“And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” Acts 4:29–30
Shhhhhhhhhhhh!
Most of us have received this command at some point in our lives. If you talk loudly in a movie theater, those sitting around you will probably ask you to “keep it down.” If you yell in the library, someone will surely come over and ask you to take it down a notch. And if you’re noisy when the baby is sleeping, you’ll certainly receive a quick reprimand to quiet your voice.
It’s good to keep quiet in these types of scenarios, but it’s certainly not acceptable to keep quiet in every situation. When a car is about to barrel into someone who’s walking across the street, yelling “Look out!” is actually quite a loving thing to do!
Jesus’ disciples demonstrate something similar in today’s text. Even in the face of opposition, they know God doesn’t want them to keep quiet when there’s so much at stake. To do so wouldn’t demonstrate God’s love. So they pray for boldness to declare that Jesus is the way—the only way—to eternal life.
Read
- Paul was in prison when he wrote this verse. What is so striking about what Paul asks people to pray for?
- How does this characterize the kind of people we have been learning about in Acts?
- The Greek word translated as “boldness” here is parrēsia, described as “a free and fearless confidence.” What do you think a non-Christian thinks of when he or she hears “bold Christians”? How do you think this understanding of the Greek might better inform our witness?
- Is there anyone in your life with whom you would like to share Jesus? Do you hesitate, and if so, what causes you to do so?
Pray
Our Father, would you make us bold like Paul and your first followers in Acts? We need your help. We’re tempted to be quiet and scared. May you provide us with a huge vision of yourself that is so inspiring that we could never keep quiet, even when we are frightened. Amen.
This devotion is adapted from Week 9 of the Acts Study Guide.
