[Acts: Inspiration For Transformation Series] God Of GlorySample

Bold Love

Ed Newton

There is a call of God upon the life of every Christ follower to share the message of hope and salvation with other people. This sounds so simple, yet this was extremely costly to the early disciples. The gospel was to be proclaimed in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth, but the news of Jesus remained confined to the capital city of Jerusalem because of fear of persecution. Ultimately, it was oppression that caused the good news of Jesus to spread.

The early followers were threatened to stay silent about the good news, but God emboldened Peter and John in such a manner that those who heard these ordinary men speak were amazed. In response to the charge to no longer speak of the name of Jesus or teach in His name, Peter’s resolve was demonstrated in a single profound statement in Acts chapter 4: “… we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

These words compel us all to answer this question: What did these men see and hear? The answer should put the wind in our sails, the strength in our bones, and should fuel a fire in our soul. What the early disciples saw were miracles, signs and wonders. They saw the resurrected Savior and experienced life-transforming power. Their lives were completely rearranged when they heeded Jesus’s call: “Follow me.”

This same invitation echoes in our hearts. It beckons and urges us to leverage all we have to forward the mission God has set before us, dedicating our whole selves to share our death-to-life story at every opportunity.

Respond: 

Your death-to-life story is compelling. It’s one worth sharing! You may not always feel like God is near, filling you with bravery, but know that God has not given you a spirit of fear. Embrace this truth in light of your call to follow Jesus and be a witness for Him. Wherever the grace of God calls you, attached to His provision and purpose for you is the same promise Jesus gave to the early disciples that we find in Matthew: “I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Father, you have called me to be an ambassador for You. May I never be ashamed of making Your name known in the circles in which you have given me influence. Empower me to become bold in grace, in spirit, and in truth. Amen.