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Be BOLD!
November 12
Acts 4:1-31
A new pastor moved into a town, and he went out one day to visit church members. All went well until he came upon this one house. It was obvious that someone was home, but no one came to the door even after he had knocked several times. Finally he took out his card, wrote on the back "Revelation 3:20" and stuck it on the back of the door.
Revelation 3:20: "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me."
Later in the week, as he was counting the offering, he found his card in the collection plate. Below his message was the notation "Genesis 3:10."
Genesis 3:10: "And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked: so I hid myself."
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I have titled this morning’s message, The Bold and the Dutiful. If you have your Bibles with you you can open it to Acts chapter 4 and keep your finger there. We’ll be coming back to that.
There is a cost for a lack of boldness.
George Sweeting, in his book The No-Guilt Guide for Witnessing, tells of a man by the name of John Currier who in 1949 was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life in prison. Later he was transferred and paroled to work on a farm near Nashville, Tennessee.
In 1968, Currier's sentence was terminated, and a letter bearing the good news was sent to him. But John never saw the letter, nor was he told anything about it. Life on that farm was hard and without promise for the future. Yet John kept doing what he was told even after the farmer for whom he worked had died.
Ten years went by. Then a state parole officer learned about Currier's plight, found him, and told him that his sentence had been terminated. He was a free man.
Sweeting concluded that story by asking, "Would it matter to you if someone sent you an important message -- the most important in your life -- and year after year the urgent message was never delivered?"
We who have heard the good news and experienced freedom through Christ are responsible to proclaim it to others still enslaved by sin. Are we doing all we can to make sure that people get the message?
As followers of Jesus Christ we are called to be public about our faith and to witness to others so that they may also have the chance to receive the same gift of eternal life that we have been given. To do this we often have to step out of our comfort zones and share what may be an unpopular narrative with those around us.
But people can’t even consider making a decision to change their lives if we don’t share the good news with them that the heavy lifting has already been done. And what good is the news if we only whisper it to each other?
In today’s world people who strive to change the norm with their new ideas are often the loudest. The more outlandish the idea the bolder the supporter of that idea becomes. Thus the Church of today is in need of bold believers to proclaim the truth of the Gospel.
For example the homosexual lobby and agenda which is now being touted as normal when all through history has been abnormal. Advocates for this lifestyle and homosexual rights are now bolder than ever and are quick to accuse anyone voicing opposition as homophobic.
More and more people are reluctant to tell anyone that their belief may be wrong. Our society has become more tolerant of positions that are in direct conflict with Biblical truth.
This isn’t the first time that this kind of thing has happened. In Judges 21:25 we read that, “ In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.” Isn’t that what we see in the world today? There is an ever increasing move toward the idea that whatever you believe is the right thing for you. Have you seen those bumper stickers that say “coexist”? What that is really saying is that everyone should be encouraged to do whatever works for them because, well, all religions have a path to heaven. Right? WRONG!
And we are commanded to go out and share the good news that Jesus died, was buried and then on the third day rose from the dead. And it is this, the resurrection that has the saving power for each of us.
Jesus says in John 14 “I am the Way the Truth and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” If we know this and believe it, shouldn’t we be sharing it every chance we get to everyone we can?
Paul writes in the letter to the church at Colassi (Col 4:5-6) that they should, “Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.” Col 4:5-6
You see, to be bold does not have to mean to hit someone over the head with a bible and scream that they will go to hell if they don’t follow Jesus. What it does mean is that we should seize every opportunity to share the news and not shrink back from the world.
Magician Penn Jillette of Penn and Teller fame is a staunch atheist and yet even he sees the value in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with others.
Jillette tells the story of when a member of the audience approached him after a show. The man complimented Jillette on the show, then said, “I brought this for you.” The man held up a small book. It was a New Testament with the Psalms, something that could fit in a person’s pocket.
“I wrote in the front of it,” the man said, “and I wanted you to have this.” The man explained he was a businessman and not crazy.
