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HOLY SPIRIT BOLDNESS
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Acts 4:31 31After they prayed, the place where they
were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with
the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
Question:"What does the Bible sayabout boldness?"
Answer: Boldness is the courage to act or speak fearlessly, despite real or
imagined dangers. When a person acts boldly, he or she takes action
regardless ofrisks. A petite mother will boldly snatch her child’s hand away
from a six-foot stranger. A man may boldly stand up to a dictatorial boss,
knowing he could be fired for doing so. Boldness is not to be confused with
rashness oraggressiveness.It is, however, similar to assertivenessin that it
empowers someone to do or speak whatis necessary, in spite of the possibility
of a negative outcome.
Boldness was one of the first characteristicsthe Holy Spirit imparted when He
came to indwell believers after Jesus ascendedinto heaven. The followers of
Jesus had been hiding in fear of the Jewishauthorities, praying and
encouraging one another. Then the Holy Spirit came upon them, and those
formerly terrified disciples became fearless preachers (Acts 2). A short time
later, as the disciples facedpersecutionfrom the authorities, they prayed for
boldness (Acts 4:29). Their prayer was answered, and they were filled with the
Holy Spirit and “spoke the word with boldness” (Acts 4:31). God gives us
boldness when our objective is to obey and glorify Him with it.
Spiritual boldness can appear to be opinionated or extroverted, when in fact
the bold personmay feel greattrepidation. Such boldness comes from the
Holy Spirit who compels a person to speak the truth in love even when it may
not be welcomed. Healthy boldness can be compared to a woman who is
terrified of snakes but sees a copperheadon her porch. She is frightened, but
she will not let it escape becauseit is dangerous. She goes afterit with a shovel
and kills it, even while she is shaking violently for fear herself. It would not be
accurate to state that this woman enjoys confrontation. Instead, her boldness
in killing the snake comes from a determination to do what is right to protect
her family regardless ofher fear. Spiritual boldness pursues the truth, works
to destroy lies and error, and speaks whatis right regardless ofhow terrifying
such actionmay be.
Worldly boldness, on the other hand, can become pushy or confrontational. It
thrives on popular approval and often ignores caution or sensitivity. The
incredulous words, “What were you thinking?” follow in the wake ofa bold
fool. We should not be bold in doing evil, accepting dares, or crossing
boundaries simply to prove we can. Boldness without discernment can lead to
foolish words and risky behavior. The book of Proverbs often connects rash
boldness with folly. Proverbs 13:16 says, “Every prudent man acts with
knowledge, but a fool flaunts his folly.” Foolishpeople are so blind to their
own error that they shamelesslybrag about it. They are bold in proclaiming
their erroneous viewpoints and even bolder in carrying them out. Boldness is
no more fitting for a fool than jewels are fitting for a hog (see Proverbs 11:22).
Proverbs 28:1 says, “The wickedflee when no one pursues, but the righteous
are bold as a lion.” The righteous are bold because they know that God is for
them and what they have to say is important (Hebrews 13:6). When the
apostle Paul was in prison, he wrote to the churches asking for prayer that he
be bold in continuing to proclaim the gospel(Ephesians 6:19). Godly boldness
is motivated by passionfor Christ and His truth. It is rarely self-centered
because it requires us to setaside our natural desire for comfortand
popularity. For Paul to speak boldly would most likely mean more
persecution. Stephen spoke boldly and became the first Christian martyr
(Acts 6:8–10, 7:1–2, 54–58).
As followers of Christ, we should pray as Paul did that the Lord will grant us
supernatural boldness to speak and live as He would have us do. In this age of
greatdeception and resistance to truth, we need boldness more than ever.
Boldness, coupledwith love and humility (1 Corinthians 13:4–8;1 Peter5:6),
is like a light in the darkness (Matthew 5:14). When we are convincedthat our
messageis life-giving and eternal, we can speak with boldness, knowing that
God will use it to impact our world (Isaiah 55:10–11).
GOTQUESTIONS.ORG
Lord, Make Me More Bold
Article by Jon Bloom
Staff writer, desiringGod.org
Do you want to live and speak more boldly for Jesus Christ? I do.
How badly do we want it? Do we want it enough to ask, seek, andknock until
God answers us and to take risks that press on our timidity? Or, if we’re
honest, would we rather just keepwishing we were bolder — admiring bold
people, being inspired by biographies about bold people, talking with our
friends and small group members about our struggles with fearof man — all
the while staying where we feel safe and relatively comfortable and letting
fear go unchallenged?
My flesh likes the secondoption with a more flattering description. The Spirit
says, “If you want to walk with me, choose the first.”
There’s the battle line. “The desires of the flesh are againstthe Spirit, and the
desires of the Spirit are againstthe flesh, for these are opposedto eachother,
to keepyou from doing the things you want to do” (Galatians 5:17). But in
this battle, there’s no stalemate. One side always holds sway. So, “choosethis
day whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:15).
If we are serious about choosing the Spirit, God will grant us our request
(Luke 11:13; John 15:7), and enable us to “walk by the Spirit [so we] will not
gratify the desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).
What Is Christian Boldness?
Boldness, in the biblical sense, is not a personality trait. A typically soft-
spoken, introverted, calm person canbe bold at a time when a typically
driven, outspoken, brash person shrinks back. Boldness is acting, by the
powerof the Holy Spirit, on an urgent convictionin the face of some threat.
That last sentence contains the three ingredients to Christian boldness: Spirit-
empoweredconviction, courage, and urgency.
If one of the ingredients is missing, we won’t actboldly. Without sufficient
conviction that something ought to be said or done, what’s there to be bold
about? Without sufficient courage, we don’t have enough fiber in our
conviction to face oppositionor threats. Without a sufficient sense of urgency,
we lack the fire under our feetto get us moving. People who are halfhearted,
fearful, or indifferent are, by definition, not bold.
But if you’re aware of deficiencies in any of these three areas, take heart. The
Bible gives us every reasonto hope for transformation, and no reasonto keep
living with debilitating fear.
Jesus BoughtBoldness
In Christ, “we have boldness and accesswith confidence through our faith” to
God our Father(Ephesians 3:12).
The truth is there’s no power in heaven or on earth or under the earth that
remotely approaches the powerof God. He is the only one we need to fear
(Luke 12:4–5). And Jesus took upon himself every reasonwe have to be
terrified of God. Now in Christ Godis for us. And,
If God is for us, who canbe againstus? He who did not spare his own Son but
gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciouslygive us all
things? (Romans 8:31–32)
If we cannow “with confidence draw near to the throne of grace” (Hebrews
4:16), who then should we fear(Psalm 27:1)? Jesus did not die on the cross to
have us quivering in a corner because some human being might say something
mean, or stop our paychecks,orsever a relationship, or even kill us (Luke
12:4). No! ForJesus has ensured that,
neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to
come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will
be able to separate us from the love of Godin Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans
8:38–39)
The only reasonfear-basedtimidity remains in us is that we don’t believe
these mind-blowing promises. What freezing fears might melt away, like snow
in April, if we let the bright rays of Romans 8 shine on our shadowy places of
unbelief, even for just a week?
The Spirit Empowers Boldness
After sunbathing in Romans 8, we should take an invigorating walk through
the book of Acts and watchhow Spirit emboldened the early Christians were.
Peterand John, once frozen with fear, when filled with the Holy Spirit, were
out preaching the gospelfor everyone to hear (see Acts 2:14–41). This soongot
them arrested— the very thing that had terrified them before — and their
boldness astonishedthe Jewishauthorities, who then “recognizedthat they
had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).
Don’t you want to bear that bold spiritual family resemblance? It requires the
Spirit of Jesus (Philippians 1:19).
Pray for Boldness!
The early Christians knew this. Post-Pentecostthey didn’t always feel bold. In
fact, in Acts 4, when the disciples came back from the astonishedauthorities,
they told the church of the threats they received. Everyone understood the
implication: persecutionand possible execution. So, did they flee back into
hiding? No, they prayed for boldness:
“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 gatheredtogetherwas shaken, and they
were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God
with boldness. (Acts 4:29, 31)
In answerto prayer, fearmelted awayand they receiveda fresh filling of the
Holy Spirit and renewedboldness to keepspeaking.
Boldness is not constantor taken for granted. We must keeppraying for it
wheneverwe need it. Even the apostle Paul experiencedthis. That’s why he
askedthe Ephesians to pray that he “may declare [the gospel]boldly, as [he]
ought to speak” (Ephesians6:20). Boldness is not an option for us, but it’s also
not a given. Since it is not a constantgift of the Spirit, we must pray for it
frequently.
Act the Miracle
But we should not think every time boldness is required we will feel some
heroic swell of confidence. Godoften gives us Spirit-empoweredboldness
when, in spite of feeling fear, we step out in faith that the Spirit will provide
the measure of boldness we need in that moment.
If we look, Acts is full of instances where boldness was given in situations
where no doubt the speakerswere tempted with fear:
In Antioch Pisidia, Paul and Barnabas “spoke outboldly” when the Jews
publicly reviled them (Acts 13:46).
In Iconium, they were also vigorouslyopposed, “so they remained for a long
time, speaking boldly for the Lord” (Acts 14:3).
In Ephesus, Apollos spoke “boldly in the synagogue”(Acts 18:26).
In Ephesus, Paul taught in the synagogue “andfor three months spoke boldly,
reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God” (Acts 19:8).
In Caesarea, whenPaul was imprisoned, he spoke “boldly” to King Agrippa
(Acts 26:26).
And the last thing we know about Paul is that, while under house arrestin
Rome, he went on “proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the
Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance” (Acts 28:31).
Yes, we should pray to be filled with the Spirit. But when boldness is needed
in fearful situations, and we act in spite of sweatypalms and pounding hearts,
Jesus promises to fill our mouths by the Spirit (Matthew 10:20). And so we act
the miracle.
Boldness Is Contagious
And a wonderful thing happens when we actthe miracle: others begin to act
it, too. Paul describedthis phenomenon:
And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my
imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
(Philippians 1:14)
Paul’s imprisonment for being bold for Christ emboldened other Christians.
And we’ve all experiencedthis in some way. The best way to start a movement
of bold witness is to step out in boldness ourselves.
WhateverIt Takes, Lord!
And this is just what our flesh emphatically does not want to do. It resists the
Spirit in order to keepus from doing what we want to do. To prayerfully
pursue boldness in the powerof the Spirit requires dying to our flesh (Romans
8:13).
But that’s a death that leads to life! For “to setthe mind on the flesh is death,
but to setthe mind on the Spirit is life and peace” (Romans 8:6). To die to our
flesh in order to pursue boldness is really to choose life. That should lead us to
pray:
Whateverit takes, Lord, decrease the hold that unbelieving fear has over me
and increase my boldness to declare the gospelto everyone you put in my
path.
Jon Bloom(@Bloom_Jon)serves as author, board chair, and co-founder of
Desiring God. He is author of three books, Not by Sight, Things Not Seen, and
Don’t Follow Your Heart. He and his wife have five children and make their
home in the Twin Cities.
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
ALAN CARR
Acts 4:31-33
PLUGGING INTO HIS POWER
Intro: I don’t know about you, but I marvel at the powerof the early church.
It amazes me to look at the ways God used them for His glory. When you
considerthat 3,000 souls were savedonone day and 5,000 were savedon
another day; that the Lord added to the church daily, Acts 2:47; that the
church was markedby powerful miracles and largerthan life personalities;
that they experiencedamazing growth; and that they were all filled with the
Holy Ghost, it lets us know that there was something difference about the
early church.
Mostbelievers long for that same kind of power today. We know that we
do not have what they had, but we want it. We know that we must have the
same kind of power if we are going to be effective in reaching our world like
they reachedtheir world.
In some ways, we possessfarmore than they did. We have nice buildings,
enough money to do the things we want to do, amazing technology, and the
freedom to worship God as we please. While we have much in our favor, we
lack the one thing that made the early church a mighty weaponin the hand of
God. We lack the powerof God!
I want to point out to you what I believe was the source of their power. I
want you to see that the early church was plugged in to a tremendous source
of power. I believe that the source of power they found is exactly what we
need in our day.
The early church was plugged into three specific sources ofpowerthat
enabled them to “turn the world upside down” for the glory of God. The
powerthat rested on the early church is available to the modern church. We
merely need to plug in to the same sources ofpowerthey used in that day.
Let me show you, from these verses, the sources the empoweredthe early
church. If we want to reach our world for Jesus, and if we want to be all the
Lord would have us to be, then we are going to have to plug in to those same
powersources today. I want to look into these verses for a few moments today
and preachabout Plugging Into His Power.
I. v. 31 WE NEED TO PLUG IN
TO THE POWER OF PRAYER
· Ill. The context of these verses. When the disciples came back from their
meeting with the Sanhedrin, the whole assemblycame togetherin prayer, Acts
4:23-31. As they prayed together, in one mind, the Spirit of God moved upon
them and filled them with His presence and power. God honored the prayers
of His people when they came togetheras one, praying for the common good.
· I am certainthat most of us understand the importance of prayer. I
hope that eachof us takes time daily to pray for our families, our
communities, our church and ourselves. Probablynothing we do in our
Christian walk is as important as prayer. Prayer is the secretto the power of
God!
Ø We have been given greatpromises in prayer: Matt. 7:7-8; Jer. 33:3; John
14:13-14;James 5:16; 1 John 5:13-15.
Ø We have been given clearinstruction in prayer: Luke 11:1-5; Matt. 6:5-8.
Ø We have evenbeen commanded to pray: 1 Thes. 5:17; Luke 18:1; Eph.
6:18.
· We do pray, but we do not often pray like the early church prayed. We
usually resortto prayer when we are shaken;they prayed to be shaken. We
pray, but not fervently. We pray, but not specifically. We pray, but not in one
accord. We pray, but not as a group.
We are welltaught in our theology, in our doctrine and in our
organization. But, we are illiterates in the schoolofprayer. If we would have
the powerof God resting on us in these days, we must learn to make use of the
resource ofprayer. Notjust as individuals, lockedawayfrom one another, but
we need to learn to pray corporately.
We must learn to pray together at prayer meetings, in altar calls, and at
other times. When someone comes to this altar to pray, others should willingly
gather around them to help them with their petitions. When a need faces our
church, the church should bow as a body and wage wartogether.
· We learn to pray by praying. We learn to pray by asking Godfor the
impossible and believing that He will send it to us. We learn to pray by
reading the Word of God and praying it back to Him in faith.
· The early church had the power of God on them because they prayed
together. When they called, God heard and answered. (Ill. Acts 4:31; Acts
12:5)
· God still hears and answers the prayers of His people! (Ill. Many
answers I have read about and experienced!) Plugging into the power of
prayer would do more for this church that 10,000 revivalmeetings!
II. v. 32 WE NEED TO PLUG IN
TO THE POWER OF PASSION
· We are told that this congregationwas of“one heart and one soul”.
That is, they did not live for themselves, but they lived for those around them.
These people were lost in the needs of other believers, v. 32, 34-37. And, they
were consumed by the needs of the lostaround them, v. 33. The early church
possesseda servant’s heart that was just like that of the Lord Jesus, Phil. 2:3-
8.
· These people lived out the will of the Savior. While Jesus was here, He
said this: “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love
one to another,” John 13:35. Jesus saidthat His people would be knownfor
the love they possessedforthe other believers around them. He went on to tell
us what His will is for the church, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father,
art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may
believe that thou hast sent me,” John 17:21.
So, when we love one anotheras we should, and when we walk in unity as
we should, it lets the world around us know that our professionof faith is real
and that we truly belong to Christ. No other testimony we give preaches so
loud and so clearas our love one for another.
· We need to plug into the power of love! Not just love that talks. Not just
love that says, “Ilove you.” We need to plug into a love that acts, 1 John 3:18.
We must plug into a love that puts others aheadof self. We must plug into His
kind of love; without that kind of love, everything we do is in vain, 1 Cor.
13:1-3.
· When I love you like I should, I will forgive you for the times you hurt
me, Eph. 4:32. When I love you as I should, I will seek you best interests
aheadof my own. When I love you like I should, I will treat you like I should,
1 Cor. 13:4-8a.
· A revival of love in the church would produce among us the same kind
of attitudes and power that existed in the early church.
Ø Love makes us considerate ofothers – v. 32.
Ø Love makes people more important than possessions, v. 32.
Ø Love enables Christians to put away their differences. (Ill. The early
church was made up of people from all over the world. They were of different
cultures and different backgrounds.)
Ø Love produces a passionfor the lost who live around us, v. 33.
· Love gives us power. Without love, we will lack the power of God we
need to be effective in this age. We need to plug into the power of a genuine,
all-consuming passionfor others.
III. v. 33 WE NEED TO PLUG IN TO
THE POWER OF PROCLAMATION
· While the early church was marked by prayer and love, they were also
marked by the proclamationof the Gospel. They were a preaching people.
They carried the message ofthe Gospelto a world that desperatelyneeded
that message.
Verse 33 tells us that “greatpower” restedon the apostles. Their
preaching and their witness as effective because Godempoweredtheir
preaching and He blessedthe proclamation of the Gospel.
· The modern church must be marked by prayer and by love, but we
must also be marked by the proclamation of the Gospelof grace.
We have been given the greatestmessagethe world has ever known, 1
Cor. 15:3-4. We have been sent out to preach that message everywhere there
are sinners, Mark 16:15; Matt. 28:19-20. We have been promised His help in
sharing that messagewith the lost around us, Acts 1:8.
There is a whole world around us that needs to hear about Jesus. Every
day, in every place, there are lost people who need to hear the message of
salvation. Our duty is to tell them about Jesus and what He cando for them.
Saving them is God’s business!
· If our messageis to be empoweredlike that of the early church, we must
understand a few things.
Ø The proclamationof the messageis essential – 1 Cor. 1:21; Rom. 10:13-17.
The messagemust be preached or no one will be saved.
Ø The powerof God is paramount. We canpreach; we canwitness;we can
tell, but if He doesn’t empower the message, no one will be saved, John 6:44.
The messagemust be empoweredor no one will be saved.
Ø When God’s people plug in to prayer and a passionfor others, we can
count on His empowering His message to the salvationof souls.
Conc:We have many advantages overthe early church, but they put us to
shame in their accomplishments. Why? They stuck to the basics and God
blessedthem, working through them in a demonstration of divine power. That
same power is available to us today. Like the early church, we need to return
to the basics ofChristianity. We need to plug into the power of Prayer, the
powerof Passionand the powerof Proclamation. Doing that will allow us to
shake our world for Jesus!"
The Church's Prayer for Boldness
When ordered to be silent, the apostles make clearthat they "cannothelp
speaking about what [they] have seenand heard" (4:20). How will they
sustain such determination? The church looks in prayer to its sovereignLord
and finds the strength to continue its advances with boldness. In this way
Luke gives further evidence for the truth of a gospelthat is more than a
sectarianJewishmessage.The Apostles'Report(4:23)
The apostles are released, showing for the first time what Luke will contend
consistently:Christianity is both innocent before the state and triumphant
when its enemies seek to use state authority to hinder its advance (5:40; 16:35-
40; 18:14-16;23:28-29;25:25-27;26:32). They report to their own people--
probably not simply the other ten apostles northe whole assembly of more
than five thousand, but their close friends and supporters, perhaps the
original 120 of the pre-Pentecostupper room days (1:13-15;Kistemaker
1990:165).Theyreport all that the chief priests and elders had said,
particularly the threats (4:17-18, 21). (By referring to the Sanhedrin as the
chief priests and elders Luke highlights the Sadduceanloyalists among them.)
The first Christians were realists, and so must we be. These threats, coming as
they did from the highest civil authority, had the force of law. Obedience to
Christ in the midst of a hostile environment will be costly. Will we realistically
face that cost?ThePrayer's Ascription (4:24-28)
The news drives the believers immediately to their knees. In united (compare
1:14; 2:46; 5:12), urgent prayer they raise their voices to God the Father
(either praying in unison, repeating the words of one apostle, or greeting his
prayer with a hearty amen). They address God the Fatheras SovereignLord
(Despotes). Notcommonin Scripture, this divine title emphasizes the complete
ownership God exercisesoverhis servants (Lk 2:29; compare Jude 4; Rev
6:10). It was a common ascriptionin Jewishprayers (see Josephus Jewish
War 7:323)and among the Greeks (see Aelius Aristides Works 37:1;
Xenophon Anabasis 3:2, 13).
With such liturgical language, grounded in the Old Testament(such as Ex
20:11;Ps 146:6), the believers declare the scope ofGod's omnipotence. So they
encourage themselves throughpraise that even the threatening Sanhedrin is
not outside God's sovereigncontrol. Confessing the truth about God's
relationship to our circumstances always brings encouragement, especially
when we are aware of danger and feel out of control.
The prayer turns to an Old Testamenttext, Psalm 2:1, understood as
foretelling the Messiah's suffering and making reference to a united (note the
reverse parallelism: nations . . . peoples . . . kings . . . rulers), rebellious,
