Sermon Theme
It is a well known phenomena experienced in wide variety of life’s experiences Associated with it are terms such as ‘knocking at the knees’ or ‘weak at the knees’
When full blown it leads to rattledness of mind, limp hands and paralysis as to any action “They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.” But I prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.”” (Nehemiah 6:9)
FEAR gripped the early church from the beginning “On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”” (John 20:19, NIV84)
YET in spite of it, the saints overcame and as they did so, the full message of life spread like a fire throughout the world.
So… what does that means for us today?
Opposition to the message of life is as fierce as ever, even beyond Mosul in Iraq How does the Church today overcome fear and advance the Gospel?
Sermon outline
- THE FULL MESSAGE OF THIS NEW LIFE
- AN UNSTOPPABLE CHURCH AND ITS MESSAGE
- THE CONTINUING COMMISSION
Readings reproduced on this page:
The Holy Bible: New International Version. 1996, 1984. Grand Rapids: Zondervan
Sermon Outline
Readings
Acts 4:1–20 (NIV84)
1The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people.
2They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.
3They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day.
4But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.
5The next day the rulers, elders and teachers of the law met in Jerusalem.
6Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the other men of the high priest’s family.
7They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”
8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people!
9If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed,
10then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.
11He is “ ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.’
12Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
13When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
14But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say.
15So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together.
16“What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it.
17But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”
18Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
19But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God.
20For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
Text
Acts 4:23–31 (NIV84)
23On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.
24When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.
25You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: “ ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
26The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.’
27Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed.
28They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.
29Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.
30Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
