Boldness and Discipleship: Embracing Courage in Christ

 

Summary

### Summary

In today's sermon, we explored the theme of boldness and courage as exemplified by the early church, particularly through the actions of Peter and John. Despite facing imprisonment and threats, their response was not to seek safety but to pray for greater boldness to continue preaching the gospel. This boldness is not the absence of fear but the courage to act in the face of it. The gospel message is inherently offensive because it confronts sin and declares that there is only one way to salvation through Jesus Christ. This can be intimidating, but it is essential to proclaim it boldly.

We also delved into the concept of discipleship, emphasizing that being with Jesus is not merely about following Him around but about a deep, transformative apprenticeship. This involves arranging our lives around being with Him, learning from Him, and imitating His ways. The early disciples were fully committed to this, and their lives were profoundly changed as a result. This level of commitment is challenging but necessary for true discipleship.

The sermon also highlighted the importance of having a high view of God. Peter and John's boldness stemmed from their time spent with Jesus and the revelation they received about who God is. This high view of God enables us to face fears and threats with courage, knowing that nothing can prevail against the advancing kingdom of Jesus.

### Key Takeaways

1. Boldness in the Face of Fear: Boldness is not the absence of fear but the courage to act despite it. The early church prayed for boldness, not safety, showing us that true courage comes from relying on God's strength to proclaim the gospel even when it is intimidating. [05:07]

2. The Offensive Nature of the Gospel: The gospel is inherently offensive because it confronts sin and declares that there is only one way to salvation through Jesus Christ. This message can be difficult to share, but it is essential for true transformation and salvation. [06:00]

3. True Discipleship Requires Full Commitment: Being a disciple of Jesus is akin to an apprenticeship, requiring us to arrange our lives around being with Him and learning from Him. This deep commitment transforms us and aligns our lives with His ways. [13:47]

4. The Impact of Being with Jesus: The boldness and courage of Peter and John were direct results of their time spent with Jesus. This relationship gave them a high view of God, enabling them to face threats with unwavering faith. Our own boldness will grow as we deepen our relationship with Him. [10:31]

5. The Transformative Power of Imitating Christ: The way we live our lives will produce something in us. When we arrange our lives to be with Jesus and imitate Him, it produces Christ-likeness. This transformation is essential for living the abundant life that God intends for us. [18:50]

### YouTube Chapters

[0:00] - Welcome
[04:19] - Boldness and Courage in the Early Church
[05:07] - Praying for Boldness, Not Safety
[06:00] - The Offensive Nature of the Gospel
[07:36] - The Gospel as a Proclamation
[08:59] - Boldness is Courage in the Face of Fear
[10:31] - The Transformation of Peter
[12:07] - Discipleship as Apprenticeship
[13:47] - Arranging Our Lives Around Jesus
[15:19] - The Commitment of First-Century Disciples
[16:57] - The Fullness of Life in Christ
[18:50] - The Impact of Our Lifestyle Choices
[20:32] - Producing Christ-likeness
[22:06] - A High View of God and Its Impact

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. Acts 4:13-31
2. Mark 3:14
3. Matthew 16:24-25

#### Observation Questions
1. What was the reaction of the early church when Peter and John were released from jail? ([05:07])
2. How does the sermon describe the nature of the gospel message? ([06:00])
3. What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus according to the sermon? ([12:07])
4. How did Peter and John's time with Jesus impact their boldness and courage? ([10:31])

#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why did the early church pray for boldness instead of safety when faced with threats? ([05:07])
2. How does the offensive nature of the gospel challenge modern cultural values? ([06:00])
3. What does it mean to arrange our lives around being with Jesus, and how does this differ from merely following Him? ([13:47])
4. How does having a high view of God influence our ability to face fears and threats? ([22:06])

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt fear in sharing the gospel. How can you pray for boldness in similar situations? ([05:07])
2. The gospel message can be offensive because it confronts sin. How can you share this message with love and sensitivity without compromising its truth? ([06:00])
3. What practical steps can you take to arrange your life around being with Jesus, similar to the commitment of first-century disciples? ([13:47])
4. How can you cultivate a high view of God in your daily life to help you face challenges with courage? ([22:06])
5. Identify one area of your life where you need to imitate Christ more closely. What specific actions can you take this week to grow in that area? ([18:50])
6. Think of a situation where you might be tempted to seek safety over boldness. How can you prepare yourself to choose boldness in that moment? ([05:07])
7. How can you support others in your small group to grow in boldness and courage in their faith journey? ([05:07])

Devotional

Day 1: Boldness in the Face of Fear
Boldness is not the absence of fear but the courage to act despite it. The early church, particularly Peter and John, exemplified this by praying for greater boldness to continue preaching the gospel even when faced with imprisonment and threats. Their response was not to seek safety but to rely on God's strength to proclaim the gospel, showing us that true courage comes from faith in God. This kind of boldness is essential for Christians today, as the gospel message can be intimidating to share due to its confrontational nature regarding sin and the exclusive path to salvation through Jesus Christ. [05:07]

Acts 4:29-31 (ESV): "And now, 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, 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."

