Boldness
Acts of Harvest • Sermon • Submitted
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· 22 viewsCourage and confidence in approaching God and also other people.
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This sermon is about: Being Bold in the Lord
What I want you to know: Boldness is necessary for the harvest
What I want you to do: Be courageous with faith
How you need to do that: Is by trusting God, using the gifts that He has given to you, know your purpose.
Date: January 28, 2018
Pastor Mike Ellis
Introduction:
Today we will continue our study through the book of Acts with the theme being Acts of Harvest.
This study is themed in the idea of the harvest found in
“Don’t you say, ‘There are still four more months, and then comes the harvest’? Listen to what I’m telling you: Open your eyes and look at the fields, because they are ready for harvest.
Up to this point we have discussed the necessary role of the Holy Spirit in the harvest.
We have discussed the power of the Holy Spirit and how He works in us.
Last week we discussed the importance of devotion and our great need to be devoted to God alone.
Today we are going to discuss the boldness of Peter and John as we look at chapters 3 and 4 of Acts
Before we jump in I want to a minute to remind everyone what your purpose is as a Christian.
Your purpose is to advance the gospel of Christ to the ends of the earth.
Your purpose is to advance the gospel of Christ to the ends of the earth.
Looking back to last week we must remember that our devotion or purpose cannot be to attend church,
it cannot be to have a good marriage,
it cannot be to have a good family, or job, or even a healthy spiritual well-being
you must be devoted to God alone and remember that your purpose is to advance the gospel of Christ to the ends of the earth.
Read
When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus. And since they saw the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in opposition.
Pray.
Boldness Defined
Boldness Defined
So this morning we will start with asking what is boldness?
Boldness can be described in two ways.
The first way describes boldness as the courageous manner of those who preach the gospel.
An example of this is what we just read in . Within the New Testament it is denoted as the moral freedom to speak the truth publicly.
The second way boldness is described is the confidence with which Christians can now approach God because of the redeeming work of Christ.
For example we consider
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus—
Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary Boldness
BOLDNESS Translation of four Greek words in the NT. Boldness denotes two things in the NT. First, boldness describes the courageous manner of those who preach the gospel (Acts 2:29; 4:13, 31; 9:27–29; 13:46; 14:3; 18:26; 19:8; 26:26; 28:31; 1 Thess. 2:2; Phil. 1:20). The word translated as “boldness” in these texts (parresia) was used of the free citizen of a city-state who could say anything in the public assembly. In the NT it denotes the moral freedom to speak the truth publicly. Second, boldness describes the confidence with which Christians can now approach God because of the redeeming work of Christ (2 Cor. 3:4–6, 12; Heb. 10:19; 1 John 2:28; 4:17).
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Such is the confidence we have through Christ before God. It is not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God. He has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus—
Courage Defined
Courage Defined
So now, little children, remain in him so that when he appears we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
Another word we are going to discuss today is courage.
Courage in Hebrew means to show oneself as strong.
In this, love is made complete with us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because as he is, so also are we in this world.
It is a quality of mind that is based on a life of faith in Christ that boldly works through difficult or trying times.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus—he has inaugurated for us a new and living way through the curtain (that is, through his flesh)—and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.
See also ; Abraham prays for Sodom
Then Abraham answered, “Since I have ventured to speak to my lord—even though I am dust and ashes—
Then he said, “Since I have ventured to speak to my lord, suppose twenty are found there?”
He replied, “I will not destroy it on account of twenty.”
Persecuted Christians pray.
See also ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Boldness in dealing with others
Boldness in dealing with others
On the day I called, you answered me;
you increased strength within me.
See also ; ; Paul concerning his ministry
David answered Saul: “Your servant has been tending his father’s sheep. Whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb from the flock, I went after it, struck it down, and rescued the lamb from its mouth. If it reared up against me, I would grab it by its fur, strike it down, and kill it. Your servant has killed lions and bears; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” Then David said, “The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”
Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you.”
Then Saul had his own military clothes put on David. He put a bronze helmet on David’s head and had him put on armor. David strapped his sword on over the military clothes and tried to walk, but he was not used to them. “I can’t walk in these,” David said to Saul, “I’m not used to them.” So David took them off. Instead, he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the wadi and put them in the pouch, in his shepherd’s bag. Then, with his sling in his hand, he approached the Philistine.
The Philistine came closer and closer to David, with the shield-bearer in front of him. When the Philistine looked and saw David, he despised him because he was just a youth, healthy and handsome. He said to David, “Am I a dog that you come against me with sticks?” Then he cursed David by his gods. “Come here,” the Philistine called to David, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts!”
