THAT WITH ALL BOLDNESS THEY MAY SPEAK THY WORD

“And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them, being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.” (Acts 4:1, 2).

 

“And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word…” (Acts 4:29).

 

Sometime after Pentecost, two of the Apostles of Jesus, Peter and John, had gone together to Herod’s Temple for the hour of prayer at 3 p.m.  As they were about to enter the Beautiful Gate of the Temple, there was a lame man lying just outside who asked them for a handout.  This man had been lame from birth and was now about 40 years old.  Someone carried him day by day to lay him at the temple gate to beg for whatever kindness he could get from people passing through.  The people who frequented the Temple knew him because they had seen him there daily and been accosted by him for a long time.  When this crippled man asked the Apostles for an offering, Peter said to him, “Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.” (Acts 3:6).  Immediately, he received strength in his feet and ankles, and he began walking, and leaping, and praising God.  This event caused quite a stir inside the Temple as the man who was formerly lame entered with Peter and John.  Scripture tells us that the people were “filled with wonder and amazement” over what had happened to the lame man.  Peter recognized the opportunity when the Lord provided it and delivered a powerful message of repentance and salvation through Christ to these curious souls.  So powerful was this witness that 5,000 men believed in the Lord as a result of Peter’s message and the healing of the lame man.    

 

It was just at this point that we’re told, “…the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them...”  The reason for this?  It was because they were “…grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.”  Let me just say this: there is a lot of religion that will pass by without opposition and without persecution from the enemy.  However, when the Church stands up and believes the promises of God, and in the name of Jesus Christ begins to preach the power of His resurrection to the lost, the enemies of the Lord are going to become grieved!  Satan isn’t afraid of empty religion, but he is afraid of the name of Jesus Christ!  These priests and Sadducees were VERY religious.  They had a mere FORM of godliness, but they denied the true POWER of God.  They were not a threat to the kingdom of darkness.  The Apostles of the Lord, on the other hand, were filled with the Holy Ghost and with faith in all that Jesus taught and did during His ministry.  They believed that His blood had erased their sins.  They believed that His resurrection gave them power over sin and the ability to walk in newness of life rather than in the oldness of the Letter (see Romans 7:6).  They believed that the stripes that Jesus suffered at the hands of the Romans were for their healing (see Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24).  And they believed that the Gospel of Jesus Christ was the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes (Romans 1:16).

 

Even atheistic, communist countries like Russia and China allow state churches to operate openly, but they control what they can preach and how they can preach the Gospel.  Watch and see how grieved these governments would become if revival should break out and people were being healed and souls were being transformed!  Such a work of God would be quickly stamped out, and its leaders imprisoned.  Satan loves to see the Church cry out, “Lord, Lord,” but refuse to do the things that Jesus says.

 

We should not be surprised, therefore, when the Lord has done something amazing in our life, that the enemy of our soul becomes grieved and sends some kind of opposition our way to discourage us.  The thief only comes to steal our hope and joy from us, kill our spiritual vitality, and destroy our witness for Jesus.  He is like a roaring lion, restlessly walking about and seeking for someone to devour.  The Lord Jesus is a good shepherd Who has come that we might have LIFE, and that we might have it in abundance! (John 10:10).  We must learn to resist our adversary the devil, knowing that the same kinds of afflictions and opposition are also being experienced by every other Christian who is in the world (see 1 Peter 5:9). 

 

“And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold [locked them up] unto the next day: for it was now eventide.” (Acts 4:3).  The enemies of the Gospel will always rise up and offer resistance in order to silence the truth because they know that the truth has the power to set men free in the name of Jesus Christ.  Peter tells us, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” (1 Peter 4:12, 13). 

 

On the next day, the priests, elders, and scribes; along with Annas the high priest and all his kin, were assembled together.  They then had the Apostles brought before them to question them: “And when they had set them [the Apostles] in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?” (Acts 4:7).

