5.19.24 PM Worship – Mark Day – How Jesus Viewed the Scriptures
5.18.24 AM Worship – Mark Day – Don’t Let Your Past Prevent You
5.18.24 AM Worship – Mark Day – Don’t Let Your Past Prevent You
Boldness and Evidence
The Sanhedrin wanted to keep control over the people. They thought that putting Jesus to death would be the end of this disruption to their sway over the people. Yet, here stood a man before them who had been lame for over forty years now walking and leaping; they could say nothing against it (Acts 4:14). A miracle of God had been worked, and they could not deny it (Acts 4:16). Their decision was to threaten Peter and John commanding them to not speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus (Acts 4:17, 18).

As apostles, Peter and John were witnesses of the resurrected Lord (Acts 1:22; 4:33). They both had spent time with Jesus during His public ministry (2 Pet. 1:16-18; 1 Jn. 1:1). The Sanhedrin saw the boldness of Peter and John, recognizing they had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13). Peter and John were fishermen who had not received the prestigious education as had the seventy-one men who made up the ruling court before whom they stood; however, they had the truth, undeniable evidence, and the promise that the Holy Spirit would guide them into what to speak when they stood before authorities (Lk. 12:11, 12).
Peter, being filled with the Holy Spirit, had already boldly proclaimed the gospel of Jesus Christ and held the Sanhedrin responsible for their sins, particularly those involved in putting Jesus to death (Acts 4:8-11). He had also clearly pointed out that salvation is found only in the name of Jesus (Acts 4:12). This Peter, who had denied Jesus three times when the authorities were orchestrating the Lord’s death (Mk. 14:66-72), now boldly preached to them and all in Jerusalem. Witnessing the resurrection had a profound effect on the apostles. Now when commanded to not preach in the name of Jesus, they responded: “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19, 20). They boldly stood on the evidence God had given.
While we today do not work miracles or have direct guidance on what to say as the apostles did in the first century (1 Cor. 13:8-10), we do have the truth of the gospel. We stand on the overwhelming evidence God has provided in raising His Son from the dead recorded for us in His word. If we have been given all the evidence we need, then we ought to be confident in proclaiming what we believe. As Paul requested prayer that he would open his mouth and speak boldly (Eph. 6:19), so we also pray and ask for the prayers of fellow Christians to the same end—to boldly speak the soul-saving message of the cross of Christ.

5.15.24 Wed. Bible Class – Devo by Greg Hall – Tips from 50 Years of Marriage
5.12.24 PM Worship – Nathan Adkins – Turning the World Around
5.12.24 PM Worship – Nathan Adkins – Turning the World Around
Scripture Reading by Gabe Scott – Acts 17:1-10
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