THE DYNAMIC CHURCH

TOPIC: THE DYNAMIC CHURCH

TEXT: Acts 4:1-31

MEMORY VERSE: When they had prayed. . . they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness Acts 4:31.

CENTRAL TRUTH: As Christians pray, the Holy Spirit gives them boldness to witness for Christ.

INTRODUCTION

We learn from Acts 3:1 that Peter and John observed “the ninth hour” (3:00pm) as an hour of prayer in the temple. Though they had accepted Christ, early Church believers continued this practice. On this occasion it provided opportunity for a Miracle that shook the Jewish religious establishment. It also brought a crowd to hear Peter and John preach the risen Christ.

When a beggar at the temple gate asked the two apostles for alms, Peter commanded him to look at them, then told him to rise up and walk in the name of Jesus. The reaction of the crowd was one of wonder and amazement. Peter immediately began preaching Jesus to them. The news quickly spread and brought the religious leaders to the scene.

1. EFFECTIVE MINISTRY - Acts 4:1-4.

Sooner or later, a collision was inevitable between the believers . d the Jewish religious establishment in Jerusalem. This was the first recorded and it would end rather mildly. At the time, the Church's opponents were not quite sure how to handle the situation. Later they would violently oppose the believers, but on this occasion, they decided to choose the path of moderation.

The Sadducees were particularly disturbed because the apostles were preaching that Jesus rose from the dead. They denied that Jesus rose from the dead. They denied that any of the dead would be raised (Acts 23:8). If Jesus had risen, it presented serious implications for them; it meant that Jesus was all He had claimed to be. He was the Son of God, the Messiah. If He had been raised, all the dead would be raised. “The resurrection from the dead” was a touchy subject with the Sadducees. ‘

If Jesus did not rise from the dead, He has no more claim on our obedience and love than any other religious teacher. If He rose, it means the sacrifice He made on the cross has been accepted by the Father as the means of redemption for sinners. No wonder Satan has always tried to destroy people's belief in the resurrection. The gospel stands or falls on this truth.

2. BOLD WITNESS -Acts 45-22.

The Sadducees professed belief in God and the law of Moses but denied the supernatural. If a man born lame had been suddenly healed, they were faced with something beyond human explanation. They were groping for some way to deny that Jesus had anything to do with the miracle.

The term “Christ“ (Messiah) identified Jesus as the One long promised to Israel as their Redeemer. He is the Seed of the woman prophesied in Gen. 3:15. while on earth He was known as Jesus of Nazareth, but He is more than that He is the Christ, the Anointed one sent by God.

Peter's boldness grew more pronounced as he accused the people he was facing with their Messiah's murder. However, they needed to know that their wicked act did not stop God's plan, for he raised Jesus from the dead. As the once crucified but now risen Lord, He showed His power by healing the lame man. There is no more powerful statement about the way of salvation than verse 12.

When Peter declared there is no salvation except through Jesus, he devastated the Jew's teaching that salvation is through the works of the law. Again Peter referred to the name, testifying that there is no other name by which men can be saved. Through the ages this truth has left no room for compromise. it is Jesus or nothing. Every human being must accept Christ as Lord and Saviour or be lost eternally.

3. POWERFUL PRAYER - Acts 4:23-31.

There was no fear or desperation in that company. There was the kind of unity which only the Holy Spirit can create; Once again the expression “with one accord" occurs (verse 24). They lifted up their “voice,” not ‘voices.” Everyone shared the same desires and motives.

They committed the threats of their enemies to the Lord and prayed He would make His people bolder than ever as they continued to preach His word. In praying for further miracles, they were asking the Lord to perform the very works that had already brought them trouble.

We must realize our commitment to Christ will bring many challenged from a hostile world. The world that hated Him cannot be expected to love His people and always treat them gently. If we allow our dedication to the Lord to be shaken by the oppositions of unbelievers, there is something faulty in our dedication. Our purpose as Christians is to spread the gospel and win souls for Christ. When we encounter hostility in the course of our ministry, we must accept it as part of the price we pay for discipleship.

Never do we dare rely on our own strength or skill. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit will empower us for witnessing and help us deal with persecution when it comes. We must not underestimate our opposition, but we must not be intimidated by it either. The Spirit's power within us is greater than Satan's power that is manifested in the world.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSlON.

1. Why is Jesus’ resurrection the foundation of Christianity?

2. What was the Sadducees primary dilemma?

3. ls it significant that Peter used the name “Jesus Christ" and not just “Jesus?“

4. As the Christians began to pray, what kind of attitude did they demonstrate?

5. Why did the people mention the threats of their enemies in their prayer (verse 29)?