Praying With All Boldness, Acts 4:21-28

How should we respond when things go wrong?

Today we see the first persecution of the early Church, how they respond, and how they pray.

They are our example.

21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done.

They (religious leaders) further threatened them (Peter and John) by telling them again, not to speak, or teach, at all, in the name of Jesus.

If you’re living a lie, and someone starts boldly speaking the Truth, you need to shut them up before you get exposed.

Censoring and silencing didn’t start with social media and Trump’s tweets.

So, to shut them up, they locked them up.

But it didn’t do any good because the next day, the people were still buzzing about the lame man, who was hopping around.

So, they let them go.

Why’d they let them go?

Not because they feared God; not because they knew they’d arrested innocent men—they didn’t care about the law or the Truth.

They let them go, because of the people, they feared the people.

Why’d they fear the people?

The Christians showed up as one.

Jesus has much to say about the power of unity.

Five times in one prayer, in John 17, He prays that we would be one.

Then in, Matthew 18:19-20, “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

The Church was still a baby in those days, but it was perhaps at its peak in maturity as far as unity, of one heart, one mind, one soul, being in one accord, to simply glorify Jesus.

22 For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.

The man’s healing was an undeniable miracle.

They all knew that Jesus healed while alive on the earth—but now they see He continues to heal, while in heaven.

Front page of the Jerusalem Post might’ve read:

God’s Still in the Miracle Working Business!

He still is.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8.

23 And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.

They went to their own... There were over 5,000 believers by now.

They didn’t all meet, all at once, all in the same place; but in separate groups, house Churches.

The Upper Room, may have become the meeting place for the apostles and crew.

24 So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said:

They raised their voice to God. They, their, more than one person prayed.

With raised voice; more than one person prayed, out loud.

With raised voice… with one accord. Voice, not voices. They weren’t all speaking out loud at one time. One person prayed, out loud, while the others listened and prayed, silently, quietly, in agreement, in one accord. Then, another prayed out loud, while the other prayed in agreement silently, quietly.

It's okay to pray silently, in your heart, and thoughts. But we should also pray out loud. Sometimes silent prayers, (like when you’re laying in bed) can turn into snoring prayers. Oops, sorry Lord, where were we, I fell asleep?

The important thing here is that they were, in one accord. This has become a pattern, a characteristic of the early Church; our example.

They were in one accord in the upper room prayer meeting before the Holy Spirit came and filled each of them.

They continued in one accord, before the lame man was turned into the leaping man.

Now here we see again, they are in one accord.

So, not only are they in one accord during the amazing Holy Ghost outpouring and the happy hopping healing, but also during the intense, we could’ve been killed, just got falsely arrested and persecuted times.

“Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them,

They begin their prayer by respectfully acknowledging Who they are talking to. Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth.

God doesn’t need the affirmation, but words are powerful, and confirming out loud that you’re speaking to the One Who can solve every problem, meet every need, is faith building.

25 who by the mouth of Your servant David have said:

They flow from Who He is, to What He said.

Words are powerful. Especially, God’s Words. Nothing more powerful. Know and pray God’s Word, and you’ll be knowing and praying God’s will.

They quote Psalm 2:1-2. God foresaw the future and spoke through the mouth of David.

‘Why did the nations rage,

And the people plot vain things?

The nations (ethnos) are peoples, mobs, that rage, like animals.  

They plot vain things; plotting against the Lord, is always in vain. Their minds are vain, empty, their hearts enraged, against the Lord.

They are those who cried, crucify Him! crucify Him!

Those people are dead and gone, but the fury fueled by demons remains.

We recently witnessed them riot, and loot, and shoot, and cry, “Give us what we want or we’ll burn down the system!”

Today, they applaud, rapists, murderers and devil worshippers, as they shout against God’s chosen, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!”

The devil is a master manipulator of words, saying one thing, but meaning another.

They accuse Israel of genocide, while they themselves are the ones doing it, promoting it, funding it, applauding it.

Those words, “from the river to the sea…” are a geographic description of Israel. From the Jordan River, to the Mediterranean Sea, free from Israelites. Israel free of Israelites. It is a call for genocide; mass murder of all Jews.

