Sermon - Boldness in the Face of Opposition | Mitch Cornford - Acts 4:1-21

Sermon Series: Witnesses for ChristSermon Title: Boldness in the Face of OppositionBible Passage: Acts 4:1–21Preacher: Mitch CornfordDate & Time: Sunday, 25 January 2026 | 6:00 pmIn Acts 4, the first miracle-fuelled witness of the church is met not with celebration, but with resistance. Peter and John are arrested, questioned, and warned to stop speaking in the name of Jesus. Yet instead of retreating in fear, they speak with remarkable clarity and courage. Boldness in the Face of Opposition explores where that courage comes from—and why it still matters today.At the heart of their boldness is the gospel itself. Peter proclaims that Jesus Christ, whom the leaders crucified, has been raised from the dead by God, and that salvation is found in no one else. The same name that brought healing to a broken man now stands as the only hope for a broken world. Opposition cannot silence this message, because it is rooted in the power of the risen Christ.This sermon will show that gospel boldness is not confidence in ourselves, but trust in Jesus. The apostles are ordinary, untrained men, yet their courage exposes an extraordinary reality: they have been with Jesus. Even when threatened, they choose obedience to God over approval from people, convinced that what they have seen and heard cannot be kept quiet.As part of the Witnesses for Christ series, this message will challenge and encourage us to stand firm in our faith. In a world that may resist the claims of Christ, we are called to speak the truth in love, trusting that the same gospel that sustained the early church still gives boldness, hope, and life today.