David said to the Philistine: “You come against me with a sword, spear, and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord of Armies, the God of the ranks of Israel—you have defied him. Today, the Lord will hand you over to me. Today, I’ll strike you down, remove your head, and give the corpses of the Philistine camp to the birds of the sky and the wild creatures of the earth. Then all the world will know that Israel has a God, and this whole assembly will know that it is not by sword or by spear that the Lord saves, for the battle is the Lord’s. He will hand you over to us.”
When the Philistine started forward to attack him, David ran quickly to the battle line to meet the Philistine. David put his hand in the bag, took out a stone, slung it, and hit the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown to the ground. David defeated the Philistine with a sling and a stone. David overpowered the Philistine and killed him without having a sword.
The wicked flee when no one is pursuing them,
but the righteous are as bold as a lion.
Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness.
For this reason, although I have great boldness in Christ to command you to do what is right, I appeal to you, instead, on the basis of love. I, Paul, as an elderly man and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus,
See also ;
Nevertheless, I have written to remind you more boldly on some points because of the grace given me by God
Now I Paul, myself, appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble among you in person but bold toward you when absent. I beg you that when I am present I will not need to be bold with the confidence by which I plan to challenge certain people who think we are behaving according to the flesh.
We see an example of this bold courage in Mark 15:43
Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Sanhedrin who was himself looking forward to the kingdom of God, came and boldly went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’s body.
The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the Israelites, who were going out defiantly.
They traveled from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the month. On the day after the Passover the Israelites went out defiantly in the sight of all the Egyptians.
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I tell you, even though he won’t get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his friend’s shameless boldness, he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
Misplaced boldness
Misplaced boldness
The heretics’ arrogance.
especially those who follow the polluting desires of the flesh and despise authority.
Bold, arrogant people! They are not afraid to slander the glorious ones;
See also
For if someone sees you, the one who has knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, won’t his weak conscience be encouraged to eat food offered to idols?
Boldness in proclaiming the gospel to others
Boldness in proclaiming the gospel to others
A bold action will cause a reaction.
And now, Lord, consider their threats, and grant that your servants may speak your word with all boldness,
See also ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus.
When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God boldly.
Saul was coming and going with them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.
Bold actions taken in
Paul and Barnabas boldly replied, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first. Since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we are turning to the Gentiles.
So they stayed there a long time and spoke boldly for the Lord, who testified to the message of his grace by enabling them to do signs and wonders.
Now Peter and John were going up to the temple for the time of prayer at three in the afternoon.
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Now Peter and John were going up to the temple for the time of prayer at three in the afternoon.
He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. After Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the way of God to him more accurately.
Peter, along with John, looked straight at him and said, “Look at us.” So he turned to them, expecting to get something from them. But Peter said, “I don’t have silver or gold, but what I do have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!”
So he jumped up and started to walk, and he entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.
When Peter saw this, he addressed the people: “Fellow Israelites, why are you amazed at this? Why do you stare at us, as though we had made him walk by our own power or godliness?
Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly over a period of three months, arguing and persuading them about the kingdom of God.
While they were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple police, and the Sadducees confronted them,
Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders:
There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.”
proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.
Peter and John answered them, “Whether it’s right in the sight of God for us to listen to you rather than to God, you decide; for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
After they were released, they went to their own people and reported everything the chief priests and the elders had said to them.
Reactions to boldness in
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So he jumped up and started to walk, and he entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.
and they recognized that he was the one who used to sit and beg at the Beautiful Gate of the temple. So they were filled with awe and astonishment at what had happened to him.
While he was holding on to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astonished, ran toward them in what is called Solomon’s Colonnade.
While they were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple police, and the Sadducees confronted them, because they were annoyed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.
But many of those who heard the message believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.
The next day, their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem
After they had Peter and John stand before them, they began to question them: “By what power or in what name have you done this?”
When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus.
saying, “What should we do with these men? For an obvious sign has been done through them, clear to everyone living in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.
After threatening them further, they released them. They found no way to punish them because the people were all giving glory to God over what had been done.
When they heard this, they raised their voices together to God and said, “Master, you are the one who made the heaven, the earth, and the sea, and everything in them.
When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God boldly.
Bold accusations in
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The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and denied before Pilate, though he had decided to release him. You denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer released to you. You killed the source of life, whom God raised from the dead; we are witnesses of this. By faith in his name, his name has made this man strong, whom you see and know. So the faith that comes through Jesus has given him this perfect health in front of all of you.
“And now, brothers and sisters, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your leaders also did.
You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your ancestors, saying to Abraham, And all the families of the earth will be blessed through your offspring. God raised up his servant and sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your evil ways.”
let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing here before you healthy. This Jesus is
the stone rejected by you builders,
which has become the cornerstone.
Persecuting reactions to boldness in
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So they seized them and took them into custody until the next day since it was already evening.
But so that this does not spread any further among the people, let’s threaten them against speaking to anyone in this name again.”
After threatening them further, they released them. They found no way to punish them because the people were all giving glory to God over what had been done.