Courage and Boldness

Introduction

Acts (I. Introduction: The College Fleet)

While still vice president, former President Bush told an interesting story of an event which occurred during the Spanish-American War. Apparently the Congress of the United States came up with the idea of renaming captured Spanish vessels after American universities, thereby creating “The College Fleet.”Admiral Dewey, already a seasoned officer in charge of American Naval Forces, heard that two ships already captured were to be rechristened the Harvard and the Yale. He received orders to follow that pattern as the war progressed. The Admiral understood education and naval warfare, but failed to see why the two should be mixed. Nevertheless, obedient to his superiors, he named the next captured Spanish vessel The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and yet a fourth, The Vermont Normal College for Women. As Bush tells the story, Congress promptly abandoned the idea for a college fleet.Two things surface in Dewey’s response. The first shows his clever courage in defying Congress while achieving an end he felt important for the navy, namely, giving warships appropriate names. We also see an interesting relationship between act and attitude in the process of obedience. Dewey obeyed in act but demonstrated that his heart was not in it.In our chapter, the early Christians demonstrated precisely the reverse. Here we see act and attitude going hand in hand. The courage was there. Holy boldness permeates all the verses as believers put into practice what they claimed they knew and understood about the Savior.We need chapters like this for spiritual growth. We focus on Peter and John courageously proclaiming God’s message in the name. We observe the church confidently at prayer for God’s work through them. We see them sharing what they had so all the needy could be cared for. This kind of behavior, this kind of courage, could transform a modern congregation in just a few weeks.

Focus Passage

Acts 4:1–12 (NASB95)

1 As they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them, 2 being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they laid hands on them and put them in jail until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 But many of those who had heard the message believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand. 5 On the next day, their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem; 6 and Annas the high priest was there, and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of high-priestly descent. 7 When they had placed them in the center, they began to inquire, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people, 9 if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how this man has been made well, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by this name this man stands here before you in good health. 11 “He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief corner stone. 12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

Outline

The foolishness of the cross (vv.1-4)

Acts 4:1–4 (NASB95)1 As they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them, 2 being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they laid hands on them and put them in jail until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 But many of those who had heard the message believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

1) The world sees the cross as foolishness

We find within our text a continuation of the healing of the cripple and Peter and John’s message at the temple to the people, Now as they spoke to the people. While they brought this message of the healing and redemptive power of Jesus to the people, the religious leaders of their day showed up, the priests, the captains of the temple guard, and the Sadducees came upon them.

One of the greatest area of conflict in sharing the Gospel was then and is now the issue of religious people. Contextually, the Sadducees were not only the majority of the Jewish Sanhedrin (Pharisees and the scribes being the other parties), they were also political leaders and highly influential in the relationship that the Jewish people had with Rome. They guarded both as such. The Sadducees held what would be considered a conservative view according to Jewish tradition, the law, and their protection of relationship with the state.

For them, this whole teaching of Jesus being the Messiah, the resurrection, the Gospel in a nutshell was foolishness. They didn’t believe in resurrection. We know this from Luke’s Gospel.

Luke 20:27 (NASB95)27 Now there came to Him some of the Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection),

They not only didn’t believe in the resurrection, they didn’t believe in angels, the spiritual realm, etc. For them the idea of the Messiah was not a person but more of a thought. This message of the resurrection was going against the tradition they held strong. Tradition in of itself is not a bad thing, but when tradition begins to impede the furtherance of the Gospel, it become a bad thing and needs to stop.

We live in a time such as Peter and John. We fight two conflicting sources of the Gospel: The world and the religious people.

We must remember that the world thinks the cross is foolishness.

1 Corinthians 1:23 (NASB95)23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness,

Just as the Greeks, the world still sees the cross, the resurrection, the Gospel as foolishness. But we must remain faithful in declaring the Word of God and the truth of the Gospel. For in it, the Gospel, we find the power of God unto salvation.

1 Corinthians 1:24 (NASB95)24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Romans 1:16 (NASB95)16 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.

As we continue to preach the Gospel, the world is going to want for you to be quiet. They don’t want you to know the truth. Why, because the prince of the power of the air, the devil himself, does not want you to know the truth. How sad it is, when religious leaders are used of Satan to quench the power and movement of the Holy Spirit due to tradition. It goes against the status quo, so it must not be God, being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

Brothers and sisters, Jesus went against the status quo. Jesus went against the tradition of His day. Jesus was a revolutionary. We, the church, are the product of God Himself, coming in the flesh, and turning world (religious and otherwise) upside down. Let us not hold the Gospel back because of our traditional views and preferences. it is bad enough, that the world wants us silent. Let us not silence ourselves.

