Acts chapter 4 is rich in instruction concerning the evangelism practices and principles of the early church.  Listen in as Kelly Salas, a gifted and experienced street evangelist opens up this text.

Teaching Notes:

New Testament Principles Of Evangelism

Acts 4:1-37

Truth # 1 (Acts 4:1-3)EXPECT OPPOSITION (and you will not be discouraged). Satan will oppose. Here it is through the Saducees and the religious rulers. We must not be caught off guard but be expecting opposition and praying in advance for strength and trust in and from our Sovereign God. Our Lord has warned us that it will not be an easy task but a very difficult and dangerous one. Let us take comfort and encouragement from the scriptures that warn and admonish us about these things.

Memory verse-“18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.
19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.”

APPLICATION-Since we know opposition will come let us be mindful and prayerful about this truth.

Truth #2 (Acts 4:4) PERSECUTION WORKS FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE GOSPEL

Persecution towards gospel preaching is actually a good thing!  

Acts 8:4 “Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.
5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ.
6 And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip when they heard him and saw the signs that he did.
7 For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.
8 So there was much joy in that city.”

We may be bound but the gospel is never bound. 2Timothy 2:8-10 “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel,
9 for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound!
10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.”

Last example of this truth is found in Phil.1 “12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel,
13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.
14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.”

APPLICATION-Since persecution advances the gospel we should welcome it and pray for it!

Truth #3 (Acts 4:8) WE MUST BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT TO BE EFFECTIVE WITNESSES

The scriptures speak of multiple fillings of the Spirit(see acts 2 on the day of Penticost) and the outcome is usually what was promised by our Lord in acts 1:8-“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Jesus also comforted His disciples by telling them that the Spirit would help them in difficult times of testifying to the truth. Matt 10-“19 When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour.
20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”

Application-Since the scriptures speak of multiple fillings of the Spirit and He is the one that empowers us to be witnesses we must continually seek to be filled w the Spirit of the Living God!

Truth #4(Acts 4:10-12) PREACH THE GOSPEL FOR IT IS OF MOST IMPORTANCE

I remind you of Brians message last week. 1 Cor.15 “3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,
4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,”

We must aim to keep our preaching all about Jesus “for there is salvation in no one else.”

When Paul came to Corinth he said “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power” and also “1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom.
2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling,
4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
5 that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”

APPLICATION-Since the gospel is of most importance we must be gospel centered/ gospel fluent people. We need to daily remind ourselves of the gospel and the commission that we have been given.

TRUTH #5(acts 4:19-20) WE MUST OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MAN

Our primary obligation is to obey God. If someone tells us that we should not be preaching the gospel we must remember that our Lord has said “go preach the gospel and make disciples” he is our Master and we must give heed to His loving will to proclaim the gospel that people may be saved.

In Acts 5:28-32 they are questioned again about being commanded not to speak in Jesus’ name. Here is Peter’s response “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.”
29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.
30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.
31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.”

Jesus has said that if we love Him we will keep His commandments and the last commandment He gave us is to go and preach the gospel and make disciples.

APPLICATION-We must pray for the power and boldness to obey God in these tough situations that we will be involved in.

Truth #6(Acts4:23-31) AS WE PRAY FOR MORE BOLDNESS, STRENGTH AND THE POWER OF GOD TO BE MANIFESTED THROUGH US HE WHO IS FAITHFUL WILL ACCOMPLISH IT

Here in this situation they did not just go and hide but got together and took this situation to God by prayer.

They start their prayer by remembering that God is Sovereign and powerful.  “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them,…” this will help us to keep a right perspective of who is really in control in these difficult times.

In verses 29&30 they ask that they can speak the word with all confidence and that God would do miraculous things through the name of Jesus. In verse 31 we see that God answered their prayer as they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word with boldness.

This is not the only instance in scripture where we see believers praying for boldness to proclaim God’s message.

Ephesians 6 “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.”

APPLICATION-We must remember and take confidence in the fact that our God is Sovereign, powerful and He will answer our prayers to speak boldly and work miraculously in us and through us.

Truth #7 ( Acts4:31) GOD WILL ANSWER OUR PRAYERS FOR BOLDNESS AND CONTINUED WITNESS TO THE GOSPEL OF GRACE IN THE MIDST OF PERSECUTION

We need to pray in faith knowing that this is God’s will and that He will answer this prayer.

No doubt Paul had prayed for boldness in Phillipi as they preached the gospel and God answered that prayer. “But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict.”

APPLICATION-Pray for boldness to preach the gospel as we can be confident from scripture that this is God’s will.

Truth #8(Acts 4:32-37)WE WILL BE EMPOWERED TO SERVE GOD AND THE CHURCH WILL BE BUILT AS WE LIVE AS A UNITED FAMILY

It is a witness to all as Christians care for and love each other as Jesus has commanded.

Jesus said in John 13 “34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

In Acts 2 we see this principle being worked out. “42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.
44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common.
45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.
46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,
47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

APPLICATION-We must pray and seek that we as the church would be united and show the world that Jesus is alive and has disciples.
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