Communicating Jesus with Bold Belief
Acts 4:5-31
Living a comfortable life—the American dream—has always been at the forefront of our minds. As kids, when we were asked what we wanted to be when we grew up, we listed things like doctors, lawyers, teachers, or even the president. And most of the time, people encouraged us with something like, “That’s great! Work hard, go to school, and all your dreams will come true.” As we grew, we developed our own ideas and beliefs, sometimes encouraged, sometimes corrected. But underneath it all, the American dream—having wealth, a home, a family, vacations, and peace and living a comfortable life—was ingrained in us as the ultimate goal.
Even today, this mindset shapes our politics, influences how we see other people, and sometimes even makes us feel threatened when that dream is challenged. It has seeped into the church, shaping how we view faith. When something disrupts our sense of comfort—when things get too radical—we grow uneasy. We start to feel tension, wondering, What if we were wrong? What if there’s a better way? And in that moment, we realize that much of what we’ve built our identity on—our upbringing, our values, even our understanding of church—might be more like a house built on sinking sand than we ever imagined.
The American dream has, in many cases, stifled our faith. It has led us to ignore or downplay the reality of persecution. Instead, we comfort ourselves by labeling inconveniences as persecution. We say we’re persecuted because we can’t bring a Bible to work. We complain that our jobs don’t allow us to talk about faith openly. But let’s be honest—most of the time, we submit to these policies not because we have no choice, but because we are afraid. We’re afraid of losing a paycheck, a promotion, or someone’s respect. So, we convince ourselves that God just wants us to play it safe—be a good person, follow the rules, attend church, tithe, serve, and invite someone to church on the “right” holiday.
The American Dream has Made us Comfortable; But it is the Call of Jesus that Makes us Courageous
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But around the world, people are facing real persecution for their faith. Let me tell you about Pastor Prabhudan Lugun. Hindu extremists in his village asked him to donate toward an idol worship festival. He politely refused, explaining that as a pastor, he could not support something that contradicted the Bible. That simple decision enraged the villagers. They turned against him and his family, banning them from drawing water from the well or buying groceries. No one will even speak to them—they are completely isolated. With tears in his eyes, he shared that he may have to leave his home just to survive.
We hear that and think, That’s terrible, but we often fail to ask, What if that were me? Would I be bold enough to stand firm in my faith if my entire community abandoned me?
Meanwhile We Hesitate…
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And the reality of persecution doesn’t stop there. A pastor named Sumit Joshi was walking home when a group of extremists ambushed him. They stopped him and asked if he was a pastor. When he said yes, they brutally attacked him, leaving him with severe injuries.
There’s also Pastor Brijesh Kumar, who has been in hiding for months because the police are searching for him under false accusations of forced conversions. His church was forcefully shut down, and at any moment, he could be arrested again simply for preaching the gospel. In his region, 26 pastors are currently in jail, and another pastor and his family—including his wife and 18-year-old daughter—were imprisoned before their church and home were bulldozed to the ground.
In some parts of India, believers can’t even sing or pray in their own homes without risking arrest, beatings, or worse.
Meanwhile, here in America, we hesitate to pray over our meals in public. We stay silent when a conversation steers toward faith. We fear being labeled “too religious” or “too extreme.” But if we truly understood the power of Jesus Christ in our lives and the lives of others, we wouldn’t settle for a safe, watered-down faith.
This is where the book of Acts confronts us. The early church faced real persecution—beatings, imprisonment, and even death—but they didn’t shrink back. They didn’t ask God to make life easier. They asked Him for courage to keep proclaiming Jesus, no matter the cost. And as we continue our study in Acts, we’ll see that the Holy Spirit wasn’t given to make believers comfortable—He was given to make them bold.
Simple Explanation
Acts 4:5-12
The Holy Spirit Doesn’t Lead Us Where God’s Grace Won’t Sustain Us
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When We Speak by the Spirit’s Power, People Take Notice
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There is…
No Other Foundation
No Other Name
No Other Hope
No Other Salvation
Except THROUGH Jesus Christ
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You Can’t Say His Name
Acts 4:13-22
Spending Time with Jesus is Greater than the Credentials of the World
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A Believer’s Boldness is Through a Relationship with Jesus, not “Knowledge”
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When People Can’t Refute Jesus, the Next Phase is to Remove Jesus from Everything
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Before we move on, I want to highlight one more thing. It almost seems like an afterthought, but it’s not. Luke, in his detail-oriented way, makes a point to tell us that the healed man was over forty years old. Why does that matter? Because it’s never too late. This man had spent his entire life begging at the temple gate. Day after day. Year after year. No hope of a different future. No expectation that things would change. But then—Jesus.
And here’s the challenge for us: The religious leaders were also older men. But instead of being transformed, they were threatened. Instead of receiving what God was doing, they rejected it. Instead of stepping into something new, they clung to what was familiar.
A Bold Excitement
Acts 4:23-31
A Bold Faith Stands in Awe of the Impact Through Jesus Christ and it is Exciting!
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A Bold Prayer is Aware God is Active and is Creating Opportunities to Speak the Name of Jesus
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As we’ve walked through the powerful moments in Acts 4, we’ve seen how Peter and John couldn’t wait to share the miracle that happened in the name of Jesus. Their excitement wasn’t just about the healing of the man at the Beautiful Gate; it was about the boldness and authority that Jesus worked through them. And this same power, that we see alive in the early church, is available to us today.
Peter and John didn’t hesitate to share what Jesus had done through them, and neither should we. When God moves in our lives, when we see His power at work, we should be quick to share it. But it’s not just about sharing a story. It’s about praying with boldness, asking God to stretch out His hand, to do wonders and miracles through the name of Jesus. What if we could pray like that? What if we truly believed that God’s power is available to us in the same way?
Then we also have two other groups of men. Two vastly different responses. One experienced the miraculous power of Jesus. The other tried to silence it. And that’s the question for us today: Which one are we? Are we bold in our faith? Are we speaking the name of Jesus, no matter the cost? Or are we clinging to comfort, resisting change, and trying to silence the truth? Because here’s what we can’t miss: Jesus isn’t going to be silenced. His name is too powerful. His love is too relentless. His kingdom is to unstoppable. And when you’ve been with Jesus—really been with Jesus—you can’t help but talk about it.
As we leave today, I want to challenge us to think about how we can pray more boldly in our lives. What is God calling us to do that requires a step of faith, a bold prayer, or a declaration in His name? How can we communicate Jesus with a bold belief like Peter and John?
Today’s Takeaways
Pray Boldly and Specifically
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Share What God Has Done
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Invite God to Use You
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Grow in Prayer with Fellow Believers
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Do not be afraid to pray a prayer that shakes the ground and strengthens our faith