.
The Sadducees were very influential in the political arena. They were wealthy, they accommodated the Roman occupation.
They were mostly interested in keeping peace and order. And if they kept the peace and order, the status quo, then Rome would continue to afford them power. Rome would continue to allow them to have influence and affluence.
The Sadducees are your religious politicians that don’t want to rock the boat. They want to appease those in power so that they don’t lose their influence and input.
And the claim that Jesus rose from the dead is going to rock the boat. It’s going to upset the order of things. There can be no status quo when Jesus is on the throne.
The proclamation cost Peter and John. They had to spend the night in a jail cell.
But the reward of the proclamation was higher than the cost.
More men and women came to know freedom in Christ.
More men and women came to know the Author of Life.
More men and women came to believe and receive eternal life.
More men and women became new creations in Christ Jesus.
The scene shifts from the results of proclaiming the gospel to being empowered and emboldened before the powers that be.
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.”
Boldness through Power
After their night in jail, Peter and John are brought before the rulers, elders, and scribes.
We see here that there are some familiar names represented Annas and Caiaphas.
These men are related. Annas is a previous High Priest of great influence. While Caiaphas is the reigning high priest.
Just a few weeks prior to this event, Annas and Caiaphas were a part of Jesus’ arrest and condemnation.
Apart from the Roman Governor, Caiaphas was the most powerful and influential person in this region.
And again, much like prior to Jesus’ conviction, he was flexing his muscles to squash out the movement that Jesus had started.
Jesus and his influence was something that the Religious wanted to do away with, but it seemed that no matter how hard they tried or what power they evoked there was no getting away from his power and influence.
So a council was gathered together, The Sanhedrin, these were 71 of the most powerful and influential men in the area. They wanted answers. They wanted to keep things in balance. But they were in for a wild ride.
So they asked the Question, “By what power or by what name did you do this?”
Essentially, they were asking by what authority has this man been healed.
Then Peter, answered their question with boldness.
This is the same Peter who just a few short weeks before had denied knowing Jesus before a little slave girl.
The same Peter that cowered, cussed, and denied Jesus.
The same Peter who did for free, what Judas did for silver.
This same Peter had found redemption and forgiveness in JC.
It’s great to know that Jesus’ chooses to use train-wrecks.
That our past behavior does not relegate us to the sidelines. That even when we completely miss the mark there is forgiveness.
Jesus doesn’t forsake us even when we forsake him.
This same Peter was empowered and emboldened by the HS to speak boldly to those in power.
“Filled with the HS”—This isn’t a “second Pentecost” this is a special filling and empowering of the HS. He didn’t lose the HS and get him back rather the HS gave him the words to speak.
This would remind the readers of the Scripture of what Jesus said in:
Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer,
for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.
Boldness through Power
Jesus was fulfilling his promise to aid the disciples through wisdom and power.
And Peter once again spoke with unprecedented boldness.
Think about if for just one second. The men that Peter was standing before were the same ones that condemned Jesus to death.
Peter had seen his friend and Messiah condemned to death by these very same men.
And now, emboldened by the HS he is about to stand firm in his belief and conviction.
Peter really wants to know why they are here today? Sarcastically asks in v. 9:
Are we here today b/c something good has happened to this once crippled man?
He has been healed. He has been made well. And we are here b/c of this good deed. Why?
But since you asked.
Peter has no problem pointing out that these men were guilty. That they were the ones responsible for JC’s death.
and that is it in and through this name that the man has been healed.
That even though you tried to stifle and end Jesus’ power and authority he still reigns and he has been raised from the dead.
But even in their responsibility for JC’s death, God raised him.
The resurrection is true. The resurrection is powerful. The resurrection is what we cling to in order to know
In the resurrection healing, restoration, life, and hope are to be found.
Those gathered at the council might not have believed in resurrection, but nevertheless the resurrection had occurred.
This man’s healing is proof of the power in Jesus’ name. The power to save, to heal, and to make new.
They had rejected Jesus’ teaching. They had rejected Jesus as the messiah. They had rejected Jesus as the one come to save humanity.
They rejected him and put him to death. They rejected him and threw him away as trash. They had rejected him b/c he changed the game. He flipped the power. He claimed and proved his Lordship through many signs and wonders.
