As we start the new year, what is our prayer to God for the new year? Do we prayer that God smite our enemies? Do we pray that God will convert the masses? Do we pray for our health and welfare? What should be our prayer be for the New Year? I picked out this one verse for today’s message several months ago. I forget what led me to it, but I’ve been meditating on for quite some time. This one verse I was lead to use is part of a larger story starting at Acts 3:1 and continuing through Acts 4:31.
The scripture passage (Acts 4:5–12) I had our deacon read this morning precedes this verse and the passage our deacon read last week (Acts 4:23-31) comes at the end of the story. I have been meditating on these later verses also (remember what I preach, I also preach to myself, and sometimes it takes a few days for it all to sink in). Let me review with you for a moment as to what was read last week.
Acts 4:29 (NKJV) Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word
Notice how they did not pray for the death of their enemies, or even for life to be easier. They prayed for boldness.
Acts 4:31 (NKJV) 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.
The result is that they, not just the apostles, but all of them, spoke God’s word in all boldness. This morning I want to examine what they did to be so bold. And I want that to be our prayer for the new year. To be bold. Let’s look at today’s passage:
Acts 4:13 (NKJV) Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.
I want to put in a shameless plug for my wife, Ellen’s writing. She writes blogs for the NW Florida Daily News on their online edition. She also writes for some online Christians magazines, as well she also has her own website where she post a weekly blog. I usually get to read most of them before she publishes them. Next week’s blog caught my eye as I was glancing at it. The blog is about not wasting anything. Let me quote from the first paragraph:
"It has occurred to me more than once as I’ve gotten older that I’ve become my mother. Not that it’s a bad thing—my mother was a remarkable woman. But she was also a product of the Great Depression, which meant that literally nothing was ever wasted in our house while I was growing up. A leftover teaspoon of vegetables at dinner got tossed into a large container in the freezer. When the container was full, she made vegetable soup. My sister-in-law once commented that my mother’s vegetable soup never tasted the same twice. Little did she know." [1]
She has become her mother. She make mention it’s a lot more than just vegetable soup. She always misplaces her glasses like her mother, Her mother’s words are often repeated.
You know what? At times, especially when I’m yelling at the kids, I hear my dad’s words coming out of my mouth: “Don’t you make me pull this car over” and “If you’re going to cry, I’ll give you something to cry about.”
My kids are just as I was with my dad, when I messed up; Sometimes I feared his preaching more than the spankings. Sometimes I wished he would just spank me and get it over with and not have to endure the preaching. So you can see, at least some of my preaching abilities, I come by honestly.
And do you know what else I discovered. The more time I spend in the Word, the more time I spend in prayer communicating with the Father, more I find the words of Jesus coming out of my mouth. The question today is “Have you been with Jesus?” Lately? and how much? Paul writes:
Philippians 2:5 (NKJV) Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus
This is a one of the central teachings of the New Testament for those who are followers of Jesus. We are to be like Him.
Romans 8:29 (NKJV) For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
1 John 3:2 (NKJV) Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
How much time do we spend to be like Jesus? Our human tendency is the imitate the people we spend the most time with.
Let’s look at the story surrounding our focal verse. Peter and John entered the temple area and encounter a lame man, a man over 40 years old that have been lame since birth. He was begging by the gate and instead of giving alms, Peter says this:
Acts 3:6 (NKJV) Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”
The lame man, now walking and praising God, stirred up the place. Peter and John were preaching that Jesus, the one they had denied before Pilate just a almost two months before, that was put to death and was raised again , it was in His name that this man was healed. All the high priests, who was a corrupt group to start with, who did not believe in life after death or the resurrection, was quite upset with all this preaching. So they had Peter and John arrested. They held them overnight and the next day they placed Peter and John in middle of all these high temple officials. These officials had the power to inflict great punishment on them including floggings and prison. They could almost anything to punish except order their deaths. That is why they had to go to Pilate to crucify Jesus. They asked the question:
Acts 4:7 (NKJV) And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?”
