Glynlea Grace United Methodist Chruch

And now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants 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." When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.

Summarry: As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to be bold! We are to 'speak truth in love' and proclaim the love of Jesus Christ whenever we can. We are to stand up for what's right, whenever the opportunity presents itself. We are to do these things regardless of what others may think about or do to us. Many Christians around the world do this at the risk of their own lives. Likewise, we should be bold at the risk of our popularity, influence, money or even our lives. This is not an easy calling but God doesn't expect us to do it alone or just with our own power. The Holy Spirit empowers us to be bold! When we are bold, we find the peace and joy that comes with following Jesus.

This is the example the early church gives us in the Book of Acts. When faced with persecution and death, they didn't cower. Instead, they prayed for boldness and received it. As a result, they were able to spread the gospel throughout the Roman Empire. Imagine what can happen in Jacksonville, Florida, America and even the world if we follow their example and pray for boldness to proclaim the good news of Jesus! Imagine what could happen when the Lord Gives us boldness to fight hatred and evil with love and goodness. We would become soldiers in God's mighty army!

Purpose: To encourage the congregation to pray for boldness and then to demonstrate boldness as they witness for Jesus and stand up for what is right.

I. Introduction: As a teenager, there were many time when I showed a severe lack

of boldness

A. When popular athletes bullied, ridiculed and beat up on a smart, higlhly intellectual kid. I

watched it happen and did nothing about it.

B. When some of the popuklar kids bullied an elderly teacher and ran over her when

they stormed out of the classroom. I saw her lying on trhe floor in pain. I did nothing to

help her. I never confronted any of the offending students.

C. Good people need to show boldness.

- Edmund Burke said, "All that is necessary for evil to succeed is that good men

do nothing"

- Jesus expects his followers to be the good people who do something.

Jesus expects us to have bodlness to...

1) Proclaim his name

2) Stand up for the weak

3) Stand up for what is right

- This is the example the first century church gives us in the Book of Acts

II. Acts 4:29-31 "And now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants 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." When they had

prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all

filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness."

A. The events leading up to Acts 4:29-31

- Peter healed a crippeled at the entrance to the temple (Actually God healed the

cripple through him.)

-  The healed man dances and tells everyone what happened

- Peter explains it was faith in Jesus that healed him and introduces people to Christ

- The Jewish high council arrest Peter and John, tell them to stop preaching about

Jesus and threaten them. Peter and John probably remembered what this same

council did to Jesus.

- Peter and John go back to the other apostles and pray for boldness. They don't

cower and wonder what to do. They pray for God to give them boldness to continue

to proclaim Jesus!!!

B. As a result of receiving boldness from God, the early church spreads the good news of

Christ throughout the Roman Empire. The intense persecutions could not stop them. In

fact, Christianity flourished during the time of persecutions.

III. When you pray for boldness, God will give it to you.

A. The Holy Spirit will give you a heart of courage. The Holy Spirit has given me boldness.

B. As a result of walking with Christ, I'm not the timid teenager I once was

- I use to be self-conscience when I prayed in public. Now I pray in public all the time. In

restaurants, schools, hospital waiting rooms, bus stations etc...

- I use to be self-conscience about carrying or reading the Bible in public. Now I read

Scripture in Starbucks, Panera Bread, restaurants and even bars. (I order food and

drink cokes in the bars.) I've often found myself witnessing with people as a result of

this.

- I use to sit quietly by when someone was being picked on or mistreated. Now, I do

what ever I can to stand up for the person being mistreated.

IV. What would happen if we, here at Glynlea Grace, asked God for boldness?

A. What if we asked for boldness to proclaim the gospel in Sin city?

B. What if we asked for boldness to rub elbows with inmates and addicts?

C. What if we ask for boldness to trust God to provide us with needed resources as we

launch new ministries?

D. What if we ask for boldness to take risks?

V. Conclusion

A. Holy Spirit empowered boldness begins with repentance and trust in Jesus as

Savior and Lord. If you have not yet received Jesus into your heart as Savior and Lord,

you can do so now.

B. If you are a Christian and feel God calling you to be bold in some way, ask God to give

you the boldness.

C. We, as a congregation, need to ask God for boldness.