SERMON OUTLINE:
• They Prayed initially (vs 23)
• They Prayed collectively (vs 24)
• They prayed confidently (vs 24&28)
• They prayed biblically (vs 25-26)
• They prayed expectantly (vs 30-31)
SERMON BODY:
Ill:
• A man went to the doctors complaining about his loud snoring;
• The doctor asked him; “Does it keep your wife awake at night?”
• He replied, “My wife! Why it keeps the whole congregation awake!”
• TRANSITION: No preacher wants to send his congregation to sleep;
• If we are honest we all want to make an impact!
Ill:
• A young preacher said to an older preacher;
• “Sometimes when I preached there was a great outpouring of blessing,
• But at other times, there seemed to be an out-and-out famine”.
• The older college said to him;
• "Have you ever tried to breathe out three times while only breathing in once?"
• The young guy replied; "No."
• "Then try it." Said the older college.
• So the younger man duly obliged, and he found it was impossible.
• So the younger man said to the older college; "It can’t be done,"
• The older college just nodded and smiled and said; “There’s your answer."
• TRANSITION: If we want to be effective in our preaching & evangelism;
• We must make sure we are taking in as well as giving out!
• And that is one of the key lessons from this passage in Acts chapter 4.
Notice:
• The context is evangelism (sharing our faith with others);
• Last week you probably noted that
• Peter and John stood before the Sanhedrin (Jewish court);
• Their crime verse 2 tells us was: “Teaching and preaching about the risen Christ”.
• And they are ordered by the authorities to be silent, to shut up!
• Their crime was telling other people about Jesus!
• And in verse 31 at the end of today’s passage, we read:
• “Filled with the Holy Spirit and they spoke the word of God boldly!
• Once again their priority was telling other people about Jesus!
Ill:
• Mercedes Benz was the company who first produced a car body design;
• That was able to absorb the force of a collision on impact.
• One Mercedes Benz TV commercial shows their car;
• Colliding with a cement wall during a safety test.
• Since then of course many other car companies have followed its design.
• Someone then asks the company spokesman,
• "Why they do not enforce their patent on the Mercedes Benz energy-absorbing car body?"
• He reply was very insightful, he said:
• "Because some things in life are too important not to share."
• TRANSITION: That is what these very first Christian believe;
• That the gospel is too important not too share!'
NOW WE PICK UP THE STORY IN VERSE 24:
• Then Sanhedrin (religious Jewish council) decides to releases them.
• And they immediately go back to the other Christians and start to pray.
Ill:
• My favourite prayer comes from the man who once spoke these words:
• “Dear God, So far today I’ve done all right. I haven’t gossiped,
• I haven’t lost my temper, I haven’t been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish or over-indulgent.
• I’m very thankful for that.
• But in a few minutes, God, I’m going to get out of bed,
• And from then on, I’m probably going to need a lot of help. Amen”
Question: Do you find it easy to pray?
Answer:
• If the answer is no, then you are in good company!
• Just check out the greats of Church history,
• They all struggled when it came to prayer.
• i.e. The wartime theologian and writer Dietrich Bonhoeffer, for example,
• Once admitted that his prayer experience was; “Something to be ashamed of”.
• i.e. The Great reformer, Martin Luther, anguished in prayer,
• Saving three of the best hours of the day to pray; yet he seldom seemed satisfied.
• Read their writings and you soon discover;
• They struggled, they were dissatisfied,
• Even woefully unhappy about their prayer life.
• i.e. E. M. Bounds, Alexander Maclaren, Samuel Rutherford, Hudson Taylor,
• i.e. John Henry Jowett, G. Campbell Morgan, Joseph Parker, Charles Haddon Spurgeon,
• i.e. F. B. Meyer, A. W. Tozer, H. A. Ironside, Billy Graham,
• Great men, strong Christian examples,
• Magnificent role models,
• Yet you can hardly find one of that number who was satisfied with his prayer life.
• Oh, they laboured in prayer, they believed in prayer, they taught and preached prayer;
• But they were all strugglers, who had to work hard at it!
• So if you struggle when it comes to prayer;
• Then you are in good company!
• TRANSITION: We have recorded in these verses from Acts chapter 4;
• Some insights to help us pray better:
(1). They Prayed Initially (vs 23)
Notice: What it says in verse 23: "On their release."
• Peter & John were so thankful for being delivered from the Sanhedrin.
• That they immediately went back and reported what had happened to the others.
• And after they had told them what had happened,
• An impromptu prayer meeting was held to give praise and thanks to God.
ill:
• As you read the book of Acts;
• Please notice that the early Christians prayed and they prayed and they prayed!
• Almost every thing in the book of Acts begins and ends with prayer.
• In fact the phrase "they prayed" appears 48 times in the book of ACTS.
• The early believers recognized prayer as fundamental!
• Everything they did needed to be bathed in prayer.
Ill:
• Have you ever wondered why animal trainers;
• Carry a stool when they go into a cage of lions.
• They have their whips, of course, and their pistols are at their sides.
