Friday, Many 17th, 2024
A Prayer for Boldness in Sharing the Gospel of Jesus – Acts 4:24–30 Submitted by Kay Crumley
What are you ‘bold’ about in sharing with others? What is your passion? As a retired educator I find I can be quite bold in my opinions about public education because so much of my life was dedicated to that profession. The focal passage for this devotion is from Acts, some versions title the book The Acts of the Apostles. It was written by Luke who was often with them and observed firsthand what was happening with the new church, the body of Jesus followers, after His death and resurrection. It is a history of the early church. Those who heard and believed were sometimes referred to as a sect called The Way. The apostles were learning quickly how to be leaders and preachers. They faced opposition from the Jewish leaders because they feared the power this new church had both spiritually and politically as people were leaving the Temple to following Jesus’ teachings. The Jewish leaders feared the loss of control and influence in the Jewish community and the Roman rulers.
Peter became an outspoken, courageous, and effective leader among the new believers. The Holy Spirit had come on the apostles and those who committed themselves to the Jesus way. Acts Chapter 3 begins with Peter healing a man who had been crippled since birth. His only means of income was to beg for money. He positioned himself at one of the gates to the Temple and all day long begged for someone to give him money. Peter and John stopped to talk to him and explained they had no money, but they did heal him in the name of Jesus of Nazareth. The man immediately got up and began walking. He would not leave their side because of the miracle of healing the Holy Spirit did through them.
Peter then began to preach to a large crowd. Many in that crowd also believed. However, the Jewish leaders were angry and arrested Peter & John and held them overnight. They called them before the court the next morning but since the man who was healed with still with them the Jewish leaders couldn’t find reason to charge them with any offense. They decided to warn them with threats to stop teaching about Jesus. That was not something Peter and John were willing to do and let them know they had not choice but to tell what they had seen and heard about Jesus. The leaders had no option but to release them.
Peter and John went to those who had been following them and listening to the message they preached and told them what had happened. They explained the reprimand they had been given. In Acts Chapter 4:24-30 we read their reaction.
24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:
“‘Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord
and against his anointed one.
27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
They prayed loudly to God. They declared God to be the Creator of all. They recited the words of David from Psalm 2. Then they recalled who Jesus is and what was done to Him by the Jewish leaders and Pilot. They also realized that nothing was done to Jesus that was not God ordained. They presented their requests in verses 29-30 that Jesus would enable the apostles to speak boldly and that the Holy Spirit would perform miracles through them to bring honor and glory to Jesus.
They expressed their Adoration by remembering who God is, they Confessed their need for His power and protection, they Thanked Him for His provision, and finally they expressed their requests, Supplications, to Him. This is an acronym we can use to outline our prayers. I find it is my nature to jump to the last letter, just telling God what I need. However, when I begin by taking time to express my love for Him by honoring who He is and what He has done the world and, in my life, it is much easier to recognize by need for Him and thank Him for His never-ending loving kindness to me. That enables me to trust Him with my requests, ask believing.
The end of this passage is the result of their prayer, verse 31.
31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
Their prayer was answered, they were ALL filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke boldly.