Reflection: Think of a situation where you have felt intimidated to share your faith. How can you pray for boldness and rely on God's strength to act courageously in that situation today?


Day 2: The Offensive Nature of the Gospel
The gospel is inherently offensive because it confronts sin and declares that there is only one way to salvation through Jesus Christ. This message can be difficult to share, but it is essential for true transformation and salvation. The early church understood this and did not shy away from proclaiming the truth, even when it was met with resistance. As Christians, we must also embrace the offensive nature of the gospel, understanding that it is through this message that lives are changed and people are brought into a relationship with God. [06:00]

1 Corinthians 1:18 (ESV): "For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you hesitated to share the gospel because you feared it might offend someone. How can you approach sharing the gospel with both truth and love, trusting in its power to transform lives?


Day 3: True Discipleship Requires Full Commitment
Being a disciple of Jesus is akin to an apprenticeship, requiring us to arrange our lives around being with Him and learning from Him. This deep commitment transforms us and aligns our lives with His ways. The early disciples were fully committed to this, and their lives were profoundly changed as a result. True discipleship is challenging but necessary for spiritual growth and maturity. It involves a daily commitment to follow Jesus, learn from Him, and imitate His ways in every aspect of our lives. [13:47]

Luke 9:23-24 (ESV): "And he said to all, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.'"

Reflection: What is one specific area of your life where you need to make a deeper commitment to follow Jesus? How can you arrange your daily routine to prioritize time with Him and learn from His teachings?


Day 4: The Impact of Being with Jesus
The boldness and courage of Peter and John were direct results of their time spent with Jesus. This relationship gave them a high view of God, enabling them to face threats with unwavering faith. Our own boldness will grow as we deepen our relationship with Him. Spending time with Jesus through prayer, reading the Bible, and worship transforms us and equips us to face challenges with confidence in God's power and presence. [10:31]

Acts 4:13 (ESV): "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus."

Reflection: How can you intentionally spend more time with Jesus this week? What specific practices can you incorporate into your daily routine to deepen your relationship with Him and grow in boldness?


Day 5: The Transformative Power of Imitating Christ
The way we live our lives will produce something in us. When we arrange our lives to be with Jesus and imitate Him, it produces Christ-likeness. This transformation is essential for living the abundant life that God intends for us. The early disciples' lives were profoundly changed by their commitment to follow Jesus, and we too can experience this transformation by dedicating ourselves to learning from Him and imitating His ways. [18:50]

2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV): "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit."

Reflection: In what ways can you more closely imitate Christ in your daily life? Identify one specific habit or behavior you can change to reflect His character more clearly.

Quotes

### Quotes for outreach

1. "We are facing threats increasingly against the gospel, and we're not to be intimidated by that. We have the wonderful promise that the kingdom of Jesus is advancing and nothing, nothing, can stand or prevail against it." [05:07] (14 seconds) ( | | )

2. "The gospel is a proclamation. It's an announcement that the kingdom of Jesus Christ has come. His rule and reign is re-established on this earth and everybody that would turn away from sin and receive Christ as their Lord and Savior, is able to enter into that life." [07:36] (22 seconds) ( | | )

3. "If I were to ask you, do you want to live the fullness of life that Jesus has for you? I'm pretty sure that every one of you, if you were born again, would say, heck yes, I want that fullness of life. And the truth is this, is that we can only live that life when we are fully committed as disciples of Jesus." [16:57] (18 seconds) ( | | )

4. "When we pursue Jesus, when we pursue being with him, learning about him, what happens, churches, we know this, is that we start to receive a revelation of who God is. We start receiving that high view of God, not some reduced view of him that we see him as incapable, uncaring, unloving, sort of 50-50 arm wrestle with the devil." [20:32] (60 seconds) ( | | )

### Quotes for members

1. "Boldness is not a lack of fear, but boldness is courage in the face of fear. If they were not scared, they wouldn't mention it. If they were not scared, they wouldn't mention it. They wouldn't pray for boldness if that wasn't a reality." [08:59] (16 seconds) ( | | )

2. "Being with Jesus, being a follower of Christ wasn't just hanging out with him, but being with Jesus was a fundamental aspect of discipleship. If we think of an apprenticeship, how many of you have a trade in anything here this morning? Does anybody? If you have a trade, you will know that the importance of a journeyman, the person who is qualified in that trade, to be able to teach you what you know, because none of these trades are theoretical." [12:07] (34 seconds) ( | | )

3. "One of the most fundamental truths of apprenticeship to Jesus. Of discipleship is arranging our lives around being with him. Arranging our lives to be with him. It was very interesting that when he called the disciples, he said, guys, if you're going to follow me, then you need to know that you turn away from everything you fully commit to following me." [13:47] (33 seconds) ( | | )

4. "When Jesus said, come and follow me, it wasn't just follow me around. It was come and learn my ways. Come and learn about me. Come and learn who I am. Come and learn my teachings, and come and learn the way that I do things, so that you are able to imitate me in your life." [15:19] (26 seconds) ( | | )

5. "Peter and John's boldness, it didn't just happen, just become bold by chance. It was something that was a result of them being like this, seeing him for who he is." [22:06] (13 seconds) ( | | )

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Transcript
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