Acts 4:23-37 A Bold Prayer, A Changed People Small group questions

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Acts 4:23-37 A Bold Prayer, A Changed People Small group questions 1. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. What are some things that people turn to to get them ready for a daunting task? 2.

1 Acts 4:23-37 A Bold Prayer, A Changed People Small group questions 1. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. What are some things that people turn to to get them ready for a daunting task? 2. Can you think of examples of the church facing opposition or persecution today? Read Acts 4: How big was the church by this stage? Who was in it? Why is it remarkable that they could raise their voices (Greek: voice, singular) as one? 4. When the church turns the matter of this persecution over to God, how do they start off? 5. In what way was King David a prophet? How have his words from Psalm 2 been fulfilled? 6. If the opposition to God s Christ was always part of God s plan, to what extent can the perpetrators be held responsible? Read Acts 4: What does the church pray for? Is this surprising? 8. In what three ways does God answer their prayer? 9. How can we increase in our willingness and ability to tell people about Jesus? 10.In your prayers today/tonight, please pray that we might all grow in boldness for Jesus, but please also pray that God will raise up evangelists, people particularly gifted at it. 11. What characterises the believers in the time that follows? 1 Page

2 Date: 24th May 2015 Services: 730 SB, 930 Peregian Series: Title: New beginnings 07 Church prays Passage: Acts 4:23-37 Aim: We too can be bold in our faith if only we trust God. Outline: A bold prayer A changed people What gets you going? What stirs you into action? I know that for some people a trip to the gym is a great way to get the blood pumping and they come back a different person - looking at things differently to when they left. Some people cook gosh Others read or watch movies Or maybe listen to speeches from Tony Robbins etc In those environments, hearing or speaking those words, people are inspired 2 Page

3 blood pumps through veins invigorating and stirring people for action! Do you know what I mean? What is it for you? Whatever it is, the effect is universal. A powerful speech, a dynamic action a prayer - can stir soldiers into battle, change the face of economies and dynasties heck a few stirring mumbles from Mal Meninga can bring 8 years of victory to the Qld State of Origin team - and it can empower people to band together. We heard that today. People emboldened into and by prayer. It had and caused a powerful effect. It emboldened them; and it changed them. There s not a lot of places in the New Testament where the author found it necessary prudent even to record line after line of prayer. I m certain the early church did a lot of praying but it s not often recorded. and I think Luke has recorded this because it s a bold prayer That kind of praying has an effect and then Luke transitions to revealing a totally changed group of people living in totally harmony. How amazing. Let s look at these two sections as they are presented: // - A bold prayer and - a changed people Turn with me to 3 Page

4 // 1. A bold Prayer The necessary brief recap: Peter and John healed a lame man who was sitting at the gate to the temple complex They astonished people (rightly so!) and brought a great crowd to which Peter and John were preaching about Jesus, the messiah, the anointed one resurrected The authorities acted by incarcerating them and then bringing them to court at which the authorities did Nothing. Much They threatened them, but because of the popularity and visibility of the miracle, released them. Which is where we pick up on the first half what we have just read: // Acts 4:23-31 So Peter and John return to their own people to recount all that had happened and all that had been said. they have been, we guess, scared by the court. It s not unreasonable to think that when the scripture say earlier in v21 that the chief priest threatened Peter and John, that they threatened them with loss of life. How frightening it must have been for the rest of the believers to hear what had happened to Peter and John. This same Sanhedrin remember, council in Jerusalem - had arrested Jesus in the middle of the night, held court much as they had with Peter and John, turned Jesus over to the Romans and had Him killed. 4 Page

5 We wondered last week how Peter and John might have felt but how might the other followers have felt?! Some of them believers for years some for just hours! Well, regardless of how they felt overnight the return of Peter and John gives way to an incredible prayer. // Sovereign Lord, they said, you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 26 The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed one. It s clear that the arrest of Peter and John reflects a sentiment amongst the leaders that would cause many to tremble; many to pray for release of persecution others would just have left. I think we should carefully note how, from v24 these disciples respond to what the Sanhedrin has done, in a way that is not how I believe most of us would have prayed. Let s just take stock for us where we are here: 5 Page

6 SUNSHINE BEACH PEREGIAN - New church - new membership - some new Christians If Chris and I turned up this morning and said we have just arrived from the high court, our lives were threatened and we talked on the way back from court we can sense what s coming. Jesus warned us of this. We need to warn you too. Everyone who comes here next Sunday risks their personal belongings, their lives and the lives of their families and loved ones. Let s pray. We are a church who has been gathered together for most many years for some not so long. We are an aging church on the whole can I suggest that people here have a lot to lose. Good homes, partners, families grandchildren. Things that bring us joy. If Mark and I turned up this morning and said we have just arrived from the high court, our lives were threatened by the leaders of our nation and we talked on the way back from court we can sense what s coming. Jesus warned us of this. We need to warn you too. Everyone who comes here next Sunday risks their personal belongings, their lives and the lives of their families and loved ones. Let s pray. How does our prayer look in that setting? How do I pray? How do you pray? Is it a prayer of fear? IS it a prayer asking is this a joke? I hope not. 6 Page

