Why are they persecuting us? Julius said, turning to

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1 Lesson 1 September 6 Page 5 Praying for One Another A Present-Day Illustration Why are they persecuting us? Julius said, turning to his two friends. They aren t coming down on any of the other student groups on campus. Julius, Myron, and Caleb had worked for more than a year with the international group Campus Crusade for Christ (or Cru) to start a ministry on their campus. Someone overheard a conversation Myron had with a person who expressed an interest in Campus Crusade for Christ and in God. Myron said Christ was the only way to heaven. Upset, the student went to the school newspaper, which published a series of articles and editorials. As Cru members responded to questions about their beliefs on diversity based on biblical standards, a groundswell of opposition mounted. Eventually there were requests for the public university to revoke Cru s student group status. The Lord knows we will face opposition to our faith, Caleb said. I ve talked to some area representatives of Cru and some church leaders. We re having a prayer meeting tomorrow at my church. Great. And we can pray that everyone will just leave us alone, Julius said. No! said Myron. We are going to pray that God gives us boldness to stand and speak up for Him! Now is the time when our faith is being tested the most, and we will stand firm for the Gospel. 1. When have you been bold in declaring your faith? 2. Is boldness necessary for following Christ? Explain your answer. 3. Have you ever prayed boldly for something? If so, what happened?

2 Week of September 6 Page 6 A Prayer for Boldness Acts 4:23-30, KJV 23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. 24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: 25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? 26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. 27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, 28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. 29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, 30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. Acts 4:23-30, NIV 23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. Sovereign Lord, they said, you made the heaven 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 take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One. 27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.

3 Week of September 6 Page 7 After Peter and John healed a crippled beggar in the temple, they were arrested by the Sanhedrin and ordered not to preach any more in the name of Jesus. But the disciples boldly proclaimed they would obey God rather than men: Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard (4:19-20). The Sanhedrin released the two apostles, and when they were released they returned to the other followers of Jesus to report what had happened. This may have been the group of 120 who received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (1:15) meeting again in the room where Pentecost occurred. Peter and John specifically told the group what the chief priests and elders (4:1, 19-20) had said. This is probably a way of singling out the Sadducees on the council, the members who would have been most opposed to Jesus and His message since they did not believe in resurrection. If the disciples continued to preach in the name of Jesus, they would be breaking the law. The group s response was to hold a spontaneous prayer meeting, to call on the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth, the one who they realized was ultimately in control of their situation. He is the Sovereign Lord (vs. 24), the one who holds absolute sway over everything in His creation. They realized their arrest had not really been an attack on the disciples; rather, it was an attack on God Himself, an attack foretold in the psalms of David. So, in their prayer the disciples quoted Psalm 2, because of its description of the nations (vs. 25) the Gentile nations foolishly plotting against the Lord and against his Anointed One (vs. 26). They saw this as their situation, because they knew Jesus is the Messiah, and the Romans (the Gentiles) had plotted against Jesus, in conjunction with the peoples (vs. 25), the people of Israel. The rage of the kings and rulers (Pilate and Herod Antipas) against God s Anointed One (Jesus) was fruitless. No one could thwart the foreordained plans of God. The Scriptures, such as Psalm 2, had been fulfilled it was obvious that even the

4 Week of September 6 Page 8 Sanhedrin was not outside of God s control. The disciples found strength and comfort in the fact that God was in charge, not the rulers who were threatening them. Therefore, they did not pray for protection from the religious leaders quite the opposite. Though they had been sternly warned not to preach in Jesus name, they prayed that God would empower them to speak your word with great boldness (vs. 29). They asked God to look closely at the threats the leaders were making and act accordingly. The miracles the disciples were performing, such as the healing of the lame beggar, were signs that God was with them; the miracles brought crowds that heard the Good News and were given the chance to repent and follow the Lord. Peter had already shown Spirit-filled boldness when he declared the truth about Jesus and what the Sanhedrin had done to the very people who had condemned Him (4:8, 13). The request the disciples were making was not for their personal protection, but for the boldness to carry on the mission of spreading the Gospel regardless of the opposition. 4. How did the gathered Christians respond to Peter and John s return? 5. Why did the disciples quote Psalm 2 in their prayer? 6. Why did Pilate, Herod, and the religious leaders not thwart God s plans when they crucified Jesus? 7. How did the disciples find comfort in their situation? 8. What did they ask God to do? Why? An Answer from God Acts 4:31, KJV 31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. Acts 4:31, NIV 31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

