Boldness in Sharing (6/20/23)
Acts 4
Freya
6/21/2023
Life Lesson(s)…
Through the Holy Spirit, believers -no matter their education- may perform healing, signs, wonders and can boldly speak about Jesus, the Word made flesh. Acts 4 exemplifies Peter and John healing the 40-year-old paraplegic man and then sharing the good news of Jesus. This led to 5,000 men choosing Jesus and the arrest of Peter and John by the religious officials. On the next day, the Holy Spirit had Peter and John boldly standing and explaining their obedience in what the Lord commanded them to say and do before the priests, temple captain, and the Sadducees. Peter and John ended up evangelizing to the very people who desired and demanded that Jesus Christ be crucified. Even though they witnessed the healing of the man and heard the testimony and explanation of Peter and John, the religious leaders refused to believe that Jesus was the Messiah.
The boldness in sharing did not end with just Peter and John's release. Peter and John returned to share what happened with their fellow believers, who altogether released a song of praise and prayer from Psalm 2:1-2, which caused another release of a baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire of boldness.
Acts 4 ends with the heartfelt and literal sharing of possessions (property and money) between and among the believers. They chose to live as "one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common." There were no poor or needy among the believers who chose to live with such bold heartfelt sharing.
Your Thoughts…
On boldness in sharing,
Which of the boldness of sharing have you practiced or performed? What were the results?
What part does choice play in boldness in sharing?
What do you believe made the literal boldness in sharing of property possible among the believers?
Challenge: Go to a testimony, praise and prayer session/night (or host your own), see and journal what happens. What differed from Acts 4? What was the same? What do you think is the differentiating factor?
Subscribe here:
"And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue 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.”
ACTS 4:29-30 (ESV)