Day 965: Ask for boldness - Acts 4 vs 23 - 31

23-26 When Peter and John were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, ‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’ 27-28 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, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.”

29-30 “And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 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. Acts 4:23-31 English Standard Version

Having been threatened by the same people who'd condemned Jesus to be crucified, Peter and John reported to the other followers of Jesus what had happened. But, rather than giving in to fear, the believers took courage from what the Bible had foretold would be the reaction of many leaders to the Messiah. (vs 23-26) They turned to the words of Psalm 2 which described how the gentile nations had been hostile to the kingdom established under David, the man whom God had anointed. The disciples saw how this was now being fulfilled in the hostility of people like King Herod and Pontius Pilate. Notice in those verses that it was the Holy Spirit who spoke the words of Psalm 2 through David. That's why the Scriptures are so vital. They are words God has spoken

The fact that God had foretold what would happen to the Messiah led to an important conclusion. What was that? (vs 27-28)

The death of Jesus Christ was no accident. It wasn't because He was helpless. When the disciple Peter tried to use a sword to prevent Jesus from being arrested, Jesus had told him to put his sword away, and said: “Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” (Matthew 26:53-54) No, what happened to Jesus was all part of God's amazing plan to save sinful men and women. His disciples now realized this.

So how did those first followers of Jesus respond to the dire threats that they had received? (vs 29-30)

They humbly prayed that God would give them boldness to continue telling others of the salvation from sin and condemnation that He has provided through His beloved Son, Jesus Christ. And they asked God to powerfully work through them. What was God's response to such a prayer? (vs 31)

He graciously granted them a sign that their prayer had been heard, and He strengthened them with the boldness they had asked for. What an encouragement that should be for any of us who want to tell others of Jesus, but are often overcome by feelings of fear of the consequences, or fear of our own inadequacy. But the unique signs God gave the early Church are for our aid too. We don't need God to 'shake the building' we are in. If we genuinely pray for boldness, we can trust that He has heard our prayer, and He will give us boldness when the opportunity to witness arises. Yes, the days we live in are growing more dangerous for us to tell others of sin, and of Jesus. But we have a God who is able to give us courage to overcome the fear of man, and to speak His word with boldness.