• But most of all they also carry a stool.
• William H. Hinson says it is the most important tool of the trainer!
• And he explains why.
• The trainer holds the stool by the back;
• And thrusts the legs toward the face of the wild animal.
• The lion is unable to prioritise and tries to focus on all four legs at once.
• In the attempt to focus on all four,
• A kind of paralysis overwhelms the animal,
• And it becomes tame, weak, and disabled because its attention is fragmented.
• (Story from Developing the Leader Within You, by John Maxwell)
• TRANSITION: The early Christians recognized prayer as a priority!
• They refused to get distracted or overwhelmed by other things.
• They stayed focussed and prioritised the main thing – prayer!
• Everything they did was bathed in prayer;
• Remember that the two main leaders in the Church had just been told to shut up!
• They were forbidden to publicly share this message of Christ.
• Don’t forget it was the Sanhedrin (Jewish Council) who passed this ruling.
• This was the same council that were (humanly) responsible for the death of Jesus Christ.
• It was not a wise move to disobey them!
• ill: name for those who did ‘Victim’.
• But they realised that when you are in a tricky, dangerous,
• Even life-threatening situation:
• It is good to pray!
• These Christians needed wisdom, courage and guidance as to what to do next.
• So they prayed!
• A good principle for us all to follow.
(2). They Prayed collectively (vs 24)
• Notice it was a united prayer meeting as they;
• N.I.V.: “THEY raised their voices together in prayer to God.”
• K.J.B.: "Lifted up THEIR voice to God with ONE accord".
• Message: “Hearing the report, THEY lifted THEIR voices in a wonderful harmony in prayer”.
• The people were of one heart and mind,
• And God was pleased to answer their requests:
• Division in the church will always hinders prayer and robs the church of spiritual power.
• But unity brings blessing and power.
Note:
• From my experience as I work in a variety of Churches;
• The meeting that always gets the least number of people is the prayer meeting.
• Or collective times for the Church to come together to pray.
• Quote: Spurgeon the great Baptist preacher used to say;
• “The prayer meeting where the only attraction is God!”
• Now some of our prayer meetings are run with little imagination or variety;
• One person reading out a list of items to pray for is not exactly gripping.
• We need to put thought and effort into how we pray together;
• And perhaps more of our fellowships will join with us to pray.
• These early Christians knew that there was power in prayer!
• And so with one heart and mind they enthusiastically prayed together!
• They relied on God and God answered.
Quote: A. C. Dixon:
• “When we rely upon organization, we get what organization can do;
• When we rely upon education, we get what education can do;
• When we rely upon eloquence, we get what eloquence can do.
• But when we rely upon prayer, we get what God can do.”
(3). They prayed confidently (vs 24&28)
This prayer can be summarized by three verbs:
• Verse 24: “You made”.
• Verse 25: “You spoke”.
• Verse 28: “You decided”.
Notice: These Christians saw God from three dimensions:
(1st). He is the God of creation (vs 24)
"Sovereign Lord," they said,
"You made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.”
(2nd). He is the God of revelation (vs 25).
“You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:”
(3rd). He is the God of history (vs 27).
“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”
• The Jewish leaders & people, the Roman soldiers;
• Might have believed that the death of Jesus was their idea and their decision.
• But they were only part players in a much bigger plan;
• One that Acts chapter 2 verse 23 tells us was preordained before the world began!
These Christians prayed confidently, because their God was the "Sovereign Lord,"
• The God who is in control of all things.
• A God who shapes the destinies of his people.
• So when these early Christians were warned & threatened by the Sanhedrin;
• They realised that they were joined to a greater more powerful authority than them;
• They were joined to God himself!
Ill:
• The great reformer Martin Luther was once threatened by the Pope’s representative;
• Who warned Martin Luther what would happen;
• And what he would do, if Luther persisted in his course of actions.
• He warned him that in the end he would be deserted by all his supporters;
• And taunted him with the words; “Where will you be then?”
• “Then as now” Luther replied;
• “In the hands of God!”
• For the Christian,
• There is no better place to be than in the will of a sovereign God!
Quote: C.H. Spurgeon:
“There is no attribute more comforting to His children than that of God’s sovereignty.
Under the most adverse circumstances, in the most severe trials, they believe that sovereignty has ordained their afflictions, that sovereignty overrules them, and that sovereignty will sanctify them all.
There is nothing for which the children ought to more earnestly contend to than the doctrine of their Master over all creation—the Kingship of God over all the works of His own hands—the Throne of God and His right to sit upon that throne...for it is God upon the Throne whom we trust.”
Notice what the disciples prayed for:
• They did not pray to have their circumstances changed;
• Or ask God to put their enemies (Sanhedrin) out of office.
• They did not even pray for a quiet life.
• Rather, they asked God to empower them to make the best use of their circumstances;
Ill: verse 28 is so good!
“They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.
Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.”
• Peter & John had faith in the Lord of history:
• Who has a perfect plan for his people, for his Church and for his world.
