It is hard for me to read the book of Acts without being overwhelmed by the sheer boldness that is shown by the Apostles and Christians represented on its pages!  It is nearly impossible to miss the power of God at work as the disciples are transformed from a small group huddled together in fear in a small upper room following the crucifixion of Jesus to bold preachers of the gospel of Jesus with disciples numbering over five thousand by Acts chapter 4.

It seems that a missing quality in the lives of many Christians and churches today is the act of BOLD that made the early church come alive with power.  We have too often bought into a politically correct, soft-spoken acceptance of any way is as good as any other.  Following the act of healing found in Acts 3, we are able to see some critical elements to living with The Act of BOLD as we look at Acts 4!  Here are some bold characteristics we should cultivate in our life.

• Bold Belief:  The religious leaders of the day were “greatly disturbed” because Peter and John were teaching and proclaiming the bold belief that Jesus had resurrected from the dead.  This bold belief did two thing — it got them thrown in jail by the leaders and it drew more followers to the ways of Jesus.  When you act with a bold belief, there will be some who are troubled by your belief and seek to discredit you or even do you harm.  That is part of the price  you pay for a bold belief that will lift up Jesus and draw others to Him.  Does your bold belief make it clear in your life that Jesus has the power to change you?  You cannot expect to bring change into the lives of people by sharing the gospel if your belief in Jesus hasn’t changed you!
• Bold Obedience:  Another quality that I see in Peter and John that seems to often be missing today is a bold obedience to the authority of Jesus!  When you truly have a bold belief, there will be many who would like to silence you and make the gospel of Jesus ineffective.  Peter and John’s response to being commanded to no longer talk about the resurrection of Jesus was that they must obey God rather than man.  Many times we base our definition of right and wrong on our feelings, popular opinion, or what will be least offensive.  Does your bold obedience cause you discomfort as you lovingly stand for God’s Word as ultimate truth?  If bold obedience to God is not a part of you life, you will have great difficulty in seeing the results of obedience to God in others through the message you share!
• Bold Living:  The bold belief and bold obedience of Peter and John translated into bold living!  When your life is sold out for Jesus Christ, you live with a boldness that understands the power of the resurrection.  Not only did Peter and John express a bold obedience to God when commanded to stop speaking or teaching about Jesus, they prayed for greater opportunities to do the very thing they were told not to.  They lived with a boldness that asked God for an even greater display of His power through more healings, miraculous signs, and wonders.  Their request was for the ability to speak with an even greater boldness.  Does your bold living ask God for more opportunities in and through you life for His power to be displayed?  If bold living is not a part of your life, you will struggle to make an eternal impact in the lives of any who are watching your actions and listening to your words!
• Bold Decisions:  Ultimately, the act of bold ought to lead us to bold decisions!  Even in the face of persecution, we see the number of people making the bold decision to follow the way of Jesus growing from the 3000 who were baptized in Acts 2 to over 5000 in Acts 4 as people respond to the message of the resurrection that Peter and John are sharing.  The chapter ends with the reporting of the bold decision of believers to share whatever they had that could be a benefit to other believers.  In a culture so obsessed with obtaining more and more stuff, it is a very bold decision to accurately evaluate what is excess and voluntarily give away anything that could help a brother or sister in Christ.  Do your bold decisions go against the status quo and acknowledge God as provider and owner of all that you possess?  If fear and selfishness keep you from making bold decisions, you will likely never help the people who God has put in your life to be helped by you!

So, how is the act of BOLD being expressed both in and through your life?  Are you sharing a bold Belief, a bold Obedience, a bold Living, and a bold Decision as you encounter Jesus and the people He brings across your path?  I pray that the act of BOLD brings great transformation to you and to many others through you.