conspiring, yet futile hostility againstthe Lord's Anointed One. Via the pesher
method, the believers proceedto make immediate application to Jesus'
suffering at the hands of a king, Herod (Lk 13:31;23:6-12;see Bruce
1990:158);a ruler, Pilate; the Gentiles (the nations); and the people of Israel
(laoi--literally, peoples--probably to maintain correspondencewith the quote's
wording).
This immediately raises a number of issues. Historicallythere is no inaccuracy
in the believers'interpretation, for even though both Herod and Pilate
declaredJesus innocent, they did cooperatewith those who conspired against
Jesus (Lk 23:6-25;Acts 3:13). The psalm is properly understood as messianic,
for it speaks ofa universal reign (Ps 2:8, 10-11;contra Marshall1980:105;
compare the pre-Christian Jewishmessianic interpretation of the psalm,
4QFlor1:18-19/Ps 2:1-2;also compare Psalms of Solomon17:22-23/Ps2:2, 9).
Theologically, Jesus'anointing at a particular time--his baptism (see Acts
10:38)--does not contradictthe fact that he was always Messiah, conceivedby
the Holy Spirit (Lk 1:35); his baptism may be viewedas the time when he
"receivedthe endorsementof the Father and the enduement with the Spirit"
(E. F. Harrison 1986:97). The identification of Israel with the "peoples," in
parallel with a paganking representedby Herod, points out graphically that
by rejecting Jesus, Israelwas forfeiting its position as God's specialpeople;if
the Jews did not repent, God would view them no differently from Gentiles
(see Acts 3:23).
The church's confessionalascriptionclimaxes by celebrating God's
sovereigntyin the active accomplishmentof his plan, as even his enemies do
what his power(literally, hand) has predetermined (see 2:23; Lk 22:22). What
a greatencouragement!The very same group that is threatening these
believers opposedtheir Lord. The persecutors'earliersuccess brought
Christ's death but was really according to God's plan and by his hand. Surely
any suffering these believers--orwe--endure, then, is not outside God's control
and will serve only to advance the purposes of the risen and reigning
Messiah.PrayerforBoldness (4:29-30)
The church asks Godto pay attention to the Sanhedrin's threats (4:17, 21)
without further defining what they expecthim to do about them. The easy
transition from oppositionto Jesus to threats againstthe apostles is possible
because theologicallythere is a close identification of the people of God with
their suffering and risen Lord, not only in continuing his work (1:1) but also
in the pattern of his life (Lk 24:25-27;Acts 14:22;compare 1 Pet2:20-25;
4:13). The great(literally, complete)boldness or candor the believers ask for
is not only the freedom of speechof a Greek citizen versus a slave
(Demosthenes Orations 9.3)but also the courage that stands up to all those
who would limit the right to reveal the truth (Dio ChrysostomDiscourses
32.26-27;Schlier1967:872-73). Peterhas alreadydemonstrated such Spirit-
filled boldness in declaring the whole truth to the Sanhedrin (4:8, 13; compare
28:31;the verb form, 9:27-28;13:46;14:3; 18:26; 19:8; 26:26). With this
request we learn the believers'greatconcernis not for their own safetybut
for the mission's advance.
In the Greek, verse 30 is not a request (contra NIV; E. F. Harrison 1986:97)
but a confident assumption of what will accompanythe enablement to speak
the word boldly ("while you stretchout your hand"). The believers
understand the corroborative weightthat the healings, signs and wonders
have for their preaching of the gospel. The recentexperience with the crippled
beggarhas taught them both the impact and the limits of a miraculous sign
through the name of your holy servant Jesus (3:6-7, 16; 4:10, 14; see
comments at 3:7-8).
When we realize that this statementis not a request but an assumption of
what God can do, we are freed from both the presumption and subsequent
anxiety which come with demanding the miraculous from God.The Answer:
Spirit-Filled Witness (4:31)
In answerto their prayer and in fulfillment of his promise (Lk 11:13), the
place is shaken, and all--not just the apostles--arefilled with the Holy Spirit
(2:4; 4:8, see comment). They speak (literally, were speaking--continuous
actionat intervals) the word of God (God's greatgoodnews of salvation;
11:19;13:46; 14:25)with boldness. The messengersare unstoppable. The
mission continues with divine momentum. As Chrysostomobservedabout the
place being shaken:"and that made them the more unshaken" (Homily on the
Acts of the Apostles 11). https://www.biblegateway.com/
When People Pray
Bible in a Year:
Isaiah30-31;Philippians 4
When they had prayed, the place where they were assembledtogetherwas
shaken. —
Acts 4:31
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Today's Scripture:
Acts 4:23-31
Peterand John were in danger. The religious leaders in Jerusalemopposing
the gospelhad warned them to ceasetheir missionary efforts (Acts 4:18).
When the apostles reportedthis to the other believers, they immediately held
a prayer meeting.
What happened next is thrilling. The believers first praised God. Then they
askedfor boldness that they might continue the work. The results were
dramatic. The house shook, and the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit.
They boldly witnessed, enjoyedspiritual unity, and gave unselfishly to those in
need (vv.31-37).
I’ve never felt a building shake ata prayer meeting, but I have seenGod’s
powerat work. When I’ve tried to help repair a broken marriage or a divided
church, I’ve askedthose involved to pray. Sometimes they refused. Other
times, though, they mumbled carefully worded prayers. Those meetings failed.
But occasionallysomeonewouldpray in earnest. Almost immediately the
atmosphere would change. Confessionandforgiveness soonreplacedcharges
and countercharges.
When we pray sincerely, praising God and seeking His glory, greatthings
happen. Prayermust always come from the heart.
By Herbert Vander Lugt
A Prayer That Brought the Holy Spirit Down
Resource by John Piper
Scripture: Acts 4:23–31 Topic:Prayer
When they were releasedthey 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 togetherto God and said, "SovereignLord, who didst make
the heavenand the earth and the sea and everything in them, who by the
mouth of our father David, thy servant, didst say by the Holy Spirit, 'Why did
the Gentiles rage, and the peoples imagine vain things? The kings of the earth
setthemselves in array, and the rulers were gatheredtogether, againstthe
Lord and againsthis Anointed'—for truly in this city there were gathered
togetheragainstthy holy servant Jesus, whomthou didst anoint, both Herod
and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever
thy hand and thy plan had predestined to take place. And now, Lord, look
upon their threats, and grant to thy servants to speak thy word with all
boldness, while thou stretchestout thy hand to heal, and signs and wonders
are performed through the name of thy holy servant Jesus."And when they
had prayed, the place in which they were gathered togetherwas shaken;and
they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with
boldness.
Five ReasonsThis Prayer Is Relevantfor Us
This prayer is relevant for us today in Minneapolis for five reasons.
It is relevant because ofthe answerthat came.
It is relevant because ofwho is praying.
It is relevant because ofthe occasionwhenit was prayed.
It is relevant because ofwhom it was prayed to.
It is relevant because ofwhat was asked.
1. The Answer That Came
It is relevant because ofthe answerthat came.
Verse 31: "And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered
togetherwas shaken;and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke
the word of God with boldness."
Parallels with Pentecost
Notice the parallels here with what happened at Pentecost. Here they had just
prayed. There (Acts 1:14) they had been praying. Here it says, "And they
were all filled with the Holy Spirit." In Acts 2:4 it says, "And they were all
filled with the Holy Spirit." (Exactly the same verb.) Here God shakes the
building to demonstrate his power. There in Acts 2:2 a sound came from
heaven like the rush of a mighty wind. Here they speak the Word of God with
boldness. There they began to speak in other tongues the greatthings of God
(Acts 2:4, 11).
In other words, Pentecostwas the first greatoutpouring of the Spirit on the
church. And here is another one. In both God gives physical demonstrations
of his power. In both he gives the fullness of the Holy Spirit. In both he
releasesopenand courageous speaking. Whateverelse Pentecostis, it is not
unique as an outpouring of the Spirit to empowerthe church for witness. The
blessing of Pentecostwouldhappen in different ways and different measures
through Acts and through the rest of church history.
Exactly What We DesperatelyNeed
This prayer is relevant today because ofthe answerthat came. This
outpouring of the Spirit is exactly what is desperatelyneeded in the church in
America because ofthe challenges thatface us. This is true even in the best of
churches—notice thatthe people on whom this blessing came were not
disobedient or faithless. Some of them—Peter and John—hadjust been
spectacularlyobedient. In factverse 8 saidthat Peterhad been filled with the
Holy Spirit when he stoodup to speak in the courtroom. Now he and the other
praying saints are filled againin this extraordinary way. Even if you love
many things about Bethlehem and think that God's blessing is on us—as I
do—this is what we need. Not because our church is so bad but because the
need and the hardness of the world is so great.
2. Who Is Praying
This prayer is relevant because ofwho is praying.
Verse 23: "When they [Peterand John] were released, they went to their
friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them.
And when they had heard it they lifted their voices togetherto God and said . .
. "
Luke does not saythey went to "the other apostles."He says they went to
"their friends," literally: "their own." The word is used like this one other
time in Acts, namely, in Acts 24:23 where it says that Felix commanded that
none of Paul's friends [i.e., his own] should be prevented from attending to his
needs. It is the same word used in John 1:11—"Jesuscame to his own and his
own receivedhim not." It simply means family, friends, close associates,
neighbors, etc.
Therefore this prayer is relevant to us because it is prayed not by someone
with specialrights and privileges, but by Christians. It is the church gathered,
not just the apostles, thatpray for God to give boldness and to heal and to do
signs and wonders. These were not the prerogatives of the apostles, as we have
already seenlastspring when we lookedatStephen in Acts 6:8 and Philip in
Acts 8:6 both of whom God used to do signs and wonders even though they
were deacons and evangelists andnot apostles (6:5; cf. also Galatians 3:5; 1
Corinthians 12:9–10). So the prayer is relevant because ofwho prayed it—
people like you and me.
3. When It Was Prayed
This prayer is relevant because ofthe occasionwhen it was prayed.
Following the Threats of the Religious Leaders
Peterand John had just been releasedfrom custody. Verse 23 says they told
the other believers specificallywhat the chief priests and elders had said.
Verse 29 clues us in on what this was. The believers pray, "Now, Lord, look
upon their threats." In other words, Peterand John had told them about the
threats mentioned in verses 18 and 21. In verse 18 the priests and elders
demanded that Peterand John "not speak orteachat all in the name of
Jesus." In verse 21 they threaten them further.
So the occasionfor this prayer is very dangerous threats againstthe preaching
of God's Word in the name of Jesus. There were extraordinary obstacles in
the wayof the spread of Jesus'name. This is why the church is so urgent in its
prayer. They do not assume that they can keepon and advance in effective
ministry without a fresh baptism of the Spirit. Fearcould paralyze them at
any moment. One look into their children's face and they want to run away
where it is comfortable and safe and not risk speaking for Christ in public
anymore.
The Obstacles andDangers We Face
So this prayer is relevant for us because ofits occasion. We face tremendous
obstacles too. Persecutionof Christians is a wayof life in many countries of
the world. In America persecutionis increasing and freedoms are narrowing,
as the secularrelativists feel more and more threatened by our messagethat
there is one way to God and one set of commandments valid for all.
But even short of persecution, the obstacles we face making Christ known are
great—withthe anonymity of neighborhoods createdby mobility; the
entertainment industry that keeps people saturatedwith the world and numb
to spiritual things; a thoroughly God-ignoring culture; a medical technology
so advanced and so available that people seldom think of resorting to God for
help; and on top of all this the relative weaknessofthe church very enmeshed
in the values of the world they are supposedto confront with a radically
different Christ.
If the early Christians, with their first-hand experience of the risen Christ and
their immediate accessto apostles and eye-witnesses, neededto seek a fresh
outpouring of the Holy Spirit to carry on in their situation, how much more
we.
4. To Whom It Was Prayed
This prayer is relevant because ofwhom it was prayed to.
Declaring Who GodIs
It is remarkable that these Christians take five verses to tell God who he is,
and two verses to ask what they want from him. Now God does not need to be
told who he is. But Christians need to know who he is—and preciselyin their
prayers they need to know and confess that he is the kind of God who canand
will answertheir prayers. In essencewhatthey are doing in verses 24–28is
hallowing God's name before they pray, "Thy kingdom come."
They identify God in two ways. First, they say he is the Creatorof all things.
Verse 24: "SovereignLord, who didst make the heaven and the earth and the
sea and everything in them . . . " So they appealto him as the Creatorof all.
They know that if God createdeverything in earth, sea, and heaven, then
these elders and priests are his property and he can do with them as he
pleases.
Second, they say that God is the one who is ruler of all, even the deeds of evil
men. He puts to naught the rage of the Gentiles and empties the plans of his
adversaries. Theysaythis by quoting Psalm 2 in verses 25–26, andthen by
showing that the psalm was fulfilled in the way God was in control when evil
men killed Jesus. Verses 27–28:"Fortruly in this city there were gathered
togetheragainstthy holy servant Jesus, whomthou didst anoint, both Herod
and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel[that's the
conspiracyof the nations mentioned in Psalm 2], to do whatever thy hand and
thy plan had predestined to take place [that's how God turned their rage into
a vain thing, then accomplishedhis saving purpose]."
In other words, just like the psalm says, "Why do the Gentiles rage and the
peoples imagine a vain thing?" (v. 25). Their rage comes to naught and their
imagination is empty, because Godrules even over the sinful deeds of men
and causes themto backfire—Jesusis risen and the stone which the builders
rejectedhas become the head of the corner. All their rage and all their
imagination has turned back on their own head.
The Importance of Doctrine and Theology
Now remember all this is a prayer! All this is prelude to asking for the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Here is what this makes this relevant for our
praying today. Many would tell us that doctrine and theologyare not
important if you can have the powerof the Holy Spirit. But these early
Christians knew better. For them the doctrine of creation, the doctrine of
inspired Scripture (v. 25), the doctrine of God's sovereigntyeven over the
voluntary acts of sinful people, a knowledge ofOld Testamentprophecy—
these things were essential. The Spirit of God is the Spirit of truth. He is not
indifferent to bad doctrine in the mind when he comes to fill the heart. If we
want his fullness, we will do well to fill our minds with the truth he has
revealedabout God in Scripture. Then we will pray more like the early
Christians.
5. What Was Asked
This prayer is relevant because ofwhat was asked.
Reasoning andRequesting
In verse 29 they arrive at their request: "Now, Lord, look upon their threats."
That's their first request. It means: "Take note, Lord, what is at stake in their
threats. They have commanded us not to speak ofyour Son's name any more.
That is what is at stake here. So rouse yourself, because nothing is of greater
interest to you than the honor of your Son. Rise up. Take note. Look on their
threats."
That is a kind of argument in the court of heaven. Here is why you should
help us: their threats are againstyour Son's reputation. Here is what we need
so that we do not cave in to their threats.
Verse 29b–30:"Grant to thy servants to speak thy word with all boldness,
while thou stretchestout thy hand to heal, and signs and wonders are
performed through the name of thy holy servant Jesus."
They ask for three things: that God would give them boldness; that he would
stretch out his hand to heal people; and that he would cause signs and
wonders to happen—all this through the name of Jesus. In other words their
desire is to be empoweredin such a way that the name of Jesus will be
vindicated.
How We Should Seek the Powerof the Spirit
This is relevant for us because it shows us how we should be seeking the power
of God's Spirit. We should be praying for it like they were—andremember
Jesus says not to lose heart, but to keepseeking and knocking and asking the
Father for the Holy Spirit (Luke 11). And that means praying not only in
generalways for the outpouring of God's Spirit but in specific ways:for the
gift of bold proclamation, for his hand to be stretchedout to heal, and his
Son's name to be honored and vindicated through signs and wonders.
Preaching is primary because the gospelis the power of God unto salvation.
But signs and wonders are helpful witnesses to the Word of grace (Acts 14:3;
Hebrews 2:4).
It is a very relevant prayer. Not for an introspective people who are merely
interestedin unusual experiences, but for a people who long for the salvation
of sinners and the magnifying of God's glory and the public vindication of
Jesus'name. If that is what we want, then this is the way to pray.
Are Signs and Wonders for Today?
Resource by John Piper
Scripture: Acts 4:29–31 Topic:Kingdom of God
"And now, Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to thy servants to speak
thy word with all boldness, while thou stretchestout thy hand to heal, and
signs and wonders are performed through the name of thy holy servant
Jesus." And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered
togetherwas shaken;and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke
the word of God with boldness.
Do you think that we should pray like that today? I mean the way they prayed
in verses 29–30:"Grant to thy servants to speak thy words with all boldness,
while thou stretchestout thy hand to heal, and signs and wonders are
performed through the name of thy holy servant Jesus." Shouldwe pray for
boldness of witness and signs and wonders like healing? Or should we pray
only for boldness of witness? Were the signs and wonders speciallydesigned
by God to confirm the authority of the apostles so that after the apostles have
done their work in providing the church with the foundation of revelationin
the New Testamentthe signs and wonders cease?
Heart-Wrenching Uncertainty
I confess thatas far as I can remember there has been no question in all my
preaching ministry that has causedme more heart-wrenching uncertainty. I
sit at my desk with my head in my hands and plead with the Lord, on the one
hand, "Oh, Lord, if there is a wind of true, biblical, spiritual power blowing in
our day with signs and wonders and healing and prophecy, forbid that I
should stand in the way! Don't pass Bethlehem by. Make me the leader you
want me to be for the greatestblessing ofthis church, and the greatest
missionary effectiveness."But then, on the other hand I pray, "Oh, Lord,
forbid that we should lose our biblical bearings;forbid that we become trendy
or faddish and begin to substitute the sand of experience for the rock of
revealedtruth. Show us the fullness of the powerof the gospel, Lord, and keep
us from preoccupationwith secondarythings, no matter how spectacular."
Here are two stacks ofbooks by evangelicalpastors andteachers. One stack
argues that signs and wonders (like healings) were designedby God to help
people recognize and believe in the Son of God and then to vindicate the
authority of his apostles as they laid the foundation for the church with their
inspired teachings and writings. After the apostles died and their writings
were gatheredin the New Testament, the place of signs and wonders was past,
and we should not seek them today. The other stack of books argues that signs
and wonders should be soughtand performed today in Jesus'name. The
reasonwe don't see so many is because of how little expectancythere is in the
church. But God is at work doing a new thing in our day awakening the
church to the reality of these things.
I read these two stacks ofbooks. Icomb the Scriptures. I pray. And I wind up
againand againsomewhere in the middle with a lot of uncertainty. So the best
I can do for you this morning is to show you some of what I see that pulls me
in both these different directions. Then perhaps as we study and pray
together, the Lord will give us more light.
1. Signs and Wonders Limited to the Apostolic Age
Let me begin with the view that says signs and wonders are limited to the age
of the apostles. This doesn'tmean miracles don't happen. It just means they
are not the typical or normal way ministry is to be done. The healing ministry
of Jesus and the apostles was unique. Signs and wonders were not done by
Christians in general, but were the signs of the apostles, andwhen the apostles
died out, the signs died out.
I'll mention five pieces of evidence for this view.
1.1. The SpecialMinistry of the Apostles in Acts
In the book of Acts it looks like Luke, the author, means for us to see signs
and wonders not as the common occurrence among Christians in generalbut
as the specialministry of the apostolic group.
First of all, Luke reminds us that signs and wonders were important in the
ministry of Jesus. Acts 2:22, "Jesus ofNazareth, a man attestedto you by God
with mighty works and wonders and signs which God did through him."
Then, Luke shows us the importance of signs and wonders in the ministry of
the apostles.
Acts 2:43, "Fearcame upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were
done through the apostles [notthrough the Christians in general]."
Acts 5:12, "Now many signs and wonders were done among the people by the
hands of the apostles [not by the hands of all the Christians]."
Acts 14:3, "So they [Paul and Barnabas]remained for a long time, speaking
boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs
and wonders to be done by their hands."
Acts 15:12, "And all the assemblykept silence;and they listened to Barnabas
and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them
among the Gentiles [as though this were something remarkable, not
something being done daily by average Christians]."
So it looks like Luke intends for us to see signs and wonders in the book of
Acts as having a specialrole in the ministry of the apostles. This suggests that
neither then nor today were signs and wonders intended to be a normal part
of church ministry or evangelism. They were intended to vindicate the
authority of the apostles once for all.
1.2. 2 Corinthians 12:12
The secondpiece of evidence is 2 Corinthians 12:12. Paul is writing to defend
his apostleshipat Corinth againstthe claim that some other men were the true
or greaterapostles. He says, "The signs of an apostle were performed among
you in all patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works."
Paul insists that he has given sufficient evidence of his authenticity as an
apostle—he had workedthe signs of an apostle in the midst of hardship. And
"signs and wonders" were part of what Paul did when he performed the signs
of an apostle. So againit looks like signs and wonders have a specialrole to
play in authenticating apostles (cf. Romans 15:19). That would imply that
