Spirit-Empowered Ministry In Jesus’ Name!
Audio – Full Message:
Bible Verses: Acts 3:1-10
Christian boldness isn’t something we simply have to “muster up” for ourselves; rather, it comes through faith in Jesus and through the gift of His Holy Spirit, who empowers and emboldens us to live for the glory of our Savior. He deserves first place in our lives, and this will be reflected in our actions for His name’s sake. If we are convinced that the gospel is true, then we must act on what we believe, praying to God for boldness and then proclaiming what we know to be true. We should find ourselves compelled to say and do bold things for the sake of the gospel.
Theological Theme:
The gospel spreads through bold and gracious witness to Christ.
Christ Connection:
Once the Holy Spirit arrived, the disciples began proclaiming Jesus as Lord and Savior. They put on display the power of His kingdom by performing miracles in His name. When confronted by earthly authorities, they reaffirmed their allegiance to Jesus and continued to declare the gospel with confidence that Jesus is mighty to save.
The Personality of the Holy Spirit: The Bible not only affirms the full divinity of the Holy Spirit but also His personhood. Many people have mistakenly believed that the Spirit is a force or power, not a person. However, Scripture affirms His personhood by acknowledging that He is treated as a person (Acts 5:3; 7:51; Heb. 10:29), acts like a person (John 14:26, 15:26; Rom. 8:14), has attributes of a person (1 Cor. 2:10-11; Eph. 4:30), and acts in personal ways (Isa. 63:10; Acts 13:2). In addition to these, the Bible also affirms that Christians relate to Him personally (Acts 5:3-4; 7:51). – The Gospel Project
“For better than all others he knows the nature of things. He knows that fierceness is not quenched by fierceness but by meekness. If you wish to see this in action, read the book of the Acts of the apostles and you will see how often, when the people…[were] rebelling and sharpening their teeth, these men, imitating the dove and answering with suitable meekness, released their wrath, quenched their madness and dissolved their impetuosity.” 6 –John Chrysostom (circa 347-407)
Missional Application:
God the Father calls us to follow Jesus through the example of the early Christians in how we boldly and graciously proclaim the gospel and minister to those in need by the Holy Spirit.
“Father, I pray for those in the persecuted church and for their leaders. Strengthen them, encourage them, and grant miracles of provision and deliverance. Cause the gospel to spread like wildfire. Give them so much joy, peace, and love that their persecutors will be convicted and fall down and worship you.” – Scotty Smith
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