The Key Word Is Boldness:

I have been studying in my quiet time the Book of Acts. I have been examining they way the apostles presented the Gospel. I believe contrary to popular opinion, God has done more than give us good news He wants to get out. He has given us a manner that must accompany every method and a rationale for that manner.

The single term that best describes the way God wants His gospel given is boldness. And because it's translated various ways, even faithful students of Scripture might overlook its frequency. Boldness (parrhesia) is used forty-two times in the New Testament. It is translated "openly", "freely", "plainly", "with confidence" but most commonly some form of the word "bold". A bold witness is not a pushy witness. A bold witness is not a loud witness, unless it needs to be. Boldness is not obnoxiousness. It's not rude or demanding. Boldness is the furthest thing from some wild-eyed preacher screeching in the streets, "You're going to hell!" Boldness is clear, direct communication in the face of potential opposition, nothing more or less. According to Proverbs 28:1, it is a characteristic of God's children: "The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion." Are you bold for Christ? Let us look at the Book of Acts and examine their boldness:

Acts 2:29, Peter: "Brothers, I may say to you with confidence..." Convinced that Jesus Christ is the only hope for a fallen humanity, why wouldn't Peter be confident in his words of witness about Jesus? It's time to stop with the "aw-shucks" approach to speaking about Jesus and open our mouths boldly. When Peter gave the message with boldness on the day of Pentecost, three thousand were added to the church.

Acts 4, the pattern of bold gospel work is repeated. The religious leaders were "greatly annoyed" at the apostles for "proclaiming...Jesus," so they threw them in prison, but their boldness was blessed because, "the number of the saved men came to five thousand." Retaliating with restrictions and threats, they demanded of Peter and John, "By what power or by what name did you do this?" Interesting that Peter responded, not with a softer tone, but with another sermon holding them responsible for the death of Jesus and pressing on their points of sensitivity eight times in three verses. The apostles' boldness concluded with the singularity of Christ's salvation offer: "No one else... no other name... must be saved." 

Just weeks before Peter had been fearful before a servant girl, denying Jesus to save face with some fireside strangers; but now with the Holy Spirit controlling his words, he would not be silenced before the Jewish Supreme Court. In a few sentences he took their accusation and turned it around. Don't miss the response of those who heard, because it wasn't about Peter's message or Peter's miracle; it was about Peter's manner of speaking. "Now when they say the boldness of Peter...they were astonished." 

At this point the religious leaders retired to executive session to come up with a strategy. "What shall we do with these men?" Unable to deny what was happening, "they...charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus." Good luck! Peter and John left them with just one question: Should we obey you or God? Saying in effect, "You're asking the impossible!" You might as well ask the sun to stop shinning the earth to stop turning because "we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard." That's boldness-I simply cannot stop speaking about what Jesus Christ has done for me.

Back at the ranch, they all got with all the other outlaw Christians and started to pray. Did they pray for the church members who were sick? Did they pray for a facility to house the growing congregation? Surely they petitioned God's protection from the religious bullies? No, they asked the Lord to "grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness." Wow, how determined they were not to be silenced about Jesus no matter the threat. And how easily the threat of negative response muzzles our witness today.

In conclusion, God has called us to be bold with the Gospel. We are to boldly go into the world and make disciples of all Nations. We are to boldly go across the street, over the hedge, across the office, to other parents and boldly share the life-giving message of the Gospel. Boldness is clear, direct communication in the face of potential opposition, nothing more or less. Are you bold for Christ?