The beginnings of the church weren’t entirely smooth all of the time. The followers of Jesus, in going out into the known—and unknown, to them—world to share the Good News, this different way of life—well, let’s just say that they encountered opposition. Sometimes it was pretty forceful opposition, which it would make sense they would get since saying “Jesus is Lord” meant denying that “Caesar is Lord”. And those in the Roman Empire, which was pretty much the known and unknown world, were committed to Caesar the Emperor as Lord. Sot it was treason to say “Jesus is Lord”. You could get imprisoned for that, which some of them did., And you could get killed for that, and some of them did. So they sought to be bold; as verse 29 of Acts 4 says, they prayed “And now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness “.
Google’s online dictionary defines boldness as “willingness to take risks and act innovatively; confidence or courage” and illustrates with the phrase “the boldness and independence that characterized his leadership”. Boldness involves risk; boldness involves innovation; boldness evokes confidence and acts courageously. It sounds exciting. In their day, it was also life or death, as it turns out.
It’s a sad state of affairs today that boldness about the message of Jesus often gets short-circuited without it ever getting to the point it did when those first followers started out. Maybe this is confessional, but I suspect I am not the only one a bit afraid of being too forward with what I believe. Because the climate out there is more challenging than it has been in a long time. And I am not likely to get shot—but it is likely I’ll be “shot down”
I know this from the comments section on nearly any story about Christianity in the Washington Post or New York Times. For example, here are three comments from a June 16 New York Times article, “Southern Baptist Vote Signals Further Fractures in American Evangelicalism”: “Religious orthodoxy and fanaticism have dragged humanity into countless crimes and wars. Empty churches are the greatest sign of American progress since the Civil Rights Movement.’ ‘It is heartening to know that over 20% of Americans now consider themselves non-religious.’ ‘Organized religions are nothing more than people attempting to control other people.” Other articles I have seen have provoked even more dismissive, even more hostile, even more antagonistic, responses.
This is the climate we are in—there is not just disinterest and disregard; there is outright antagonism. And we don’t like that. Boldness is tough to work from with that being the kind of response that I might get. I doubt that any of these three people would shoot me dead, but clearly they are not receptive to the message that over 2000 years has seemed to continue to provoke such reactions.
But we, too are called to be bold. We, too, are called to be those whose commitment to our faith compels us to tell others. We, too, can pray for such boldness. We probably won’t get shot—although it could happen (it is more likely to happen in other parts of the world where religious freedom is not guaranteed). But we are called, as Jesus’ followers, to speak the message with boldness, and are promised the Holy Spirit to support and guide us.
NEW TESTAMENT Acts 4:23-33
23 After they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard it, they raised their voices together to God and said, ‘Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth, the sea, and everything in them, 25 it is you who said by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant:
“Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples imagine vain things?
26 The kings of the earth took their stand,
and the rulers have gathered together
against the Lord and against his Messiah.”
27 For in this city, in fact, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.’ 31 When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.
32 Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. 33 With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.