It has Come Down to This…
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Review ALL IN series. Purpose for the series: how our discipleship process is just beginning like it was for them…
So you know what’s happening in me right now, last night as I was reviewing my notes and praying for this morning’s service, I texted Casia and told her I felt like we were supposed to spend time in prayer this morning for some specific topics, not least of which is the decision facing our nation this week.
So I’m going to give you what God has instructed me in Acts 4, then we are going to spend some time participating in the activity of this chapter…
21 When they had threatened them further, they let them go (finding no basis on which to punish them) on account of the people, because they were all glorifying God for what had happened;
22 for the man was more than forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.
23 When they had been released, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them.
24 And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O Lord, it is You who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them,
25 who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said,
‘Why did the Gentiles rage,
And the peoples devise futile things?
26 ‘The kings of the earth took their stand,
And the rulers were gathered together
Against the Lord and against His Christ.’
27 “For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,
28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur.
29 “And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence,
30 while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.”
31 And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.
Title: It has Come Down to This…
Pray
I heard someone tell the story one time that they were in a situation with their spouse, both of them ministers and after they had fretted and worried and tried to figure out the situation, one of them looked at the other and said, “Well let’s just pray about it and see what God says…”
And the response was, “Has it really come down to that?”
It was a humorous moment for the both of them, but it exemplifies the way we often think about prayer…
For the average Christian, prayer is a last resort that is tossed out when nothing else works…
In fact, we have a term used in American football that illustrates this… When all seems lost and the time is run out on the clock, one final long throw down the field in the hopes that some receiver can break away and make a miracle catch to lead us to victory is called a “Hail Mary.”
The Hail Mary play is the dying prayer of a failing team, hoping for divine intervention…
I think if we are honest with ourselves, we often put prayer in the same category in our own lives, as a last resort, a final push from an exhausted, defeated Christian, hoping for divine intervention.
But prayer is not a last resort, a Hail Mary, or a sign of weakness…
No, prayer is the strength by which the Church stands her ground…
Prayer is the pathway whereby we agree with heaven and see His kingdom come and His will be done…
Prayer is one way we participate in the eternal plan of God…
Prayer isn’t wasted time, it’s dedicated time…
In the Old Testament description of the temple, we read that there were tools and instruments that were dedicated for service to God, and they called them “Holy”
Time that is separated and dedicated to God is an instrument in the hands of this priesthood of believers…
When you spend time in prayer you’re dedicating your time, thus declaring those minutes and hours as holy unto the Lord…
When you pray, you are aligning yourself with the will of God for your life…
When you pray you are engaging in warfare with cosmic powers…
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Paul goes on to describe the armor we are to wear in this fight, but sums up the course of our action in this fight in verse 18 by saying,
18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
It has come down to this…
When I looked at this Sunday on the calendar in our planning sessions over the months, I thought because of the election this week that I had two options:
Either I would have to interrupt our trek through the book of Acts and address the election this week…
Or ignore the election altogether and preach on.
But God is sovereign and arranged such that when I looked at the scripture we were to for this week, wouldn’t you know, it was this description of a mighty prayer meeting that some call the second pentecost.
I’ve preached about this outpouring dozens if not hundreds of times, referenced it thousands, but never has the prayer of the saints in Acts 4 been more relevant to my own prayer life than this week in 2024.
Contextualize where we are leading up to this passage… The same religious leaders are the ones who stirred up the government to have Jesus crucified…
23 When they had been released, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them.
24 And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O Lord, it is You who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them,
Remember, it’s the leadership of the region and the government of Rome that put Jesus to death… And now the same sect of leaders is in danger of doing it to His followers…
This is not just a church issue, it is a governmental issue… This isn’t just a private affair, these executions they are threatening are a public chastisement and murder at the hands of government officials…
So the first thing they do is call out God, declaring He’s the one who is before all and above all.
He created this thing and set it into motion, and He is the One to whom all others will ultimately answer to…
The president may think he’s in charge… The global superpowers may try to throw their weight around… Governments may think they hold power…
But there’s only one King above all kings… He’s Lord above all lords… And one of these days, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus reigns!
25 who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said,
‘Why did the Gentiles rage,
And the peoples devise futile things?
26 ‘The kings of the earth took their stand,
And the rulers were gathered together
Against the Lord and against His Christ.’