Ill:
• As we read through the book of Acts we soon discover that:
• That plan would mean persecution for some of these believers;
• It would mean imprisonment for others.
• And for many (including the Apostles) it would mean martyrdom.
• But these Christians did not pray for escape, instead they asked for divine enablement.
• And God heard their prayer and gave them the power that they needed.
Quote: Phillips Brooks:
• "Do not pray for easy lives. Instead pray to be stronger men and women.
• Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. But pray for powers equal to your tasks."
• That is the way the early Christians prayed,
• And that is the way God's people should pray today.
(4). They prayed biblically (vs 25-26)
• As they prayed they quoted the Word of God, in this case, Psalm 2.
• Psalm 2 describes the revolt of the nations against the Lord and His Christ.
• The Psalm originally grew out of the crowning of a new king in Israel,
• Perhaps David or Solomon;
• But it is a Messianic Psalm;
• It’s ultimate message points to the King of kings, Jesus Christ.
In the Old Testament times:
• Whenever a new king was enthroned,
• The lesser rulers around were required to come and submit to him;
• There were always some who saw themselves as more powerful that they actually were;
• And would refused to do this.
• So a new King would flex his muscles and put them in their place;
• And all would know who was the ultimate power!
In Psalm 2 God uses this earthly picture as a representation of mankind and Jesus.
• People might rebel and reject the rule and the claims of God over them.
• But God is not worried, in fact he laughs at their revolt,
• For He knew that they could never stand up against His King.
• Men may seem to win the battle but God will always win the war!
Now: The early Christians applied the message of this psalm to their own situation:
• They identified their adversaries (verse 27) as Herod, Pilate, the Romans, and the Jews.
• These enemies had "ganged up" against Jesus Christ and even crucified Him,
• Yet God was not defeated;
• Because he has raised Him from the dead and enthroned Him in heaven.
• And one day they will see how futile their actions were;
• And it is God who has the victory;
• And so one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess;
• “That Jesus Christ is Lord”.
Question: Do you believe that God has a plan for your life?
Ill:
• A minister received a phone call from a church offering him a new job in the Bahamas!
• Not only that;
• They were willing to give him a salary of four times what he was then receiving.
• Being a devout man, he went into his study to pray about this move;
• Trying to discern God’s will, what the Lord would have him to do.
• Ten minutes after the phone call a salesman came calling
• Knocked on the door and waited.
• The ministers son opened the door.
• And the salesman said: “Is your dad in?”
• The son replied; “No! Dad’s busy praying”.
• “Well can I speak to your mum?”
• “No!” replied the son;
• “She is busy packing”.
If we truly want to know the will and plan of God for our lives:
• Let’s remember;
• That the Word of God and prayer should always go together.
• In His Word, the Bible;
• God speaks to us and tells us what He wants to do.
• In prayer,
• We speak to Him and make ourselves available to accomplish His will.
• True prayer is not telling God what to do,
• But asking God to do His will in us and through us.
• It means getting God's will done on earth,
• Not man's will done in heaven.
Ill:
A missionary magazine printed this short notice.
“The former director general of …particular magazine… was standing down, was retiring. He will now continue to serve the Lord in an advisory capacity”.
• We must become a listening people;
• Waiting on God as well as informing God.
(5). They prayed expectantly (vs 30-31)
These Christians asked God to:
“Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
31After 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.”
These Christians were positive when they prayed:
• They expected something to happen;
• They expected God to do something!
• They were optimists!
Quote:
“Twixt optimist and pessimist
the difference is droll:
The optimist sees the doughnut,
The pessimist sees the hole!”
These Christians were positive when they prayed:
• They expected something to happen;
• They expected God to do something!
(a). A request:
Their request is threefold:
• (1). Verse 29: That God will be mindful of their situation.
• (2). Verse 29: That God would preach with courage.
• (3). Verse 30: That God would be at work visibly in their situation.
Quote: Alexander MacLaren pointed out:
“Their demand is not now for miracles of vengeance or destruction, such as fire from heaven, but for miracles of mercy”
• Note:
• It is significant that two out of the three things mentioned are to do with evangelism.
• Which is the one thing they have just been ordered by law not to do!
• But these people have a consuming passion for evangelism;
• Evangelism was the very last thing Jesus had asked them to do and they wanted to do it!
• I hope we share that same desire to reach out with the gospel;
• And this time of year Christmas;
• Provides us with so many great opportunities.
(b). An answer (vs 31):
• This prayer is the longest prayer recorded in the book of Acts;
• It is a good example prayer especially in a time of crisis.
• The prayer ends not with a ‘Amen’.
• That is a human approval (although I am confident they gave that).
• The biblical record of the prayer ends with God’s seal of approval:
• Telling us that God did indeed grant their request.
• God shook the place where they were meeting;
• And once again filled the people with his Holy Spirit.
• This filling of the Spirit gave them the boldness that they needed;
• To continue to serve God in spite of official opposition.
SERMON AUDIO:
https://surf.pxwave.com/wl/?id=lyRQBmb2Rgfb82e2F8inZybWWv95pGHd
