Sermon notes from 18 February 2018
Acts 4 verses 23 - 31
I want us to continue on following the progress of the church in the book in Acts, to pick out these wonderful dynamic situations the church of Christ found themselves in. Men and women like you and I, not superheroes. They had their faults and failures, had difficulties, burdens and problems. That is what the church is made up of today. In Acts 1 a group of men gathered on the Mount of Olives and witnessed Christ ascending from them. They received the commission to take the gospel of Christ to the furthest ends of the earth. Before that they had to return to Jerusalem to wait there. They needed the power of God to do that. If you wait there the Holy Ghost will come and empower you for the task. For every child of God there is a responsibility to be filled with the Holy Ghost - yes saved by Christ, known the cleansing of sin but do we know about the anointing of God and the empowering of God on our lives? The subject we want to look at is the subject of prayer. In Acts 3 Peter and John came down to the time of prayer at the temple and met a lame man. They healed the man of his lameness but as a result the devil became very active as Peter and John were arrested as a result. R A Torrey said "pray for great things." Maybe this is something we need to learn as we come into the house of God. R A Torrey went on to say "expect great things." We can pray and not expect God is able to do great things than we can ask or think. As we come into God`s house let`s ask and expect great things from God. "Let`s work for great things but above all pray." The principle of the prayer meeting is not just above running into the prayer meeting and sitting down. There is something we learn here.
The seriousness of prayer - verse 23 "and being let go." We need to go back earlier in the chapter to find out what is happening here. Verses 2 and 3 Peter and John were arrested, taken off the streets and put into prison. They then are let go in verse 23 and being let go they went to their own. What would they do then? Pray. Verse 21 the people could find nothing they could do so they let them go. Peter and John had to go to the temple and this man had reached out his hand for some silver or gold. Peter responded by telling him about the Lord and the power of the Lord healed him. Peter helped him onto his feet and he was able to walk. The old Pharisees could do nothing, had no words of comfort or cheer for him. It had nothing to do with Peter, it was the faith the man placed in the Lord that raised him up. It is not because of what we have done. God has looked on you with grace and mercy, pointed you to his son, put your eyes on him, this is what I have done for you, then you believed and trusted and put faith in the Lord. No longer are you on a Christless road. Today you are saved and on your way to heaven and home. The lame man went into the temple to praise the God of heaven and all the people saw this. They thought it was something wonderful and great. When news got around Peter and John were arrested. They could do nothing to them because of public favour so had to let them go again. Where did they go immediately - back to their own people to pray together. Maybe that is what happened to Demas. He felt he had given the Lord enough and wanted to get out of the public eye. There is a seriousness in prayer as we involve ourselves in it. We realise the seriousness of it. Prayer is a serious thing. That is why they gathered together - to bring it to the Lord in prayer. We are in a serious time at present and we need to take these matters to the Lord in prayer. We need to seek the Lord in prayer, getting to grips with the seriousness of prayer. The church is the mechanism by which the Lord will reach the multitudes. That mechanism is fuelled only by prayer. E M Bounds on the subject of prayer said "the church is looking for better methods, God is looking for better men, men who will give themselves totally over to the Lord.
The sympathy that is evoked. We are not thinking of `poor me attitude`. They had spent the night in prison, ridiculed, cautioned in so many ways. It was not a case of being hard done by. The people were of kindred minds and spirits. That is important in the prayer meeting. That we have kindred spirits, saved by grace of God, cleansed by the precious blood, filled with the Holy Spirit and have kindred minds. The people in Acts made it a priority so they wanted to gather with this group of the same mind. God`s word was under attack. The only thing they could do was to band together and pray because had it in their hearts to do so. Verse 23 "and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them." They talked the issue through with one another. We should bear one anothers burdens. When we come to the prayer meeting we should share with one another. Peter and John told them they were not to speak in the name of Jesus. It is good to be informed when we come to pray. It is good to know the problems the fellowship is facing. When you pray for them you should do so with a good knowledge. Here there was an attack on the word. Verse 18 - not to teach in the name of Jesus. These were Pharisees who would stand in the synagogue and reach from the scriptures yet they told Peter and John not to teach in the name of Jesus. This prayer meeting was serious and sympathetic.
A singularity in mind. When they heard what had happened to the disciples they had one mind and lifted up their voice to God with one accord. It is good even in your own private time to pray aloud as it keeps you focused on Christ. That is what was happening here. These people were focused on what they were praying for. There was an agreement. Here are people coming from all walks of life. Peter preached about Christ`s life, death and resurrection. These people believed as a result. They came from every walk of life, rich and poor, old and young, women and men. They all believed what they had heard that day and were added to the church of Christ. Saved by God`s grace. When they came to pray they were of one mind. Praying for the good of the church. These people cried out "what shall we do" and Peter told them "repent and be baptised." Oneness here, no descensions or disagreements or under currents. They agreed with Peter and John and they prayed with a singleness of mind and heart. When we come together we believe that Jesus died for all people. The gospel is for all people. "Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."
The subject of prayer - the sovereign Lord God.
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