27 “For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,
28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur.
Look what they are saying… The rulers… the kings… the governments… They gathered together…
They thought it was their plan.. They devised schemes and tried to disrupt what God had planned, but God used them to fulfill His promise…
What the enemy tried to disrupt was the plan of God all along…
They recognized God’s position as Creator, and by His sovereign rule predestined the outcome…
What is interesting about this is they don’t assume God’s predestination exempts them from participation…
I’ve heard it said, “Well if God knows how it will end and has already determined His plans, why should I do anything? Why should I vote? Why should I pray? Why should I evangelize?”
But rather than see God’s plan as an excuse to escape, they saw God’s predestined plan as confirmation they were right on track…
They saw His predestination not as an excuse to slack off, but as an opportunity to participate…
29 “And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence,
30 while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.”
And Now Lord, take note and DO IT AGAIN! Don’t stop, don’t slow down, don’t count us out, don’t let us quit…
Don’t let us give up… Now oh Lord… take note and give us boldness…
Now oh Lord, take note and extend your hand to heal…
Now oh Lord, take note and do signs and wonders…
No, they did not use the sovereign rule of God as an escape hatch from responsibility…
They saw the providence and purpose of God as an opportunity that if they didn’t get on board, would pass them by…
Rather than throw in the towel, choose something easier, or let someone else do it,
They PRAYED… GOD GIVE US THE CONFIDENCE TO SPEK YOUR WORD.
Rather than see a way out, they saw a way in… God if one miracle can do this, do it again!
If one calling can do this, do it again!
STRETCH OUT YOUR MIGHTY HAND TO HEAL, SEND SIGNS AND WONDERS…
If one healed lame man can stir this up, strengthen our boldness and confidence and let us do more!
Any time God moves, it’s not so others can do what He needs, it’s so YOU can answer the call…
We don’t pray together so I can lead you as if by my giftings I can somehow do a miracle…
No we participate in this thing together, pray together, weep together, rejoice together, grow together…
The early church didn’t see the sovereignty of God as an excuse to pull out, and neither should we!
it is a strategy from Hell itself that would keep Christians from influencing every facet of life including governmental decisions…
They recognized the opportunity before them to influence not only the people around them, but the rulers and powers of the government…
And look what happens…
31 And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.
Don’t think for a moment that prayer is simply a passive activity..
Prayer is actively engaging the God of Heaven and He will answer when we pray…
I have several prompts I want us to pray for in light of the events that will take place this week, but I don’t want to pray just to be heard, nor do I want to pray passively.
I feel God urging us to pray as though He will answer… Don’t just pray to recite words, but pray believing God still answers prayers…
Prayer Prompts:
Knowledge and Fear of the Lord…
In a moment, we will pray for wisdom, but the bible says,
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Let us pray for a revelation of the knowledge and the fear of the Lord… We need a return of the reverence of God today…
This is a call back to viewing God as He desires to be viewed, as one who is clothed in majesty… as one whose scepter is marked with righteousness…
He’s not just a friend that sticks closer than a brother…
He’s also the sovereign, eternal, holy God of all power around whom angels and elders still cry HOLY HOLY HOLY is the Lord God ALMIGHTY!
Let us pray for a return of the reverence of God in the church.
Let us pray for a return of the reverence of God in our own lives…
Wisdom:
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
Wisdom in our decisions, wisdom in our lives, wisdom in how we vote, wisdom in how to handle ourselves…
For our governing authorities:
1 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,
2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.
3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Notice, he doesn’t say to gripe and complain and spit on, but to pray… Your prayer can do more than all the complaining you could ever do. Pray.
The will of the Father:
10 ‘Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
We steward the influence God has given us in times like this… We take the responsibility seriously… And we pray that His kingdom would shine through…
Pray for justice…
1 Give the king Your judgments, O God,
And Your righteousness to the king’s son.
2 May he judge Your people with righteousness
And Your afflicted with justice.
Pray that righteous justice be done. Not a twisted, worldly type of justice, but God’s justice.
Pray for Confidence in the face of opposition:
29 “And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence,
Pray that God use you however He desires and give you the confidence and boldness to do what He asks…
Pray for Healing and signs and wonders:
30 while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.”
Pray that God does miracles on behalf of His people, that they may see the power of God and know…
Finally, Pray that He would answer…
31 And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.
