Praying for Boldness
Lessons from the 1st Century Church | A Study through the Book of Acts • Sermon • Submitted
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· 2 viewsPeter and John, after they are released from prison, join their fellow believers and pray a prayer acknowledging God's sovereignty and seek boldness to continue the mission ahead.
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Introduction
Unity is a constant theme throughout the book of Acts and the New Testament as a whole and is what is seen within our text, and being let go, they went to their own company. After facing persecution, threats, and imprisonment, they left the Sanhedrin and went straight to their fellow believers. When they arrive within the support of community, they testify to what had taken place, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. Who would not go to those they knew and loved and found security in and not report what had happened. They needed assurance, they needed support, they needed encouragement, and they needed a renewed vigor to keep going.
As a response to their testimony, they began to pray. One would guess that they prayed. How many of us would not seek the prayer of those around us in a situation that we needed assistance and strength in? How many of us would not seek the comfort of fellow believers when we face trials and persecution? Prayer is our greatest weapon outside of the Word of God to combat the enemy. It is us talking to our Lord. Prayer is a staple in the 1st Century Church and although should be a staple in the contemporary church, it seems that most churches are missing this staple. As we come to our text and we learn yet another lesson from the 1st Century Church, let us be of one mind and remember the necessity of prayer.
Focus Passage
Acts 4:23–31 (Wordstudy KJV)
23 And being [let go,] they went to [their own company,] and reported [all that] the [chief priests] and elders had said unto them. 24 And when they heard that, they [lifted up] their voice to God [with one accord,] and said, Lord, thou art God, [which hast made] heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: 25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine [vain things?] 26 The kings of the earth [stood up,] and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. 27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were [gathered together,] 28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel [determined before] to be done. 29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, 30 By [stretching forth] thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. 31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were [assembled together;] and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
Outline
As we come to our text, we see a specific pattern that is fleshed out. This pattern is a pattern throughout the Old and New Testaments. Within this pattern we see themes fleshed out identifying Biblical themes before us. Let us dig through this prayer, which was a prayer of celebration as much as anything else.
The first theme, God’s sovereignty (v.24)
Unity in the sovereignty of God
Once again, this community of believers came with unity before God, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord. As they came with one voice and one heart, they declare who God is.
Acknowledgement of the sovereignty of God
They begin their prayer with, Lord, thou art God. The Gk word used for “Lord” within our text is the Gk word, despotes, which literally means, lord of the house. This word is used ten times within the New Testament, three times to identify God as Lord, and three times identify Christ as Lord. It refers to a lord or master. You will find this word used twenty-five times within the Septuagint to identify the sovereignty of God. Within the Old and New Testaments, God’s sovereignty is a constant theme. It is within this sovereignty that the 1st Century church found assurance and it is within God’s sovereignty that we as the contemporary church should find assurance.
Faith in the sovereignty of God
As they begin their prayer and identify God’s sovereignty they begin at the foundational doctrine of all other doctrines within the Scripture, creation, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is. All of other doctrines find their foundation in the doctrine of creation. If the Judeo Christian doctrine of Creation is false, then all other doctrines are false. We find a constant theme throughout prayers of the Old and New Testaments and that is identifying God as the God of Creation. Within this creation narrative we find the sovereign hand of God in play. We find that it is His sovereignty that created the earth and sustains that creation. It was God’s sovereignty that allowed them to face the Sanhedrin and be released.
One cannot scientifically prove creation as we, the church, see it happening. Why can’t we? To prove something scientifically, one has to be able to reproduce an certain condition and out come over and over to measure authenticity and scientific fact. This is why we see creation and the sovereignty of God through the lens of faith. We trust, through faith, the doctrine of creation.
Hebrews 11:3 (Wordstudy KJV)
3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that [things which are seen] were not made of [things which do appear.]
While yet we believe through faith that God created heaven and earth and all that is, we see that through this same creation God reveals himself to His creation, man.
Romans 1:20 (Wordstudy KJV)
20 For the [invisible things] of him from the creation of the world are [clearly seen,] being understood by the [things that are ] [made, even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are [without excuse:]
Not only do we find that the Christian community testified to God’s sovereignty, they also addressed God’s revelation.
The second theme, God’s revelation (vv.25-28)
The early church prayed God’s revealed word
When Peter, John, and their fellow believers came together and they began to pray, they prayed the Word of God. Within our text, they prayed the divinely inspired prophecy of David
Psalm 2:1–2 (Wordstudy KJV)
1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a [vain thing?]
2 The kings of the earth [set themselves,] and the rulers [take counsel] together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying,
The early church acknowledged the revealed fight against the Lord Jesus
Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain thing? The people, the Jewish people had rallied against the Christ, as revealed through the prophecy of David.
Not only was it the populous that would fight against the Lord, it would be Herod, it would be Pontius Pilot, it would be the Sanhedrin, The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers gathered together against the Lord, and against His Christ.
The early church placed their faith in who God revealed Christ
The 1st Century Church put a great emphasis on the deity of Christ and the truth that he was the Holy One of God, the Messiah, For of a truth, against thy holy child Jesus
We must begin to emphasize this truth again within the Church today. Jesus was the incarnation. He was God come in the flesh. When Jesus, God in the flesh, left heaven and came to this earth it was to face the cross and redeem His people.
The early church placed their faith in God’s revealed sovereignty - ‘For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done’
As the early church held on to God’s sovereignty and placed faith in His revealed Word, they came to God and concluded their prayer with a request. For most today, they would request deliverance from the persecution, the threats, the hearings, the imprisonments. However, that was not the prayer of the early church. They came with a request of motivation.
The final theme, Motivation to Fulfill the Mission (vv.29-31)
The early church prayed for God to recognize their situation - ‘Lord, behold their threatenings’
The early church prayed for God to motivate them to fulfill the mission - ‘and grant thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word’
The early church prayed for God to reveal Himself through them - ‘By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus’
The early church had seen the signs of God. These signs had a purpose, to reveal the redemptive and healing power of Jesus. It was through these signs that God was revealing Himself to a lost and dying world. They were evidence of Jesus’ deity to the Jew especially, for they sought after signs.
Knowing these signs would not only reveal the truth of who Jesus is, but it would also bring on more persecution. Yet, they prayed, God reveal yourself through us.
The early church found a renewed strength to fulfill the mission at hand through a fresh empowerment of the Holy Spirit - ‘And when they prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness’
Conclusion
If we want to see God move, it’s going to begin in unity among the church. It’s going to start with prayer. It’s going to start with us, once again, trusting in the sovereignty of God and asking God to revive us and use us to reveal His glory. If we want to see God move, it’s going to begin with us, as a unified body of Christ, coming to this altar and seeking God to fill us with His Spirit, renew our vigor, and give us strength to finish the mission at hand. How many of you are willing to join me at the altar and truly seek God to move once again among His people and once again give us strength to press forward, and once again revive His people. The altar is open, will you join me?