The Extraordinary Life of Bold Faith

Transformation is the key to boldness

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Acts 4:5-12
5  The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem.  6  Annas the high priest was there, and so were
Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family.  7  They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By
what power or what name did you do this?” 8  Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people!  9  If we are being
called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed,  10  then know this, you and all
the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands
before you healed.  11  Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ [a] 12  Salvation is found in no one else, for there is
no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

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Transformation is connected to a source

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Acts 4:13
13  When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and
they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

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The fruit of spiritual transformation is extraordinary

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Acts 4:14-22
14  But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say.  15  So they
ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together.  16  “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone
living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it.  17  But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the
people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.” 18  Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or
teach at all in the name of Jesus.  19  But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges!  20  As for
us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” 21  After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish
them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened.  22  For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old

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