BOLD FAITH IN THE NAME OF JESUS

Naim Choi, Intercultural Site Pastor

“We must obey God rather than human beings!” - Acts 5:29, NIV

What would happen if the church truly lived with that kind of bold faith today?

As we continue our journey through the book of Acts, we are reminded that the church was never built on comfort, popularity, or human strength. It was built on the power of the Holy Spirit and the faithfulness of believers who were willing to obey Jesus no matter the cost.

Every chapter in Acts reminds us of this truth: the church is not sustained by human talent or effort, but by the power of God and the obedience of His people. And when we say “no matter the cost,” we are talking about real sacrifice. For the early believers, following Jesus could mean persecution, rejection, imprisonment, threats, and even death. In today’s world, many would call that foolishness. Why would someone risk everything for Jesus Christ? Yet only those who have truly encountered Jesus understand this: following Him is worth more than anything this world can offer.

As we study the early church, my prayer is that we would become like them, people who love Jesus deeply, depend on the Holy Spirit daily, and boldly live on mission for the Kingdom of God.

Now imagine what that would mean for us here at RockPointe and in our city of Calgary. What would happen if we truly became a church fully surrendered to the Holy Spirit? What would happen if we boldly loved people, served our community, welcomed strangers, and faithfully proclaimed Jesus Christ?

When the church lives on mission, people encounter the transforming power of Jesus Christ.

But Acts chapter 5 also shows us another reality of following Jesus: when the church faithfully lives on mission, opposition will come. In Acts 5, we discover a powerful truth: a Spirit-filled church continues the mission of Jesus even when faith becomes costly. Opposition cannot stop God’s mission. Faithful believers obey God above people. And Jesus Christ must always remain at the center of the church’s message.

One of the clearest signs of a Spirit-filled church is not the absence of challenges, but faithfulness in the middle of challenges.

As the early church continued growing, the Jewish religious leaders became jealous and threatened. More and more people were coming to faith in Jesus Christ, miracles were taking place, and the message of the Gospel was spreading throughout the city. We read: “They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.” (Acts 5:18, NIV) Humanly speaking, it may have looked like the mission was over. The doors were locked. The apostles were imprisoned. The authorities believed they had silenced the movement of Jesus.

But when God is moving, no prison, no government, no opposition, and no human power can stop His mission. God intervened supernaturally and the angel of the Lord said: “Go, stand in the temple courts and tell the people all about this new life.” (Acts 5:20, NIV)

Even after being arrested, the apostles returned to preaching about Jesus because they believed the Gospel was more important than their comfort or safety. This is one of the clearest marks of a Spirit-filled church: bold obedience in the middle of opposition.

As Charles Spurgeon said, “The Gospel is like a lion. You don’t have to defend a lion. All you have to do is let the lion loose.”

The mission of God cannot be stopped because it does not depend on human strength; it depends on the power of God. Peter and the apostles declared: “We must obey God rather than human beings!” (Acts 5:29, NIV)

Sometimes culture pressures believers to compromise biblical truth. Sometimes society tells Christians to keep faith private. And sometimes fear keeps us silent when God is calling us to speak. But obedience to God will not always be easy. Following Jesus may cost comfort, popularity, relationships, or opportunities.

We are not called to blend into culture—we are called to reflect Christ within culture.

The church on mission remains faithful to God’s truth even when obedience becomes difficult or unpopular. The apostles were not building a movement around personalities or popularity. Their mission was simple: proclaim Jesus Christ. The center of their message was always Jesus—crucified, risen, exalted, and the only source of forgiveness and salvation.

People still need Jesus today. Here in Calgary, many are searching for hope, peace, identity, forgiveness, and purpose. Many are carrying loneliness, anxiety, fear, addiction, brokenness, and spiritual emptiness. And the answer of the church remains the same: Jesus Christ is enough.

As we conclude, let’s bring this truth into our hearts: What would change in your life if you fully believed that Jesus is worth everything? What would your week look like if you lived with bold obedience instead of quiet hesitation? What would RockPointe Church look like if every believer said together, “We must obey God rather than human beings”?

My prayer for RockPointe Church is that we would never become a church driven by fear, comfort, or cultural pressure. Instead, may we become a Spirit-filled church, a praying church, a compassionate church, and a bold church that faithfully lives on mission for Jesus Christ.