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Prayer in the Jerusalem Church
The Church in Jerusalem were characterized by many admirable traits. One of the traits was that of prayer. Today as we gather to pray for our missionaries let us be challenged by their attitude of prayer. For our meditation this evening our portion of scripture is; taken from Acts 4:23 to 31. Let me read this portion...On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and recounted all that the chief Priest and elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God, 'Sovereign Lord they said. You made the heaven, and the earth and the sea and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David. Why do the nations rage and the peoples shout in vain? The Kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his anointed One. Indeed 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. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. Now Lord consider their threats and enable your servant to speak your words with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus. After 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.
A. The Prayer Characteristic Of The Jerusalem Church Before we take a look at our scripture portion. the Church in Jerusalem was a Church that was mighty in prayer. Three things characterized this praying Church. The first was that it was a Church that prayed in unity. Secondly, it was a Church that prayed constantly and thirdly it was a Church that prayed earnestly. Three characteristics-Unitedly, Constantly and Earnestly. Let us look at these characteristics in turn and perhaps learn a little of the power that coursed through the spiritual veins of the Church.
-The characteristic of Unity In Acts 1:14, Luke records for us as follows.... They all joined together constantly in prayer along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus and his brothers. The word joined together in the NIV is translated from the original text as being in ‘one accord' or in total unanimity in heart and mind. What this means for us is that the Church in Jerusalem was united with one heart and mind in total unanimity of purpose to seek God's will for their Church and their lives. There was total agreement that they had to wait for the Spirit. There was total agreement that they had to obey the Lord's words. They were in total agreement that they had to pray for God to speak and to guide them in all that was to come. Indeed this was a Church that was united in heart, mind and purpose.
-The characteristic of constantly in prayer Secondly while being in one accord. They were also constantly in prayer. Acts 2:14 speak of them constantly in prayer. Not only were they together with one accord but they were also constantly in prayer. The word constantly has within it not only of frequency of prayer but also the other meaning of faithfulness. The Church came to the Lord not only frequently but also faithfully to pray for the concerns that deeply affected them. The prayers of the Jerusalem Church was faithfully offered up to the Lord so that like the importunate widow of Luke 18:1-8, they came again and again to the Lord faithfully and frequently to offer up fervent prayers to the Lord. I wonder how much of our praying habits are like that. Are we praying in unity and constantly?'
-The characteristic of Earnestly in prayer Thirdly the prayer life of the Jerusalem Church was characterized by earnestness. Acts 12:5 is a verse which reveals that the Jerusalem Church was a Church that was earnest in prayer. Let me read .... So Peter was kept in prison. but the Church was earnestly praying to God for Him. Here was a Church under pressure arising from the stoning of Stephen. There was the danger that Stephen was not the last martyr There was the threat of more to come. What was the response of the Church? They prayed earnestly. Again the word earnest in the original language has the literal meaning of stretching out to God. The picture then is of the Church reaching out, stretching out in faith to God for Peter's safety. It also has the flavor of a Church stretching out her resources in earnest seeking for His protection and provision It is the earnest prayers of people who would sacrifice time and sleep, whatever human resources there is, so that God will hear and respond to their prayers. Earnestness, seriousness and the willingness to stretch out in faith and to stretch resources for God's purpose to be brought to fruition on earth.
It is no wonder that God used the Church in Jerusalem to begin the work of discipling the whole world. It is no wonder that the faith was born and tested in the crucible of fire that was the Jerusalem Church.
If the Jerusalem Church was characterized by these three great qualities of prayer let us now look at how in their prayer together they overcame the challenge of persecution.
B. They Affirmed That God's Will Was Sovereign -Peter and John reported to the Church The first thing we notice about the Church under pressure was that they affirmed the sovereign will of God in their prayers. Let me read ...”On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. When they heard this they raised their voices together in prayer to God. 'Sovereign Lord.' they said. ‘you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant our father David ...
Peter and John had just been released from prison and they came back and reported to the people all that the chief priest and elders had said to them. At this point let me say something that is not connected with what we are meditating upon, but l thought should be said. Here we see Peter and John reporting i.e. giving information to the praying Church in order that they would know what to pray for. Prayer uses all available data so that urgent and accurate supplications to the Lord can be made. We see this in the Church in Jerusalem and we should also see this in our prayer meetings.
