Ask courage, take courage...

“Sovereign Lord, Anointed Servant, Holy Spirit”

(Acts 4:23-31, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, May 1, 2011)

23 When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said,

“Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them,

25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit,

“‘Why did the Gentiles rage,

and the peoples plot in vain?

26 The kings of the earth set themselves,

and the rulers were gathered together,

against the Lord and against his Anointed’ —

27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

When they were released... (23-24a)

The persecution of the church that is taking place in various countries around the world today is not a new thing. When the church has not been entirely co-opted by civil authorities for their own agenda, they have often faced trouble, sometimes more trouble, sometimes less trouble, at the hands of those who are threatened by the kingdom of God. When the church is existing in a corner, making little difference in the world, and little difference even in the lives of its own members, the Lord's family is easily ignored. But let them heal the lame, or experience unusual evidence of the presence of God with them in any way, the authorities may become concerned, hostile, or even murderous. The real question for us is not how others will react to the evidence of God being present with us. More important than this is whether we should live in fear because of what powerful people who hate the church might say or do to us.

The actions of the apostles and the church in those early years should be a pattern for us in every generation. Men who are filled with the Holy Spirit, men who know what it is to be rooted in Jesus Christ, do not need to panic about those who threaten them. Those who live out the resurrection life walk over rough waters on the stepping stones of the fruit of the Spirit as they travel toward heaven. They are able to have love even for their enemies. They experience joy unspeakable and full of glory. They receive peace from God that passes understanding. They are patient in every affliction. They show kindness to those who would only trouble them. They commit themselves to a life of goodness as a fruit of their union with Christ, and they exhibit a deep self-control that once seemed an impossible goal. People like this do not focus on their losses but on Christ's gains, and they show where their help comes from by the way they turn to God in prayer. This is what you need to be training for in every affliction you have, knowing that it is in Christ alone, and in His resurrection, that you will be able to have the fruit of the Spirit. Lift up your voices to God. Ask, and you shall receive. Ask for courage, and take courage.

Sovereign Lord... (24b)

The church knew about the sovereignty of God. They knew that God was above every earthly power. They did not need to walk in the fear of men. Did kings make the heavens, the earth, and the seas, or did God create those places and all things that populate them? The more that we look at the Lord of glory, the more we will see that He has a purpose that He is working out. If that purpose brought His Son through the cross, we can trust Him with the light and momentary affliction that we experience in our lives. We can look for glory even when days are darkest.

Who through the mouth of our Father David... (25-26)

The Lord spoke of His reign over earthly kings in Psalm 2. God by His Spirit, working through King David, brought a word to us that is very relevant in every era. Yes, the nations may rage against Israel and the church. Yes, they make plots even against God and His Son, the Messiah. Some people are so convinced of their own powers. They expect to snuff out the church. But Christ, who gave His blood for His bride, said to us so many centuries ago that the gates of hell would not prevail against His church. He has not been proven wrong yet. We're still here.

For truly in this city... (27-28)

Look at the example of what happened to Jesus. Herod, Pilate, the Sanhedrin, along with many other Jews and Gentiles wanted to stop Him. They thought that they had accomplished their goal when He died on a Roman cross. But today we glory in the cross. The cross is power to us because of the resurrection of Jesus. The cross is our penalty paid for, and our forgiveness and life secured. We boast in the cross. The cross worked toward the plan of our sovereign Lord, who sits on high and laughs at adversaries that are so impressed with their own strength or intellect. The cross was an utter failure from the standpoint of the men who wanted to see Jesus gone. They got their wish, but not for very long. They were publicly exposed as powerless to bring about the end of Jesus, and the Lord of glory who died in our place was vindicated to be the sovereign Lord of heaven and earth. Because of what He did, and the power of His cross at work in us, we can even live the heavenly life now. Who won that contest; the enemies of the gospel or the Lord of glory who had predestined what would take place long ago?

And now, Lord, look upon their threats... (29-30)

Why should this power of the cross stop now, when Jesus is exalted at the right hand of the Father? If He could be victorious in His moment of greatest weakness, who or what will stop Him now? With that confidence, we can bring our requests to God. We can say about those who pass laws against the worship of Christ in nations that they suppose to belong to some other god or some other philosophy, “Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

And when they had prayed... (31)

God gave various signs and wonders to authenticate His Word. Sometimes He gave signs and wonders to teach the people what heaven was like. Sometimes He did miracles out of pure compassion for those that needed help. But many times He came when the desperate needed to be rescued, when they were surrounded by enemies who were stronger than they were. There are times when the Lord intends that we learn some of His most kind and blessed lessons through tribulation. But the Lord will defend His church. Martyrs die, but Christ will always get the victory. And kings and rulers will wonder how it could be that those who have been soundly threatened with all the powers of earth, are able to cast off all fear, and filled with a Spirit of heaven, continue to speak the Word with such boldness. Ask for courage, take courage, and walk in love.

1. How did the friends of Peter and John respond to their release?

2. What does this passage teach us about God?

3. How does Psalm 2 present the interaction between rulers and God?

4. Consider the end of this passage from the perspective of the Sanhedrin.

OT Passage: Psalm 2