God foresaw it all, He’s never caught off guard or by surprise.

26 The kings of the earth took their stand,

And the rulers were gathered together

Against the Lord and against His Christ.’

They are still praying, still quoting David (the Lord through David).

The mindless mobs are manipulated and motivated by kings and rulers, politicians, and world leaders, who gather together behind the scenes and scheme against the Lord.

Against the Lord, against His Christ, is by definition, anti-Christ.

To stand with those leaders, to nod with the mindless masses, is to stand against the Lord; with anti-Christ.   

27 “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together

They had no problem naming names and stating facts. They were far from politically correct or woke, they saw nothing wrong with calling out politicians who gather against Christ.

Herod the puppet king; Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel.

They were specific. Two names, two people groups.

The names have changed, the devils remain.

Let’s bring it home, how these are reflected in our time, and our nation.

[Warning: The following subject matter may be volatile. Nevertheless, we are called to speak the raw Truth, in Love. Don’t tune out if you get offended, because we’re going to look at both sides, if you tune out too soon, you might miss the part you like. If you disagree, let us know, we can send info. for you to confirm for yourself]

Buckle your seatbelt.

The puppet king.

Biden says he stands with Israel, while stabbing them in the back by his actions, kissing Israel’s enemies, like Iran, and protecting and providing for terrorists. He speaks Christian-eze, when it pleases, yet pushes anti-Christ agenda on our children.  

The Governor (this is an insult to Pilate, since he declared Jesus, innocent and tried to release Him).  

There are too many to mention, but recently, (June 1, 2024), Jay Inslee, Governor, of WA, signed the, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Asexual, Aromantic, Queer, Two-Spirit, Non-Binary, and Intersex Pride Month Proclamation; affirming Washington’s commitment to the LGBTQ community. Representatives from all branches of government and community organizations to raise the intersex progress rainbow flag on the Capitol Campus, June 13, at 12:00 p.m. on the flag circle between the Temple of Justice and the State Capitol building.

He is just one among many, openly promoting anti-Christ perversion to God’s Divine Design of family. What’s worse, is that this feeds the vile, evil, demon of sex trafficking our very own children. 

Back to our text, please note they also called out two more people groups. The Gentiles, and the people of Israel; people from both sides of the isle. Folks who call themselves Christian and those who openly say, they’re not. Conservative and liberal, right and left, democrats and republicans.

That’s pretty broad. So, let’s narrow it down.

Hold on, it’s about to get a little bumpy.

One of our points last week was:

Evidence of the Holy Spirit speaking is, raw Truth.

Well, here we go.

Friends, no Christian can be anti-Israel, anti-family, anti-Bible.

The democrat platform has become all those things. It has been rewritten to openly defy the God of Creation.

To stand with them, is to be one of them. Anti-Christ.

Don’t believe me, just google their platform and read it yourself.

Republicans you’re not off the hook.

You’re of those Jesus rebuked the most. You should know better; you should come together. You know the Truth, yet, you’re blinded by arrogance, constantly dividing, unable to agree on anything, like spoiled rotten brats.

You’ve had opportunity after opportunity, but like the day Jesus wept over Jerusalem, you refused to recognize the day of your visitation.

Jesus says of you, a house divided cannot stand. Your collapse is by your own hand.

28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.

Okay, so, the Lord foreknew that all those people would gather together against Christ, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.

 Don’t get confused and think God caused them to do evil.

God foresaw it all, He’s never caught off guard.

He knew it would happen, but didn’t make it happen.

He came to us, offering us, His great Love. Knowing we’d reject Him, accuse Him, kill Him.

And that was His plan, His purpose determined before, to:

Sinlessly, pay the penalty, of the sinful.  That's us. 

Let’s pray.

Lord, You are awesome and holy, loving and kind. You have not changed from the day You created the heavens and the earth, and performed miracles among us.

We ask You to fill us with Your Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, so we can boldly speak Your Word, in Love. Stretch out Your hand to heal, and deliver with signs and wonders, so Your name is glorified, and none of those You’ve given us will be lost.

We love You, forever.

Amen.   

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