Clear, direct witness to others about my own relationship
with Jesus Christ beings the glory down. The single best term that describes
the way God wants His gospel given is “BOLDNESS.” This is not the “You’re going to hell” type
of boldness or the “in-your-face-confrontational” approach. Boldness is a clear
direct communication in the face of potential opposition, nothing more or less.
Boldness is not obnoxiousness!
God’s family is marked by this quality. Take note of
Proverbs 28:1; “The wicked fee when no
one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.” Peter would state in
Acts 2:29; “Brothers, I may say to you
with confidence [boldness]…” In Acts 4 the pattern of bold gospel work is
repeated showing us that religious leaders were annoyed with the apostles
proclaiming Jesus, about 5,000 converts, the apostles stating, “no one else…no
other name…must be saved” [Acts 4:2-29].
God grant us the same boldness to say, “we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard” [Acts 4:20] –
Now that is boldness – I cannot stop speaking about Jesus! Realize that in Acts
4:23ff we have a report of 1st century Christians asking for
boldness in the face of opposition. How easy it is for the threat of negative
responses that muzzles our witness today. However, listen to the request in
v.29; “And now Lord, look upon their
threats and grant your servants to continue to speak your word with boldness…”
Father, may the boldness of Paul’s statement reflect our hearts in
words and actions before a watching world, “I am not ashamed of the gospel!
AMEN!
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