when the apostles had finished their founding work and died, signs and
wonders would ceaseas a part of gospelministry.
1.3. Hebrews 2:4
Hebrews 2:4 looks back onthe time when the apostles brought the gospelto
this people and says, "It was declaredat first by the Lord, and it was attested
to us by those who heard him [i.e., apostles], while God also bore witness by
signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit
distributed according to his own will." It looks like the miracles were not an
every day occurrence in the church but something the church lookedback on
at a very specialtime when the eyewitness'of the Lord first brought the
gospel.
1.4. The Uniqueness of Jesus'Ministry
Fourthly, this view points out that the ministry of Jesus was unique in some
ways;and so you can't jump to the conclusionthat just because he sent his
disciples out to heal during his lifetime, he means for us to do ministry just
that way when he is gone. For example, in Matthew 10:7–8 Jesus does say to
the twelve, "Preachas you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'
Heal the sick . . . " (cf. Luke 9:2). So, yes, there is a command for his disciples
to heal the sick as part of their ministry.
But two verses earlierhe says, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no
town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lostsheep of the house of Israel."
Everybody agrees thatthis command is temporary. For a short time there was
a limit to the Jewishpeople during Jesus'ministry. But after the resurrection
Jesus commands us to go to all the nations. So you can't just assume that
everything Jesus commandedduring his lifetime he means to be continued as
a ministry priority after his resurrection(cf. Luke 22:35–36).There was
something unique about the time of the incarnation and the unusual upsurge
of signs and wonders was part of that uniqueness.
1.5. No Parallelin Church History
One final argument from church history is that there has never been anyone
that we know of that regularly healedpeople the wayJesus and the apostles
did—instantly, completely, and the hardest cases.Mosthealing since the days
of the apostles deals in the easiercases, fails often, and does not happen
instantly. This does not mean it is unreal, only that it is of a different order
than the signs and wonders of Jesus and the apostles.
So for reasons like these, one group of evangelicalssays thatsigns and
wonders ceasedas a normative part of the ministry when the apostles finished
their work. We should not pursue them today.
2. Signs and Wonders To Be Pursued Today
The other view says that we should see more signs and wonders today than we
do. They are given both for the blessing of the church and for the spread of
the gospel. Here are some of the reasons this view demands serious
consideration.
2.1. Continuity BetweenJesus'Ministry and the Church's
Jesus does seemto teach a continuity betweenhis own ministry and the
ongoing ministry of the church. "As the Fatherhas sent me so send I you"
(John 20:21). Luke says in Luke 9:2 that when Jesus sentout the twelve, "He
sent them out to preachthe kingdom of God and to heal." And in Luke 10:9
when he sentout the 70, he commanded them, "Wheneveryou enter a town . .
. heal the sick in it and sayto them, 'The kingdom of God has come near
you.'" So the preaching of the kingdom seems to be very closelylinked with
the ministry of healing.
Then in Matthew 24:14 he says, "This gospelof the kingdom will be preached
throughout the whole world, as a testimony to all the nations; then the end
will come." In other words, the same gospelof the kingdom that Jesus
preachedis to be preacheduntil all the nations have heard it. And it would
seemnatural that we should spreadthat kingdom pretty much the way Jesus
did exceptin those points which he tells us to change or in which some other
part of the New Testamenttells us to change. So, for example, we do stop
limiting the ministry to Jews, because he said to stop, but we don't stop
healing, because he didn't say to stop.
In fact in John 14:12 he said, "Truly I say to you, he who believes in me will
also do the works that I do." Whatever this means in detail, it surely seems to
suggestcontinuity betweenthe signs and wonders of Jesus and the ministry of
those who believe (not just apostles). So the first piece of evidence is that Jesus
seems to teacha continuity betweenhis ministry and the ministry of the
church. He does not say, "Make healing part of the ministry while I am here,
but not after I am gone."
2.2. Signs and Wonders Done in Acts by Non-Apostles
The secondpiece of evidence is the factthat in the book of Acts it is not just
the apostles who do signs and wonders. Two "deacons"—twoofthe seven
chosenin Acts 6, Stephen and Philip (Acts 6:5)—also do signs and wonders as
part of their ministry.
In Acts 6:8 Luke says, "Stephen, full of grace and power, did greatwonders
and signs among the people." And in Acts 8:6 it says, "And the multitudes
with one accordgave heedto what was saidby Philip, when they heard him
and saw the signs which he did." What makes Philip's ministry to the
Samaritans so interesting is that later the apostles came down and laid hands
on the Samaritans. This means that Philip was not acting somehow in the
place of an apostle when he did signs and wonders. He simply had sign-
working power in his evangelistic ministry.
2.3. Galatians 3:5
The third piece of evidence is found in Galatians 3:5. Paul writes to the
churches of Galatia and says, "Doeshe who supplies the Spirit to you and
works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with
faith?" The point is that God is now supplying his Spirit to the Galatians (not
to the apostles)and working miracles among them when he is not there. So the
working of miracles does not seemto be limited to the ministry of the apostles
in the early church.
2.4. Gifts of Healing and Miracles
Finally, the fourth piece of evidence is that in 1 Corinthians 12 Paul teaches
that in the church there were gifts of healing and miracles for various
believers not just for the apostles. He says in verses 7–10,"To eachis given the
manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. . . to one is given through
the Spirit the utterance of wisdom . . . to another gifts of healing, to another
workings of miracles." Thenin verse 28 he distinguishes this from the
apostolate whenhe says, "Godhas appointed in the church first apostles,
secondprophets, third teachers, thenmiracles, then gifts of healings . . . " So it
seems pretty clearthat there were gifts of healings and miracles that were not
limited to the apostles.
So for reasons like these, a secondgroup of evangelicalsbelieves thatsigns
and wonders were not limited to the apostles orto that age, but are available
for today and should be soughtfor the goodof the church and the spread of
the gospel.
What Shall We Say to These Two Views?
So what shall we say to these two views? Virtually all the great pastors and
teachers ofhistory that I admire and that have fed me over the years belong to
the first group who believe that signs and wonders were only for the apostolic
age (John Calvin, Martin Luther, John Owen, Jonathan Edwards, George
Whitefield, Charles Spurgeon, Benjamin Warfield, my own father). But I am
not fully persuadedby their case. Onthe other hand, there does seemto be
something unique about the way God did signs and wonders in the ministries
of Jesus and the apostles.
So what I think I cansay for our guidance is this.
On the one hand, we ought to honor the uniqueness of Jesus and the apostles
and of that revelatorymoment in history that gave us the foundational
doctrines of faith and life in the New Testament.
On the other hand we ought to be open to the realpossibility that this too
might be a unique moment in history, and in this moment it may well be
God's purpose to pour out his Spirit in unprecedented revival—revival of love
to Christ and zealfor worship and compassionforlost people and a
missionary thrust with signs and wonders.
I want to have my keeldeep and stable in the once-for-allbiblical revelation of
God, and I want to have my sails unfurled to every movement of God's Spirit
upon the deeps."
Christian Courage Acts 4:23-31
This entry was postedin Acts (Rayburn) on November1, 2015 by Rev. Dr.
Robert S. Rayburn.
Acts 4:23-31
It is Reformation Dayand for two reasons I have decided to continue our
sermons in Acts rather than preacha sermon apropos that greattheological
and spiritual renewalof the 16th century, the event that created, however
unintentionally, the ProtestantChurch of which, of course, Faith Presbyterian
is a part.
First, preaching in the Reformationbecame in a many places, including
Wittenberg and Geneva, the consecutive expositionof books ofthe Bible, just
what we are doing with Acts these Sundays. The reformers realizedthat the
people as a rule did not know the Bible and neededa thorough and in-depth
introduction to its teaching. Calvin, for example, preachedthrough much of
the Bible during his years in Geneva. So by continuing with the next
paragraph of Acts I am honoring the tradition of Reformationpreaching.
Second, the particular paragraphbefore us highlights the courage ofthe
apostles and early Christians in the face of official persecution. In this it might
just as well have been describing the Reformers who, literally, took their lives
in their hands to stand up for the reformation of the church, its faith, and its
worship. The Reformation was a movement of heroes as was the
establishment of the Church in its earliestdays.
Text Comment
v.24 What was the reactionof the apostles to the threats of the Sanhedrin?
Well they gatheredthe Christians togetherand they prayed. They addressed
themselves to one who had far greaterauthority and powerthan the
Sanhedrin. As the Puritan John Flavel put it, “He who is used to being before
a greatGod will not be afraid to look such little things as men in the face.”
[Works, vol. VI, 65]Notice once again, as before in chapter one, that they
prayed together, a point that Luke is ringing the changes on.
v.26 The citation from Psalm2 reminded them that the Scripture had long
before foretold the world’s opposition to Christ, the Lord’s anointed;
“anointed one,” as you remember is the meaning of “Christ.” Government
officials and religious leaders, both Gentiles and Jews had conspiredto kill
him. But in that opposition, unbeknownstto them, they were in fact
accomplishing God’s will, for Jesus came into the world to suffer and die for
the sins of his people. The prayers of God’s people have always been shaped
by the teaching, even the wording of the Bible.
v.30 Just as God had vindicated Jesus and frustrated the oppositionof so
many to him by raising him from the dead, so they askedthat he would
continue to frustrate their antagonism, now directed not at him, because he
was in heaven, but at Jesus’followers.
Take note. They weren’t asking that their enemies be punished or even
removed. They simply didn’t want to be undone by their opposition. They
were asking God to enable them to continue spreading the word with
boldness. The authorities could threaten, but as they themselves admitted in
the previous paragraph, the miracle had put them in an impossible position.
The people were ecstatic and would neither understand nor appreciate any
government attack on men who could work miracles, especiallysuchhappy
miracles!
v.31 In those heady days of signs and wonders, extraordinary precisely
because so contraryto the normal experience of people, they were granted still
another visible and audible demonstration of the Holy Spirit’s presence with
them and, encouragedandemboldened, their preaching went on as before. As
Chrysostom, the great early Christian preacherput it, the shaking of the
room made them the more unshaken! [Homilies on Acts, XI, 73] Once again
we see that the attacks ofthe world lead to the strengthening of the church, a
fact that will prove to be a theme in Acts. [Peterson, 198]
Peterand John had been arrested, kept in jail overnight, hauled before the
authorities and questioned, ordered not to preachin the name of Jesus, and
threatened with further reprisals should they do so. Their response is more
than an interesting bit of early Christian history. Like everything else in
Luke’s narrative, this is a picture of the Christian life and of Christian witness
as they ought to be.
We have alreadyread of the authorities having takennotice of the “boldness”
of these men. Galileanfishermen not university or divinity schoolgraduates,
their public speaking was taking the city of Jerusalemby storm. They had a
greatstory to tell, a messageto deliver, and they were fearless. Nothing in
their lives to this point had prepared them for public speaking – something
that makes evenwell educatedpeople nervous and insecure – but they were
captivating huge crowds of people, holding them spellbound by what they had
to say and the way they said it.. Here was Peter, who had coweredand
betrayed the Lord before a servant girl the night of the Lord’s arrest,
commanding the attention of multitudes and declaring the triumph of Jesus
Christ oversin and death fully aware that the authorities were going to hate
him for doing so.
As I said, this boldness and courage willprove to be an important part of
Luke’s profile of a Christian in the book of Acts. In fact, the book will end on
this same note. Chapter 28 ends with this:
“[Paul] lived there [i.e. under house arrest in Rome] two whole years at his
own expense, and welcomedall who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of
God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness…”
Courage, boldness, anda refusal to be cowedby the active opposition or even
the indifference of the world is throughout the Bible a prominent feature of
Christian character. We are commanded to be this way repeatedly in the
Bible.
“Be strong and courageous…”the Lord told Joshua. [1:6-9]
“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will
strengthen you and help you…” So said the Lord to his people through Isaiah
the prophet. [41:10]
And it is the same in the New Testament. Paultells the Christians in Corinth:
“…standfirm in the faith, be men of courage (literally, “play the man”) and
be strong.” [1 Cor. 16:13]
And, againtypical of the Bible, the same point is made negatively, as is often
the case in the Bible’s moral teaching. We read in Rev. 21:8 that the cowardly
will be among those punished in the final judgment, along with the
unbelieving, the sexually immoral, liars, and so on.
And, as we would expect, throughout Holy Scripture we are provided with
example after example of such courage and boldness:David before Goliath,
Elijah before Ahab, and the apostles here in Acts 4. We are also, of course,
given examples of cowardice so thatwe do not fail to see it for what it is.
Think of Israelat Kadesh Barnea refusing to enter the PromisedLand for
fear of its inhabitants, or Peteron the night of the Lord’s arrest, or John
Mark on Paul’s first missionary journey. Even faithful men can sometimes
play the coward!
And because the Bible describes life and Christian life as it is, we are not
surprised to find the landscape of church history ever since littered with both
the brave and the cowardly, the bold and the fearful. The martyrs, for their
courageousloyalty to the Lord and his kingdom, are the quintessential
Christians, the representative followers ofJesus Christ in the book of
Revelationand there have been a greatmany of them in the centuries since.
Indeed, it’s now thought that probably many more Christians have been
murdered for their loyalty to Christ over the last century than in any previous
century of human history. But in many lesserways Christians have boldly and
courageouslyborn witness to Jesus in the face of greatdangeror opposition.
This is ReformationSunday so let’s take examples from that period. You
know the name John Hus, the pre-reformer, who was executedfor what was
essentiallythe same teaching as Martin Luther’s but a century earlier, in the
year 1514. This pastJune we saw the greatmonument to Hus in the main
square of Prague. Thoughnot for the best reasons, he is still a hero to the
Czechs. We also walkedthrough the church where he preachedand from
which he begana movement that would lead eventually to the Reformation.
Luther read Hus and began repeating some of the things Hus had said about
the gospeland the teaching of the Bible and so Luther’s Catholic adversaries
attempted to gethim to incriminate himself as a heretic by forcing him to
admit that he agreedwith the man who had earlier been executedas a heretic.
Finally Luther realized that this was preciselythe issue. Hus had been right
and the Church had been wrong, and had committed a grave sin in executing
a faithful minister of Christ preciselyfor being a faithful minister of the
gospel. He bravely and publicly embraced Hus as a true teacherof the faith.
In a formal debate with the German scholarJohn Eck at the University of
Leipzig in July 1519, Eck hadsaid,
“I see that you are following the damned and pestiferous errors of…John
Hus…”
To be identified with a heretic in those days was a serious charge, one that
could get you killed. Luther replied, “Among the articles of John Hus, I find
many which are plainly Christian and evangelical, whichthe universal
Church cannot condemn.” After the debate Eck describedLuther as “the
SaxonHus.” Luther would later write that he now agreedwith Hus more then
than he had realized at the debate at Leipzig. By 1521 he was willing to say
“We are all Hussites without knowing it.” To saythat in 1521 was to ally
oneselfwith someone the church had executedfor heresy; it was asking for
trouble and, of course, trouble found Luther in spades.
Now both Hus and Luther were brave men, willing to risk reputation and life
itself for what they came to see was the plain teaching of the Bible about
Christ and salvation. But there were many others who sided with these men
who riskedmuch by doing so. When John Hus was being led out of the
Council of Constance that had just condemned him to death, a Czech
nobleman, John of Chlum, publicly held out his hand to Hus to signify his
loyalty to him. In other words he let everyone in that assembly the hall know
that he stoodwith the man they had just condemned to death, a dangerous
thing to do. Just a few weeks agothe lawyerof a civil rights advocate in Iran
was reportedly arrestedfor shaking the hand of his client while meeting her in
prison! [WSJ Oct. 30, 2015, op ed page]Do you realize that without the
courage ofsuch men, without their boldness, humanly speaking the Christian
church would not have survived in the world! But with it, with such courage,
such self-forgetfulthrowing cautionto the wind, it has overspreadthe world. I
remember Adlai Stevenson, the American politician and twice presidential
candidate, remarking, after returning home from a trip to WestAfrica many
years ago, that having seen a number of cemeteries onhis visit he had learned
for the first time how many missionaries, especiallyfrom England, had given
their lives to bring the gospelof Christ to people who had never heard of the
Lord or his death or resurrection. They knew very wellthe likelihood of dying
violently or from one of Africa’s fevers, and they knew that many who had
precededthem to WestAfrica had die. Nevertheless theyfilled ship after ship
after ship, making their way to African folk who needed to hear about Christ.
And Multitudes of them died, as they knew they would.
But, alas, Christians have not always coveredthemselves with such glory. Two
greatcontroversies in the history of the early church – the Novation and the
Donatistcontroversies – were spawnedby disagreements among ministers and
churches over what to do with Christians who had betrayed the faith under
threat of punishment but who, afterward, were sorry and wanted to be
readmitted to the church. Some were willing to forgive them – surely they
were right – but many others were not.
And in the era of the Reformationit was the same. A century after Luther the
Reformationwas still uncertain of success inScotland. The advocates ofthe
Reformation– the ScottishCovenanters – were being threatened with every
sort of punishment, including cruel forms of death, by the Scottish
government, by the church which was alignedwith the government. One of
the fascinating documents of the period is the diary of the Scottishnobleman,
Alexander Brodie, who wanted to side with the Reformationmen, but feared
the consequences. One does not usually read such frank admissions of
cowardice as are found in Brodie’s diary.
“Jan. 20, 1662. Myperplexity continues as to whether I shall move now or not,
stay or return, hold by Lauderdale [the Reformation man], or make use of the
bishop [that is, submit to the government]. I desired to reflecton giving titles,
speaking fair, and complying. [In other words, he knew very well that he was
playing the coward, saying things he didn’t mean to avoid trouble.] I went to
Sir George Mushet’s funeral, where I was lookedat…like a speckledbird.
[That is, his former friends were realizing he wasn’t willing to stand up for
them or for the truth.] Oct. 16. Did see the bishop, and in my discourse with
him did go far in fair words and the like. [He knows he’s a cowardand he
knows he’s saying what they want to hear simply to avoid trouble for himself.]
Oct. 31 James Urquhart was with me. Oh that I could attain to his
steadfastness andfirmness! But, alas!I am soonovercome;I soonyield to the
leastdifficulty. [Amazing! The man is admitting to himself that he’s a coward;
that he admires courage in others but lacks it in himself.] Oct. 26 Duncan
Cuming was here, and I desired him to tell the honest men in the south that
though I did not come up to their length, I hoped they would not stumble [at]
me.” [In other words, tell the prisoners on the Bass and the martyrs of the
Grassmarketin Edinburgh that Lord Brodie is a [Reformation man] at heart,
and ought to be a sufferer with them, but that he loves Brodie Castle and a
whole skin more than he loves Jesus Christ, or the gospel, or the faithful
disciples of the Lord.] Die Dom. I find greataversenessin myself to suffering.
I am afraid to lose life or estate. I hold it a duty not to abandon these honest
ministers that have stuck to the Reformation. And if the Lord would
strengthen me, I would desire to confess the truth like them. [Now his
cowardice is the Lord’s fault!] Shall I [refuse] to hearthat honest minister,
James Urquhart, for a time, seeing the storm that is like to fall on me if I [go
to hear him]? What counselshall I give my son? Shall I expose myself and my
family to dangerat this time? What is my duty? A grain of faith would easily
answerall these questions? [The man was admitting to himself that he was
betraying the Lord by his cowardice andthat his professionof loyalty to
Christ was pure hypocrisy!]
The apostle Peter, JohnHus, Martin Luther, John of Chlum, and Alexander
Brodie found themselves in the same situation as every Christian must
eventually in one wayor another. To be bold for Christ, to identify themselves
with him would costthem something, might very well costthem everything.
Indeed in Peter’s case,and John Hus’ case it eventually costthem their lives.
But how differently Brodie handled himself than did the others. While he
equivocatedin fear, the others turned to the Lord for help and strength and
said and did what honesty, faith, obedience, and loyalty to Jesus Christ
required.
When we read this short paragraphin Acts 4 we may be inclined to think,
“Well, of course they were bold. The Holy Spirit had descendedupon them at
Pentecost, they had been given the ability to speak in languages theyhad
never learned, they wielded miraculous power to heal the sick, and, when they
prayed the building shook!I’d be courageous and bold too, if I had such
advantages.
But actually that is not right. They had many advantages, no doubt. We wish
we had them ourselves, understandably. But we are going to learn very soon
that there were cowards in the church even in those heady early days. And
even the Apostles themselves were not immune to the temptation to protect
themselves from the anger and opposition of others. Peterwill stumble in just
this way as we learn in the first two chapters of the Epistle to the Galatians.
The apostle Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, asksthem to pray for him that
he might be bold and fearless in his preaching of the gospel. The apostle Paul!