Peter concludes his argument with:
“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.” v.12
Jesus is exclusively the way to salvation.
Jesus is exclusively the one who can forgive our sins.
Jesus exclusively provides the route to unity with the Father.
Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except by him.
The exclusivity of Jesus rubs people the wrong way.
Surely all ways lead to heaven. All routes lead to the mountain top.
Be a good person. Worship your idea of who God is. Be kind.
But Jesus and his disciples all say that there is ONLY ONE WAY TO SALVATION.
No other name by which anyone can be saved.
Jesus alone. Not Buddha. Not Muhammad. Not Self-actualization.
Not sincerity. Not trying to be a good person.
None of these things offer salvation. Only Salvation is found in JC.
I’m not saying that you can’t be sincere in your beliefs about these things.
You can be kind, moral, and loving to everyone, but sincerity doesn’t save.
Its not the sincerity of your belief that gains salvation, its the object of belief that grants us salvation.
Jesus is the object of our faith that provides salvation.
Let’s not get it twisted the Sanhedrin were sincere in their belief that they were right. That Jesus wasn’t the promised messiah. The the resurrection wasn’t true.
They were sincere enough to condemn a man to death.
They were sincere enough to ignore the signs and wonders.
They were sincere enough to put Peter and John on trial.
But their sincerity was not going to save them. They had a one way ticket to separation from God forever.
Do we see the severity of the claim that there are many ways to God?
We think that we are loving, compassionate, and tolerant when we tell non-believers that they are okay. Or even when we don’t challenge them on their convictions.
It isn’t loving to hide the truth from them. It isn’t loving to shy away from telling them the good news of Jesus.
That is why I have initiated the challenge to you guys. So that you can see the importance of telling others about Jesus.
They are going to spend eternity separated from God if they don’t repent and turn to Jesus.
I want you to think about your five. I want to to pray about how you can minister to them.
I want you to ask the Lord for boldness. To ask him for clarity. I want you to ask him to show you how you can best love those on your list.
Be Bold. Be Loving. Be Ready.
Don’t think that you don’t have the tools or ability to share the truth. Tell them about how Jesus Changed your life. Tell them your Testimony.
Let them see that you do love and care for them.
Don’t be ashamed or scared by the exclusivity of Christ.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Salvation comes from Jesus alone. That’s good news that the God of the universe has made a way for people to know him.
Tell others. Let them know about King Jesus.
The HS will empower you to be bold if you ask and speak the truth in love.
Peter and John had gained boldness through the Power of the HS, but they also had boldness in conviction.
Boldness in Conviction
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.
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.
Boldness in Conviction
Peter and John were not educated. They were not special when it comes to earthly relevance.
They were common men, who through the power of the HS and testimony of Christ changed the world.
Remember, these were the backwoods hillbillies that spoke on behalf of God through the HS.
But they “had been with Jesus.”
Jesus is our power and authority. When we spend time with Jesus, knowing and growing in our relationship with him, then people around us will see the difference in our life.
Our prayer should be that when people look at us. When people see us they can recognize that we have spent time with Jesus.
The council was dumbfounded. They didn’t know what to say. They didn’t know what to think. They didn’t know how to react to the fact that they see this man who had been lame for 40 years now walking.
In the context of the 1st century, 40 was really old. If you had an ailment and it hadn’t been cured by 40 there was no helping you.
Yet, this man had been made whole. This man had been fixed. This man had been miraculously healed.
The council had nothing that they could say. Speechless, no doubt in awe and wonder. But also b/c they couldn’t figure out how to punish these men for healing this lame man.
So they order them to leave. And they discuss the plan.
What can we do? We can’t deny that this man is healed. He is known. He was broken. Now he is not.
Their Solution: Tell Peter and John to stop talking about Jesus. Let’s give them a “stern warning”
Stop telling others about the salvation found in Jesus. Obviously this command had no teeth.
And Peter and John’s response, is priceless.
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.”
Essentially, they said “Sorry, not sorry. Can’t Stop Won’t Stop.”
We have got to tell others about the good news of Jesus.
They had boldness in their conviction about who Jesus was.