 

Yup!  Peter recognized another opportunity and did not hesitate to speak the Word on behalf of his Savior!  “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, ‘Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, if we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Whom ye crucified, Whom God raised from the dead, even by Him doth this man stand here before you whole.  This is the stone which was set at nought [rejected] of you builders, which is become the head of the corner [the chief cornerstone].  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.’” (Acts 4:8-12).  In just three sentences Peter glorified the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that name that is above every other, called them out and reminded them that they had murdered the Savior, established the truth of the resurrection of the dead, and gave witness of the healing power in Jesus’ name.  Peter also pointed out that these same men had rejected the very block that God had chosen to be the main cornerstone of the spiritual temple that He is building.  Finally, Peter established the fact that there is no other name that men can name that has the power to save.  What power!  What spiritual authority!  What boldness!  Oh, how we need more of this in the Church today!

 

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.  And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.” (Acts 4:13, 14).  The religious leaders of Israel had encountered this kind of boldness and directness before.  It was from the carpenter’s son from Galilee.  He, too, had this boldness and command of the scriptures that put His critics to silence, and they were quick to note that these otherwise ignorant men had walked and talked with Jesus.  We can, and must, spend time in the presence of the Lord also.  Regardless of our level of education, the one thing that certifies us as ministers of the Gospel is the time we have spent, and continue to spend, walking with the Lord Jesus and abiding in His presence.  Through the Holy Spirit which He has given us, the Lord can speak to us in His still, small voice, and in our innermost man He will give us direction and seal our instructions.  The Old Testament patriarch, Enoch, discovered the blessedness of a close, day-by-day relationship with his LORD.  Scripture says that Enoch pleased God because he walked with God by faith (see Hebrews 11:5, 6 and Genesis 5:24).

 

The high priest and his cronies were at a loss to know what to do with these two Apostles, saying, “What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.” (Acts 4:16).  So, after threatening them, and commanding them not to speak at all or teach any longer in the name of Jesus, they let them go, but not before the Apostles had spoken one more thing.  They told these “religious” men, “Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.  For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:19, 20). 

 

After being released, the Apostles went directly to the Church, the company of believers in Jerusalem, and reported to them all that was said to them by the chief priests and elders.  When the Church heard the story, they “lifted up their voice to God with one accord” and prayed this prayer: “Lord, Thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: Who by the mouth of Thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?  The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against His Christ.  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, for to do whatsoever Thy hand and Thy counsel determined before to be done.  And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto Thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak Thy Word, by stretching forth Thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of Thy holy child Jesus.” (Acts 4:24-30).  The saints’ reaction was not to cower under the threats of men, nor to amend their message to suit those who seemed to have some spiritual authority.  No, they turned to God Himself and prayed for more boldness.  They reminded themselves of the persecutions against Christ that the scriptures had warned against and that they had seen, and were seeing, come to pass.  They would not be silenced.  They would speak God’s Word, and God would respond with healing, signs and wonders. 

 

How did God respond to this prayer?  The very earth along with the place where they were all gathered began to shake and tremble, and “…they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the Word of God with boldness.” Not just the Apostles, not just the prophets, not just the older Christians, but they all spoke the Word of God with boldness!  This is the power and authority that every believer has in the name of Jesus Christ.  It is not our authority, but the authority of the One Whose name is above every other name and to Whom every knee must bow and every tongue confess.  “He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: He toucheth the hills, and they smoke.” (Psalm 104:32).  “Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob.” (Psalm 114:7). 

 

The enemy of our souls will try to prevent us from being lights for the Lord and will oppose us, accuse us, and frighten us every time we take a step forward for God.  James gives us some practical advice for when we face such resistance.  He writes, “Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7).  We must first submit to what God has revealed for us to do.  Then, we have the spiritual authority to resist the devil, and he will be forced to flee from us.

 

When the Church has boldness, the Church will grow.  When the Church lacks boldness, the Church will languish and falter.  We must, therefore, pray for more boldness in our lives.  When we begin to speak unashamedly about the things which we have seen and heard of God, the world will take notice, and souls will be saved.  Keep in mind, however, that the forces of darkness will also take notice and will be grieved at our witness for the Lord Jesus Christ. 

 

“And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.  And with great power gave the Apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.” (Acts 4:32, 33).