-A contrast between the Sovereign God and the local rulers In affirming the sovereign will of the Lord the passage speaks of a contrast between two opposing forces. One is the sovereign Lord and the other is the rulers of the earth. Let me draw your attention to verse 24. The word for sovereign Lord is the word despota from which the word despot has come. So right from the beginning of the prayer, the Church acknowledges that the God to whom they are praying was over all the lesser rulers and Kings of the earth. It is as if the despota in verse 24 is set in contrast to the arche or rulers or Kings of the earth in verse 26. God was the sovereign one and it is to him that all must bow.
While the lesser rulers were over small domains and Kingdoms, the despota had dominion over creation itself. Verse 24b ... you made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them... What a tremendous comfort to us. We may be undergoing some trial from a quarter perhaps who we feel is beyond anything that we can stand. Take heart the Lord is telling us right now that He is the despota, the sovereign one who rules and who is over all creation. Perhaps as we pray, let us remember that God is sovereign over all. Let us remember to bring to Him all requests and be encouraged, for indeed the ones who oppose us are lesser things compared to our Sovereign Lord.
C. They Affirmed That God's Plan Was Sovereign -God was in control Next they affirmed that whatever was happening to them and to the Church was happening not apart from His permission. God was in control and that this was part of His plan. As one commentator puts it, “During the present age for reasons known to himself, he allows His rain to fall on both the just and unjust. He allows the wicked to prosper and the righteous to suffer.” Do we resent that teaching? Then let us read Acts 2:23... This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge...If God allowed His own son to suffer unjustly can we deny that God will also permit the suffering of the righteous. Indeed the rulers gather together against the Lord's anointed One (Verse 26) because He has ordained it.
-What was happening was God's plan in operation Thus the Church knew that the present situation was part of God's ordained purposes. How did they face it? Did they pray for the lessening of persecution? Did they pray that their enemies would perish and that the Church would remain strong? Matthew Henry puts it succinctly, “their prayer was not, “Lord behold their threats, but frighten them and stop their mouths and fill their faces with shame,” but, 'Behold their threatening, and animate us, open our mouths and fill our hearts with courage.” In acknowledging that the situation of persecution was part of His plan the Church in Jerusalem discovered a vital truth that will help them to withstand persecution. Let us remember that whatever that threatens us and our well being God can use for the good of all.
-God has fore-ordained what will happen for a purpose The word fore-ordained in verse 28 translated in the NIV as known beforehand has the meaning of an action that will continue. So God is telling us that his fore-ordaining is not something that has happened in the past and is finished and will never be repeated. His act of fore-ordaining encompasses planning for the future. Our future will continue in operation for us. So let us take heart. What we are going through is known by God and is permitted by God to happen. If this is so, how then shall we behave? The answer can be inferred in verse 29. The disciples of Jesus did not pray for a lessening of the suffering, they prayed for boldness in order that they be faithful to the task. So often we pray for a lessening of the pain or suffering or pressure. But have we considered to pray for faithfulness and the boldness to complete His task for us?
-Let us remember our missionaries Let us remember our missionaries as we pray. Perhaps some are in difficulties and we pray for the alleviation of their suffering But we must not stop there. We must also pray for the prerequisites that will make them faithful to the task. To one, there may be a need for boldness. To another, patience in the face of difficulties. To another, strength and perseverance. To another, enhancement in the areas of love hope and faith. All these are to help the person to fulfill the task of God in the face of perhaps mounting difficulties.
D. They Prayed For Boldness Finally God answered their prayer by an earthquake. The place was shaken. Here was the sign that the Lord had heard them This shaking of the place was given to encourage them that indeed God will fulfill their request. They were also filled with the Holy Spirit. Just as Jesus promised, “ (that) to Him who ask of the Spirit will be granted (Luke 11:13)”, so their prayers were answered when they were filled with the Holy Spirit. And when they were filled with the Spirit, they were also filled with boldness. Boldness to be faithful to the task.
E. Conclusion Let me conclude our meditation by calling for a renewed effort for prayer. Let us remember that our God is sovereign and stands over all the powers arraigned against us. It is to him that we must appeal. Secondly whatever happens is part of His sovereign will. Just as the death of Jesus was known in days past, yet our Lord did not flinch as he drank the cup that was his due. He did not pray for a lessening but that His will be done. The Church in Jerusalem prayed for that one quality that they lacked to carry out the purposes of God. This was boldness. And finally, God answered them by shaking the place. He answered them by filling them with the Spirit and by giving boldness. Let us be challenged to pray with one accord in earnestness and faithfulness.
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