Jillette, moved by the man’s gesture, recalled: “He was kind, and nice, and sane, and looked me in the eyes, and talked to me, and then gave me this Bible.”
“I’ve always said,” Jillette explained, “I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize. I don’t respect that at all. If you believe there is a heaven and hell, and people could be going to hell or not getting eternal life or whatever, and you think it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward.
“How much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? How much do you have to hate someone to believe everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?”
Jillette then offered this example to illustrate his point: “If I believed, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that a truck was coming at you, and you didn’t believe it, that the truck was bearing down on you, there’s a certain point that I tackle you, and this is more important than that.”
“This guy was a really good guy. He was polite, honest, and sane, and he cared enough about me to proselytize and give me a Bible.”
Now, Jillette is still an atheist, and he wanted to make that clear: “I know there’s no God, and one polite person living his life right doesn’t change that.
“But I’ll tell you, he was a very, very, very good man. And that’s really important. And with that kind of goodness, it’s okay to have that deep of a disagreement.
“I still think religion does a lot of bad stuff, but, man, that was a good man who gave me that book. That’s all I wanted to say.”
Of course, Jillette is completely right about evangelization. Do we really believe the Gospel? And if we do, do we love those around us enough to share it with them, even if it’s socially difficult?
Jesus’ disciple Peter is known for opening his mouth and putting his foot in it. We remember that when Jesus had been arrested that Peter denied that he was a follower of Jesus or that he was even acquainted with Him. Peter really blew it and Jesus knew that he was going to. It looked as if Peter was going to turn away from Jesus out of fear. I mean after all it didn’t look like things were going all that well for Jesus.
Now if we jump ahead to the book of Acts things have changed in a huge way. Peter seems to have gone from wimp to witness.
After healing a lame beggar at the entrance to the Temple Peter saw an opportunity to preach about the salvation offered through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Healing a lame guy can give you a certain amount of authority Peter and John recognized this and took advantage of it.
Peter and John were preaching in the Temple that there is a resurrection of the dead through Jesus Christ. Some priests, the captain of the Temple guard and some Sadduces took issue with this teaching.
Now, the Sadduces were a very powerful religious sect who did not believe in the resurrection of the dead (that was why they were sad you see).
So they arrested the two, but by this time many of those who had heard what the two had been preaching believed it. And because of that, the number of those who could be counted as believers now exceeded 5,000.
Part of the reason that they had been detained was also that they had healed the beggar at the Temple entrance by the powerful name of Jesus Christ.
Peter and John spent time in jail and were then brought before the council of rulers. The council was impressed by the boldness of the pair as they continued to speak of Jesus as being the only way that one can be saved. Upon looking at the pair the council recognized that they were just ordinary men who had no special training.
The council then ordered that Peter and John never speak or teach again in the name of Jesus.
Then we read in Acts 4:19-20 “But Peter and John replied. ‘Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than Him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.’
Here is where we see the reason for the change in Peter. He had gone from timid to tenacious in his allegiance to Jesus and here’s why…
Before, when he had denied even knowing Jesus he most likely saw that the whole “following Jesus thing” was circling the drain.
Jesus had been arrested, was to be beaten and then eventually crucified.
But God…
So now Peter was preaching from the victory of Jesus over the grave. He himself had witnessed both the crucifixion AND the resurrection of Christ. Just imagine that!!! That would sure fire me up! How about you?
How many of us are more than happy to get all worked up in a conversation when we tell someone about how our football team had just won the Super Bowl.
Isn’t this more important than that?
Isn’t having all of our sins wiped away and the promise of an eternal life with the living God worth more than the number of games won in any give season by a bunch of guys wearing plastic hats trying to hit each other as players on one team attempt to run with an inflated animal skin across a line at the opposite end of the field while members of the opposing team try to stop them?
I think so…
Returning to Peter and John, they were then threatened more by those on the council, but finally they were released because the council was worried that any punishment that they were to dole out may cause a riot.
This was because everyone was so excited about having witnessed or heard about the healing of the lame beggar.
