Sunday, April 8, 2018

The Boldness of the Apostles

The Boldness of the Apostles

Acts 5.17-42

There was only one time in the church when there was an Apostolic Age, those men whom Jesus chose to be with Him and were eye witnesses of the Resurrection. We believe John was the last apostle alive and that he died somewhere around 90AD. 

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon them on the Day of Pentecost, the movement of God was indeed unique. This is the early history of the church. 

There have been movements of God throughout the history of the church when He pours out His Spirit and wonders happen.
*The Reformation, led by Martin Luther, was one of those times. The church was in need of reforms.
*John Wesley was used by God with the Methodist Movement to bring people into the Kingdom in England and the US.
*The Faith Missions Movement began in the mid 1800’s and was used to bring the Gospel around the world. Most notably to China and India and now to the whole world. They are the ones who win most of the people to Christ.
*At the turn of the 20th Century there was a move of God underway in our country. It was during this time that the Church of the Nazarene, the Assemblies of God and the Christian Missionary and Alliance denominations were founded.
*Just after World War II Billy Graham began his nationwide ministry. Bob Pierce founded World Vision a few years later. Both he and Billy Graham were the first employees of a new movement called Youth For Christ.
*In the mid 1960’s a move of God which became known as The Jesus Movement took place. It changed the way we worship.
Here we are in 2018, in our nation, in need of a fresh outpouring. It is happening around the world today but we need it here. All of these moves of God began with people calling out to Him about the State of the Church! They were trying to correct things in the church and God moved mightily. We pray today, “Do it again, LORD!” 

Habakkuk, the prophet, summed it up well in his prayer in his prophecy...

Habakkuk A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. On shigionoth.
Lord, I have heard of your fame;
    I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord.
Repeat them in our day,
    in our time make them known;
    in wrath remember mercy.


Go back with me to that first century church.
The Boldness of the Apostles was seen in that...

1. They Suffered For Christ v.18
The church where and when it is the strongest suffers persecution.
*China building blown up last month
*Cuba only one mission field they can go to.
*Christians in Muslim Countries, some where it is illegal to even own a Bible

The early church suffered.

Pray for those suffering today. Pray that they will be faithful. That prayer lines up with the Biblical admonitions.

Hebrews 12.In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

We suffer very little for our faith here in America at this point. I believe part of our suffering could be amd should be in mourning over the spiritual condition of country. Heroin, Tide Pods and now sucking up condoms through their noses... the young people are lost. They desparately need Christ.





2. They Were Encouraged By Himv.19-20

They would not have gotten this advice from a missions council.
The church where it is persecuted is opertaing without a manmade organization overseeing it.

When all the round eyed missionaries were removed from China a few years before I was born there was great concern as to what would happen to the church there. It was not until I went into the ministry that the doors were opened again. What was found shocked many. 

They expected to find the church badly beaten up, struggling to hang on. What they found was a church that had multiplied in the face of persecution and being shut off from the rest of the world and fellow believers.

In the midst of great persecution the church in China, without any help from any missionaries had grown and was very healthy! 

Their attitude was that of Peter in v.29 We must obey God, not men.
When the word of man contradicts the Word of God.

God, through His Spirit encouraged this church at Jerusalem. He was prompting them to speak and the did!



3. They Were Devoted To Him. v.21-25

They did not let fear or threats overtake them. They did not consider their own lives but were willing to lay them down for the Master. They were becoming like Jesus.

When I hear young people talking about moving to a third world country I am touched in my heart. When I see people serving the LORD in spite of personal pain I am encouraged. When I see people finishing well it blesses me.

Being devoted to Jesus Christ means following Him closely.
*He lived for His Father’s Glory.  His Kingdom come. Nothing we planned to get done... everything God planned did get done.
*He gave Himself to others... He did take care of Himself with proper rest and breaks.
*He poured out His life.
*He remained true in the worst possible circumstances.
*He was commited to His Father in heaven in both His life and his death.
I want to be like Jesus.


4.  They Were Fearless For Him. v.29-32

They saw obedience to God as Supreme. 
Him only did they serve.

I John 4.18 
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
Perfect love means complete faith and trust in the LORD. When we know Him in that way, we have no need of fear. There is a witness to our spirits, there is a sense of whether we live or we die we are the LORD’s. There is the crescendo of glory. There is perfect peace and love and a fulfilled joy.

Being made perfect in love means we know God. We understand that God loves us and will take care of all our needs perfectly.
That is one reason I love journaling! It records things that I may forget... answers to prayer... His Hand... daily things...

I was thinking. All the days ordained for me were written in His Book before one of them came to be (Psalm 139.16)... then if we are journaling regularly are we not writing down on earth what already has been written in heaven?

5. They Were Joyful In HimVs.41-42
Joy is a state of the heart and mind.
It has to do with salvation. The joy of our salvation.

We cannot find true joy in temporal things. We may find some form of happiness but it is not joy.  

Rejoice in Him.



Pray for a move of God in our nation, in our time. Pray the prayer of Habakkuk. Pray. Pray. Pray.

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