One commentator I read, said in essence: “Who do you think you are to do these things?” Never mind that that a miracle occurred and that a 40 year old man born lame is now walking, running, jumping and leaping. These religious elites were baffled, how can these know-nothing, hicks from Galilee do these things? But here is something to note. Look for yourselves through verse 22, this group of officials, these high priests and religious leaders, later identified as the Sanhedrin, can never get themselves to say “Jesus.” They always referred to “the name.”
By what name or by who’s authority they performed this miracle? They obviously know what was being said because that is why they arrested them. This next verse is key.
Acts 4:8 (NKJV) Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel:
Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit. Peter was not alone. Jesus promised them the Holy Spirit would be there.
Luke 12:11–12 (NKJV) “Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. 12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
The Spirit will speak and give us the words when we are on trial for His sake. But we must be in the habit of opening up to the Spirit. We must be in continued contact with Almighty God through the Word and prayer. We are not excused for being unprepared. Jesus told His disciples before he was crucified that the Holy Spirit will bring into remembrance what He has told them:
John 14:26 (NKJV) But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
To bring into remembrance, the words of Jesus must already be there. How much have you been with Jesus and in His word? We are also told to be always ready.
1 Peter 3:15 (NKJV) But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;
And with the Holy Spirit speaking through them, they spoke in all boldness. They were asked about the Name, so Peter seized the opportunity by the Holy Spirit and told them about the Name.
Acts 4:9–10 (NKJV) If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, 10 let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.
Peter doesn’t mince words here. Even in the midst of oppression, Peter speaks with incredible freedom.
In the Greek there is a play on words here Not only is Peter talking about the Name, but He brings in what it means to be saved. The word “made well” is in the Greek “sozo.”
the word used in verse 12.
Acts 4:12 (NKJV) Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
By and in the name of Jesus the lame man was “saved” or “made well.” And by that same Name, all men must be “saved” or “made well.”
Peter is speaking with all boldness here and the officials of the temple are taken back. What change? Remember that this is the same Peter that just 2 months before denied Jesus three times. But now he was filled with the Holy Spirit. We have just one baptism with the Holy Spirit, but as we see with Peter, there was three fillings in 3 chapters.
Acts 2:4 (NKJV) And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 4:8 (NKJV) Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel:
Acts 4:31 (NKJV) 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.
Being filled with Holy Spirit is being dependent on the Holy Spirit. I cannot preach to you unless the Holy Spirit speaks through me. Sometimes I say things in sermon that are not in my notes, and I wonder, where did that come from? But it is the Spirit that speaks and gives me the words to speak. That same Spirit is available for all us common folk, not just the apostles, not just for highly educated and seminary trained professionals.
Acts 4:13 (NKJV) Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.
Notice they knew where these men were from. They knew that they were common fishermen. They knew these were just common folk. But they also knew these men had an uncommon time in the presence of Jesus. Don’t miss this: In the NT, there is no distinction between clergy and laity. ALL are called, ALL are filled with the Holy Spirit.
Lets go back to Acts 4:31 – They were ALL filled with the Holy Spirit. We can speak with the same boldness as them. But there is a key point to understand. Time must be spent with Jesus. Look at Jesus’ example: Just a few verses from the gospels:
Mark 1:35 (NKJV) Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.
Mark 6:46 (NKJV) And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray.
Luke 5:16 (NKJV) So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.
If Jesus needed to keep connected with the Father, how much more do we? And do you remember why the first deacons were called?
Acts 6:4 (NKJV) but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
The apostles needed to continue to be with Jesus, through prayer and scripture.
Have you been with Jesus . . .lately? For the new year, let us resolve to be with Jesus, daily, making our walk closer to Him and to becoming more like Him. Let our prayer be for boldness, in this lost world around us, that needs to hear the words of life of which we have been entrusted. There may be someone here today who has never experienced the presence of Jesus, never been filled with the Holy Spirit, has never tasted salvation that only comes through faith in Jesus.
Jesus is calling you today.
[1] https://ellenfannonauthor.com/ for January 13, 2019.
