Boldness, Unity, and Charity

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Acts 4:23-37

 

Acts 4:31

     And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

(NKJV)                                                

 

The ministry of the apostles now threatens the same religious leaders that Jesus and his ministry threatened, as they see miracles performed by them. In an effort to stop things before they get out of hand, they have told Peter and John to stop preaching in the name of Jesus (Acts 4:18). However, instead of cowering, the Church prays for boldness, with the place where they assembled shaken (Acts 4:31). The question for the Church today is would we have the same boldness.

 

Peter and John are released and go to their companions, giving a report of what the chief priests and elders said to them (Acts 4:23). Upon hearing the news, everyone raised their voices to God in one accord, praising God and quoting Psalm 2:1-2, which tells of the rulers gathering together against the Lord and His Christ (Acts 4:24-26). They continue to tell how Herod, Pilate, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel gathered together against Jesus to do what God had determined (Acts 4:27-28). They then pray for boldness to speak God’s word and that signs and wonders would be done through the name of Jesus (Acts 4:29-30). After praying for boldness, the place where they prayed shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking the word of God with boldness (Acts 4:31).

 

The multitude of those who believed were of one heart and soul, believing that what they possessed was not his or her own, with them having all things in common (Acts 4:32). Their prayer was answered with the apostles powerfully giving witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ with great grace upon them (Acts 4:33). They were also charitable to each other with anyone in need receiving from the proceeds of those having land selling it and sharing the proceeds (Acts 4:34-35). One of those who sold land he owned was Joses, a Levite of the country of Cyprus (Acts 4:36-37).

 

We are beginning to see the persecution of the Church by the Jews, with the Church praying for boldness, acting in unity, and caring for each other’s needs. This is the foundation of the early Church and why they were able to accomplish great things that impacted their world (Acts 17:6).

• Boldness when threatened with persecution (Acts 4:23-31) – When Peter stood up to address the crowd on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:14-39, he was addressing some of the same people who cried for the crucifixion of Jesus. This man, who was once afraid to admit being a disciple of Jesus (Matthew 26:69-75), now speaks boldly. He also prays that all would have this boldness (Acts 4:29).
• Unity (Acts 4:32-33) – One of the signs that one is a follower of Jesus Christ is their love for one another (John 13:34-35). The disciples in the early church understood that all they owned belonged to the Lord (Psalm 50:10). Minus an obsession for worldly possessions, they had a unity of purpose to focus on being witnesses for the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.
• Charity (Acts 4:34-37) – Knowing that being in need could distract someone from a focus on witnessing for the Lord Jesus, they were charitable and shared their possessions with those in need. When one is charitable, giving to the needs of others, it is like doing it to the Lord (Matthew 25:31-46).

 

The evil in the world today differs little from the evil in the Roman world of the time of the apostles. This means that the Church today needs boldness to speak the truth without compromise, unity in Christ to fulfill its God-given mission (Acts 1:8), and love for one another demonstrated by the willingness to care for one another’s needs. This requires,

• No compromise in declaring God’s word empowered by the Spirit of God – Jesus told the Samaritan woman that true worshippers worshipped the Lord in Spirit and Truth (John 4:23). The Truth is the Word of God, which the Church must boldly declare, ignoring what others may say about them, or do to them. Unfortunately, pastors focused on the numbers may become distracted from declaring components of the Word of God that may offend someone, concerned that they may leave and take their contributions with them. This must never be the case.
• Unity of purpose – Jesus gave his bride, the Church, a clear mission to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8). The unity in the church is not a unity where everyone shares the same opinions, but a unity behind declaring Truth from Scripture with a lost and dying world. However, the word of God is a two-edged sword with one end giving hope to those hurting, but the other edge is like a surgical scalpel, convicting one of sin in their lives. It is this part of declaring truth that can be painful and may cause some to leave the Church.
• Caring for one another without bickering – People in need will have difficulty focusing on the things of God, becoming focused on the physical needs of the flesh. The Church should be a hospital for those in need, but if people come to the Church for help and see people bickering with each other, they will have difficulty believing this is a place to go to for help. Imagine if you went to the ER and saw the staff arguing with each other instead of caring for the patients. I know I would go somewhere else.

If you are reading this and have never prayed for the forgiveness of your sins and to make Jesus the Lord of your life, I invite you to pray with me now.

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

If you just prayed, let someone know of your profession of faith or comment on this post. I also urge you to find a church of truth, teaching from the Bible that is empowered by the Holy Spirit, so you can grow in your faith. May God convict, challenge, and bless everyone reading this post.