Acts: Bold Faith Changes Lives
3:1-4:4
I hope you’ve had a great week—finding rest, staying healthy, and pushing through whatever challenges came your way. Today, as we continue our journey through Acts, we step into a new section of the book.
If you’re taking notes, here’s a simple breakdown of Acts:
Chapters 1-2 focus on the Birth of the Church.
Chapters 3-7 shift to the Boldness of the Church—or as we’ll discuss today, the Boldness of Faith.
But what fuels this boldness? It all comes down to a name—a name above every name, a name that carries all authority, a name that changes lives and convicts hearts. The name of Jesus. This is key: our faith is not just in Jesus; it is through Jesus.
A Bold Faith is Through Jesus
Jesus supplies what we lack. He blesses us—not as a transaction, but as a transformation. Faith isn’t about earning blessings through belief—it’s about receiving a faith that changes us, given by God, through Jesus, and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
The Misunderstood Word: Boldness: The word bold has lost its true meaning. Like grit, we admire it in others but often resist it in ourselves. We want people around us to be strong, courageous, and unwavering, but when it’s our turn to stand firm, we hesitate. Boldness, like grit, can be uncomfortable. It requires us to step into tough conversations, challenge cultural norms, and resist the temptation to shrink back.
Boldness Through Jesus Builds Bridges, Not Brick Walls
But too often, instead of being bold, we bow—to fear, to pressure, to the whispers of doubt. Let’s be clear: boldness isn’t about being rude, aggressive, or a bully. Unfortunately, some have hijacked the idea of boldness to justify their harshness—turning faith into a weapon instead of a bridge. True boldness is firm yet loving, courageous yet compassionate.
The Tension We Face: Many of us hesitate to speak up about Jesus, faith, or even cultural issues because we fear offending someone. But here’s the truth:
The Gospel will offend—it always has.
But boldness should never be a battering ram.
We’ve all seen people misuse boldness—closing doors, picking fights, and pushing their personal views under the banner of faith. Instead of building bridges, they stack bricks of division. Some of you know firsthand the pain caused by a church, a pastor, or a leader who mistook arrogance for boldness. But let me remind you—the name of Jesus has ever hurt no one.
Today, we’re going to see what true boldness looks like. Not arrogant. Not judgmental. But mission-minded and Spirit-led. The Spirit of the Living God is calling us to step into places where people are lost, hurting, and searching. They don’t need someone to cast them aside; they need someone bold enough to love them. Three Themes for Today: As we walk through
Acts 3:1–4:4, we will see:
Boldness creates amazing opportunities.
Boldness brings clarity in times of confusion.
Boldness invites persecution.
The question is—are we willing to be bold for the name of Jesus and allow boldness to shine in our lives through Jesus?
Bold Faith
3:1-10
Bold Faith Stays the Course
Bold Faith Focuses on People
Bold Faith Leans into Divine Interruptions
Bold Faith Aims Past the Target
Bold Faith Helps Others Stand
What about you? Are you staying the course, or are you taking detours?
Are you seeing people, or are you too distracted? Are you stepping out in bold faith,
or are you hesitating? When we trust the process, stay the course,
and fix our eyes on what God is doing, we will see beautiful things.
Boldness to Speak Truth
3:11-26
A Bold Faith Speaks Truth & Helps People to Stand
Discipleship is about Development
Cling to Jesus, Not Just the Beautiful Moments
Bold Faith Has a Lasting Impact
4:1-5
Bold Faith Ripples in Generation to Generation Through Jesus
Today’s Takeaways:
Who Do You Identify the Most Within Today’s Teaching?
Are You Giving Jesus Credit or Someone Else?
What Would Happen in Your Life if You Prayed for a Bold Faith to See Beyond the Surface?
This is the power of bold faith. When Peter healed the lame man, he wasn’t focused on how the crowd would respond—he saw one person in need and acted in faith. The result? Thousands repented and believed in Jesus.
Jesus calls us to this same kind of boldness—not just to speak to crowds but to see the one. The person in front of us. The one who feels unseen, the one who needs hope, the one whose life could be forever changed by an act of bold, Spirit-led obedience.
The Holy Spirit doesn’t call us to change the world in a single moment—He calls us to be faithful in the moment we’re given. Boldness isn’t about grand gestures; it’s about trusting that small acts of faith can have eternal impact.
The miracle in Acts 3 wasn’t just about healing a lame man—it was about revealing the power of Jesus. And in Acts 4, the same power that healed a man also sparked a movement. It reminds us that when we focus on the one, God moves in ways beyond what we can imagine.
So, the challenge is this: Will you boldly see the one God places in your path today? Will you trust that the Spirit is leading you, even when the impact isn’t immediately visible? The boldest moments in our faith aren’t always the loudest—they are the ones where we listen, obey, and trust that God is working in ways we cannot yet see.
We began today asking: What fuels boldness? It’s not personality, skill, or effort. It’s the name of Jesus. And as we’ve seen in Acts 3, bold faith isn’t just about standing up—it’s about stepping forward. The question is: Will we?