Acts 1:8 “8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
The church is supposed to be powerful, by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, to be bold witnesses for Jesus.
As the church, we are assured of the victory over the enemy, because of what Jesus has already done.
Matthew 16:18 “18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
Those are pretty strong words. They were spoken by Jesus. Who does He say the church belongs to? It belongs to Him. And who does He say will build it? He will build it. And what did He say it would do? It will prevail against the gates of hell.
Are gates used for defense or offense? Gates are used as a defense. Hell is on the defensive. So in order for hell not to prevail, the gates had to be attacked. That is what Jesus did when He descended to the dead after He was crucified.
Ephesians 4:9 “9 In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?”
When Jesus descended, He took the keys of death and hades, and released those who had died in faith and were being held.
Revelation 1:17-18 “17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.”
This is why death has no authority over us. Our King has the keys. This enables us to be bold in our witness of Him.
Today, as I talk about the church...what is it that actually comes to your mind when I say the word “church?” Do you remember the word that Jesus used to describe it? He said Ekklesia. And that refers to a group of people who make decisions over a jurisdiction.
But what do we think the church is today? Is it a place you go when you need something? Is it a social organization? Is it for spiritual advice? What do your actions reveal about your beliefs about the church? Actions don’t lie. What do our actions say to the people outside these walls?
How do you think people on the outside looking in see us?
What do they think we are? Their actions certainly tell us what they think about us. What is the difference between what the world thinks we are and what we actually are, or at least are supposed to be?
These are our questions for today.
Since the church body is made up of individuals, we have to examine ourselves first. Here is a simple question for you.
Has the Holy Spirit empowered you to be a bold witness for the kingdom of God? If your answer is, no. Do you think the Holy Spirit has not done His job...or could it be, you have not done yours?
What does it mean to be a bold Kingdom witness? Are your thoughts bold? Are your prayers bold? Are your actions bold?
Proverbs 28:1 “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.”
A lion is bold when defending his territory or hunting. Lions are bold in their actions because they have nothing to fear. Living in fear is the opposite of boldness. Lions know they have the advantage in battle. They walk boldly, in confidence, because of this knowledge.
Once they have brought down their prey, you don’t see them let down their guard and celebrate their victory. No, they just stand in bold confidence and finish the job, keeping a watchful eye for other enemies who would rise up and try to attack them. Lions don’t have to brag about being lions.
As christians, does a political touchdown require an end- zone celebration dance that rubs the win into the face of those who were in opposition to it.
Does that look like love? Do your social media posts look like bold love or prideful arrogance? Can you maintain the mind of Christ which is humility, during a victory? Remember, our battle is not with flesh and blood, but against spiritual darkness.
Can you take bold action and be humble at the same time?
You can be bold and powerful, and at the same time humble.
Look at how Jesus dealt with Pilate when He was about to be crucified. The Jewish leaders has brought Him in and accused him of treason to Rome. If Jesus was the ‘King of the Jews” then you would assume that He would be leading a rebellion against Rome.
John 18:33 “33 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”
This is a big moment, because the accusation of treason and rebellion was on the line. It’s really the only question Pilate cares about. As the governor sent from Rome, his main job was to keep the region under the rule of Rome. So what does Jesus do? He answers Pilate’s question with a question.
John 18:34-35 “34 Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” 35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?”
Jesus asked him, “do you really want to know yourself? Have you seen any evidence of my Kingship...or are you just repeating what someone else told you?” This seemed to rattle Pilate, because he basically says, “Your people are saying this. What have you done to make them accuse you of treason?” Pilate says that those accusing Jesus are His people, so Jesus responds and straightens him out about that.
John 18:36 “36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”
Jesus does not deny that He is a king, but these are not His people. He begins to clarify the details about His kingdom and says if his kingdom were of this world His people would already be fighting for Him. Jesus didn’t get loud or get in pilates face about His authority, but He made it clear that He was a King and he had servants who would attend to Him if needed.
John 18:37 “37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
Are you listening to His voice? Are you bold enough to do what the King says...in the way the King says to do it? That is the boldness that the message of the kingdom will give you.
Your bold actions are the sign that you have received the kingdom message and believe it enough to turn it into faith.
If you don’t act on the kingdom message with boldness, it has been wasted on you. If it hasn’t changed your behavior, your attitude or your thoughts about your spiritual calling and responsibility...I’m afraid it means you haven’t truly received the message...you have rejected the message of the kingdom.