2) The world wants you silent

The Sadducees, the captains of the temple guard, and the priest saw this gathering, heard the message of Jesus being presented, and were disturbed. All they could see is the people believing what they were saying and revolt against the system. They would revolt agains the religious system and political system. They need to be silenced. It was too late in the day to accuse them and take them to trail, so they did the next best thing. They put them in jail, And they laid on them and put them until the next day, for it was already evening.

Have you ever noticed that the world has no problem with you mocking God? Have you ever noticed the world has no problem mocking the name of Jesus? Have you ever noticed the world does not mock Allah, Buddha, Muhammed, etc? Why is all this? Because the world is offended by God, by Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. They are offended by the truth.

We find, possibly for the first time, Christians being imprisoned for their faith. Many have followed since. Jesus told His disciples that this would happen. He told them, if they hate me, they will hate you. He goes further and states, blessed are those that are persecuted for my name sake. It is these truths that most assuredly were fresh in the mind of Peter and John while they were in the prison and more than likely encouraged them to keep going. While the world wants you be silent, we must realize that Word of God will continue to spread despite the world’s hatred of the Lord and His Gospel message.

3) The Word of God, the Gospel, will prevail

We find within our text the God’s Word being faithful to Itself. As we find within the writing of the prophet Isaiah...

Isaiah 55:11 (NASB95)11 So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

Truly, the Gospel accomplished that which it is intended for, But many of those who heard the message believed, and the number of men came to be about five thousand. We, as the 21st Century Church, need to find encouragement in the same truth that the 1st Century Church found encouragement in. No one can stop the spread of the Gospel. It will always remain faithful. We have been sent from God to reach a lost and dying world for Christ and we cannot be stopped. As Gamaliel states later in the book of Acts...

Acts 5:39 (NASB95)39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God.”

Ultimately, the world that thinks the message of the cross is foolishness and wants to silence you, fights against God and cannot stop the spread of the Gospel.

May we take courage.

Courage and Boldness within the Lord (vv.5-12)

1) Find courage and boldness during times of great intimidation (vv.5-6)

Peter and John, two unlearned fishermen without experience, training, or formal education, are called before the whole Sanhedrin and specifically in front of the high priest and those who will succeed him (vv.5-7). It is no doubt that this was a great intimidation. They could have cowered down and withdrew. They could have ran for the hills and did all that they could to get out of this situation, but we find something opposite of what most would do in their situation. They stood with boldness and courage.

2) Find courage and boldness even when your faith is being questioned - ‘by what power, or in what name, have you done this’

This question from the Sanhedrin was not one of interest but inquisition. They were intending to intimidate them. They were intending to get them to back down. Remember, the Sadducees were about power, influence, and authority. They wanted to them to identify the authority they thought they had in declaring this message. They wanted the crowds to know who was in charge. They were not on trial, their faith was.

3) Find courage and boldness in the Holy Spirit - ‘Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit’

4) Find courage and boldness to declare the truth (vv.9-12)

Peter and John, as they stood before the full council (71 members in total: 70 members and the high priest), alone and with their faith in question, could have copped out. They could have easily just said, “God did it.” It could have been over at that point. The Sanhedrin would have been satisfied and they would not have had to worry any further. However, finding boldness in the Holy Spirit, as promised by our Lord to be given to them, declared the truth.

A. They declared that only one source brings complete healing, Jesus Christ (v.10)

B. They declared that the only source that brings complete healing is the same source they rejected , Jesus (v.11)

C. They declared that salvation is found in only one name, one power, Jesus (v.12)

Conclusion

For those that are here, if you are without Christ and still doubting the faith, now is the time in courage and boldness to step out of the pew and walk the isle and surrender to one greater than yourself. Now is the time, in courage and boldness to admit your sinner, believe in Jesus as Lord, and Confess your sins before God and accept His offer of forgiveness and salvation. What will be your decision? To cower down once again and rejected the calling of the Holy Spirit on your life? or in courage and boldness, accept Christ?

For the believer, now is the time to decide to be bold in your relationship with Christ, to be bold in your choice to honor Him in your life, your relationships, your friendships. Now is the time to find courage and boldness to stand for the truth no matter the cost. Now is time to keep moving and not quit.

1000 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching (Hang in There)

Dr. Norman Vincent Peale reported on a visit with a former president of the United States, the late Herbert Hoover. It is said that President Hoover’s Christian faith and practice were commendable. During their conversation, the popular preacher asked, “Mr. President, can you state in one sentence the secret of your success in life?” Quickly he answered: “With the help of God, I never gave up.

Don’t give up. Find courage and boldness to be faithful no matter the cost.