Even that titan of a man needed their prayers to steelhimself againstplaying
the coward!
But more than that, throughout the Bible and throughout church history we
see courageous menand women defying dangers of every kind, ignoring
threats, undertaking perils preciselybecause they believed the very same
things these early Christians confessedin their prayer. No miracles for them,
but they knew that God was very great, that he would be faithful to his Word,
that he had given them a high and holy and sacredcalling to point others to
the wayof salvation, the way to find eternal life, and, that safe as they were in
the salvationthey found in Jesus Christ, they were the ones of all people who
were free to risk life and limb for others. Should the Lord allow them to bear
witness by their death, death for them would be triumph itself, immediate
entrance into the presence ofthe Lord. They could take the risk because they
had nothing to lose and everything to gain. That will be Stephen’s state of
mind when we meet the first Christian martyr in chapters 6 and 7.
See the way the Christians workedthrough the problem in their prayer to
God.
When we actas servants of the living God, when we do his will and serve his
cause, no man will be able to harm us unless it is the Lord’s will. And if it is
his will, as it was, for example, when his enemies sentJesus to the cross,
everything will work out to our ultimate goodand the goodof many others.
These people were setting the Lord before them and remembering whose side
they were on!
Then they remembered, what we are often tempted to forget, that the
opposition we encounter as the followers and representatives ofJesus Christ is
only what Scripture teaches us we will face. A known, predictable problem is
easierto face.
More than that, even that opposition, even the most hateful and cruel
opposition, is in some mysterious way the plan and purpose of God. No one
can hurt us without the will of our Father in heaven. And if he has chosento
let us suffer loss or peril or sword, then we can be sure that in this waywe are
making some important contribution to the kingdom of God. Those Egyptian
Christian men who met their deaths so valiantly a few months ago, whom
Islamic State Jihadists beheaded on camera, will, I’m quite sure, be the cause
of a goodnumber of Muslims leaving their faith for Christ and the gospel. It
has always beenso. The blood of the martyrs is the seedof the church.The
opposition we face in this world, either the positive scornor the dismissive
indifference of the enemies of Jesus Christ, either the threat of some temporal
loss or to our very lives, is utterly at God’s command. Those we are inclined to
fear in this world, those whose better opinion of us we are often so desperate
to protect, those before whom we remain silent when we should speak for fear
of what they will think of us or do to us, have no power to do us any real harm
and are at a deeperlevel railing at God who has them and their lives entirely
in his hands. So futile is their rebellion againsthim that even their rebellion
ultimately accomplisheshis will.
Still more, there is something impossibly ennobling in the realizationthat the
hatred of the world is not really for us, but for Christ himself and it falls on us
only because the world cannotexpress its hostility to the Lord in any other
way than by directing it againsthis followers. “Ifthey hated me, they will hate
you,” our Savior told us before he left the world. But he also said, “Behold, I
am with you always, to the end of the age.” It is our glory to suffer for our
Savior’s sake. Indeed, any man or woman with Christian blood in his or her
veins wants in some way to share in the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings. We
will read in the very next chapter that these same early Christians considered
it high honor to “be counted worthy of suffering disgrace forChrist’s
name.”At the same time Lord Brodie was conniving somehow to avoid
suffering for Christ, another layman, John Campbell, Earl of Loudon
(Loudon is where our friends in Newmilns live!) was losing everything for the
cause ofthe Reformation. Samuel Rutherford wrote to him to encourage him:
“You are many ways blessedof God, who have takenupon you to come out to
the streets with Christ on your forehead, when so many are ashamedof him,
and hide him (as it were)under their cloak…”[CXVI, p. 235]
And, then, finally, the Lord is near to hear us when we pray to him for
strength and courage and ready to put his power and presence to work on our
behalf. The disciples knew this and counted on this: they never imagined that
they had to take on the world by themselves or that this was their fight alone!
They believed that God would be true to his promise to give them words to
speak when they were called upon to defend themselves or the faith, to protect
them, and to bless their words and witness to the life and salvationof others.
How many times throughout the Bible do we hear something like this?
“…the Lord Almighty is with us, the God of Jacobis our fortress.” [Psalm
46:5-8]
And through the ages how wonderfully he has come to the aid of those who
desire to honor and serve him. Not necessarilya shaking room in these cases,
but no less the powerful ministry, protection, and aid of the Holy Spirit. From
that same time in Scottishchurch history, when the Reformationwas still very
much in doubt, comes this illustration of that divine faithfulness.
A girl was going into the country to attend a … communion service on a
Sunday afternoon. Such services were, ofcourse, a way for reformation-
minded people to meet togetherin worship and so they were againstthe law;
those found at them or proved to have attended them were punished severely
– jail or worse – and the countryside was being scouredby the king’s troops
looking for just such services in order to arrestthose attending them as a way
of intimidating everybody else in the population. Well, this girl came suddenly
face to face with just such a band of dragoons. She was momentarily
dumbstruck, wondering how to explain her presence out in the country. But
upon being questioned she found herself thinking to say, “My elder brother
has died and they are going to read his will this afternoon, and he has done
something for me and left something to me, and I want to hear them read the
will.” The soldiers who have persecutedthe church of Godthrough the ages
have not, as a rule, been the sharpestknives in the drawer, and this answer
satisfiedthem and they let the girl go on her way.” [In Lloyd-Jones, Spiritual
Depression, 104-105]Whatwas that but the Lord keeping his promise that the
Holy Spirit would speak through his servants by giving them the words to
speak when they were called, as Jesus saidthey would be, “before rulers and
kings, synagoguesand councils.” [Mark 13:11]
What a beautiful thought and what a beautiful thing: to come out to the
streets with Jesus Christ on your forehead. Surely that is what any Christian
wants to do. The Lord Jesus was sometimes afraid;no man was ever as afraid
as he was in prospectof his death on the cross, bearing the sin of the human
race as he was about to do. He knows our fears and he cares forus. Surely he
will help us who want to be bold and brave for his sake!"
Christian Courage
W. E. Knox, D. D.
Acts 4:18-31
And they calledthem, and commanded them not to speak atall nor teachin
the name of Jesus.…
Courage is one of the Bible virtues. It was one of the lastwords of Moses to
Joshua:"Be strong and of goodcourage." Itwas almost the first word of the
Lord on welcoming him to his new office:"Be strong and of goodcourage." It
was the counselgiven the twelve Hebrew explorers. David recalledthe
energising word in his charge to Solomon, and in the Psalms he rings out the
same voice to all the saints: "Be of goodcourage, andHe shall strengthen your
heart, all ye that hope in the Lord." The correspondentword "boldness" is as
often used in the New Testament. It applied to Christ Himself in His
preaching; it was what Paul would have the Church pray for as a gift to him;
and, as we see in this book of Acts, it was one of the distinguishing traits of the
other apostles and the primitive Church. Mark, then, this instance of
Christian courage —
I. AS BELONGING TO PRIVATE AND NON-PROFESSIONALMEN This
was the problem that first exercisedthe Sanhedrin — confidence where they
lookedfor diffidence. They had not been trained in the schools as rhetoricians
who might be expectedto command their speechand self-possessionbefore
the tribunal or a popular assembly. It would have been a severe ordeal to
some men of education and experience. Whence, then, the calmness ofthese
obscure disciples? It was derived from Christ Himself. And so the Sanhedrin
soonperceived. Christ, though no professedrhetorician, spoke with calmness,
with knowledge andwith authority, and these two disciples had takentheir
style from their Master. I have seenplain men, who had been brought up far
from schools, but brought so near to Christ that they could not but speak of
Him, and with such knowledge and calmness that they always gaineda
hearing.
II. AS MAINTAINED IN THE FACE OF WORLDLY ARRAY AND
AUTHORITY. "Whatwill the world sayof us?" is a question many persons
ask with greatsolicitude. Some very strong men (like Napoleon)have been
very weak here. What the world will do to us is still more startling, if it has a
rod in its hands and a will to use it. It seemedas if the whole world was
againstthese two Galileans, andlikely to make quick work with them. The
Shepherd had been smitten; how could the flock fail to be scattered? The
people rather than the rulers were the audience on Pentecost. "Yourrulers"
are spokenof as if absent. But now the greatmen began to be astir. How
amazed was the Sanhedrin when these two plain men, insteadof humbly
begging pardon, calmly stoodon their defence!They went over the gospel
story as unembarrassed as if they were telling it to an audience of friends.
III. AS SUSTAINED BY THE SENSE OF A DIVINE PRESENCE. "Whether
it be right in the sight of God." There being two here to judge us, which shall
have the precedency? The rulers had not been with Jesus, and had not learned
this lesson. If Jesus were attheir side, what though the whole array of the
Sanhedrin confronted them? Preciselythis was what the Saviour had
promised: "Lo, I am with you alway."
IV. AS HAVING THE SUPPORT OF PERTINENT AND PALPABLE
FACTS. When the lame man heard of the apostles'arrest, he went before the
tribunal, ready to give his testimony and share their fate. Standing upright
there on his feet, what could the Sanhedrin say? How else could the apostles
feet at that sight but joyful and thankful that such a miracle of mercy had
been wrought by their hands? This has always been a strong support in the
work for God — the goodresults that have attended it. Paul felt this: "I am
not ashamedof the gospelofChrist," etc.
V. AS ENCOURAGED BY THE COMPANIONSHIP OF CHRISTIAN MEN.
"They went to their own company." In holy joy they lifted up their voices
togetherin the triumphant words of the Old TestamentPsalm:"Why do the
Gentiles rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?" Their prayer went up for
greaterboldness in their Master's cause, andnew wonders of grace as the
fruit of it.
(W. E. Knox, D. D.)
Christian Courage
Monday Club Sermons
Acts 4:18-31
And they calledthem, and commanded them not to speak atall nor teachin
the name of Jesus.…
I. ITS TEST. The apostles did not wish to separate themselves from the
JewishChurch, for it was while .entering the temple that Peter and John
restoredthe lame man. See these men, then, confronted by a positive
command from the nation's highest tribunal to be silent, a tribunal, too, that
had condemned their Master. Nationallove, respectfor law, pride of race,
reverence for institutions hoary with age, strength of socialties, personal
friendships, a shrinking from becoming disturbers of the peace, fearfor
personalsafety— all these conspired to intensify the command "not to speak
at all nor teachin the name of Jesus."Whatnow enables them to oppose the
Sanhedrin's command? Their personallove for Jesus. To be silent is
impossible. Bound to their nation by enduring ties, a strongercord binds them
to Jesus. "We cannotbut speak." And speak they did, with added boldness.
There are currents in the sea which, despite opposing winds and tides, move
on their way unhindered, impelled by a mighty force hidden far in the depths.
Such a force in the hearts of these disciples was love for Christ.
II. ITS MANIFESTATIONS. Menare sometimes calledcourageous when
they are only reckless.The man of real courage willbe bold enough, and calm
enough, to actwisely. In the conduct of the apostles everymark of true
courage is manifest.
1. They show that their course is not prompted by impulse or passion. They
are moved by deep convictions. Theyplant themselves on the highest
conceivable ground, the sense ofright. They have no ambitious ends to seek,
no revenge to gratify, no popular applause to gain. "Thrice armed is he who
bath his quarrel just." When the Empress Eudoxia sent threatening messages
to in Constantinople to desistfrom his pungent reproofs, the golden-tongued
preacherreplied: "Tellthe Empress that Chrysostomfears nothing but sin."
Note, as an evidence of wisdom, how sagaciouslythe apostles appealto this
self-same principle of right in the minds of their accusers. "Judgeye." This
sense that it is right to hearkenmore unto God than unto men, whether
adopted in practicallife or not, must and does commend itself to every man's
conscience. Thosewho adhere to it gain the confidence of all. "What," was
askedby a merchant of a poor boy applying for a situation, "should you say if
I were to tell you to work on Sunday?" "I shouldn't come;for God has said,
'Remember the Sabbath day to keepit holy,' and I shall do as God bus told
me." "Then," saidthe employer, "you are the boy I am looking for."
2. The apostles'courage is seenin the company they keep. "Being letgo, they
went to their own company," etc. How changedthe aspect!In the Sanhedrin
the air was dense with suspicionand malice — here is love, purity, and the
peace ofheaven. Courage is of the right kind when it seeks to sustainitself by
breathing an atmosphere like this.
III. ITS SOURCE (ver. 31). The breath of God's Spirit upon their spirits.
Christ did not send the apostles into trial without providing them with a
poweradequate to every want. Christians should learn to look to the Holy
Spirit to work in them and for them whatevertheir needs require. If courage
is the virtue needed here, then courage will be the product of the Spirit.
Before the Sanhedrin the Spirit makes Peterbold; but afterwards the same
Spirit made him deeply humble. John, originally a "sonof thunder," was by
the Spirit's agencyso transformed as to become a renownedexample of
Christian gentleness.
(Monday Club Sermons.)
"THE PRAYER OF POWER"
Intro: We often hear said, "There is powerin prayer." Yet we are aware that
many of our prayers seempowerless. Whenprayers fail, there is a tendency to
fault God. It is valuable to study powerful prayers.
I. RECOGNITION OF THE ONE THEY WERE PRAYING TO.
A. His power, "Oh Lord, Thou art God, Thou hast..."
1. We are not always aware ofthe one we are speaking to.
a. We have a tendency to carry our human limitations over to God.
1. God this should be an easyone for you.
2. Oh God, I doubt if you can handle this.
2. We are often more impressed by the greatnessofour problem than of the
powerof God to deliver.
a. It's so easyto lose perspective.
1. It results from being too close to our problems and too far from God.
2. The sun is 1,200,000times largerthan our earth, 865,000 miles in diameter,
yet your view of it canbe blockedby something as small as your hand.
3. This is one of the side effects of using prayer as a last resort.
a. We wait so long, that our problem is so greatthat it is all we can see.
3. Now back up a bit, look at the universe.
a. Take a walk, look at the trees, flowers.
b. You're going to talk to the one who created.
c. Now our problem isn't nearly as large.
B. His knowledge, "Who by the mouth of Thy servant."
1. Our circumstances haven'tcaught God by surprise, He knew them a
thousand years ago.
a. Yea Lord, it's happened just like you saidit would.
2. We often look at prayer as informing time, where I inform God.
a. "Oh God, you'll never believe what's happened now."
b. Prayeris not informing God of my needs, it is asking Godfor my needs.
The recognitionof my needs.
C. His sovereignty, "to do what Thy hand and Thy counseldetermined before
to be done."
1. The hand of God governs all the affairs of my life.
2. He does all things after the counselof His own will.
3. "The steps of a goodman are ordered by..."
4. "All things work togetherfor good..."
5. God is on the throne, He reigns over the universe. He has allowedthe
rebellion on planet earth, He knew how far it would go, and when it would
end.
II. NEXT CAME THE REQUEST.
A. Give us the boldness to keepdoing the things we were doing that got us into
trouble.
1. I am surprised by the things they didn't pray for.
a. Did not pray judgment on their persecutors.
b. Did not pray for end of persecution.
1. "Theyrealized this was predicted."
2. We often pray for wrong things.
a. "Oh Lord, help the world to getbetter."
b. "Evil days shall wax worse and worse."
c. "Oh Lord, keepme pure in the midst of evil."
Acts 4:23-31
“To the End of the Earth (9): Praying Boldly”
Dr. Derek W. H. Thomas
Last week, indeeda week before, remember we've been looking at the healing
of the cripple, the man who is describedas “being over forty years of age,” a
cripple from birth, takenby his family — brothers, perhaps...relatives — to
the temple area in order to beg. Peterand John, you remember, having been
askedabout giving him something — “Silver and gold have I none, but in the
name of Jesus Christ, stand up and walk.” And you remember the cripple is
leaping for joy in the temple precincts.
Peterand John have come under the tyranny and opposition of the Sanhedrin,
and they have spent the night in a prison cell, perhaps in some holding cell
somewhere onthe outer wall of the temple precinct itself. And in the morning
[remember last Lord's Day evening we were considering how the Sanhedrin
was meeting with Peterand John], what is it that Peterand John are doing?
Explaining what it is that has brought them into disrepute with the Sanhedrin
in the first place, they begin once againto preach Jesus and the resurrection.
And the Sanhedrin warned them not to preach any more in the name of Jesus.
And now we are following Peterand John as they make their way from the
prison cell, whereverthat was, and they go to some locationin Jerusalem
where their friends are gathered, and we pick up the reading at verse 23. And
before we read the passage together, let's ask for God's blessing in prayer.
Our God and our Father, we thank You againfor the Scriptures, the holy
word of God that men spoke as they were carriedalong by the Holy Spirit.
We thank You that it is profitable for doctrine and reproof and correction
and instruction in the way of righteousness, that the man of God might be
thoroughly furnished unto every goodwork. We thank You for the Bible. We
thank You that this word is different from any other word that we read. And
we pray now for Your blessing as we read it, that we may be given
illumination and may understand what we read, and that we might not just be
hearers, but that we might also be doers. So grant Your blessing, Lord, we
pray in Jesus'name. Amen.
Hear now the word of God:
“When they had been released, they went to their own companions, and
reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when
they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accordand said, ‘O
Lord, it is You who MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE
SEA, AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM, who by the Holy Spirit, through the
mouth of our father David Your servant, said,
‘WHY DID THE GENTILES RAGE, AND THE PEOPLES DEVISE
FUTILE THINGS? THE KINGS OF THE EARTH TOOKTHEIR STAND,
AND THE RULERS WERE GATHERED TOGETHER AGAINST THE
LORD, AND AGAINST HIS CHRIST.’
For truly in this city there were gatheredtogetheragainstYour holy servant
Jesus, whomYou anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the
Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whateverYour hand and Your
purpose predestined to occur. And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and
grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence,
while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place
through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.’
And when they had prayed, the place where they had gatheredtogetherwas
shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and beganto speak the
word of God with boldness.”
Amen. And may God bless to us the reading of His holy and inerrant word.
A.W. Tozer — many of you remember A. W. Tozer, who would have written
numerous books back in the ‘30's and ‘40's, and perhaps early ‘50's. In an
extraordinary little book calledPaths to Power, he writes that the early
church was:
“...notan organization, merely an organization, but a walking incarnation of
spiritual energy. The church beganin power, moved in power, and moved just
as long as the Lord gave power. When she no longerhad power, she dug in for
safetyand sought to conserve her gains. But her blessings were like the
manna. When they tried to keepit overnight, it bred worms and stank. It is
the church that is willing to die to worldly standards that will know the power
of Christ's resurrection.”
It's an extraordinary passage. BuzLowry spoke about...orprayed...thatthe
building would shake. [I'm a little apprehensive, standing underneath this
thing here!] It's one of the most exciting parts of the whole book of Acts. It
says something to us about a number of things, but it says something to us
about the significance ofprayer and the power of prayer, and what it is they
prayed for in a crisis when their lives were being threatened, and their
liberties were being threatened.
I'm not sure, in the 35 years that I've been a professing Christian...I'm not
sure I've heard prayers like this much. I've heard many, many prayers in
tight situations, in crisis, in difficulties when sickness threatens, whentrouble
looms. But the boldness of what these early Christians prayed for at this
juncture, this point, I want us to take note of it.
I want us to look at this passage tonightalong four lines of thought. I want us
first of all to see the priority of prayer. I want us in the secondplace to look at
something of the structure of prayer. In the third place, I want us to look at
one specific petition in this prayer. And, lastly, I want us to see the result of
this prayer.
I. I want us to begin by noting the priority these early Christians gave to
prayer.
Peterand John have spent a night in prison. They have been brought before
the Sanhedrin, the ruling council of Jerusalem, and they have been
threatened. They have been threatenednot to preach in the name of Jesus.
They have been threatened not to continue doing what they have been doing
since Pentecost.We’llsee in a minute it's precisely that that they will pray for:
that God will make them bold to preach Jesus and the resurrection.
Peterand John make their way to their friends’ house, wherever that is in
Jerusalem. It may be the same locationas the one that we consideredright at
the very beginning of Acts. It may even be John Mark's home or dwelling
which purportedly he had in Jerusalem. And they lifted up their voices to
God. They tell their friends what's happened, and immediately —
immediately! — they lift up their voices to God. Prayerwas like breathing to
them. They didn't have to think about it, they didn't have to debate about it,
they didn't have to plan, they just did it. It was the instantaneous response to a
crisis. They prayed. They lifted up their voices. Theygave it priority. It's the
ultimate test of our professionoffaith: our prayer life. It's the ultimate test.
When Luke is telling us of the conversionof Saul of Tarsus...andof course
there's doubt as to the genuineness ofthe conversionof Saul of Tarsus. He
could be a “fifth columnist”! “Behold, he prays.” Behold, he prays. That's the
answer. That's the mark. And their praying is so direct, and it's so simple, and
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Jesus was laughingGLENN PEASE
 