If you truly accept the gospel of the kingdom, you will act on it. You will have a burning desire to tell others, care for others and want for them, what God has given you. This is the boldness that comes from the Holy Spirit. Does this sound like you?
Acts 4:13 “13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.”
Do people recognize that You have been with Jesus? Do people look at you and say, “there is no way this guy should have this kind of boldness and power?” It has to be from God.
In the passage we just read, Peter and John had healed a man in the name of Jesus...on a sabbath. So, naturally the religious leaders put them in jail overnight. The next day they were released after being threatened and told not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. Peter and John go back to their friends and tell them what happened. After their report, everyone started praying.
This is what they prayed:
Acts 4:27-30 “27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
That is a bold prayer. “Lord, consider the threats of the enemy and grant us boldness to speak Your word!” Can you pray that boldly when the political climate turns against us as disciples of Jesus? Just look what happened when Peter, John and their friends prayed that bold prayer after being threatened.
Acts 4:31 “31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.”
The place was shaken and the Holy Spirit did His work. Our prayers have to remain bold to the point of being spiritually aggressive. We are on the attack. Remember the gates of hell will not prevail.
The apostle Paul certainly acted boldly after he had an encounter with Jesus. Just like Peter and john, He was put in jail many times for preaching in the name of Jesus. But during his defense, he told them he was a Roman citizen and he appealed to Caesar. So Paul was sent to Rome for trial.
He was put on a ship that was in a violent storm for 14 days and then shipwrecked on an island. He survived, but was then bitten by a poisonous snake. The islanders thought he must be a terrible criminal to have survived the storm and shipwreck, only to be bitten by this snake. They thought he was getting what he deserved. But when he didn’t die, they decided he must be a god.
The father of the chief of the village was sick, so Paul visited him, prayed over him and he was healed. After this everyone else who was sick came and was healed. Even in this difficult situation of being shipwrecked and headed to trial, Paul was bold to do the work of God in the name of Jesus.
So finally, when he arrived in Rome this is what he did.
Acts 28:23-24 “23 When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. 24 And some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved.”
What was Paul’s assignment in Rome? He did two things, he testified about the kingdom and tried to convince them about Jesus. Even after talking to them from morning till evening, some of them still didn’t believe.
Remember what we have said: The results are not up to you, but you are responsible to fulfill your assignment. Look at how the book of Acts ends.
Acts 28:30-31 “30 He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came tohim, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.”
There is is again. He did two things. He proclaimed the kingdom and taught about Jesus. If you are a citizen of the kingdom, you will talk about the King and His kingdom...with boldness.
Your boldness is not just for your benefit, but for the benefit of those who will follow in your family.
2 Timothy 1:5-7 “5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
You have to fan the spark of a gift that God put into you so that it becomes a flame. Fire is all consuming. Your fire of faith should burn hot enough to extend into the future be a spark to the next generation...and the one after that.
Look at verse 7 again. It says that God did not give us a Spirit of fear. We have been given a Spirit of power, love and self-control. Some translations use the word timidity instead of fear.
As a young man, Timothy was timid and fearful of being bold with his faith. You have to resist the urge to be timid...or intimidated when the enemy is threatening you. That is where fear can begin.
Timothy needed to be reminded that he should have a bold confidence through the Holy Spirit, who is our source of power, love and self-control.
We think about self control in terms of not doing something, but what about being able to control ourself when we feel fear? Do we run away when confronted by the enemy or overcome the fear with power and love?
Do you have enough of the Holy Spirit in your life to allow you to stand boldly, with self control, in the face of fear?
For some of us it will take boldness to stand confidently and tell our children that living as kingdom citizens is not a casual decision that was just about them going to heaven. Do you love them enough to be bold? Or will the fear of them not being your “buddy” after you tell them the truth, make you timid?
For some of us it will take boldness to stand confidently and tell our co-workers why we believe Jesus is the only way to heaven. Not in arrogance, but love. Do you love them enough to be bold? Or will the fear of them not being your friend after you tell them the truth, make you timid?
For some of us it will take boldness to stand confidently and tell our friends about our faith in Jesus. Do you love them enough to
be bold? Or will the fear of them not being your friend after you tell them the truth, make you timid?
Are we going to be a church that is boldly witnessing about Jesus or will we be intimidated by the threats of an enemy that is already defeated? We will never be bold as a church, if we are not bold as individuals.
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