“‘And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness’ … And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.” ACTS 4:29, 31 (ESV) When we feel that our culture is more determinedly turning its back on the gospel and opposing more fiercely the claims of the Scriptures, the natural question is: What do we do? Our answer should not be based on what feels comfortable but on what the Bible says.
The early church was no stranger to social upheaval. Knowing that hope and salvation could be found in Christ’s death and resurrection, Peter fearlessly preached at Pentecost, just a few weeks after he had denied knowing Jesus and being His follower (Acts 2:1- 41). The bold preaching of Peter and the other apostles led to the rapid growth of the church—but it also led to tumult and persecution for the believers (v 1-22).
It’s no surprise, then, when we read that they lifted their voices to God. They knew the opposition they faced, and they prayed—knowledgeably, biblically, and boldly.
“And now, Lord…” If we were asked to finish that prayer, we’d probably ask God to remove the threats, stifle the opposition, or keep us from persecution. That was not the prayer of the early believers, though. Instead, they prayed that they would declare the gospel “with all boldness.”
Theirs remains a timely prayer. Surely the great need of the hour in the church today is simply this: Spirit-filled, Christ-centered courage. We live in a culture shaped by an incoherent mix of opinions and tensions. In that context, God calls us to go out and say, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). As we do so, we would do well to remember that at the very heart of the gospel is the cross. If we are going to speak the word with boldness, then we will declare, in the words of Isaiah, that on the cross Jesus “was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds, we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). As Rico Tice points out, this will require us to be brave enough to press through the pain barrier and risk the hostility of those who disagree in order to find hunger among those in whom the Lord is already at work.[1]
The whole gospel has been given to the whole church to reach the whole world. Whether you’re a musician, engineer, farmer, or pharmacist, it doesn’t matter; the charge of God to each of us is to speak His word, the mystery of the gospel.
So are you willing to be bold enough to pray for boldness? Not for an easy or comfortable or healthy or admired life but for a life of witness? Will you daily make the prayer of the early church your own, asking that by God’s Spirit you would be filled and emboldened to share His gospel, whatever the cost, with a world that is desperate for truth?
- How is God calling me to think differently?
- How is God reordering my heart’s affections—what I love?
- What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?
Further Reading: ACTS 4:1-28
