Something is Bound to Happen when the Church Begins to Pray

TEXT:

SOMETHING IS BOUND TO HAPPEN WHEN THE CHURCH BEGINS TO PRAY

Grab your neighbor by the hand and repeat after me: Glad to be in church, preacher needs your prayers, all your Amen’s, Today’s sermon subject: Something is bound to happen when the Church begins to Pray.

INTRODUCTION:

Dorthy Norwood wrote a song titled ‘When the Church begins to Pray.’ See when the church begins to pray God will have His way. Chains will be broken, doors will swing open. Oh, something is bound to happen when the church begins to pray.

When the church begins to pray God will have His way. Captives they will be free. Doubters they will believe. Something is bound to happen when the church begins to pray.

Pray church pray. Don’t hesitate, it’s not too late for your break through. God desires to hear from you. Something is bound to happen when the church begins to pray.

In our text today we see that this evil King Herod has killed James one the three primary apostles that Christ took to the side to teach. This King also imprison James counterpart, Pastor Peter. Pastor Peter is now in jail and his praying along wasn’t getting the job done. But his church knowing that their Pastor was in a situation that he could not help himself and they could not rescue him. They knew someone who could help him so they begin to pray.

Verse 5b says but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church. Because of this earnest prayer to God by the church God begin to move on their behalf. When things begin to happen in that jail cell Pastor Peter that he was dreaming. See Pastor Peter knew that he was not praying but sleeping. Once he realize that he was not asleep but that God had sent an angel to set him he went to the house of Mary the mother of John Mark.

Pastor Peter went in side and realized that church was praying to God for him. Something is bound to Happen when the Church begins to Pray. Our text opens up with Pastor Peter in jail so my first point is

Whoops the Pastor is in a predicament.

a. There are many cliches within our churches and one of the cliches is this ‘Prayer changes things.’ Those of us who have active prayer lives, and you’ve prayed for some time, you know that God does answer prayers. Prayer changes things is a good cliche.

b. But today church, the man that God called and anointed to be Pastor over the church in now in a predicament that he cannot help himself out of and the church members cannot rescue him out of church what are going to do. Well I hope the church will pray.

c. Pastor Peter was kept in prison, he wasn’t just there but he was kept there and the king was the only one who could let him. Now there is more than one way of getting into prison. 1. You getting into prison the evangelize. 2. If you break the law. 3. You can visit family and friends. 4. You can get into prison by been false charged.

There are also ways you can get out of prison. 1. You can break out. But this was impossible for Pastor Peter because he was chained to soldiers. 2. Someone can break you out, but this involves the risk of being caught or killed. 3. You can get a pardon by the Government.

d. Pastor Peter knew that he couldn’t break out, and that his church was not strong enough to take

Erik Raymond, pastor of the Emmaus Bible Church, consulted the writings of Samuel Jones, who was a pastor from 1763-1814’, and Pastor Raymond found 15 responsibilities that the church has to their Pastor. I will speak on a few of them.

1. One

1. Church members are called to obey and respect. A Christians call to obedience is done according to God’s will and for His glory. Obedience and respect may not be something we want to do but as Christians, God has called us to solidarity- to work together, carry each other’s burdens, and respect authority.

. Speak on

. Speak on

2. A second responsibility of church members is: Church members are called to pray. We pray often for those in the congregation who are suffering, ill or in need of help. But do we pray just as often for our pastor who leads us? The church should pray for it’s pastor and family. Pastor Peter was in trouble and the church could have said that he got himself in this trouble and he can get himself out of this mess.

This church knew that when they come together and pray something is bound to happen. Pastor’s around the world are leaving churches because they have become over whelmed with the stress of pastoring.

A pastor noted, ‘He may not ask you for it. He may seem strong and courageous and ‘with it’ all the time. But underneath there is a fragile desperate soul often squeezed by the pressures of serving God’s people. So pray for faithfulness, refreshment, wisdom, creativity, humility, people skills, and much more. This pastor finished his note with this, ‘I never fully realized the need to pray for pastors until I actually became one.’

Church you don’t know fully what a pastor has to go through in their day to day pastoring. Church pastors are human just like us so pray for him and not talk about him. Pray with him not fight with him.

In ‘praying at all times in the spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel.

Paul, in says ‘at the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ.’ Church the devil is real and one way to cause conflict in the church is to attach the pastor.

