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Persecution and Boldness: The Early Church's Response

In Acts 4:1-31, the early church faces opposition and persecution for teaching about Jesus and the resurrection. Despite threats and imprisonment, they boldly proclaim the name of Jesus and continue to witness miracles. This passage highlights the church's unwavering faith and the power of the Holy Spirit.

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Persecution and Boldness: The Early Church's Response

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  1. Part Ten Acts 4:1-31

  2. Acts 4:1-31 And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees, came upon them,

  3. Acts 4:1-31 being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

  4. Acts 4:1-31 And they laid hands on them, and put them in jail until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of those who had heard the message believed; and the

  5. Acts 4:1-31 number of the men came to be about five thousand. And it came about on the next day, that their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in

  6. Acts 4:1-31 Jerusalem; and Annas the high priest was there and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of high-priestly descent.

  7. Acts 4:1-31 And when they had placed them in the center, they began to inquire, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?”

  8. Acts 4:1-31 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people, if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how this

  9. Acts 4:1-31 man has been made well, let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom

  10. Acts 4:1-31 God raised from the dead – by this name this man stands here before you in good health. “He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but

  11. Acts 4:1-31 which became the very corner stone. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men,

  12. Acts 4:1-31 by which we must be saved.” Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John, and understood that they were uneducated and untrained

  13. Acts 4:1-31 men, they were marveling, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus. And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they

  14. Acts 4:1-31 had nothing to say in reply. But when they had ordered them to go aside out of the Council, they began to confer with one another, saying, “What shall we do

  15. Acts 4:1-31 with these men? For the fact that a noteworthy miracle has taken place through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem and we cannot deny it.

  16. Acts 4:1-31 But in order that it may not be spread any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to any man in this name.”

  17. Acts 4:1-31 And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

  18. Acts 4:1-31 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge;

  19. Acts 4:1-31 for we cannot stop speaking what we have seen and heard.” And when they threatened them further, they let them go (finding no basis on which they might

  20. Acts 4:1-31 punish them) on account of the people, because they were all glorifying God for what had happened; for the man was more than forty years old on whom

  21. Acts 4:1-31 this miracle of healing had been performed. And when they had been released, they went to their own companions, and reported all that the chief

  22. Acts 4:1-31 priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O Lord, it is Thou who didst

  23. Acts 4:1-31 make the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them, who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Thy servant, didst say,

  24. Acts 4:1-31 ‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples devise futile things? The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against

  25. Acts 4:1-31 The Lord, and against His Christ.’ For truly in this city there were gathered together against Thy holy servant Jesus, who Thou didst anoint, both Herod

  26. Acts 4:1-31 Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Thy hand and Thy purpose predestined to occur.

  27. Acts 4:1-31 And now, Lord take note of their threats, and grant that Thy bond-servants may speak Thy word with all confidence, while Thou dost extend Thy hand to

  28. Acts 4:1-31 heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Thy holy servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place where they had

  29. Acts 4:1-31 gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak the word of God with boldness.

  30. Throughout its history the church has faced great persecution.

  31. Instead of destroying the church, it merely served to purify and strengthen it.

  32. The Lord warned us that persecution would come!

  33. John 15:18-20 If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of

  34. John 15:18-20 the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, “A slave is not greater than his master.”

  35. John 15:18-20 If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you, if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.

  36. And in John 16:2-3

  37. John 16:2 They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God.

  38. John 16:3 These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me.

  39. And Paul adds this thought in 2 Timothy 3:12.

  40. 2 Timothy 3:12 Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

  41. And Peter shared the following in 1 Peter 2:21.

  42. 1 Peter 2:21 For you have been called to this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps…

  43. The world hates the Word of God and anyone who chooses to live by it.

  44. We see several key points in this passage that show us how to properly deal with persecution.

  45. Key Points • Be Submissive • Be Filled with the Spirit • Be Aggressive in Seizing Opportunities • Be Obedient to God at All Costs

  46. Key Points • Be Committed to Fellowship • Be Thankful • Be Desirous of Greater Boldness

  47. Be Submissive!Acts 4:5-7

  48. Acts 4:5 And it came about on the next day, that their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem;

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