Jesus was and is our protector
Jesus was and is our protectorJesus was and is our protector
Jesus was and is our protectorGLENN PEASE
 
Jesus was not a self pleaser
Jesus was not a self pleaserJesus was not a self pleaser
Jesus was not a self pleaserGLENN PEASE
 
Jesus was to be our clothing
Jesus was to be our clothingJesus was to be our clothing
Jesus was to be our clothingGLENN PEASE
 
Jesus was the source of unity
Jesus was the source of unityJesus was the source of unity
Jesus was the source of unityGLENN PEASE
 
Jesus was love unending
Jesus was love unendingJesus was love unending
Jesus was love unendingGLENN PEASE
 
Jesus was our liberator
Jesus was our liberatorJesus was our liberator
Jesus was our liberatorGLENN PEASE
 

More from GLENN PEASE (20)

Jesus was urging us to pray and never give up
Jesus was urging us to pray and never give upJesus was urging us to pray and never give up
Jesus was urging us to pray and never give up
 
Jesus was questioned about fasting
Jesus was questioned about fastingJesus was questioned about fasting
Jesus was questioned about fasting
 
Jesus was scoffed at by the pharisees
Jesus was scoffed at by the phariseesJesus was scoffed at by the pharisees
Jesus was scoffed at by the pharisees
 
Jesus was clear you cannot serve two masters
Jesus was clear you cannot serve two mastersJesus was clear you cannot serve two masters
Jesus was clear you cannot serve two masters
 
Jesus was saying what the kingdom is like
Jesus was saying what the kingdom is likeJesus was saying what the kingdom is like
Jesus was saying what the kingdom is like
 
Jesus was telling a story of good fish and bad
Jesus was telling a story of good fish and badJesus was telling a story of good fish and bad
Jesus was telling a story of good fish and bad
 
Jesus was comparing the kingdom of god to yeast
Jesus was comparing the kingdom of god to yeastJesus was comparing the kingdom of god to yeast
Jesus was comparing the kingdom of god to yeast
 
Jesus was telling a shocking parable
Jesus was telling a shocking parableJesus was telling a shocking parable
Jesus was telling a shocking parable
 
Jesus was telling the parable of the talents
Jesus was telling the parable of the talentsJesus was telling the parable of the talents
Jesus was telling the parable of the talents
 
Jesus was explaining the parable of the sower
Jesus was explaining the parable of the sowerJesus was explaining the parable of the sower
Jesus was explaining the parable of the sower
 
Jesus was warning against covetousness
Jesus was warning against covetousnessJesus was warning against covetousness
Jesus was warning against covetousness
 
Jesus was explaining the parable of the weeds
Jesus was explaining the parable of the weedsJesus was explaining the parable of the weeds
Jesus was explaining the parable of the weeds
 
Jesus was radical
Jesus was radicalJesus was radical
Jesus was radical
 
Jesus was laughing
Jesus was laughingJesus was laughing
Jesus was laughing
 
Jesus was and is our protector
Jesus was and is our protectorJesus was and is our protector
Jesus was and is our protector
 
Jesus was not a self pleaser
Jesus was not a self pleaserJesus was not a self pleaser
Jesus was not a self pleaser
 
Jesus was to be our clothing
Jesus was to be our clothingJesus was to be our clothing
Jesus was to be our clothing
 
Jesus was the source of unity
Jesus was the source of unityJesus was the source of unity
Jesus was the source of unity
 
Jesus was love unending
Jesus was love unendingJesus was love unending
Jesus was love unending
 
Jesus was our liberator
Jesus was our liberatorJesus was our liberator
Jesus was our liberator
 