Pastor Peter just lost his close friend and the man who killed him has him locked up. His soul his now over whelmed because he doesn’t know what is going to happen to him. But the church knew what to do they knew that they had to pray to God for their pastor. Because something is bound to happen when they begin to pray.

reads ‘if my people who are called by name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Church it’s time for us to turn from our selfish ways, our big ego’s, our ‘my way or no way.

Church when you begin to pray something is bound to happen. God will begin to move on your behalf, the chains will begin to fall of Pastor. When things happen in or to the Body of Christ we rather fuss about than pray about, we rather leave the church than to grab someones hand and pray about it. Church something is bound to happen when you begin to pray.

The text says the church praying Earnest prayer. Earnest is define as a serious and intent mental state. The word earnest comes from a term that literally means “be in one’s right mind.” The word earnest stresses a clearheaded sensibility that allows a person to appraise a situation and act appropriately. Earnest praying is prayer that is driven by the Scriptures.

Earnest praying is praying with a mind fixed on spiritual priorities. . This church’s mind set where on things above and not on things on earth. The church must enter into pray with mind focus on Christ.

Ill: Karen Sparks had trusted God with her salvation, but wasn’t sure she was trusting God with everything. On her mission trip to Ecuador, she notice how all the believers in Ecuador literally trusted God for their daily bread. The Body of Christ must trust God for their daily needs. But wait a minute you’ll telling me to trust God for my daily bread when the pastor is locked up and President, I mean King, want pardon him and want me to trust God. Now we got issues.

2. Hold up the doors are locked

a. I know church the doors are locked and you had many meetings on how to try to get them unlocked, but have you prayed about it. Have you prayed about it and turned it over to God. The God who can make the impossible possible.

Pastor Peter was locked up tight and he had four squads of soldiers guarding him. Those of us who are in the military or have been in the military now that know that four squads makes up a platoon. If you decide to attack these squads you would need a company plus size to take them out. I don’t know how many church members were in Mary’s house but I know it was not a company size element.

b. Church God often puts the church in situations that all they can do is pray. However, we often fail in this because our minds are not set on things above but on things on earth. Another point from Pastor Raymond’s article is that church members are called to contribute and support.

Church members are not only called to receive, they are also called to give. We are called to give of our time, our obedience, respect, and tithes and offering. A pastor once said that approximately 10% of the church members do 90% of the work. If these same people are always doing all the work, sooner are later they will be burned out.

Pastor Paul was in a situation with Alexander the coppersmith who strongly opposed their message. In verse 16 Paul said, ‘At my first defense no one came to stand by me, all deserted me. May it not be charged against them. Church I’m here to tell you that the state of the church should not hinder the Gospel of Christ.

When a church prays together it is: (note on Exposition on Prayer)

Church something is bound to happen when you pray. Let’s move on.

Verses 6-11 we see the deliverance of Pastor Peter from jail. Pastor Peter was asleep between two soldiers. Now this part of verse 6 made me think. Pastor Peter just lost his best friend, and he’s in jail bound with two soldiers but he was asleep. This is to suggest that his soul was at peace. It’s something how your soul can be at peace in the mist of a storm.

In ; ; and we see that Jesus was asleep on a stormy sea. See His soul was at peace. Church our souls must be at peace in the mist of our stormy sea. Don’t let the stormy sea ruin your peace, don’t let a lock door damper your spirit.

In Jesus said to Pastor Peter, ‘And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Church something is bound to happen when you begin to pray it will loosen chains, it will set captives free, it will open locked doors but you must be at peace and stand still an see the salvation of the Lord. Pastor Peter wasn’t at peace until he woke up and realize that he was not dreaming. So my third point is:

3. Church it’s time to Wake Up

Most churches today are floating around like they are in a dream with no care in the world. The Body of Christ needs to wake up and realize that the devil is real, this is Christ church, and He taught us how to pray in order to stay in contact with the Father. Churches today are in such a sleepy state that they have found other things to do than to come together and pray. They rather sit at home and look at Scandal and see how scandalist they can be than have corporate prayer. Something is bound to happen when church pray.

a. In . Prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. Agabus foretold by the Spirit of a great famine. The disciples gathered others together and sent relief to the brothers living in Judea. When the church prays together is on par with the preaching and teaching of the pastor, which is a priority in a healthy church.

Praying together as a church is vital key to opening God’s presence and work among His people in unique ways. A praying church taps into the awesome power of God.

