Boldness To Speak For Jesus

APRIL 10, 2022 STUDY NOTES ACTS 4:23-31 BIBLE TEACHER: CLIFTON JONES BOLDNESS TO SPEAK FOR JESUS INTRODUCTION Peter and John had been arrested and threatened by the Sanhedrin Court They were commanded not to teach, preach, or even speak in the name of Jesus The Sanhedrin released them, expecting them to obey their commands Peter and John immediately gather with other disciples, they had church The church is the right place to come to share the problems of your life and pray together Peter and John shared with the church their recent experience with the Sanhedrin Court Which immediately united the church in prayer, they made their requests known unto God And God manifested Himself to them, what a prayer meeting that was God is still answering their prayer today, the question is, is their prayer being prayed today? Act 4:23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. “They went to their own company,” the brotherhood of believers, the True NT Church What a wonderful truth, what an encouraging truth, as Christians we are a church family Peter and John reported the facts, it is common today for people to only share the positive The psychology of today is the power of positive thinking, scripture does not disagree But scripture does not hide the fact that Christians will face trials, troubles, and persecution Peter and John held nothing back, they gave a detailed description of what they had experienced Peter and John were not trying to trouble the church, they were preparing the church for the future Today Satan troubles churches with the least little things that do not relate to the ministry of the church Leading churches to fuss and fight among themselves over that which is insignificant Distracting them from that which is most important, “boldness to speak for Jesus” Which is the purpose of Peter and John reporting to the church, look at the results of their sharing truth Act 4:24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: There are some good guidelines for prayer time in this passage Come together to share your concerns and needs and then pray together with one accord “One accord” is a powerful point, it was common among the early believers, each mind set upon Jesus Their goal was to live for Jesus, serve Jesus, teach, preach Jesus, and tell the lost about Jesus Prayer was on their mind, Act 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. They were united in spirit and fellowship, Act 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. They were filled with joy and gladness, Act 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Satan seeks to divide churches, which will result in a powerless ministry, prayer will defeat Satan Page 1 of 5 Before they made their requests known they set their mind upon who they were talking too They acknowledged who He was, they said “Lord,” meaning He is the Omnipotent God The title “Lord” focused on His sovereignty, majesty, and power, He is the “absolute Master”” They begin their prayer with a time of praise, Lord, thou art God, You are the Creator, “who has made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is” They had faced the power of the Sanhedrin, the most powerful Jewish force in all of Israel But now they pray to the most powerful source in all-of the universe, no wonder Peter said, Act 4:19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. As “Lord” and the Creator of all, He is in control of all things, He can and will handle the situation Further evidence that God is always in control is His foresight which is recorded in scripture Act 4:25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? Peter and John were praying to God and putting faith in God’s Word, prayer and the Bible go together We talk to God through prayer and God talks to us through the Bible Which is how God accomplishes His will in our life, 1Jn 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 1Jn 5:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. We are all to be “servants” of God, David is an example of one who was used to serve God Regardless of our present problems or current circumstances, we can find comfort in God’s Word Peter quotes from, Psa 2:1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? Peter could apply the prophecy of this verse to the “rage” they were facing He could also make a personal application to “the people imagine vain things” The Sanhedrin thought they could end God’s plan of salvation through the name of Jesus Which was “vain,” futile and without success, it did not happen then and will never happen Satan can and will oppose the preaching of the gospel, but it will continue until Jesus returns Act 4:26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. Peter quotes, Psa 2:2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Psalms 2. predicts the rebellion against, and the rejection of Jesus at His first coming Prophecy that could be applied to the opposition of the Sanhedrin against Peter and John Prophecy that applies throughout the present age and the final fulfillment will be when Jesus returns Satan will continue to gather-together world rulers “against the Lord, and against His Christ” Just as he did at the time of the crucifixion of Jesus Act 4:27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, Peter again identifies the truth of Jesus, He is the “Anointed,” God’s Anointed One, the Messiah Satan gathers Kings, rulers, Jews, Gentiles, and sinful mankind against God’s “Holy Child Jesus” Act 4:28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. Here we have a Biblical truth that is often difficult for us to understand, God’s foreordained will Page 2 of 5 The same truth is why we can say, Rom 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? The prayer of Peter and John reveals that they believed the truth of Romans 8:31 God has a predetermined plan which is controlled by His hand and His purpose will be fulfilled The song that says, “He’s Got the Whole Word in