Praying With God's People
Family Matters • Sermon • Submitted
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· 4 viewsA good and healthy family works together towards a cause. In our Church family, we are all working so that the people around us would know Jesus! For us to be able to achieve that goal, we are going to need to pray that God would give us boldness and unity so that we can do the impossible. This week, we are going to be focusing on unity as well as prayer.
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Intro
Intro
As soon as they were freed, Peter and John returned to the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said. When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God: “O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant, saying,
‘Why were the nations so angry?
Why did they waste their time with futile plans?
The kings of the earth prepared for battle;
the rulers gathered together
against the Lord
and against his Messiah.’
“In fact, this has happened here in this very city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed. But everything they did was determined beforehand according to your will. And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.
Unpack and inform of the context and situation of the time.
We are asked not to share the Gospel
We are asked not to share the Gospel
As soon as they were freed, Peter and John returned to the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said.
Everything around us and the people around us would not like to hear the gospel. In fact, the people around us that look like they need it the most are the ones that often don’t want it at all.
There can be a high price to pay for sharing the gospel.
“Other Believers” there was a community of people that trusted in the Gospel. There is power and protection in community. Community implies unity.
Prayer is the answer to Persecution.
Prayer is the answer to Persecution.
When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God: “O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—
The first thing that the church did upon learning of the conditional release of Peter and John was to pray.
They prayed to the God of the universe
They prayed expectantly, looking for God’s hand not for personal comfort.
They prayed scripture!
They Prayed for Strength, not Different Work!
They Prayed for Strength, not Different Work!
When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God: “O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant, saying,
‘Why were the nations so angry?
Why did they waste their time with futile plans?
The kings of the earth prepared for battle;
the rulers gathered together
against the Lord
and against his Messiah.’
“In fact, this has happened here in this very city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed. But everything they did was determined beforehand according to your will. And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
The church prayed that God would give them the boldness to proclaim the Gospel, not that the Gospel would be easier to share.
They asked that God would continue to work, understanding that the work of God was opportunity to share.
God uses humans to share his Gospel. We should be telling others about Jesus, not just bringing them to church and hoping something happens.
God answers prayer
God answers prayer
After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.
It’s easy to think that God just listens and doesn’t care, but God is faithful to listen and answer our prayer.
Sometimes it’s a yes, sometimes it’s a no. But God is apart of our prayer life. Not a spectator.
When God answers prayer, we should do something with it.
When God answers prayer, we should do something with it.
After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.
God filled them with the Holy Spirit. They were emboldened. They went and continued to share the Gospel at threat of being thrown in jail.
When we pray that God would embolden us to share the Gospel with our community, we should do something with that Boldness. No one drinks coffee to sleep, we shouldn’t pray for boldness to be afraid of action.
The Family of God is a safe space for the Persecuted.
The Family of God is a safe space for the Persecuted.
John and Peter had a tough day. They were able to come to the community of their church and “vent”.
Unified Prayer has Weight
Unified Prayer has Weight
We often want to keep our prayers simple, or we think to pray only for non-eternal things. But Prayer is so much more!
When God answers OUR prayer WE should act.
When God answers OUR prayer WE should act.
Peter and John brought something to the body, the body prayed, the body had their prayer answered, the whole body continued to share the gospel.