As soon as the two were freed they returned to the other believers and immediately began to pray. They didn’t ask for protection or that the opposition to their preaching would go away. They prayed for additional boldness and even more than that…
Acts 4:29-30 says, “And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word.
Then they went even a step further… They prayed…
Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
Then it happened.
Acts 4:31 says, “After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.”
God doesn’t want us to shirk away from opposition to His Word. God wants us to continue to share the good news even when it is difficult. He wants us to step out of our comfort zone and invite those who are lost into a relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The Hills Church of Christ preacher, Rick Atchley puts it very well when he says, “The bold see the outrageous things of God because they don’t stand still. If the church is stuck and stagnant its not because God doesn’t show up, it’s because we don’t. We want to ask God to do the impossible but we don’t want God to ask us to do the uncomfortable.”
A young man enlisted, and was sent to his regiment. The first night he was in the barracks with about fifteen other young men, who passed the time playing cards and gambling. Before retiring, he fell on his knees and prayed, and they began to curse him and jeer at him and throw boots at him. So it went on the next night and the next, and finally the young man went and told the chaplain what had taken place, and asked what he should do.
"Well," said the chaplain, "you are not at home now, and the other men have just as much right to the barracks as you have. It makes them mad to hear you pray, and the Lord will hear you just as well if you say your prayers in bed and don't provoke them."
For weeks after, the chaplain did not see the young man again, but one day he met him, and asked -- "By the way, did you take my advice?"
"I did, for two or three nights."
"How did it work?"
"Well," said the young man, "I felt like a whipped hound and the third night I got out of bed, knelt down and prayed."
"Well," asked the chaplain, "How did that work?"
The young soldier answered: "We have a prayer meeting there now every night, and three have been converted, and we are praying for the rest."
Oh, friends, I am so tired of weak Christianity. Let us be out and out for Christ; let us give no uncertain sound. If the world wants to call us fools, let them do it. It is only for a little while; the crowning day is coming. Thank God for the privilege we have of confessing Christ.
Paul writes in 2 Timothy 1:6-7 6 This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
Fear and timidity is exactly what the enemy wants us to be saddled with. He will continue to remind us of what it feels like to be rejected or disliked because of our witness for Jesus.
He want’s us to be ashamed, scared, and fearful at the thought of sharing Jesus with the people in our lives.
Some would say that it isn’t their job, but that sharing Christ should be handled by the professionals.
I can tell you right now that each and everyone of us here today are ministers and called to minister to those around us. This includes those who may consider themselves to be introverts.
You see, it isn’t about getting up and preaching to a crowd, it is about sharing with those who cross our paths.
Baptist preacher and university professor Tony Campolo tells the following story.
Too often we are guilty of “being ashamed of the gospel of Christ.” We’re embarrassed about bearing witness for fear that we might be violating the rules of social propriety.
Our failure to talk about Jesus cheats some of our friends out of the blessings that knowing Him can bring. This became very clear to me when I attended my ten year reunion of my high school class.
It was fun to see so many of my old friends whom I hadn’t seen for years. Then one of my friends pulled me aside. He had been one of my closest buddies in high school. We had played basketball together and always sat together at lunch.
He told me that a year earlier he had had the “most fantastic experience” of his life. He had become a Christian! He explained the change that had come over him and the new joy that he had experienced because of being in a relationship with Christ. He went on and on and on about his life as a new Christian.
After his first pause, I interrupted him and said, “Jerry, I’m so glad to hear this. you know, I’m a Christian too!”
Jerry asked, “When did you become a Christian?” I explained to him that I supposed it was when I was a little boy.
To this he responded with the most intense question. “If you were a Christian when we were in high school together, how come you never introduced me to Christ?”
I didn’t know what to say.
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Let’s be bold church. Let’s get out of our comfort zones and love people to Jesus every chance we get. After all going out to share the gospel with the whole world as we are told to do in the great commission, includes the little patch of ground we are standing on at any given time on any given day.
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