bigCHURCH “Big & Bold”
When I hear “BOLD” I think of a few things….Flavor and Business! Maybe that’s the brokenness of my heart speaking! What About you? When I say the Church was meant to be BOLD what do you imagine? What if I told you that the BOLD Church is not the one shouting how wrong the world is around them! Would you still have hope for the Church? Let’s Dive IN and See what the BOLD Church really looks like!
- BOLD is about JESUS—It’s Not About ME (Acts 3:1-10 Acts 5:12-16)
- Context of the time frame. Jesus has walked the earth for 40 days after the Resurrection! Then Ascends to Heaven. The Holy Spirit comes down at Pentecost and 3000 added to the Church (called the Way). The Jewish Festival of Weeks celebrating the Torah coming down has just given way to The Jewish Yahrtzeit! So Jews from all over are gathered in Jerusalem at this time! Coincidence or God’s timing?
- After Peter gets to preach at Pentecost he comes to a man at the gate called Beautiful! The man asks for alms (2.5% of income that was given to the poor) and Peter tells he doesn’t have the money but the power of the Holy Spirit. And the lame man walks! Peter knew it wasn’t about him but stated “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up!”
- The sick were laid in the street to even be healed by Peter and the Apostles’ shadow. In John 14:12 Jesus promises greater things we will do in His name! The Apostles shadow healed…Jesus was touched to be healed! His promise is true!
- BOLD is about STEPPING OUT in OBEDIENCE—It’s Not About MY GOOD IDEA
(Acts 4:1-11)- The Church goes from praying in an upper room in Acts 1 to preaching Jesus’ name at the Temple in front of the very leaders who put Jesus to trial!
- Peter tells that this isn’t an idea of 12 that grew to 100 that exploded to 3000 as to why The Church was growing. But was instead the obedience to do what Jesus told them to do! And then to preach Christ Crucified.
- BOLD is about HEART KNOWLEDGE—It’s Not About RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
(Acts 4:13-14)- The High Priest Annas (the Priest who Jesus was sent to before He went to Pilate), Caiaphas (who is thought to originate the plot to kill Jesus and was in the Sanhedrin trial of Jesus) were there! As well as all of the Jewish elders! They had just seen Jesus crucified less than 2 months ago…and the empty tomb—but their religion would not allow them to see who Jesus is! They’ve seen Jesus do miracles, and the Apostles are doing miracles and they are still blinded as to the why behind it all…though they could build the case for God better than anyone!
- Peter, an uneducated man (didn’t have the Torah memorized…remember what the Festival of Weeks Celebrates)…preaches to them Christ Crucified for redemption of our sins!
- BOLD is about ETERNAL DESTINATION—It’s Not About CURRENT POSITION (Acts 4:15-22)
- When they were intimidated to not spread the Gospel—the Apostles grew bolder! Instead of using a position of intimidation (Religion) they instead preached Jesus’ name. They were operating out of Obedience to God’s eternal plan not fear of man’s worldly plan!
***Aren’t you glad that someone from a BOLD Church invested in you? Kept praying for you? Believed the best in you? The Church wasn’t always meant to be BOLD…not religious police!
Take Away:
What would BOLD look like in Your life? Your Work? Your Community?
What Area is God Calling you to be BOLD in that comfort has crept in?
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Tyler West 