Westwood Church congregation standing in worship during a Sunday service

Bold Not Afraid

Oct 4, 2026Tom LavigneActs 4:23-31

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About this message

When the early church faced its first wave of persecution, they didn't pray for protection or for their enemies to fall. They prayed for boldness.

On Launch Sunday, Tom walks through Acts 4:23-31, where Peter and John return from being threatened by the Sanhedrin and the believers respond with one voice. Through Psalm 2, Colossians 2:15, and Hebrews 12:1-3, we see that the cross was not a defeat but a decisive victory over sin, death, and every power of darkness. The world may rage, but it rages in vain. Our job is not to defeat the darkness. Our job is to proclaim the light.

The message closes with the Lord's Supper, our victory celebration.

Pre-sermon setup by Katelyn and Lauren, covering Acts 3 and Acts 4:1-22.

Read the passage

Acts 4:23-31 NIV

The Believers Pray

23On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:

“ ‘Why do the nations rage

and the peoples plot in vain?

26The kings of the earth rise up

and the rulers band together

against the Lord

and against his anointed one.’

27Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

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