His Hands” is true An example is the crucifixion of Jesus, Act 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Act 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. “Determined before” means “predestined,” that which has been planned-in advance, which God did God had predetermined or foreordained the cross of Jesus, why? 1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: God also predetermined the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, Act 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. Death could not hold Jesus because of God’s promise, Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. The salvation of lost souls is why the death, burial, and resurrection was planned and must be preached Act 4:29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, “And now,” comes the prayer request, notice that their requests followed the recognition of God They first praised God for Who He is and for what He has previously done before asking of Him Their request may surprise you, they did not pray for God to remove the Sanhedrin and their threats They ask God to “behold their threats,” placing their faith in God’s decision, which is always right Their next request is God’s predetermined plan for Christians who face threats and persecution “Grant unto thy servants,” is a recognition of God’s purpose for our life, we are God’s “servants” The word translated “servants” means a “bond-slave,” one committed unto serving Christ Nothing was more important to the early church leaders than to be identified as a servant of Jesus Christ Paul, Rom 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, James, Jas 1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. Peter, 2Pe 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: Jude, Jud 1:1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: John, Rev 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Many Christian leaders today want as many titles behind their name as they can have They want to be looked upon and identified in as many ways as they can be The title that was most meaningful to the early church is not the most popular title of today First century Christians wanted to be identified as “servants of Jesus Christ” Peter and John’s prayer request was that they continue to serve Christ even in times of persecution That they would speak “with all boldness” the word of Jesus, which the Sanhedrin told them not to do With “boldness” means speaking with confidence and without fear, their desire was to preach the gospel Page 3 of 5 Paul was put in prison for preaching the gospel, listen to his prayer from prison, he said pray for me, Eph 6:19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, Eph 6:20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. The prayer requests of the early church and the church of today is quite different They prayed for miracle working power to authenticate their message in the name of Jesus Act 4:30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. They prayed for the power to “heal,” but there was a specific reason they prayed for supernatural ability It was for the purpose of “signs,” which are a manifestation of divine revelation, they point to God Signs reveal that it is God who is speaking or doing something with spiritual significance Signs reveal that a divine purpose is being presented and there is no question about it The word “wonders” refers to a miraculous occurrence and occurs alongside the word “signs” We are told why God gifted the Apostles with miracle working “signs and wonders,” Act 4:33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. The miracles identified them as the men of God with the message of God Their message was that Jesus is the Savior and Jesus is alive Paul is an example of why the Apostles were gifted with miraculous power, Act 19:11 And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: The purpose and the result of the miracle working power is found in, Act 19:20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed. Peter and John did not desire miracle working power for personal recognition Their prayer was that Jesus would be recognized through their message in the name of Jesus God confirmed that He had heard their prayer Act 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. Notice the order, first there was prayer, then there was the filling of the Holy Spirit Then there was power within the church, they spoke the Word of God with boldness God gave them evidence of answered prayer as they gathered to pray, “the place was shaken” We have all witnessed the wind, tornadoes, and hurricanes mightily shaking buildings A mighty rushing wind occurred on the Day of Pentecost, Act 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. Paul and Silas were set free when the walls of the prison were shaken, Act 16:26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. It was the power of God that shook the building where they were assembled The same power that they were praying for, the power that would shake a lost soul for Jesus The power that we have been promised took place, “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit” The purpose of the filling of the Holy Spirit was fulfilled, “they spoke the Word of God with boldness” We need to pray the same prayer that Peter and John prayed Because we need to experience the same thing they did, which Jesus has promised us, we can, Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. We need to witness the miracle of the salvation of lost souls today Page 4 of 5 CONCLUSION From this passage we learn that Christians will face opposition and persecution as they serve God But God is in control, God will answer prayer, God will provide power and boldness for us to witness We can speak boldly in the name of Jesus today, are we praying that we will do that? The song you are going to hear shares the prayer requests of Peter and John It also shares why the answer to that prayer is so important Page 5 of 5