There was no way that they were going to stop telling people about the good news of Jesus. They had seen, heard, and been apart of too much.
They were excited, emboldened, and empowered to speak about the name above all names.
We don’t tend to have this same type of boldness in our culture today.
Those who claim to know Christ find it easy to let go of or abandon their convictions about who Jesus is.
Jesus is who he said he is. He expects people who want to follow him to stand for what he believes in.
It’ll be hard. It might cost much.
But throughout the history of the church pressures from outside have tried to constrain the truth of Jesus.
I mean, the church had just formed and already there are pressures from outside to keep quiet. To not speak about Jesus.
Here in America we are afraid to speak about Jesus because of how someone may look at us. We are afraid to speak about jesus b/c we might lose a friendship or might be called a bad name.
We refuse to speak about Jesus b/c we don’t want to be outcasts. We don’t want to rock the boat. We don’t want to seem nutty.
We are too comfortable be complacent. We are too comfortable with our comfort and individualized faith.
I am not saying that we should pray for persecution. I am not saying that we should be out condemning the world.
Rather we should be out telling others about the good news.
In the grand scheme of things, it will cost us nothing.
Just think back to a few years ago, 21 of our Egyptian Brothers were executed b/c of their faith in Jesus.
They were beheaded b/c of their faith. Because they wouldn’t deny their faith in Jesus Christ.
It was filmed and distributed.
And yet, we are afraid to live out our faith and tell others about Jesus, b/c we may get a couple of cross glances.
We may feel a little uncomfortable. We may be marked as crazy.
Jesus gave up everything to invite you into the family. Aren’t you willing to give up your comfort? Aren’t you willing to be looked at weird? What are you willing to sacrifice so that others can come to know this Jesus?
Notice that Peter and John are bold they aren’t brash.
Boldness and Brashness are not the same thing. You can be bold w/o being brash. You are called to be bold AND loving.
You can be bold w/o being a Jerk.
Jesus was bold. Peter and John were bold. Christians throughout history have been bold.
Will you be Bold? Will you stand firm on your convictions? Will you tell others about Jesus?
Here is the good news. You don’t have to do it alone.
We can find:
Boldness with Brothers
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.
Boldness with Brothers
I use the term “brothers” for alliteration sake.
Brothers and Sisters in Christ help us to be bold when it seems hard.
After Peter and John are released, they immediately when to their friends.
And after recounting what the verdict was, they began to pray.
“Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot in vain?”
We need boldness b/c there will always be people who stand opposed to Jesus.
He has many enemies. Many don’t want to submit to his lordship. Many don’t want to acknowledge his salvation.
He is not the popular option.
The world cries if you love me you will accept me for who I am.
Jesus responds, “I love you and that why I want you to be transformed.”
We are not our best w/o Jesus. We will never be our best w/o Jesus.
Jesus comes to bring restoration, but many are okay with their brokenness.
Just know that b/c Jesus has enemies, his followers will have enemies as well.
We are not greater than our master. We are going to face similar trials as he did.
That is why we need one another.
We need one another to anchor, encourage, and fight for the faith together.
We need one another to love, pray, and serve together.
We can’t do it alone. Alone we will surely fail, but together we are strengthened.
JC has given us one another, b/c he knows we need one another.
Much like these first believers we need to pray for boldness. We need to ask God for boldness in all circumstances.
Boldness does not come from within it comes from God alone.
Boldness came from knowledge of the resurrection and the giving of the HS.
Conclusion
If you are a Christian, you need to live your life in the boldness granted to you through the sacrifice of JC. You need to know that God desires you to tell others about him, but he hasn’t left you powerless to do so. He has granted you the HS to empower and embolden you to tell others about the magnificence of Jesus.
Pray for boldness. Ask God to provide you with opportunities to preach the gospel to those who don’t know him.
Know that Jesus is greater than chastisement. Jesus is greater than being ostracized. Jesus is greater than ridicule.
Jesus is greater than any risk you may have to take to tell others about Him.
If you aren’t a Christian and you feel that Jesus is calling you to himself. Submit to that call he wants you to love him like he loves you.
Give yourself to him. He is calling you will you answer him?
Pray.