What is the meaning of Acts 4:29? And now, Lord - The believers have just celebrated God’s sovereignty (Acts 4:24–28) and immediately turn their attention to Him “now,” showing that prayer is their first response, not their last resort. - By addressing Him as “Lord,” they acknowledge His absolute authority over rulers, laws, and circumstances, echoing Psalm 115:3: “Our God is in heaven; He does as He pleases.” - Coming to God in the present moment reflects Hebrews 4:16: “Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” consider their threats - The threats are real—arrest, imprisonment, even death (Acts 4:17–18). Instead of panicking, the church places the intimidation squarely before the Lord. - This echoes Hezekiah’s reaction in 2 Kings 19:14, when he “spread it out before the Lord,” trusting God to deal with hostile forces. - Psalm 2:1–2 had just been quoted (Acts 4:25–26), reminding them that earthly opposition is nothing new to God. and enable Your servants - They see themselves not as celebrities but as “servants,” willingly under God’s command (Romans 6:22). - Help is requested, not presumed. Dependence on divine enabling runs through Scripture, as in 2 Corinthians 3:5: “Not that we are competent in ourselves… but our competence comes from God.” - The plural “servants” underscores a community mindset; no lone rangers, but a body working together (1 Corinthians 12:12). to speak Your word - The goal is proclamation, not personal safety. God’s “word” is the fixed content; their task is simply to voice it. - Jeremiah 1:7 mirrors this calling: “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth,’… you must go to everyone I send you to and speak whatever I command you.” - They ask to speak “Your” word, guarding against drifting into opinion, tradition, or political rhetoric (1 Thessalonians 2:13). with complete boldness - Boldness (parrēsia) shows up repeatedly in Acts, immediately fulfilled in Acts 4:31 when “they spoke the word of God boldly.” - Their request lines up with Ephesians 6:19: “Pray also for me, that… I may proclaim it boldly, as I should.” - Boldness is not brashness; it is Spirit-given courage grounded in truth (2 Timothy 1:7). summary Acts 4:29 models a God-centered prayer that: • turns first to the Sovereign Lord in the moment of crisis, • lays threats before Him without fear, • recognizes believers as humble servants needing His power, • keeps the focus on declaring God’s own word, and • seeks Spirit-filled boldness rather than an easy escape. When the church prays this way, God answers, the gospel advances, and His glory shines through courage that only He can supply. |
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