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Holy spirit boldness

  • 1. HOLY SPIRIT BOLDNESS EDITED BY GLENN PEASE Acts 4:31 31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. Question:"What does the Bible sayabout boldness?" Answer: Boldness is the courage to act or speak fearlessly, despite real or imagined dangers. When a person acts boldly, he or she takes action regardless ofrisks. A petite mother will boldly snatch her child’s hand away from a six-foot stranger. A man may boldly stand up to a dictatorial boss, knowing he could be fired for doing so. Boldness is not to be confused with rashness oraggressiveness.It is, however, similar to assertivenessin that it empowers someone to do or speak whatis necessary, in spite of the possibility of a negative outcome. Boldness was one of the first characteristicsthe Holy Spirit imparted when He came to indwell believers after Jesus ascendedinto heaven. The followers of Jesus had been hiding in fear of the Jewishauthorities, praying and encouraging one another. Then the Holy Spirit came upon them, and those formerly terrified disciples became fearless preachers (Acts 2). A short time later, as the disciples facedpersecutionfrom the authorities, they prayed for boldness (Acts 4:29). Their prayer was answered, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and “spoke the word with boldness” (Acts 4:31). God gives us boldness when our objective is to obey and glorify Him with it.
  • 2. Spiritual boldness can appear to be opinionated or extroverted, when in fact the bold personmay feel greattrepidation. Such boldness comes from the Holy Spirit who compels a person to speak the truth in love even when it may not be welcomed. Healthy boldness can be compared to a woman who is terrified of snakes but sees a copperheadon her porch. She is frightened, but she will not let it escape becauseit is dangerous. She goes afterit with a shovel and kills it, even while she is shaking violently for fear herself. It would not be accurate to state that this woman enjoys confrontation. Instead, her boldness in killing the snake comes from a determination to do what is right to protect her family regardless ofher fear. Spiritual boldness pursues the truth, works to destroy lies and error, and speaks whatis right regardless ofhow terrifying such actionmay be. Worldly boldness, on the other hand, can become pushy or confrontational. It thrives on popular approval and often ignores caution or sensitivity. The incredulous words, “What were you thinking?” follow in the wake ofa bold fool. We should not be bold in doing evil, accepting dares, or crossing boundaries simply to prove we can. Boldness without discernment can lead to foolish words and risky behavior. The book of Proverbs often connects rash boldness with folly. Proverbs 13:16 says, “Every prudent man acts with knowledge, but a fool flaunts his folly.” Foolishpeople are so blind to their own error that they shamelesslybrag about it. They are bold in proclaiming their erroneous viewpoints and even bolder in carrying them out. Boldness is no more fitting for a fool than jewels are fitting for a hog (see Proverbs 11:22). Proverbs 28:1 says, “The wickedflee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.” The righteous are bold because they know that God is for them and what they have to say is important (Hebrews 13:6). When the apostle Paul was in prison, he wrote to the churches asking for prayer that he be bold in continuing to proclaim the gospel(Ephesians 6:19). Godly boldness is motivated by passionfor Christ and His truth. It is rarely self-centered
  • 3. because it requires us to setaside our natural desire for comfortand popularity. For Paul to speak boldly would most likely mean more persecution. Stephen spoke boldly and became the first Christian martyr (Acts 6:8–10, 7:1–2, 54–58). As followers of Christ, we should pray as Paul did that the Lord will grant us supernatural boldness to speak and live as He would have us do. In this age of greatdeception and resistance to truth, we need boldness more than ever. Boldness, coupledwith love and humility (1 Corinthians 13:4–8;1 Peter5:6), is like a light in the darkness (Matthew 5:14). When we are convincedthat our messageis life-giving and eternal, we can speak with boldness, knowing that God will use it to impact our world (Isaiah 55:10–11). GOTQUESTIONS.ORG Lord, Make Me More Bold Article by Jon Bloom Staff writer, desiringGod.org Do you want to live and speak more boldly for Jesus Christ? I do. How badly do we want it? Do we want it enough to ask, seek, andknock until God answers us and to take risks that press on our timidity? Or, if we’re honest, would we rather just keepwishing we were bolder — admiring bold people, being inspired by biographies about bold people, talking with our friends and small group members about our struggles with fearof man — all the while staying where we feel safe and relatively comfortable and letting fear go unchallenged?
  • 4. My flesh likes the secondoption with a more flattering description. The Spirit says, “If you want to walk with me, choose the first.” There’s the battle line. “The desires of the flesh are againstthe Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are againstthe flesh, for these are opposedto eachother, to keepyou from doing the things you want to do” (Galatians 5:17). But in this battle, there’s no stalemate. One side always holds sway. So, “choosethis day whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:15). If we are serious about choosing the Spirit, God will grant us our request (Luke 11:13; John 15:7), and enable us to “walk by the Spirit [so we] will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). What Is Christian Boldness? Boldness, in the biblical sense, is not a personality trait. A typically soft- spoken, introverted, calm person canbe bold at a time when a typically driven, outspoken, brash person shrinks back. Boldness is acting, by the powerof the Holy Spirit, on an urgent convictionin the face of some threat. That last sentence contains the three ingredients to Christian boldness: Spirit- empoweredconviction, courage, and urgency. If one of the ingredients is missing, we won’t actboldly. Without sufficient conviction that something ought to be said or done, what’s there to be bold about? Without sufficient courage, we don’t have enough fiber in our conviction to face oppositionor threats. Without a sufficient sense of urgency, we lack the fire under our feetto get us moving. People who are halfhearted, fearful, or indifferent are, by definition, not bold. But if you’re aware of deficiencies in any of these three areas, take heart. The Bible gives us every reasonto hope for transformation, and no reasonto keep living with debilitating fear. Jesus BoughtBoldness
  • 5. In Christ, “we have boldness and accesswith confidence through our faith” to God our Father(Ephesians 3:12). The truth is there’s no power in heaven or on earth or under the earth that remotely approaches the powerof God. He is the only one we need to fear (Luke 12:4–5). And Jesus took upon himself every reasonwe have to be terrified of God. Now in Christ Godis for us. And, If God is for us, who canbe againstus? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciouslygive us all things? (Romans 8:31–32) If we cannow “with confidence draw near to the throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16), who then should we fear(Psalm 27:1)? Jesus did not die on the cross to have us quivering in a corner because some human being might say something mean, or stop our paychecks,orsever a relationship, or even kill us (Luke 12:4). No! ForJesus has ensured that, neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of Godin Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38–39) The only reasonfear-basedtimidity remains in us is that we don’t believe these mind-blowing promises. What freezing fears might melt away, like snow in April, if we let the bright rays of Romans 8 shine on our shadowy places of unbelief, even for just a week? The Spirit Empowers Boldness After sunbathing in Romans 8, we should take an invigorating walk through the book of Acts and watchhow Spirit emboldened the early Christians were. Peterand John, once frozen with fear, when filled with the Holy Spirit, were out preaching the gospelfor everyone to hear (see Acts 2:14–41). This soongot them arrested— the very thing that had terrified them before — and their
  • 6. boldness astonishedthe Jewishauthorities, who then “recognizedthat they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). Don’t you want to bear that bold spiritual family resemblance? It requires the Spirit of Jesus (Philippians 1:19). Pray for Boldness! The early Christians knew this. Post-Pentecostthey didn’t always feel bold. In fact, in Acts 4, when the disciples came back from the astonishedauthorities, they told the church of the threats they received. Everyone understood the implication: persecutionand possible execution. So, did they flee back into hiding? No, they prayed for boldness: “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 gatheredtogetherwas shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. (Acts 4:29, 31) In answerto prayer, fearmelted awayand they receiveda fresh filling of the Holy Spirit and renewedboldness to keepspeaking. Boldness is not constantor taken for granted. We must keeppraying for it wheneverwe need it. Even the apostle Paul experiencedthis. That’s why he askedthe Ephesians to pray that he “may declare [the gospel]boldly, as [he] ought to speak” (Ephesians6:20). Boldness is not an option for us, but it’s also not a given. Since it is not a constantgift of the Spirit, we must pray for it frequently. Act the Miracle But we should not think every time boldness is required we will feel some heroic swell of confidence. Godoften gives us Spirit-empoweredboldness
  • 7. when, in spite of feeling fear, we step out in faith that the Spirit will provide the measure of boldness we need in that moment. If we look, Acts is full of instances where boldness was given in situations where no doubt the speakerswere tempted with fear: In Antioch Pisidia, Paul and Barnabas “spoke outboldly” when the Jews publicly reviled them (Acts 13:46). In Iconium, they were also vigorouslyopposed, “so they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord” (Acts 14:3). In Ephesus, Apollos spoke “boldly in the synagogue”(Acts 18:26). In Ephesus, Paul taught in the synagogue “andfor three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God” (Acts 19:8). In Caesarea, whenPaul was imprisoned, he spoke “boldly” to King Agrippa (Acts 26:26). And the last thing we know about Paul is that, while under house arrestin Rome, he went on “proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance” (Acts 28:31). Yes, we should pray to be filled with the Spirit. But when boldness is needed in fearful situations, and we act in spite of sweatypalms and pounding hearts, Jesus promises to fill our mouths by the Spirit (Matthew 10:20). And so we act the miracle. Boldness Is Contagious And a wonderful thing happens when we actthe miracle: others begin to act it, too. Paul describedthis phenomenon: And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. (Philippians 1:14)
  • 8. Paul’s imprisonment for being bold for Christ emboldened other Christians. And we’ve all experiencedthis in some way. The best way to start a movement of bold witness is to step out in boldness ourselves. WhateverIt Takes, Lord! And this is just what our flesh emphatically does not want to do. It resists the Spirit in order to keepus from doing what we want to do. To prayerfully pursue boldness in the powerof the Spirit requires dying to our flesh (Romans 8:13). But that’s a death that leads to life! For “to setthe mind on the flesh is death, but to setthe mind on the Spirit is life and peace” (Romans 8:6). To die to our flesh in order to pursue boldness is really to choose life. That should lead us to pray: Whateverit takes, Lord, decrease the hold that unbelieving fear has over me and increase my boldness to declare the gospelto everyone you put in my path. Jon Bloom(@Bloom_Jon)serves as author, board chair, and co-founder of Desiring God. He is author of three books, Not by Sight, Things Not Seen, and Don’t Follow Your Heart. He and his wife have five children and make their home in the Twin Cities. PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES ALAN CARR Acts 4:31-33 PLUGGING INTO HIS POWER
  • 9. Intro: I don’t know about you, but I marvel at the powerof the early church. It amazes me to look at the ways God used them for His glory. When you considerthat 3,000 souls were savedonone day and 5,000 were savedon another day; that the Lord added to the church daily, Acts 2:47; that the church was markedby powerful miracles and largerthan life personalities; that they experiencedamazing growth; and that they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, it lets us know that there was something difference about the early church. Mostbelievers long for that same kind of power today. We know that we do not have what they had, but we want it. We know that we must have the same kind of power if we are going to be effective in reaching our world like they reachedtheir world. In some ways, we possessfarmore than they did. We have nice buildings, enough money to do the things we want to do, amazing technology, and the freedom to worship God as we please. While we have much in our favor, we lack the one thing that made the early church a mighty weaponin the hand of God. We lack the powerof God! I want to point out to you what I believe was the source of their power. I want you to see that the early church was plugged in to a tremendous source of power. I believe that the source of power they found is exactly what we need in our day. The early church was plugged into three specific sources ofpowerthat enabled them to “turn the world upside down” for the glory of God. The powerthat rested on the early church is available to the modern church. We merely need to plug in to the same sources ofpowerthey used in that day. Let me show you, from these verses, the sources the empoweredthe early church. If we want to reach our world for Jesus, and if we want to be all the Lord would have us to be, then we are going to have to plug in to those same powersources today. I want to look into these verses for a few moments today and preachabout Plugging Into His Power.
  • 10. I. v. 31 WE NEED TO PLUG IN TO THE POWER OF PRAYER · Ill. The context of these verses. When the disciples came back from their meeting with the Sanhedrin, the whole assemblycame togetherin prayer, Acts 4:23-31. As they prayed together, in one mind, the Spirit of God moved upon them and filled them with His presence and power. God honored the prayers of His people when they came togetheras one, praying for the common good. · I am certainthat most of us understand the importance of prayer. I hope that eachof us takes time daily to pray for our families, our communities, our church and ourselves. Probablynothing we do in our Christian walk is as important as prayer. Prayer is the secretto the power of God! Ø We have been given greatpromises in prayer: Matt. 7:7-8; Jer. 33:3; John 14:13-14;James 5:16; 1 John 5:13-15. Ø We have been given clearinstruction in prayer: Luke 11:1-5; Matt. 6:5-8. Ø We have evenbeen commanded to pray: 1 Thes. 5:17; Luke 18:1; Eph. 6:18. · We do pray, but we do not often pray like the early church prayed. We usually resortto prayer when we are shaken;they prayed to be shaken. We pray, but not fervently. We pray, but not specifically. We pray, but not in one accord. We pray, but not as a group. We are welltaught in our theology, in our doctrine and in our organization. But, we are illiterates in the schoolofprayer. If we would have the powerof God resting on us in these days, we must learn to make use of the resource ofprayer. Notjust as individuals, lockedawayfrom one another, but we need to learn to pray corporately. We must learn to pray together at prayer meetings, in altar calls, and at other times. When someone comes to this altar to pray, others should willingly gather around them to help them with their petitions. When a need faces our church, the church should bow as a body and wage wartogether.
  • 11. · We learn to pray by praying. We learn to pray by asking Godfor the impossible and believing that He will send it to us. We learn to pray by reading the Word of God and praying it back to Him in faith. · The early church had the power of God on them because they prayed together. When they called, God heard and answered. (Ill. Acts 4:31; Acts 12:5) · God still hears and answers the prayers of His people! (Ill. Many answers I have read about and experienced!) Plugging into the power of prayer would do more for this church that 10,000 revivalmeetings! II. v. 32 WE NEED TO PLUG IN TO THE POWER OF PASSION · We are told that this congregationwas of“one heart and one soul”. That is, they did not live for themselves, but they lived for those around them. These people were lost in the needs of other believers, v. 32, 34-37. And, they were consumed by the needs of the lostaround them, v. 33. The early church possesseda servant’s heart that was just like that of the Lord Jesus, Phil. 2:3- 8. · These people lived out the will of the Savior. While Jesus was here, He said this: “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another,” John 13:35. Jesus saidthat His people would be knownfor the love they possessedforthe other believers around them. He went on to tell us what His will is for the church, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me,” John 17:21. So, when we love one anotheras we should, and when we walk in unity as we should, it lets the world around us know that our professionof faith is real and that we truly belong to Christ. No other testimony we give preaches so loud and so clearas our love one for another.
  • 12. · We need to plug into the power of love! Not just love that talks. Not just love that says, “Ilove you.” We need to plug into a love that acts, 1 John 3:18. We must plug into a love that puts others aheadof self. We must plug into His kind of love; without that kind of love, everything we do is in vain, 1 Cor. 13:1-3. · When I love you like I should, I will forgive you for the times you hurt me, Eph. 4:32. When I love you as I should, I will seek you best interests aheadof my own. When I love you like I should, I will treat you like I should, 1 Cor. 13:4-8a. · A revival of love in the church would produce among us the same kind of attitudes and power that existed in the early church. Ø Love makes us considerate ofothers – v. 32. Ø Love makes people more important than possessions, v. 32. Ø Love enables Christians to put away their differences. (Ill. The early church was made up of people from all over the world. They were of different cultures and different backgrounds.) Ø Love produces a passionfor the lost who live around us, v. 33. · Love gives us power. Without love, we will lack the power of God we need to be effective in this age. We need to plug into the power of a genuine, all-consuming passionfor others. III. v. 33 WE NEED TO PLUG IN TO THE POWER OF PROCLAMATION
  • 13. · While the early church was marked by prayer and love, they were also marked by the proclamationof the Gospel. They were a preaching people. They carried the message ofthe Gospelto a world that desperatelyneeded that message. Verse 33 tells us that “greatpower” restedon the apostles. Their preaching and their witness as effective because Godempoweredtheir preaching and He blessedthe proclamation of the Gospel. · The modern church must be marked by prayer and by love, but we must also be marked by the proclamation of the Gospelof grace. We have been given the greatestmessagethe world has ever known, 1 Cor. 15:3-4. We have been sent out to preach that message everywhere there are sinners, Mark 16:15; Matt. 28:19-20. We have been promised His help in sharing that messagewith the lost around us, Acts 1:8. There is a whole world around us that needs to hear about Jesus. Every day, in every place, there are lost people who need to hear the message of salvation. Our duty is to tell them about Jesus and what He cando for them. Saving them is God’s business! · If our messageis to be empoweredlike that of the early church, we must understand a few things. Ø The proclamationof the messageis essential – 1 Cor. 1:21; Rom. 10:13-17. The messagemust be preached or no one will be saved. Ø The powerof God is paramount. We canpreach; we canwitness;we can tell, but if He doesn’t empower the message, no one will be saved, John 6:44. The messagemust be empoweredor no one will be saved. Ø When God’s people plug in to prayer and a passionfor others, we can count on His empowering His message to the salvationof souls. Conc:We have many advantages overthe early church, but they put us to shame in their accomplishments. Why? They stuck to the basics and God
  • 14. blessedthem, working through them in a demonstration of divine power. That same power is available to us today. Like the early church, we need to return to the basics ofChristianity. We need to plug into the power of Prayer, the powerof Passionand the powerof Proclamation. Doing that will allow us to shake our world for Jesus!" The Church's Prayer for Boldness When ordered to be silent, the apostles make clearthat they "cannothelp speaking about what [they] have seenand heard" (4:20). How will they sustain such determination? The church looks in prayer to its sovereignLord and finds the strength to continue its advances with boldness. In this way Luke gives further evidence for the truth of a gospelthat is more than a sectarianJewishmessage.The Apostles'Report(4:23) The apostles are released, showing for the first time what Luke will contend consistently:Christianity is both innocent before the state and triumphant when its enemies seek to use state authority to hinder its advance (5:40; 16:35- 40; 18:14-16;23:28-29;25:25-27;26:32). They report to their own people-- probably not simply the other ten apostles northe whole assembly of more than five thousand, but their close friends and supporters, perhaps the original 120 of the pre-Pentecostupper room days (1:13-15;Kistemaker 1990:165).Theyreport all that the chief priests and elders had said, particularly the threats (4:17-18, 21). (By referring to the Sanhedrin as the chief priests and elders Luke highlights the Sadduceanloyalists among them.) The first Christians were realists, and so must we be. These threats, coming as they did from the highest civil authority, had the force of law. Obedience to
  • 15. Christ in the midst of a hostile environment will be costly. Will we realistically face that cost?ThePrayer's Ascription (4:24-28) The news drives the believers immediately to their knees. In united (compare 1:14; 2:46; 5:12), urgent prayer they raise their voices to God the Father (either praying in unison, repeating the words of one apostle, or greeting his prayer with a hearty amen). They address God the Fatheras SovereignLord (Despotes). Notcommonin Scripture, this divine title emphasizes the complete ownership God exercisesoverhis servants (Lk 2:29; compare Jude 4; Rev 6:10). It was a common ascriptionin Jewishprayers (see Josephus Jewish War 7:323)and among the Greeks (see Aelius Aristides Works 37:1; Xenophon Anabasis 3:2, 13). With such liturgical language, grounded in the Old Testament(such as Ex 20:11;Ps 146:6), the believers declare the scope ofGod's omnipotence. So they encourage themselves throughpraise that even the threatening Sanhedrin is not outside God's sovereigncontrol. Confessing the truth about God's relationship to our circumstances always brings encouragement, especially when we are aware of danger and feel out of control. The prayer turns to an Old Testamenttext, Psalm 2:1, understood as foretelling the Messiah's suffering and making reference to a united (note the reverse parallelism: nations . . . peoples . . . kings . . . rulers), rebellious, conspiring, yet futile hostility againstthe Lord's Anointed One. Via the pesher method, the believers proceedto make immediate application to Jesus' suffering at the hands of a king, Herod (Lk 13:31;23:6-12;see Bruce 1990:158);a ruler, Pilate; the Gentiles (the nations); and the people of Israel (laoi--literally, peoples--probably to maintain correspondencewith the quote's wording). This immediately raises a number of issues. Historicallythere is no inaccuracy in the believers'interpretation, for even though both Herod and Pilate declaredJesus innocent, they did cooperatewith those who conspired against Jesus (Lk 23:6-25;Acts 3:13). The psalm is properly understood as messianic, for it speaks ofa universal reign (Ps 2:8, 10-11;contra Marshall1980:105;
  • 16. compare the pre-Christian Jewishmessianic interpretation of the psalm, 4QFlor1:18-19/Ps 2:1-2;also compare Psalms of Solomon17:22-23/Ps2:2, 9). Theologically, Jesus'anointing at a particular time--his baptism (see Acts 10:38)--does not contradictthe fact that he was always Messiah, conceivedby the Holy Spirit (Lk 1:35); his baptism may be viewedas the time when he "receivedthe endorsementof the Father and the enduement with the Spirit" (E. F. Harrison 1986:97). The identification of Israel with the "peoples," in parallel with a paganking representedby Herod, points out graphically that by rejecting Jesus, Israelwas forfeiting its position as God's specialpeople;if the Jews did not repent, God would view them no differently from Gentiles (see Acts 3:23). The church's confessionalascriptionclimaxes by celebrating God's sovereigntyin the active accomplishmentof his plan, as even his enemies do what his power(literally, hand) has predetermined (see 2:23; Lk 22:22). What a greatencouragement!The very same group that is threatening these believers opposedtheir Lord. The persecutors'earliersuccess brought Christ's death but was really according to God's plan and by his hand. Surely any suffering these believers--orwe--endure, then, is not outside God's control and will serve only to advance the purposes of the risen and reigning Messiah.PrayerforBoldness (4:29-30) The church asks Godto pay attention to the Sanhedrin's threats (4:17, 21) without further defining what they expecthim to do about them. The easy transition from oppositionto Jesus to threats againstthe apostles is possible because theologicallythere is a close identification of the people of God with their suffering and risen Lord, not only in continuing his work (1:1) but also in the pattern of his life (Lk 24:25-27;Acts 14:22;compare 1 Pet2:20-25; 4:13). The great(literally, complete)boldness or candor the believers ask for is not only the freedom of speechof a Greek citizen versus a slave (Demosthenes Orations 9.3)but also the courage that stands up to all those who would limit the right to reveal the truth (Dio ChrysostomDiscourses 32.26-27;Schlier1967:872-73). Peterhas alreadydemonstrated such Spirit- filled boldness in declaring the whole truth to the Sanhedrin (4:8, 13; compare
  • 17. 28:31;the verb form, 9:27-28;13:46;14:3; 18:26; 19:8; 26:26). With this request we learn the believers'greatconcernis not for their own safetybut for the mission's advance. In the Greek, verse 30 is not a request (contra NIV; E. F. Harrison 1986:97) but a confident assumption of what will accompanythe enablement to speak the word boldly ("while you stretchout your hand"). The believers understand the corroborative weightthat the healings, signs and wonders have for their preaching of the gospel. The recentexperience with the crippled beggarhas taught them both the impact and the limits of a miraculous sign through the name of your holy servant Jesus (3:6-7, 16; 4:10, 14; see comments at 3:7-8). When we realize that this statementis not a request but an assumption of what God can do, we are freed from both the presumption and subsequent anxiety which come with demanding the miraculous from God.The Answer: Spirit-Filled Witness (4:31) In answerto their prayer and in fulfillment of his promise (Lk 11:13), the place is shaken, and all--not just the apostles--arefilled with the Holy Spirit (2:4; 4:8, see comment). They speak (literally, were speaking--continuous actionat intervals) the word of God (God's greatgoodnews of salvation; 11:19;13:46; 14:25)with boldness. The messengersare unstoppable. The mission continues with divine momentum. As Chrysostomobservedabout the place being shaken:"and that made them the more unshaken" (Homily on the Acts of the Apostles 11). https://www.biblegateway.com/ When People Pray Bible in a Year: Isaiah30-31;Philippians 4
  • 18. When they had prayed, the place where they were assembledtogetherwas shaken. — Acts 4:31 comment journal share Today's Scripture: Acts 4:23-31 Peterand John were in danger. The religious leaders in Jerusalemopposing the gospelhad warned them to ceasetheir missionary efforts (Acts 4:18). When the apostles reportedthis to the other believers, they immediately held a prayer meeting. What happened next is thrilling. The believers first praised God. Then they askedfor boldness that they might continue the work. The results were dramatic. The house shook, and the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit. They boldly witnessed, enjoyedspiritual unity, and gave unselfishly to those in need (vv.31-37). I’ve never felt a building shake ata prayer meeting, but I have seenGod’s powerat work. When I’ve tried to help repair a broken marriage or a divided church, I’ve askedthose involved to pray. Sometimes they refused. Other times, though, they mumbled carefully worded prayers. Those meetings failed. But occasionallysomeonewouldpray in earnest. Almost immediately the atmosphere would change. Confessionandforgiveness soonreplacedcharges and countercharges. When we pray sincerely, praising God and seeking His glory, greatthings happen. Prayermust always come from the heart.
  • 19. By Herbert Vander Lugt A Prayer That Brought the Holy Spirit Down Resource by John Piper Scripture: Acts 4:23–31 Topic:Prayer When they were releasedthey 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 togetherto God and said, "SovereignLord, who didst make the heavenand the earth and the sea and everything in them, who by the mouth of our father David, thy servant, didst say by the Holy Spirit, 'Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples imagine vain things? The kings of the earth setthemselves in array, and the rulers were gatheredtogether, againstthe Lord and againsthis Anointed'—for truly in this city there were gathered togetheragainstthy holy servant Jesus, whomthou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever thy hand and thy plan had predestined to take place. And now, Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to thy servants to speak thy word with all boldness, while thou stretchestout thy hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of thy holy servant Jesus."And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered togetherwas shaken;and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness. Five ReasonsThis Prayer Is Relevantfor Us This prayer is relevant for us today in Minneapolis for five reasons.
  • 20. It is relevant because ofthe answerthat came. It is relevant because ofwho is praying. It is relevant because ofthe occasionwhenit was prayed. It is relevant because ofwhom it was prayed to. It is relevant because ofwhat was asked. 1. The Answer That Came It is relevant because ofthe answerthat came. Verse 31: "And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered togetherwas shaken;and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness." Parallels with Pentecost Notice the parallels here with what happened at Pentecost. Here they had just prayed. There (Acts 1:14) they had been praying. Here it says, "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit." In Acts 2:4 it says, "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit." (Exactly the same verb.) Here God shakes the building to demonstrate his power. There in Acts 2:2 a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind. Here they speak the Word of God with boldness. There they began to speak in other tongues the greatthings of God (Acts 2:4, 11). In other words, Pentecostwas the first greatoutpouring of the Spirit on the church. And here is another one. In both God gives physical demonstrations of his power. In both he gives the fullness of the Holy Spirit. In both he releasesopenand courageous speaking. Whateverelse Pentecostis, it is not unique as an outpouring of the Spirit to empowerthe church for witness. The blessing of Pentecostwouldhappen in different ways and different measures through Acts and through the rest of church history. Exactly What We DesperatelyNeed
