No question you and I have done things in bold fashion before but then decided later to be quiet about it. Maybe it was kissing that one girl in high school or toilet papering the principle’s house or stealing something from grandma. We were bold in the moment but reserved afterwards.
My prayer is that, as followers of Jesus, we will be bold everyday about who Jesus is and what he has done for us in our lives. I’d hope Jesus was so impactful in our lives that we just couldn't stop talking about him and what he’s done and how our lives are so much better with him.
That’s what happened in Acts 3-4 with Peter and John. They had healed a crippled man in Jerusalem but then were arrested for it. They spent the night in jail for talking about Jesus. But we all realize, you can try to silence people but you’ll never quiet the gospel of Jesus Christ!
The morning after Peter and John’s arrest, they are standing before the entire weight of the religious and civil authorities of the entire Israel nation. They are being asked by what power and who’s name have you healed this cripple man? Peter replies, “The Powerful Name of Jesus.”
Paul tells us in Colossians 1:15-18, Jesus is so powerful that everything we know about and don’t know about was made through Jesus and for Jesus. That it’s Jesus that holds together the entirety of the cosmos. That’s the Savior we serve and love. He’s our brother and our Lord.
The Gospel continues to mesmerize the world. The Bible continues to be the number one selling book of all time. See, trying to stop the gospel story is like trying to stop a California wildfire with a water gun. It just is not going to happen.
Peter and John encourage us with their boldness in Acts 4:19-20 when they say no matter what the authorities do, they can never stop talking about what they have seen and heard. They will always talk about Jesus.
Some questions we might ask ourselves right now are: What would give God the glory in my life right now? What should I be doing with my talents and giftedness right now? How can I represent Jesus in my workplace, my friend group, my family? How do I retrain myself to be vocal about Jesus everyday, not just on Sunday?
I also love the encouragement thrown our way in Acts 4:13. It says those who were in power recognized that Peter and John were ordinary men but had been with Jesus. See, that’s me and you. We are ordinary people. You don’t have to be a preacher or pastor. You don’t need a seminary education. You don’t have to be eloquent of speech. God uses ordinary people like me and you to tell the incredible story of Jesus.
And when you say “yes” to Jesus, you realize that Jesus changes everything. He infuses you with his Spirit, his power, his mission. So be bold this year. Create change. Stand out. Cultivate something new. You can do this. You’re on mission…speak loudly. Blessings on the journey.