7 I hope we, like those gathered would be bold! I hope that we would begin by noting the power and authority of God in this world. That we would recognise that this is just a fulfilment of what David spoke of in Psalm 2. Oh and what power that Psalm has! They are praying to God an acknowledgement that what the leaders of the Jews are doing is vain and worthless. They are praying - knowing that their enemies have gathered themselves against the plans of the Lord AND WILL FAIL. We can look back now and see that is true. We and all the 2.18 billion Christians are evidence that these hundreds and thousands gathered in that small corner of the world overcame. They are praying a bold prayer. // In verse 29 the believers even ask the Lord to look upon their threats and grant them boldness to continue to speak the word of God and perform miracles, as was performed on the lame man. Friends, could we pray for such boldness ourselves? It s an unsettling request, don t you think praying that we would be so bold? We may not pray for it because in the end we re comfortable without it and I know and you know and God knows how hard it is to willingly make yourself uncomfortable especially in a place that is so foreign to so much of our lives such as Christianity can be! The disciples did not pray that God would remove these evil leaders so that they can safely continue teaching and preaching. The disciples do not give up and declare that they had done all they could but now it was against the law to preach Jesus. Instead, they prayed to God and left it in His hands. 7 Page

8 Do you and I have a boldness to trust in the Lord? To not just not fear but truly live our faith out in a bold way? Truly trusting in God would cause us to live in such a way. The disciples had no need to fear Herod, Pilate, the Sanhedrin, or any other persecutor because plotting against the will of God is vanity and foolishness and futile. Can anyone plot against God and think they will have the upper hand? When I put it like that it sounds ridiculous doesn t it? There is nothing more futile in life than to plan against God Equally, there is nothing more futile in life than to live without God. And friends we have the Lord on our side This is where our boldness as Christians needs to come from. Boldness to face the trials and tribulations of life. Boldness to speak about God because in the end some will stand against us but no one will stand against the Lord and His Son Jesus Christ. //back to slide 4 psalm in prayer// I believe the question of the psalmist, as quoted in this prayer, is worth us considering and praying ourselves. Since God is an all-powerful and almighty creator, do we conspire and rage against God? Do we plot futile and vain things? For if we are not planning and working according to the purposes of God, we are wasting our time and our lives on this earth. Realisation of this fact gives us boldness to stand against those who stand against God. And then realisation gives way to change : // 2. A changed people 8 Page

9 // In verses we read more about the unity of the believers in the first century. The end of verse 32 sums up well the nature of the believers, "they had everything in common." The first century Christians shared all that they had with one another. How amazing! Now this text has been used by preachers and ministers to pursue an attitude towards financial giving and yes, it is heavy on the behaviour of the disciples attitude towards finances but I think the change here is far greater then financial. Friends this text points to the fact that this young church these newly changed people: Were, firstly, of one heart and soul. Not just acquaintances not just fellow-worshippers but people who saw their divine purpose as intertwined. Look around you friends could the same not be said of us? If we have the same boldness to seek God together as we do and to proclaim God as we do can we not say that our divine purpose is joined together?!! Should we not act like that?! Of course we must! Secondly, No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. Not only were the believers joined together in heart and soul, but they were also deeply concerned to care for each other s needs. They were willing to back one another regardless of their position in society. Nothing was held back. I d like to think the same would be said of us I m sure it would. But it requires that we do step one first. How can I ensure that you are not on struggle street if I don t know you if I don t share your journey I hope you will let me I hope we each will let one another. 9 Page

10 Third, they were joined in the grace of God. Through their belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and their obedience to the will of God, these believers experienced the grace of God in their lives. We have a commonality in Christ that we can share with one another and what s more we have a commonality with this infant church in that we are an infant church ourselves! We too are made up of Christians young and old, mature and new. Is there any deeper or better foundation for a connection? No. Of course not. Friends, there is nothing easy or simple about becoming united together to the degree that we read about these first century Christians becoming unified. It is far, far easier to simply give the friendly hi and how are you on a weekly basis or down the shops or at school. But friends, do you trust in the Lord? Do you believe there is a higher power? Do you believe there is a challenge out in the world facing each and every one of us? Do you believe you can do this on your own? Or do you believe that you with each of us gathered here have a backing and a foothold in a far greater and higher power? If you do believe, do you pray that you will be bold? You should. You must. Be bold in prayer and then be bold in life. Trust in God. And let this boldness and trust change each and every one of us as individuals and as collective unified by the Lord. 10 Page

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International Bible Lesson Commentary. Acts 4:23-31 English Standard Version International Bible Lessons Sunday, September 6, 2015 L.G. Parkhurst, Jr.

International Bible Lesson Commentary. Acts 4:23-31 English Standard Version International Bible Lessons Sunday, September 6, 2015 L.G. Parkhurst, Jr. International Bible Lessons Commentary Acts 4:23-31 English Standard Version International Bible Lessons Sunday, September 6, 2015 L.G. Parkhurst, Jr. The International Bible Lesson (Uniform Sunday School