  • 21. This prayer is relevant today because ofthe answerthat came. This outpouring of the Spirit is exactly what is desperatelyneeded in the church in America because ofthe challenges thatface us. This is true even in the best of churches—notice thatthe people on whom this blessing came were not disobedient or faithless. Some of them—Peter and John—hadjust been spectacularlyobedient. In factverse 8 saidthat Peterhad been filled with the Holy Spirit when he stoodup to speak in the courtroom. Now he and the other praying saints are filled againin this extraordinary way. Even if you love many things about Bethlehem and think that God's blessing is on us—as I do—this is what we need. Not because our church is so bad but because the need and the hardness of the world is so great. 2. Who Is Praying This prayer is relevant because ofwho is praying. Verse 23: "When they [Peterand John] were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they had heard it they lifted their voices togetherto God and said . . . " Luke does not saythey went to "the other apostles."He says they went to "their friends," literally: "their own." The word is used like this one other time in Acts, namely, in Acts 24:23 where it says that Felix commanded that none of Paul's friends [i.e., his own] should be prevented from attending to his needs. It is the same word used in John 1:11—"Jesuscame to his own and his own receivedhim not." It simply means family, friends, close associates, neighbors, etc. Therefore this prayer is relevant to us because it is prayed not by someone with specialrights and privileges, but by Christians. It is the church gathered, not just the apostles, thatpray for God to give boldness and to heal and to do signs and wonders. These were not the prerogatives of the apostles, as we have already seenlastspring when we lookedatStephen in Acts 6:8 and Philip in Acts 8:6 both of whom God used to do signs and wonders even though they
  • 22. were deacons and evangelists andnot apostles (6:5; cf. also Galatians 3:5; 1 Corinthians 12:9–10). So the prayer is relevant because ofwho prayed it— people like you and me. 3. When It Was Prayed This prayer is relevant because ofthe occasionwhen it was prayed. Following the Threats of the Religious Leaders Peterand John had just been releasedfrom custody. Verse 23 says they told the other believers specificallywhat the chief priests and elders had said. Verse 29 clues us in on what this was. The believers pray, "Now, Lord, look upon their threats." In other words, Peterand John had told them about the threats mentioned in verses 18 and 21. In verse 18 the priests and elders demanded that Peterand John "not speak orteachat all in the name of Jesus." In verse 21 they threaten them further. So the occasionfor this prayer is very dangerous threats againstthe preaching of God's Word in the name of Jesus. There were extraordinary obstacles in the wayof the spread of Jesus'name. This is why the church is so urgent in its prayer. They do not assume that they can keepon and advance in effective ministry without a fresh baptism of the Spirit. Fearcould paralyze them at any moment. One look into their children's face and they want to run away where it is comfortable and safe and not risk speaking for Christ in public anymore. The Obstacles andDangers We Face So this prayer is relevant for us because ofits occasion. We face tremendous obstacles too. Persecutionof Christians is a wayof life in many countries of the world. In America persecutionis increasing and freedoms are narrowing, as the secularrelativists feel more and more threatened by our messagethat there is one way to God and one set of commandments valid for all. But even short of persecution, the obstacles we face making Christ known are great—withthe anonymity of neighborhoods createdby mobility; the entertainment industry that keeps people saturatedwith the world and numb
  • 23. to spiritual things; a thoroughly God-ignoring culture; a medical technology so advanced and so available that people seldom think of resorting to God for help; and on top of all this the relative weaknessofthe church very enmeshed in the values of the world they are supposedto confront with a radically different Christ. If the early Christians, with their first-hand experience of the risen Christ and their immediate accessto apostles and eye-witnesses, neededto seek a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit to carry on in their situation, how much more we. 4. To Whom It Was Prayed This prayer is relevant because ofwhom it was prayed to. Declaring Who GodIs It is remarkable that these Christians take five verses to tell God who he is, and two verses to ask what they want from him. Now God does not need to be told who he is. But Christians need to know who he is—and preciselyin their prayers they need to know and confess that he is the kind of God who canand will answertheir prayers. In essencewhatthey are doing in verses 24–28is hallowing God's name before they pray, "Thy kingdom come." They identify God in two ways. First, they say he is the Creatorof all things. Verse 24: "SovereignLord, who didst make the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them . . . " So they appealto him as the Creatorof all. They know that if God createdeverything in earth, sea, and heaven, then these elders and priests are his property and he can do with them as he pleases. Second, they say that God is the one who is ruler of all, even the deeds of evil men. He puts to naught the rage of the Gentiles and empties the plans of his adversaries. Theysaythis by quoting Psalm 2 in verses 25–26, andthen by showing that the psalm was fulfilled in the way God was in control when evil men killed Jesus. Verses 27–28:"Fortruly in this city there were gathered
  • 24. togetheragainstthy holy servant Jesus, whomthou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel[that's the conspiracyof the nations mentioned in Psalm 2], to do whatever thy hand and thy plan had predestined to take place [that's how God turned their rage into a vain thing, then accomplishedhis saving purpose]." In other words, just like the psalm says, "Why do the Gentiles rage and the peoples imagine a vain thing?" (v. 25). Their rage comes to naught and their imagination is empty, because Godrules even over the sinful deeds of men and causes themto backfire—Jesusis risen and the stone which the builders rejectedhas become the head of the corner. All their rage and all their imagination has turned back on their own head. The Importance of Doctrine and Theology Now remember all this is a prayer! All this is prelude to asking for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Here is what this makes this relevant for our praying today. Many would tell us that doctrine and theologyare not important if you can have the powerof the Holy Spirit. But these early Christians knew better. For them the doctrine of creation, the doctrine of inspired Scripture (v. 25), the doctrine of God's sovereigntyeven over the voluntary acts of sinful people, a knowledge ofOld Testamentprophecy— these things were essential. The Spirit of God is the Spirit of truth. He is not indifferent to bad doctrine in the mind when he comes to fill the heart. If we want his fullness, we will do well to fill our minds with the truth he has revealedabout God in Scripture. Then we will pray more like the early Christians. 5. What Was Asked This prayer is relevant because ofwhat was asked. Reasoning andRequesting In verse 29 they arrive at their request: "Now, Lord, look upon their threats." That's their first request. It means: "Take note, Lord, what is at stake in their threats. They have commanded us not to speak ofyour Son's name any more. That is what is at stake here. So rouse yourself, because nothing is of greater
  • 25. interest to you than the honor of your Son. Rise up. Take note. Look on their threats." That is a kind of argument in the court of heaven. Here is why you should help us: their threats are againstyour Son's reputation. Here is what we need so that we do not cave in to their threats. Verse 29b–30:"Grant to thy servants to speak thy word with all boldness, while thou stretchestout thy hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of thy holy servant Jesus." They ask for three things: that God would give them boldness; that he would stretch out his hand to heal people; and that he would cause signs and wonders to happen—all this through the name of Jesus. In other words their desire is to be empoweredin such a way that the name of Jesus will be vindicated. How We Should Seek the Powerof the Spirit This is relevant for us because it shows us how we should be seeking the power of God's Spirit. We should be praying for it like they were—andremember Jesus says not to lose heart, but to keepseeking and knocking and asking the Father for the Holy Spirit (Luke 11). And that means praying not only in generalways for the outpouring of God's Spirit but in specific ways:for the gift of bold proclamation, for his hand to be stretchedout to heal, and his Son's name to be honored and vindicated through signs and wonders. Preaching is primary because the gospelis the power of God unto salvation. But signs and wonders are helpful witnesses to the Word of grace (Acts 14:3; Hebrews 2:4). It is a very relevant prayer. Not for an introspective people who are merely interestedin unusual experiences, but for a people who long for the salvation of sinners and the magnifying of God's glory and the public vindication of Jesus'name. If that is what we want, then this is the way to pray. Are Signs and Wonders for Today?
  • 26. Resource by John Piper Scripture: Acts 4:29–31 Topic:Kingdom of God "And now, Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to thy servants to speak thy word with all boldness, while thou stretchestout thy hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of thy holy servant Jesus." And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered togetherwas shaken;and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness. Do you think that we should pray like that today? I mean the way they prayed in verses 29–30:"Grant to thy servants to speak thy words with all boldness, while thou stretchestout thy hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of thy holy servant Jesus." Shouldwe pray for boldness of witness and signs and wonders like healing? Or should we pray only for boldness of witness? Were the signs and wonders speciallydesigned by God to confirm the authority of the apostles so that after the apostles have done their work in providing the church with the foundation of revelationin the New Testamentthe signs and wonders cease? Heart-Wrenching Uncertainty I confess thatas far as I can remember there has been no question in all my preaching ministry that has causedme more heart-wrenching uncertainty. I sit at my desk with my head in my hands and plead with the Lord, on the one hand, "Oh, Lord, if there is a wind of true, biblical, spiritual power blowing in our day with signs and wonders and healing and prophecy, forbid that I should stand in the way! Don't pass Bethlehem by. Make me the leader you want me to be for the greatestblessing ofthis church, and the greatest missionary effectiveness."But then, on the other hand I pray, "Oh, Lord, forbid that we should lose our biblical bearings;forbid that we become trendy
  • 27. or faddish and begin to substitute the sand of experience for the rock of revealedtruth. Show us the fullness of the powerof the gospel, Lord, and keep us from preoccupationwith secondarythings, no matter how spectacular." Here are two stacks ofbooks by evangelicalpastors andteachers. One stack argues that signs and wonders (like healings) were designedby God to help people recognize and believe in the Son of God and then to vindicate the authority of his apostles as they laid the foundation for the church with their inspired teachings and writings. After the apostles died and their writings were gatheredin the New Testament, the place of signs and wonders was past, and we should not seek them today. The other stack of books argues that signs and wonders should be soughtand performed today in Jesus'name. The reasonwe don't see so many is because of how little expectancythere is in the church. But God is at work doing a new thing in our day awakening the church to the reality of these things. I read these two stacks ofbooks. Icomb the Scriptures. I pray. And I wind up againand againsomewhere in the middle with a lot of uncertainty. So the best I can do for you this morning is to show you some of what I see that pulls me in both these different directions. Then perhaps as we study and pray together, the Lord will give us more light. 1. Signs and Wonders Limited to the Apostolic Age Let me begin with the view that says signs and wonders are limited to the age of the apostles. This doesn'tmean miracles don't happen. It just means they are not the typical or normal way ministry is to be done. The healing ministry of Jesus and the apostles was unique. Signs and wonders were not done by Christians in general, but were the signs of the apostles, andwhen the apostles died out, the signs died out. I'll mention five pieces of evidence for this view. 1.1. The SpecialMinistry of the Apostles in Acts In the book of Acts it looks like Luke, the author, means for us to see signs and wonders not as the common occurrence among Christians in generalbut as the specialministry of the apostolic group.
  • 28. First of all, Luke reminds us that signs and wonders were important in the ministry of Jesus. Acts 2:22, "Jesus ofNazareth, a man attestedto you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs which God did through him." Then, Luke shows us the importance of signs and wonders in the ministry of the apostles. Acts 2:43, "Fearcame upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles [notthrough the Christians in general]." Acts 5:12, "Now many signs and wonders were done among the people by the hands of the apostles [not by the hands of all the Christians]." Acts 14:3, "So they [Paul and Barnabas]remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands." Acts 15:12, "And all the assemblykept silence;and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles [as though this were something remarkable, not something being done daily by average Christians]." So it looks like Luke intends for us to see signs and wonders in the book of Acts as having a specialrole in the ministry of the apostles. This suggests that neither then nor today were signs and wonders intended to be a normal part of church ministry or evangelism. They were intended to vindicate the authority of the apostles once for all. 1.2. 2 Corinthians 12:12 The secondpiece of evidence is 2 Corinthians 12:12. Paul is writing to defend his apostleshipat Corinth againstthe claim that some other men were the true or greaterapostles. He says, "The signs of an apostle were performed among you in all patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works." Paul insists that he has given sufficient evidence of his authenticity as an apostle—he had workedthe signs of an apostle in the midst of hardship. And "signs and wonders" were part of what Paul did when he performed the signs of an apostle. So againit looks like signs and wonders have a specialrole to
  • 29. play in authenticating apostles (cf. Romans 15:19). That would imply that when the apostles had finished their founding work and died, signs and wonders would ceaseas a part of gospelministry. 1.3. Hebrews 2:4 Hebrews 2:4 looks back onthe time when the apostles brought the gospelto this people and says, "It was declaredat first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him [i.e., apostles], while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his own will." It looks like the miracles were not an every day occurrence in the church but something the church lookedback on at a very specialtime when the eyewitness'of the Lord first brought the gospel. 1.4. The Uniqueness of Jesus'Ministry Fourthly, this view points out that the ministry of Jesus was unique in some ways;and so you can't jump to the conclusionthat just because he sent his disciples out to heal during his lifetime, he means for us to do ministry just that way when he is gone. For example, in Matthew 10:7–8 Jesus does say to the twelve, "Preachas you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick . . . " (cf. Luke 9:2). So, yes, there is a command for his disciples to heal the sick as part of their ministry. But two verses earlierhe says, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lostsheep of the house of Israel." Everybody agrees thatthis command is temporary. For a short time there was a limit to the Jewishpeople during Jesus'ministry. But after the resurrection Jesus commands us to go to all the nations. So you can't just assume that everything Jesus commandedduring his lifetime he means to be continued as a ministry priority after his resurrection(cf. Luke 22:35–36).There was something unique about the time of the incarnation and the unusual upsurge of signs and wonders was part of that uniqueness. 1.5. No Parallelin Church History
  • 30. One final argument from church history is that there has never been anyone that we know of that regularly healedpeople the wayJesus and the apostles did—instantly, completely, and the hardest cases.Mosthealing since the days of the apostles deals in the easiercases, fails often, and does not happen instantly. This does not mean it is unreal, only that it is of a different order than the signs and wonders of Jesus and the apostles. So for reasons like these, one group of evangelicalssays thatsigns and wonders ceasedas a normative part of the ministry when the apostles finished their work. We should not pursue them today. 2. Signs and Wonders To Be Pursued Today The other view says that we should see more signs and wonders today than we do. They are given both for the blessing of the church and for the spread of the gospel. Here are some of the reasons this view demands serious consideration. 2.1. Continuity BetweenJesus'Ministry and the Church's Jesus does seemto teach a continuity betweenhis own ministry and the ongoing ministry of the church. "As the Fatherhas sent me so send I you" (John 20:21). Luke says in Luke 9:2 that when Jesus sentout the twelve, "He sent them out to preachthe kingdom of God and to heal." And in Luke 10:9 when he sentout the 70, he commanded them, "Wheneveryou enter a town . . . heal the sick in it and sayto them, 'The kingdom of God has come near you.'" So the preaching of the kingdom seems to be very closelylinked with the ministry of healing. Then in Matthew 24:14 he says, "This gospelof the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, as a testimony to all the nations; then the end will come." In other words, the same gospelof the kingdom that Jesus preachedis to be preacheduntil all the nations have heard it. And it would seemnatural that we should spreadthat kingdom pretty much the way Jesus did exceptin those points which he tells us to change or in which some other part of the New Testamenttells us to change. So, for example, we do stop
  • 31. limiting the ministry to Jews, because he said to stop, but we don't stop healing, because he didn't say to stop. In fact in John 14:12 he said, "Truly I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do." Whatever this means in detail, it surely seems to suggestcontinuity betweenthe signs and wonders of Jesus and the ministry of those who believe (not just apostles). So the first piece of evidence is that Jesus seems to teacha continuity betweenhis ministry and the ministry of the church. He does not say, "Make healing part of the ministry while I am here, but not after I am gone." 2.2. Signs and Wonders Done in Acts by Non-Apostles The secondpiece of evidence is the factthat in the book of Acts it is not just the apostles who do signs and wonders. Two "deacons"—twoofthe seven chosenin Acts 6, Stephen and Philip (Acts 6:5)—also do signs and wonders as part of their ministry. In Acts 6:8 Luke says, "Stephen, full of grace and power, did greatwonders and signs among the people." And in Acts 8:6 it says, "And the multitudes with one accordgave heedto what was saidby Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs which he did." What makes Philip's ministry to the Samaritans so interesting is that later the apostles came down and laid hands on the Samaritans. This means that Philip was not acting somehow in the place of an apostle when he did signs and wonders. He simply had sign- working power in his evangelistic ministry. 2.3. Galatians 3:5 The third piece of evidence is found in Galatians 3:5. Paul writes to the churches of Galatia and says, "Doeshe who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?" The point is that God is now supplying his Spirit to the Galatians (not to the apostles)and working miracles among them when he is not there. So the working of miracles does not seemto be limited to the ministry of the apostles in the early church. 2.4. Gifts of Healing and Miracles
  • 32. Finally, the fourth piece of evidence is that in 1 Corinthians 12 Paul teaches that in the church there were gifts of healing and miracles for various believers not just for the apostles. He says in verses 7–10,"To eachis given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. . . to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom . . . to another gifts of healing, to another workings of miracles." Thenin verse 28 he distinguishes this from the apostolate whenhe says, "Godhas appointed in the church first apostles, secondprophets, third teachers, thenmiracles, then gifts of healings . . . " So it seems pretty clearthat there were gifts of healings and miracles that were not limited to the apostles. So for reasons like these, a secondgroup of evangelicalsbelieves thatsigns and wonders were not limited to the apostles orto that age, but are available for today and should be soughtfor the goodof the church and the spread of the gospel. What Shall We Say to These Two Views? So what shall we say to these two views? Virtually all the great pastors and teachers ofhistory that I admire and that have fed me over the years belong to the first group who believe that signs and wonders were only for the apostolic age (John Calvin, Martin Luther, John Owen, Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, Charles Spurgeon, Benjamin Warfield, my own father). But I am not fully persuadedby their case. Onthe other hand, there does seemto be something unique about the way God did signs and wonders in the ministries of Jesus and the apostles. So what I think I cansay for our guidance is this. On the one hand, we ought to honor the uniqueness of Jesus and the apostles and of that revelatorymoment in history that gave us the foundational doctrines of faith and life in the New Testament. On the other hand we ought to be open to the realpossibility that this too might be a unique moment in history, and in this moment it may well be God's purpose to pour out his Spirit in unprecedented revival—revival of love
  • 33. to Christ and zealfor worship and compassionforlost people and a missionary thrust with signs and wonders. I want to have my keeldeep and stable in the once-for-allbiblical revelation of God, and I want to have my sails unfurled to every movement of God's Spirit upon the deeps." Christian Courage Acts 4:23-31 This entry was postedin Acts (Rayburn) on November1, 2015 by Rev. Dr. Robert S. Rayburn. Acts 4:23-31 It is Reformation Dayand for two reasons I have decided to continue our sermons in Acts rather than preacha sermon apropos that greattheological and spiritual renewalof the 16th century, the event that created, however unintentionally, the ProtestantChurch of which, of course, Faith Presbyterian is a part. First, preaching in the Reformationbecame in a many places, including Wittenberg and Geneva, the consecutive expositionof books ofthe Bible, just what we are doing with Acts these Sundays. The reformers realizedthat the people as a rule did not know the Bible and neededa thorough and in-depth introduction to its teaching. Calvin, for example, preachedthrough much of the Bible during his years in Geneva. So by continuing with the next paragraph of Acts I am honoring the tradition of Reformationpreaching. Second, the particular paragraphbefore us highlights the courage ofthe apostles and early Christians in the face of official persecution. In this it might just as well have been describing the Reformers who, literally, took their lives in their hands to stand up for the reformation of the church, its faith, and its worship. The Reformation was a movement of heroes as was the establishment of the Church in its earliestdays. Text Comment
  • 34. v.24 What was the reactionof the apostles to the threats of the Sanhedrin? Well they gatheredthe Christians togetherand they prayed. They addressed themselves to one who had far greaterauthority and powerthan the Sanhedrin. As the Puritan John Flavel put it, “He who is used to being before a greatGod will not be afraid to look such little things as men in the face.” [Works, vol. VI, 65]Notice once again, as before in chapter one, that they prayed together, a point that Luke is ringing the changes on. v.26 The citation from Psalm2 reminded them that the Scripture had long before foretold the world’s opposition to Christ, the Lord’s anointed; “anointed one,” as you remember is the meaning of “Christ.” Government officials and religious leaders, both Gentiles and Jews had conspiredto kill him. But in that opposition, unbeknownstto them, they were in fact accomplishing God’s will, for Jesus came into the world to suffer and die for the sins of his people. The prayers of God’s people have always been shaped by the teaching, even the wording of the Bible. v.30 Just as God had vindicated Jesus and frustrated the oppositionof so many to him by raising him from the dead, so they askedthat he would continue to frustrate their antagonism, now directed not at him, because he was in heaven, but at Jesus’followers. Take note. They weren’t asking that their enemies be punished or even removed. They simply didn’t want to be undone by their opposition. They were asking God to enable them to continue spreading the word with boldness. The authorities could threaten, but as they themselves admitted in the previous paragraph, the miracle had put them in an impossible position. The people were ecstatic and would neither understand nor appreciate any government attack on men who could work miracles, especiallysuchhappy miracles! v.31 In those heady days of signs and wonders, extraordinary precisely because so contraryto the normal experience of people, they were granted still another visible and audible demonstration of the Holy Spirit’s presence with them and, encouragedandemboldened, their preaching went on as before. As Chrysostom, the great early Christian preacherput it, the shaking of the
  • 35. room made them the more unshaken! [Homilies on Acts, XI, 73] Once again we see that the attacks ofthe world lead to the strengthening of the church, a fact that will prove to be a theme in Acts. [Peterson, 198] Peterand John had been arrested, kept in jail overnight, hauled before the authorities and questioned, ordered not to preachin the name of Jesus, and threatened with further reprisals should they do so. Their response is more than an interesting bit of early Christian history. Like everything else in Luke’s narrative, this is a picture of the Christian life and of Christian witness as they ought to be. We have alreadyread of the authorities having takennotice of the “boldness” of these men. Galileanfishermen not university or divinity schoolgraduates, their public speaking was taking the city of Jerusalemby storm. They had a greatstory to tell, a messageto deliver, and they were fearless. Nothing in their lives to this point had prepared them for public speaking – something that makes evenwell educatedpeople nervous and insecure – but they were captivating huge crowds of people, holding them spellbound by what they had to say and the way they said it.. Here was Peter, who had coweredand betrayed the Lord before a servant girl the night of the Lord’s arrest, commanding the attention of multitudes and declaring the triumph of Jesus Christ oversin and death fully aware that the authorities were going to hate him for doing so. As I said, this boldness and courage willprove to be an important part of Luke’s profile of a Christian in the book of Acts. In fact, the book will end on this same note. Chapter 28 ends with this: “[Paul] lived there [i.e. under house arrest in Rome] two whole years at his own expense, and welcomedall who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness…” Courage, boldness, anda refusal to be cowedby the active opposition or even the indifference of the world is throughout the Bible a prominent feature of Christian character. We are commanded to be this way repeatedly in the Bible.
  • 36. “Be strong and courageous…”the Lord told Joshua. [1:6-9] “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you…” So said the Lord to his people through Isaiah the prophet. [41:10] And it is the same in the New Testament. Paultells the Christians in Corinth: “…standfirm in the faith, be men of courage (literally, “play the man”) and be strong.” [1 Cor. 16:13] And, againtypical of the Bible, the same point is made negatively, as is often the case in the Bible’s moral teaching. We read in Rev. 21:8 that the cowardly will be among those punished in the final judgment, along with the unbelieving, the sexually immoral, liars, and so on. And, as we would expect, throughout Holy Scripture we are provided with example after example of such courage and boldness:David before Goliath, Elijah before Ahab, and the apostles here in Acts 4. We are also, of course, given examples of cowardice so thatwe do not fail to see it for what it is. Think of Israelat Kadesh Barnea refusing to enter the PromisedLand for fear of its inhabitants, or Peteron the night of the Lord’s arrest, or John Mark on Paul’s first missionary journey. Even faithful men can sometimes play the coward! And because the Bible describes life and Christian life as it is, we are not surprised to find the landscape of church history ever since littered with both the brave and the cowardly, the bold and the fearful. The martyrs, for their courageousloyalty to the Lord and his kingdom, are the quintessential Christians, the representative followers ofJesus Christ in the book of Revelationand there have been a greatmany of them in the centuries since. Indeed, it’s now thought that probably many more Christians have been murdered for their loyalty to Christ over the last century than in any previous century of human history. But in many lesserways Christians have boldly and courageouslyborn witness to Jesus in the face of greatdangeror opposition. This is ReformationSunday so let’s take examples from that period. You know the name John Hus, the pre-reformer, who was executedfor what was
