Teaching Text

Acts 4:23-27

The Believers Pray for Boldness

23 When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, 25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit,

“‘Why did the Gentiles rage,
    and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth set themselves,
    and the rulers were gathered together,
    against the Lord and against his Anointed’—

27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue 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 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

They Had Everything in Common

32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. 36 Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, 37 sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.

Sermon Synopsis

After facing persecution, Peter and John return to their community — not defeated, but united. The early believers respond not with fear, but with prayer, asking for boldness. God answers by shaking the place they’re in and filling them with His Spirit.

Acts 4:23–37 gives us a picture of what the essence of the church really is:

  • The Essence of the Church — God’s presence dwelling among His people. When His Spirit fills a community, hearts shake, fears fall, and courage rises.

  • The Essence of the Christian Message — God’s grace revealed in Jesus Christ. The gospel is not advice for moral living but the good news that God has come near — His glory now dwelling within us through Christ.

  • The Essence of What We Do — God’s love made visible in generosity and unity. The early believers lived with great power and great grace, loving one another so deeply that “there was not a needy person among them.”

The church is not defined by its programs or personalities but by God’s presence. When the Spirit fills His people, love overflows, courage abounds, and the world sees something it cannot explain — a community where God is truly among them.

Key Takeaway:
When God’s presence fills His people, everything changes. His presence shakes what’s fragile, His gospel anchors what’s true, and His love overflows through His church — the living proof that He is real.

Sharing Prompts

  1. Where in your life do you sense God “shaking” something, exposing what’s temporary so that what’s eternal might remain? How can you lean into His refining presence instead of resisting it?

  2. Where do you notice yourself expecting more from people and less from God’s presence or power?

  3. Faith grows through embodied love. What’s one way you can actively love or serve someone this week as an expression of God’s presence?

  4. What would it look like for our church, or for your cell, to be the kind of community where people say, “Surely God is among them”?

Practice

The early church didn’t pray for easier circumstances, they prayed for boldness and were filled with power and grace. This week, let’s allow God’s presence to both form us inwardly and flow outwardly through love.

1. Pause and Identify
When you face something difficult or uncomfortable this week, stop and name what’s happening.

Ask: “What am I feeling right now? Fear, frustration, anxiety, disappointment?”

2. Pray for Formation, Not Escape
Before asking God to change your situation, ask Him to change you in it.

Pray: “Lord, show me how You are shaking me. Form me to be more like Jesus through this moment. Instead of fear, give me boldness; instead of control, give me trust.”

3. Love in Action
Out of that place of surrender, look for one tangible way to love someone this week — a coworker, neighbor, or friend. Pray for one another to be filled with great power and great grace, then act on it.

Next Week:
Share how God met you, how He shaped your heart and how His love flowed through you.