Jump Start # 3844
Acts 4:31 “And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they will all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.”
Several interesting things take place in our verse today. Having been questioned by local officials, the apostles were ordered not to preach about Jesus anymore. They left and found other disciples and reported all that had happened. They prayed to God that they may speak with confidence. As the prayer ended, the place shook. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with boldness.
Seven times the book of Acts uses the word “boldness.” This is what our times are calling for now. Just what is boldness?
First, boldness is not volume. Some preachers are loud. Turn the mics down when they speak because the volume peals the paint off the walls. But, this is not necessarily boldness. It just means that he has a loud mouth. Some are loud, but they don’t say anything worthwhile.
Second, boldness is not just speaking out against things. On a Sunday evening, a young preacher talks about the ills of the Islamic religion. His lesson is accurate and filled with references and documentation. Some tell the young preacher how bold it was to say those things. Yet, on that Sunday evening, everyone in the audience is a Christian. There is not a Muslim in the area. It doesn’t take a lot of courage to speak to a friendly audience that will agree and support what you are saying.
Third, boldness is addressing the need of the hour to the audience before you. Boldness is speaking with courage and confidence. It is saying what needs to be said to those who need to hear it. One doesn’t have to shout to be bold. In kindness, one shows why disciples ought to be servants. This may be spoken before a group of people that are content on doing nothing. Boldness and clarity is necessary to get the audience to see that their complacent, serve me, attitude is not what the Lord wants.
Boldness is not always found just behind the pulpit. Sometimes it is found around the kitchen table. Mom and dad, have to address unforgiving attitudes that their kids manifest towards others. Tip toeing so carefully and generically, often kills the message. Have the courage to say what needs to be said. Say it nicely, but say it in such a way that it is understood.
Here in this month, many organizations and corporations will be celebrating homosexual rights and even promoting homosexual agendas. One doesn’t tear down pride flags, but neither does one put his head in the sand and pretend all is fine. All is not fine. The Bible is clear about sexual behavior. Sex outside of marriage is off limits. Period. It doesn’t matter what shape, size or color one wants to add to that. Within a marriage, it’s man and woman. That’s the way God designed it. We didn’t come up with the marriage idea, God did. States and governments can bow to the pressure of society and allow laws that make actions allowable and legal, but that doesn’t mean it is right. Right and wrong begins with God.
This has nothing to do with prejudice, hatred or anything like that. It’s about standing with the Lord. Boldness is the courage, especially this month, to say that rainbows belong to God and marriage is between a man and a woman. And, when some declare, I was born that way, they are mistaken. They have things backwards. Assuming I am born that way leads to the conclusion that the Bible is wrong. The Bible can’t condemn homosexuality if a person is born that way. And, of course, toss in the love of God. God loves, people say. God also hates. Read Proverbs six. Read Genesis six. God would not make something that is wrong. If homosexuality is condemned in the Bible, and it is, then one cannot be born that way. This is a choice as all sins are choices. Influenced by culture and failing to understand the will of God, our eyes and our hearts become blinded.
And, the pressure mounts and the disciple fears being called out, so he remains silent in his cowardice. Boldness. Courage. Confidence. Fearless. Trusting the Lord.
Our Lord said, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more they can do…fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him” (Luke 12:4-5).
There is a time to speak and a time to be silent, Solomon tells us. When we speak, let us be bold and confident. The Lord is right.
Roger