  • 37. essentiallythe same teaching as Martin Luther’s but a century earlier, in the year 1514. This pastJune we saw the greatmonument to Hus in the main square of Prague. Thoughnot for the best reasons, he is still a hero to the Czechs. We also walkedthrough the church where he preachedand from which he begana movement that would lead eventually to the Reformation. Luther read Hus and began repeating some of the things Hus had said about the gospeland the teaching of the Bible and so Luther’s Catholic adversaries attempted to gethim to incriminate himself as a heretic by forcing him to admit that he agreedwith the man who had earlier been executedas a heretic. Finally Luther realized that this was preciselythe issue. Hus had been right and the Church had been wrong, and had committed a grave sin in executing a faithful minister of Christ preciselyfor being a faithful minister of the gospel. He bravely and publicly embraced Hus as a true teacherof the faith. In a formal debate with the German scholarJohn Eck at the University of Leipzig in July 1519, Eck hadsaid, “I see that you are following the damned and pestiferous errors of…John Hus…” To be identified with a heretic in those days was a serious charge, one that could get you killed. Luther replied, “Among the articles of John Hus, I find many which are plainly Christian and evangelical, whichthe universal Church cannot condemn.” After the debate Eck describedLuther as “the SaxonHus.” Luther would later write that he now agreedwith Hus more then than he had realized at the debate at Leipzig. By 1521 he was willing to say “We are all Hussites without knowing it.” To saythat in 1521 was to ally oneselfwith someone the church had executedfor heresy; it was asking for trouble and, of course, trouble found Luther in spades. Now both Hus and Luther were brave men, willing to risk reputation and life itself for what they came to see was the plain teaching of the Bible about Christ and salvation. But there were many others who sided with these men who riskedmuch by doing so. When John Hus was being led out of the Council of Constance that had just condemned him to death, a Czech nobleman, John of Chlum, publicly held out his hand to Hus to signify his
  • 38. loyalty to him. In other words he let everyone in that assembly the hall know that he stoodwith the man they had just condemned to death, a dangerous thing to do. Just a few weeks agothe lawyerof a civil rights advocate in Iran was reportedly arrestedfor shaking the hand of his client while meeting her in prison! [WSJ Oct. 30, 2015, op ed page]Do you realize that without the courage ofsuch men, without their boldness, humanly speaking the Christian church would not have survived in the world! But with it, with such courage, such self-forgetfulthrowing cautionto the wind, it has overspreadthe world. I remember Adlai Stevenson, the American politician and twice presidential candidate, remarking, after returning home from a trip to WestAfrica many years ago, that having seen a number of cemeteries onhis visit he had learned for the first time how many missionaries, especiallyfrom England, had given their lives to bring the gospelof Christ to people who had never heard of the Lord or his death or resurrection. They knew very wellthe likelihood of dying violently or from one of Africa’s fevers, and they knew that many who had precededthem to WestAfrica had die. Nevertheless theyfilled ship after ship after ship, making their way to African folk who needed to hear about Christ. And Multitudes of them died, as they knew they would. But, alas, Christians have not always coveredthemselves with such glory. Two greatcontroversies in the history of the early church – the Novation and the Donatistcontroversies – were spawnedby disagreements among ministers and churches over what to do with Christians who had betrayed the faith under threat of punishment but who, afterward, were sorry and wanted to be readmitted to the church. Some were willing to forgive them – surely they were right – but many others were not. And in the era of the Reformationit was the same. A century after Luther the Reformationwas still uncertain of success inScotland. The advocates ofthe Reformation– the ScottishCovenanters – were being threatened with every sort of punishment, including cruel forms of death, by the Scottish government, by the church which was alignedwith the government. One of the fascinating documents of the period is the diary of the Scottishnobleman, Alexander Brodie, who wanted to side with the Reformationmen, but feared the consequences. One does not usually read such frank admissions of cowardice as are found in Brodie’s diary.
  • 39. “Jan. 20, 1662. Myperplexity continues as to whether I shall move now or not, stay or return, hold by Lauderdale [the Reformation man], or make use of the bishop [that is, submit to the government]. I desired to reflecton giving titles, speaking fair, and complying. [In other words, he knew very well that he was playing the coward, saying things he didn’t mean to avoid trouble.] I went to Sir George Mushet’s funeral, where I was lookedat…like a speckledbird. [That is, his former friends were realizing he wasn’t willing to stand up for them or for the truth.] Oct. 16. Did see the bishop, and in my discourse with him did go far in fair words and the like. [He knows he’s a cowardand he knows he’s saying what they want to hear simply to avoid trouble for himself.] Oct. 31 James Urquhart was with me. Oh that I could attain to his steadfastness andfirmness! But, alas!I am soonovercome;I soonyield to the leastdifficulty. [Amazing! The man is admitting to himself that he’s a coward; that he admires courage in others but lacks it in himself.] Oct. 26 Duncan Cuming was here, and I desired him to tell the honest men in the south that though I did not come up to their length, I hoped they would not stumble [at] me.” [In other words, tell the prisoners on the Bass and the martyrs of the Grassmarketin Edinburgh that Lord Brodie is a [Reformation man] at heart, and ought to be a sufferer with them, but that he loves Brodie Castle and a whole skin more than he loves Jesus Christ, or the gospel, or the faithful disciples of the Lord.] Die Dom. I find greataversenessin myself to suffering. I am afraid to lose life or estate. I hold it a duty not to abandon these honest ministers that have stuck to the Reformation. And if the Lord would strengthen me, I would desire to confess the truth like them. [Now his cowardice is the Lord’s fault!] Shall I [refuse] to hearthat honest minister, James Urquhart, for a time, seeing the storm that is like to fall on me if I [go to hear him]? What counselshall I give my son? Shall I expose myself and my family to dangerat this time? What is my duty? A grain of faith would easily answerall these questions? [The man was admitting to himself that he was betraying the Lord by his cowardice andthat his professionof loyalty to Christ was pure hypocrisy!] The apostle Peter, JohnHus, Martin Luther, John of Chlum, and Alexander Brodie found themselves in the same situation as every Christian must eventually in one wayor another. To be bold for Christ, to identify themselves
  • 40. with him would costthem something, might very well costthem everything. Indeed in Peter’s case,and John Hus’ case it eventually costthem their lives. But how differently Brodie handled himself than did the others. While he equivocatedin fear, the others turned to the Lord for help and strength and said and did what honesty, faith, obedience, and loyalty to Jesus Christ required. When we read this short paragraphin Acts 4 we may be inclined to think, “Well, of course they were bold. The Holy Spirit had descendedupon them at Pentecost, they had been given the ability to speak in languages theyhad never learned, they wielded miraculous power to heal the sick, and, when they prayed the building shook!I’d be courageous and bold too, if I had such advantages. But actually that is not right. They had many advantages, no doubt. We wish we had them ourselves, understandably. But we are going to learn very soon that there were cowards in the church even in those heady early days. And even the Apostles themselves were not immune to the temptation to protect themselves from the anger and opposition of others. Peterwill stumble in just this way as we learn in the first two chapters of the Epistle to the Galatians. The apostle Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, asksthem to pray for him that he might be bold and fearless in his preaching of the gospel. The apostle Paul! Even that titan of a man needed their prayers to steelhimself againstplaying the coward! But more than that, throughout the Bible and throughout church history we see courageous menand women defying dangers of every kind, ignoring threats, undertaking perils preciselybecause they believed the very same things these early Christians confessedin their prayer. No miracles for them, but they knew that God was very great, that he would be faithful to his Word, that he had given them a high and holy and sacredcalling to point others to the wayof salvation, the way to find eternal life, and, that safe as they were in the salvationthey found in Jesus Christ, they were the ones of all people who were free to risk life and limb for others. Should the Lord allow them to bear witness by their death, death for them would be triumph itself, immediate entrance into the presence ofthe Lord. They could take the risk because they
  • 41. had nothing to lose and everything to gain. That will be Stephen’s state of mind when we meet the first Christian martyr in chapters 6 and 7. See the way the Christians workedthrough the problem in their prayer to God. When we actas servants of the living God, when we do his will and serve his cause, no man will be able to harm us unless it is the Lord’s will. And if it is his will, as it was, for example, when his enemies sentJesus to the cross, everything will work out to our ultimate goodand the goodof many others. These people were setting the Lord before them and remembering whose side they were on! Then they remembered, what we are often tempted to forget, that the opposition we encounter as the followers and representatives ofJesus Christ is only what Scripture teaches us we will face. A known, predictable problem is easierto face. More than that, even that opposition, even the most hateful and cruel opposition, is in some mysterious way the plan and purpose of God. No one can hurt us without the will of our Father in heaven. And if he has chosento let us suffer loss or peril or sword, then we can be sure that in this waywe are making some important contribution to the kingdom of God. Those Egyptian Christian men who met their deaths so valiantly a few months ago, whom Islamic State Jihadists beheaded on camera, will, I’m quite sure, be the cause of a goodnumber of Muslims leaving their faith for Christ and the gospel. It has always beenso. The blood of the martyrs is the seedof the church.The opposition we face in this world, either the positive scornor the dismissive indifference of the enemies of Jesus Christ, either the threat of some temporal loss or to our very lives, is utterly at God’s command. Those we are inclined to fear in this world, those whose better opinion of us we are often so desperate to protect, those before whom we remain silent when we should speak for fear of what they will think of us or do to us, have no power to do us any real harm and are at a deeperlevel railing at God who has them and their lives entirely in his hands. So futile is their rebellion againsthim that even their rebellion ultimately accomplisheshis will.
  • 42. Still more, there is something impossibly ennobling in the realizationthat the hatred of the world is not really for us, but for Christ himself and it falls on us only because the world cannotexpress its hostility to the Lord in any other way than by directing it againsthis followers. “Ifthey hated me, they will hate you,” our Savior told us before he left the world. But he also said, “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” It is our glory to suffer for our Savior’s sake. Indeed, any man or woman with Christian blood in his or her veins wants in some way to share in the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings. We will read in the very next chapter that these same early Christians considered it high honor to “be counted worthy of suffering disgrace forChrist’s name.”At the same time Lord Brodie was conniving somehow to avoid suffering for Christ, another layman, John Campbell, Earl of Loudon (Loudon is where our friends in Newmilns live!) was losing everything for the cause ofthe Reformation. Samuel Rutherford wrote to him to encourage him: “You are many ways blessedof God, who have takenupon you to come out to the streets with Christ on your forehead, when so many are ashamedof him, and hide him (as it were)under their cloak…”[CXVI, p. 235] And, then, finally, the Lord is near to hear us when we pray to him for strength and courage and ready to put his power and presence to work on our behalf. The disciples knew this and counted on this: they never imagined that they had to take on the world by themselves or that this was their fight alone! They believed that God would be true to his promise to give them words to speak when they were called upon to defend themselves or the faith, to protect them, and to bless their words and witness to the life and salvationof others. How many times throughout the Bible do we hear something like this? “…the Lord Almighty is with us, the God of Jacobis our fortress.” [Psalm 46:5-8] And through the ages how wonderfully he has come to the aid of those who desire to honor and serve him. Not necessarilya shaking room in these cases, but no less the powerful ministry, protection, and aid of the Holy Spirit. From that same time in Scottishchurch history, when the Reformationwas still very much in doubt, comes this illustration of that divine faithfulness.
  • 43. A girl was going into the country to attend a … communion service on a Sunday afternoon. Such services were, ofcourse, a way for reformation- minded people to meet togetherin worship and so they were againstthe law; those found at them or proved to have attended them were punished severely – jail or worse – and the countryside was being scouredby the king’s troops looking for just such services in order to arrestthose attending them as a way of intimidating everybody else in the population. Well, this girl came suddenly face to face with just such a band of dragoons. She was momentarily dumbstruck, wondering how to explain her presence out in the country. But upon being questioned she found herself thinking to say, “My elder brother has died and they are going to read his will this afternoon, and he has done something for me and left something to me, and I want to hear them read the will.” The soldiers who have persecutedthe church of Godthrough the ages have not, as a rule, been the sharpestknives in the drawer, and this answer satisfiedthem and they let the girl go on her way.” [In Lloyd-Jones, Spiritual Depression, 104-105]Whatwas that but the Lord keeping his promise that the Holy Spirit would speak through his servants by giving them the words to speak when they were called, as Jesus saidthey would be, “before rulers and kings, synagoguesand councils.” [Mark 13:11] What a beautiful thought and what a beautiful thing: to come out to the streets with Jesus Christ on your forehead. Surely that is what any Christian wants to do. The Lord Jesus was sometimes afraid;no man was ever as afraid as he was in prospectof his death on the cross, bearing the sin of the human race as he was about to do. He knows our fears and he cares forus. Surely he will help us who want to be bold and brave for his sake!" Christian Courage W. E. Knox, D. D.
  • 44. Acts 4:18-31 And they calledthem, and commanded them not to speak atall nor teachin the name of Jesus.… Courage is one of the Bible virtues. It was one of the lastwords of Moses to Joshua:"Be strong and of goodcourage." Itwas almost the first word of the Lord on welcoming him to his new office:"Be strong and of goodcourage." It was the counselgiven the twelve Hebrew explorers. David recalledthe energising word in his charge to Solomon, and in the Psalms he rings out the same voice to all the saints: "Be of goodcourage, andHe shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord." The correspondentword "boldness" is as often used in the New Testament. It applied to Christ Himself in His preaching; it was what Paul would have the Church pray for as a gift to him; and, as we see in this book of Acts, it was one of the distinguishing traits of the other apostles and the primitive Church. Mark, then, this instance of Christian courage — I. AS BELONGING TO PRIVATE AND NON-PROFESSIONALMEN This was the problem that first exercisedthe Sanhedrin — confidence where they lookedfor diffidence. They had not been trained in the schools as rhetoricians who might be expectedto command their speechand self-possessionbefore the tribunal or a popular assembly. It would have been a severe ordeal to some men of education and experience. Whence, then, the calmness ofthese obscure disciples? It was derived from Christ Himself. And so the Sanhedrin soonperceived. Christ, though no professedrhetorician, spoke with calmness, with knowledge andwith authority, and these two disciples had takentheir style from their Master. I have seenplain men, who had been brought up far from schools, but brought so near to Christ that they could not but speak of Him, and with such knowledge and calmness that they always gaineda hearing.
  • 45. II. AS MAINTAINED IN THE FACE OF WORLDLY ARRAY AND AUTHORITY. "Whatwill the world sayof us?" is a question many persons ask with greatsolicitude. Some very strong men (like Napoleon)have been very weak here. What the world will do to us is still more startling, if it has a rod in its hands and a will to use it. It seemedas if the whole world was againstthese two Galileans, andlikely to make quick work with them. The Shepherd had been smitten; how could the flock fail to be scattered? The people rather than the rulers were the audience on Pentecost. "Yourrulers" are spokenof as if absent. But now the greatmen began to be astir. How amazed was the Sanhedrin when these two plain men, insteadof humbly begging pardon, calmly stoodon their defence!They went over the gospel story as unembarrassed as if they were telling it to an audience of friends. III. AS SUSTAINED BY THE SENSE OF A DIVINE PRESENCE. "Whether it be right in the sight of God." There being two here to judge us, which shall have the precedency? The rulers had not been with Jesus, and had not learned this lesson. If Jesus were attheir side, what though the whole array of the Sanhedrin confronted them? Preciselythis was what the Saviour had promised: "Lo, I am with you alway." IV. AS HAVING THE SUPPORT OF PERTINENT AND PALPABLE FACTS. When the lame man heard of the apostles'arrest, he went before the tribunal, ready to give his testimony and share their fate. Standing upright there on his feet, what could the Sanhedrin say? How else could the apostles feet at that sight but joyful and thankful that such a miracle of mercy had been wrought by their hands? This has always been a strong support in the work for God — the goodresults that have attended it. Paul felt this: "I am not ashamedof the gospelofChrist," etc.
  • 46. V. AS ENCOURAGED BY THE COMPANIONSHIP OF CHRISTIAN MEN. "They went to their own company." In holy joy they lifted up their voices togetherin the triumphant words of the Old TestamentPsalm:"Why do the Gentiles rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?" Their prayer went up for greaterboldness in their Master's cause, andnew wonders of grace as the fruit of it. (W. E. Knox, D. D.) Christian Courage Monday Club Sermons Acts 4:18-31 And they calledthem, and commanded them not to speak atall nor teachin the name of Jesus.… I. ITS TEST. The apostles did not wish to separate themselves from the JewishChurch, for it was while .entering the temple that Peter and John restoredthe lame man. See these men, then, confronted by a positive command from the nation's highest tribunal to be silent, a tribunal, too, that had condemned their Master. Nationallove, respectfor law, pride of race, reverence for institutions hoary with age, strength of socialties, personal friendships, a shrinking from becoming disturbers of the peace, fearfor personalsafety— all these conspired to intensify the command "not to speak at all nor teachin the name of Jesus."Whatnow enables them to oppose the Sanhedrin's command? Their personallove for Jesus. To be silent is impossible. Bound to their nation by enduring ties, a strongercord binds them
  • 47. to Jesus. "We cannotbut speak." And speak they did, with added boldness. There are currents in the sea which, despite opposing winds and tides, move on their way unhindered, impelled by a mighty force hidden far in the depths. Such a force in the hearts of these disciples was love for Christ. II. ITS MANIFESTATIONS. Menare sometimes calledcourageous when they are only reckless.The man of real courage willbe bold enough, and calm enough, to actwisely. In the conduct of the apostles everymark of true courage is manifest. 1. They show that their course is not prompted by impulse or passion. They are moved by deep convictions. Theyplant themselves on the highest conceivable ground, the sense ofright. They have no ambitious ends to seek, no revenge to gratify, no popular applause to gain. "Thrice armed is he who bath his quarrel just." When the Empress Eudoxia sent threatening messages to in Constantinople to desistfrom his pungent reproofs, the golden-tongued preacherreplied: "Tellthe Empress that Chrysostomfears nothing but sin." Note, as an evidence of wisdom, how sagaciouslythe apostles appealto this self-same principle of right in the minds of their accusers. "Judgeye." This sense that it is right to hearkenmore unto God than unto men, whether adopted in practicallife or not, must and does commend itself to every man's conscience. Thosewho adhere to it gain the confidence of all. "What," was askedby a merchant of a poor boy applying for a situation, "should you say if I were to tell you to work on Sunday?" "I shouldn't come;for God has said, 'Remember the Sabbath day to keepit holy,' and I shall do as God bus told me." "Then," saidthe employer, "you are the boy I am looking for." 2. The apostles'courage is seenin the company they keep. "Being letgo, they went to their own company," etc. How changedthe aspect!In the Sanhedrin the air was dense with suspicionand malice — here is love, purity, and the
  • 48. peace ofheaven. Courage is of the right kind when it seeks to sustainitself by breathing an atmosphere like this. III. ITS SOURCE (ver. 31). The breath of God's Spirit upon their spirits. Christ did not send the apostles into trial without providing them with a poweradequate to every want. Christians should learn to look to the Holy Spirit to work in them and for them whatevertheir needs require. If courage is the virtue needed here, then courage will be the product of the Spirit. Before the Sanhedrin the Spirit makes Peterbold; but afterwards the same Spirit made him deeply humble. John, originally a "sonof thunder," was by the Spirit's agencyso transformed as to become a renownedexample of Christian gentleness. (Monday Club Sermons.) "THE PRAYER OF POWER" Intro: We often hear said, "There is powerin prayer." Yet we are aware that many of our prayers seempowerless. Whenprayers fail, there is a tendency to fault God. It is valuable to study powerful prayers. I. RECOGNITION OF THE ONE THEY WERE PRAYING TO. A. His power, "Oh Lord, Thou art God, Thou hast..." 1. We are not always aware ofthe one we are speaking to. a. We have a tendency to carry our human limitations over to God. 1. God this should be an easyone for you. 2. Oh God, I doubt if you can handle this. 2. We are often more impressed by the greatnessofour problem than of the powerof God to deliver.
  • 49. a. It's so easyto lose perspective. 1. It results from being too close to our problems and too far from God. 2. The sun is 1,200,000times largerthan our earth, 865,000 miles in diameter, yet your view of it canbe blockedby something as small as your hand. 3. This is one of the side effects of using prayer as a last resort. a. We wait so long, that our problem is so greatthat it is all we can see. 3. Now back up a bit, look at the universe. a. Take a walk, look at the trees, flowers. b. You're going to talk to the one who created. c. Now our problem isn't nearly as large. B. His knowledge, "Who by the mouth of Thy servant." 1. Our circumstances haven'tcaught God by surprise, He knew them a thousand years ago. a. Yea Lord, it's happened just like you saidit would. 2. We often look at prayer as informing time, where I inform God. a. "Oh God, you'll never believe what's happened now." b. Prayeris not informing God of my needs, it is asking Godfor my needs. The recognitionof my needs. C. His sovereignty, "to do what Thy hand and Thy counseldetermined before to be done." 1. The hand of God governs all the affairs of my life. 2. He does all things after the counselof His own will. 3. "The steps of a goodman are ordered by..." 4. "All things work togetherfor good..."
  • 50. 5. God is on the throne, He reigns over the universe. He has allowedthe rebellion on planet earth, He knew how far it would go, and when it would end. II. NEXT CAME THE REQUEST. A. Give us the boldness to keepdoing the things we were doing that got us into trouble. 1. I am surprised by the things they didn't pray for. a. Did not pray judgment on their persecutors. b. Did not pray for end of persecution. 1. "Theyrealized this was predicted." 2. We often pray for wrong things. a. "Oh Lord, help the world to getbetter." b. "Evil days shall wax worse and worse." c. "Oh Lord, keepme pure in the midst of evil." Acts 4:23-31 “To the End of the Earth (9): Praying Boldly” Dr. Derek W. H. Thomas Last week, indeeda week before, remember we've been looking at the healing of the cripple, the man who is describedas “being over forty years of age,” a cripple from birth, takenby his family — brothers, perhaps...relatives — to the temple area in order to beg. Peterand John, you remember, having been askedabout giving him something — “Silver and gold have I none, but in the name of Jesus Christ, stand up and walk.” And you remember the cripple is leaping for joy in the temple precincts.
  • 51. Peterand John have come under the tyranny and opposition of the Sanhedrin, and they have spent the night in a prison cell, perhaps in some holding cell somewhere onthe outer wall of the temple precinct itself. And in the morning [remember last Lord's Day evening we were considering how the Sanhedrin was meeting with Peterand John], what is it that Peterand John are doing? Explaining what it is that has brought them into disrepute with the Sanhedrin in the first place, they begin once againto preach Jesus and the resurrection. And the Sanhedrin warned them not to preach any more in the name of Jesus. And now we are following Peterand John as they make their way from the prison cell, whereverthat was, and they go to some locationin Jerusalem where their friends are gathered, and we pick up the reading at verse 23. And before we read the passage together, let's ask for God's blessing in prayer. Our God and our Father, we thank You againfor the Scriptures, the holy word of God that men spoke as they were carriedalong by the Holy Spirit. We thank You that it is profitable for doctrine and reproof and correction and instruction in the way of righteousness, that the man of God might be thoroughly furnished unto every goodwork. We thank You for the Bible. We thank You that this word is different from any other word that we read. And we pray now for Your blessing as we read it, that we may be given illumination and may understand what we read, and that we might not just be hearers, but that we might also be doers. So grant Your blessing, Lord, we pray in Jesus'name. Amen. Hear now the word of God: “When they had been released, they went to their own companions, and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accordand said, ‘O Lord, it is You who MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA, AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM, who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said, ‘WHY DID THE GENTILES RAGE, AND THE PEOPLES DEVISE FUTILE THINGS? THE KINGS OF THE EARTH TOOKTHEIR STAND,
  • 52. AND THE RULERS WERE GATHERED TOGETHER AGAINST THE LORD, AND AGAINST HIS CHRIST.’ For truly in this city there were gatheredtogetheragainstYour holy servant Jesus, whomYou anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whateverYour hand and Your purpose predestined to occur. And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.’ And when they had prayed, the place where they had gatheredtogetherwas shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and beganto speak the word of God with boldness.” Amen. And may God bless to us the reading of His holy and inerrant word. A.W. Tozer — many of you remember A. W. Tozer, who would have written numerous books back in the ‘30's and ‘40's, and perhaps early ‘50's. In an extraordinary little book calledPaths to Power, he writes that the early church was: “...notan organization, merely an organization, but a walking incarnation of spiritual energy. The church beganin power, moved in power, and moved just as long as the Lord gave power. When she no longerhad power, she dug in for safetyand sought to conserve her gains. But her blessings were like the manna. When they tried to keepit overnight, it bred worms and stank. It is the church that is willing to die to worldly standards that will know the power of Christ's resurrection.” It's an extraordinary passage. BuzLowry spoke about...orprayed...thatthe building would shake. [I'm a little apprehensive, standing underneath this thing here!] It's one of the most exciting parts of the whole book of Acts. It says something to us about a number of things, but it says something to us about the significance ofprayer and the power of prayer, and what it is they prayed for in a crisis when their lives were being threatened, and their liberties were being threatened.
  • 53. I'm not sure, in the 35 years that I've been a professing Christian...I'm not sure I've heard prayers like this much. I've heard many, many prayers in tight situations, in crisis, in difficulties when sickness threatens, whentrouble looms. But the boldness of what these early Christians prayed for at this juncture, this point, I want us to take note of it. I want us to look at this passage tonightalong four lines of thought. I want us first of all to see the priority of prayer. I want us in the secondplace to look at something of the structure of prayer. In the third place, I want us to look at one specific petition in this prayer. And, lastly, I want us to see the result of this prayer. I. I want us to begin by noting the priority these early Christians gave to prayer. Peterand John have spent a night in prison. They have been brought before the Sanhedrin, the ruling council of Jerusalem, and they have been threatened. They have been threatenednot to preach in the name of Jesus. They have been threatened not to continue doing what they have been doing since Pentecost.We’llsee in a minute it's precisely that that they will pray for: that God will make them bold to preach Jesus and the resurrection. Peterand John make their way to their friends’ house, wherever that is in Jerusalem. It may be the same locationas the one that we consideredright at the very beginning of Acts. It may even be John Mark's home or dwelling which purportedly he had in Jerusalem. And they lifted up their voices to God. They tell their friends what's happened, and immediately — immediately! — they lift up their voices to God. Prayerwas like breathing to them. They didn't have to think about it, they didn't have to debate about it, they didn't have to plan, they just did it. It was the instantaneous response to a crisis. They prayed. They lifted up their voices. Theygave it priority. It's the ultimate test of our professionoffaith: our prayer life. It's the ultimate test. When Luke is telling us of the conversionof Saul of Tarsus...andof course there's doubt as to the genuineness ofthe conversionof Saul of Tarsus. He could be a “fifth columnist”! “Behold, he prays.” Behold, he prays. That's the answer. That's the mark. And their praying is so direct, and it's so simple, and