Ill. Charles Spurgeon was ask a question one day at church. Someone asked him ‘What is the secret to the success of his ministry in the church? After the meeting, Spurgeon took the person down under the main body of the church to a hall underneath, and there were hundreds of people praying while he was preaching the Gospel.

If Pastor Peter was here he would take us to Mary’s house and show us that the church was praying for him in his time of distress. Pastors all over the world should be able to stand tall and say that their church was praying for them. This morning church I’m on a mission: I wan to convince you that God has sovereignly ordained the corporate praying of a church, such that His mighty works increase exponentially and His purpose are accelerated when we pray together.

When this church in the text began to pray together on one accord God accelerated on their behalf and freed Pastor Peter from Jail while they where still praying. Vs. 12 Corporate prayer is vital for and to the church. The Book of Acts records the mighty works of God for and through His church in its early years, and clearly connects them to unified corporate prayer.

A praying church

Churches of today should follow the examples of the churches in Acts and make pray meetings a standing institution in the church. This is Christ’s church and we should follow after it’s creator.

When the church begins to pray something is bound to happen. This is Christ’s church and we should follow after it’s creator.

c. Praying together was modeled and practiced by Christ. The apostles learned their leadership patterns from Christ. The apostles took this pattern and began to preach the Gospel, they begin to teach the Gospel, and most of all they practice prayer. Church we need to follow after this pattern by hearing the Gospel, teaching the Gospel, and pray the Gospel.

The word pray is found in over 300 verses throughout the Bible. Prayer is found in over 100 verses throughout the Bible. There are 37 verses in the Gospel’s (some are repeated) in which Christ speaks about prayer. Out of the 37 verses 33 of them were addressed to a plural, rather than singular audience. Jesus’ instructions decisively leaned toward praying with others, not just praying in private. This doesn’t denounce personal prayer but something is bound to happen when the church begins to pray.

shows Jesus’ road to the cross that took a stop in Gethsemane. Here Jesus took some prayer warriors with him a little further than the others. Christ begins to pray and His soul was sorrowful. So He turned to the church but it was sleep. See the church had other issues that had to be taken care of and these issues made them to tired to pray for just one hour.

Church we need to build each other up because if you don’t the master will come again and find the church asleep. Church its time to wake up and begin to Pray because one day the master is going to appear and say ‘Sleep and take your rest later on because the hour is at hand. Church when this hour comes you may not know what to pray, so church its time to pray.

Things may look impossible, the door maybe locked, there maybe a leak in the roof, but something is bound to happen when the church begins to pray. Church Christ showed us that it’s going to be taught but he didn’t give up. Christ died on that old rugged cross bringing the Old and New Testament together so that His church is no longer divided. Matter fact Christ rose on third day with all power in His hands that His church would no longer be a divided church but a praying church.

Its time out for all this foolishness, its time for the church to pray. Because when the church prays something is bound to happen. If you doubt this ask Pastor Peter and his Church. Church we should never stop or be afraid to pray. Because we have one of the best quarter backs that ever ran a team.

As I close I want to us this illustration that is one of my father’s favorite preaching illustrations:

Its about a church member who decided to stay home from church one Sunday and look at a football game. As he turned on the TV the game was already in the 4th quarter with 1 minute left and the home team had the ball on the 50 yard line and down by 3 point. God called in the play from the sideline to the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost told the play team and lined them. Hack one, Hack two He handed to the ball off to Jesus. Jesus broke threw the line shaking off devil and as he reached the 40 yard line disobedience was there, so he ran it over. As he reached the 10 yard line death was there so he took death out. As he reached the 5 yard line crucifixion was their. He stumbled for a second then broke through crucifixion. As he crossed the goal line I could hear all the angles say Jesus, Jesus is our man if Jesus can’t do nobody can.

Conclusion:

sssssssssssssssssssssss say Jesus

The church in a corporate setting should stay in communication with the Father. It is the church, corporately, that prays for issues inside and outside of the church. Something is bound to happen when the church begins to pray.

Church you should call Jesus up. See, Jesus in on the main line, so call Him up and tell Him what you want. If someone sick, call Him up, if someones marriage is messed up, call Him up, if someone is troubled in their soul, call Him up, if someone is lost call Him up. Church you should call Him up for your Pastor. Church you should call Him when issues arise in the church.

Church call Him up because something is bound to happen when the church begins to pray. Church remember that Jesus is always on the main line and His line is never busy. So why don’t you call Him up. Something is bound to happen when the church begins to pray.

Pray

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