5 Week of September 6 Page 9 In answer to the disciples prayer, the place where they were gathered was shaken, as soon as the prayer ended. Everyone there (not just the apostles) was filled with the Holy Spirit. The group then spoke the word of God boldly. The tense of the sentence means that they kept on speaking the Good News of salvation though Jesus Christ. The event is somewhat like a renewal of the day of Pentecost, but this time there was no speaking in other languages mentioned and no wind or tongues of fire. There was, however, a renewed boldness to speak no matter the consequences. The shaking of the building and the filling of the Spirit was vivid, direct confirmation that the Lord was with them, no matter what. In answer to their prayer to the sovereign Lord of creation, the Creator had shaken the very ground on which they were standing. That Jesus followers actually received such power and boldness is evidenced in what happened next the growth of the Church in spite of opposition. There was now no stopping the momentum of this new movement. The authorities and their threats would not silence the bold witness of Jesus followers. In fact, the shaking of the building is a symbol of the shaking of the foundations of the Jewish religion and the Roman Empire in the rest of the Book of Acts. This inscription found at Caesarea reads, This building Tiberium by Pontius Pilatus Prefect of Judea has been built. The apostles said that Pilate only did what God s power and will had decided beforehand should happen (Acts 4:28). 9. How did God respond to their prayer? 10. How does knowing that God is in control and answers prayer lead to boldness in witnessing? Photo: Marion Doss

6 Week of September 6 Page 10 Empowered to Witness Christians throughout history have continually prayed for boldness in their witness for Christ despite imprisonment, burned churches, and threats on their lives. They have understood that only through prayer would they be empowered to boldly obey Christ s command to share the Gospel throughout the world. One church praying for boldness in spite of the consequences is in Jos, Nigeria. Christians there continually pray for boldness in witnessing to their Muslim neighbors despite their churches being repeatedly burned down. First Baptist Church of Anglo Rogo was burned down, rebuilt, and two years later was burned down again. However, Pastor Sunday and his members refuse to relocate or stop praying for boldness in their witness to their Muslim neighbors. God has honored their prayers as many Muslims are receiving Jesus as their Savior. What does praying boldly look like? In the believers prayer in Acts 4:24-30 we see three aspects of that kind of prayer. First, they praised God for who He is and what He has done. The believers then remembered God s faithfulness to them in the past against their enemies. Finally, they requested boldness in speech and the power of the Holy Spirit to be shown in a mighty way. All this they prayed would be done in Jesus name, to glorify Him. All these aspects of prayer are important when we pray to the Lord to boldly witness for Him. 11. What would keep you from praying for boldness in your witness? 12. Why is it becoming more important for Christians to be a bold witness for the Lord? 13. What is the difference between a bold witness and an in-your-face, belligerent witness? 14. Where is your bold witness needed in the world around you?

7 Week of September 6 Page 11 A Life-Threatening Prayer Acts 4:24-30 is an amazing prayer. The believers very lives were being threatened, yet they prayed to God to ask for a bold witness that would put them in even more jeopardy. Such prayers are still appropriate if we are to be the witnesses for Christ that He wants us to be. In the space below, write a prayer to God asking Him for boldness in witnessing. Be honest with Him and acknowledge what obstacles may be hindering you from being a bold witness for Him. Pray for boldness in spite of any consequences that may come from a bold witness. KEY VERSE And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. Acts 4:31, KJV After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. Acts 4:31, NIV DAILY BIBLE READINGS FOR NEXT WEEK S LESSON September 7 through September 13 (See The Quiet Hour and Cross devotionals on these passages.) Mon. Psalm 82 Rescuing the Weak. Tues. Psalm 26 Living Blamelessly. Wed. 1 Timothy 5:11-19 Sharing Generously. Thurs. Isaiah 1:15-18 Sharing with All. Fri. Philippians 4:1-14 Sharing Troubles. Sat. Luke 3:10-16 Sharing Out of Abundance. Sun. Acts 4:34 5:10 Sharing All Things.