Together In Prayer
Notes
Transcript
As we have studied in Romans chapter 1, we have seen Paul’s love for these people that he has never met. I have always been amazed by the love, care, and concern that strangers could have for me and the ministries I have been a part of. There have been times when I have received letters from churches that I have never been to. There were many times when we were missionaries that I received funds from churches that I had never heard of. It was amazing, a blessing, and somewhat strange all at the same time. There was a part of me that always wondered, why would these people care about me. Of course I knew the answer to this, but I could not help but feel that way. The answer is that we are united in Christ and we are united through our prayer for one another.
There were multiple reasons for how these churches heard about our little work in Woodbine, GA. I was a salary missionary with the American Baptist Association, so my face was on their poster. The missionary in Woodbine before me died tragically, and that brought attention to the work. Just 2 and 1/2 months after Michelle and I moved to Camden County, we began a massive remodeling project that included mission builders from all over the U.S. They returned home and told of the work that was going on. From all of that, people I had never met were praying for me and the work. Sadly, that church never got established but God taught me a lot through the experiences there.
That is what we read about in our text today. The experiences of the church in Rome were being talked about all over the Roman empire. Paul had heard about this church and began praying for them. He felt a burden for this church, so he continuously lifted them up in prayer. His burden also turned into a desire to visit them. He wanted to be a blessing to them and to be blessed by them.
Let’s read Romans 1:8-9 again this morning. As we do, we want to think on this subject: Together in Prayer
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;
We know that prayer is talking to God. But, if you are like me, there are times when you wish it were a little more personal. You may have wished that you could sit down and talk face to face with Jesus as he appeared in the Gospels. You probably imagine him to have a smiling and kind face. You wish to look into his gentle eyes and ask your questions. “Lord Why did this happen?” “When are you going to answer my prayer?”, “What is the purpose in all of this?”, “Where do you want me to serve?”, “Who do you want me to help?”, “Lord How can I do this?”. We want to look into his face because there are season in our live when prayer just feels very impersonal and even lonely.
If you have ever felt that way, you are in good company. Listen to these verses:
1 How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever?
How long wilt thou hide thy face from me?
2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
Having sorrow in my heart daily?
How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?
3 Consider and hear me, O Lord my God:
Lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;
4 Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him;
And those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.
17 Lord, how long wilt thou look on?
Rescue my soul from their destructions,
My darling from the lions.
46 How long, Lord? wilt thou hide thyself for ever?
Shall thy wrath burn like fire?
47 Remember how short my time is:
Wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?
48 What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death?
Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.
49 Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses,
Which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?
50 Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants;
How I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people;
51 Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O Lord;
Wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed.
2 O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear!
Even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!
Matthew tells us that Jesus felt distant from God:
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Then there is the Book of Job. There are numerous verse where Job says that he wished he could make his case before God as would would appear in a courtroom before a judge. Listen to this verse
21 O that one might plead for a man with God,
As a man pleadeth for his neighbour!
Yes, since the Garden of Eden, when sin separated us from God, there has been a part of us that has longed for the intimacy with God that was lost.
On the other hand, if we have done very much praying in our lives, we can also remember season when God felt very near. This is the reality for the child of God. While it might not always feel that way, God is always near. As the writer of Psalm 46 sang,
1 God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
Prayer brings us together with God in a way that we would not be able to experience until we went home to Heaven if we did not have it. Prayer is talking to God. We know that He is always with us, we just cannot see Him. However, that does not mean He is not there.
Prayer also brings us together with other saints. That is what we see in our text today. Paul, as we have said, had never met the church at Rome but he prayed for them. Just as prayer connects us with God who we cannot see, it connects us with saints that we cannot see. We can pray for a wayward child, an estranged family member, or a bedridden saint. We do not have to be in their presence. We can pray for them wherever they are and wherever we are. We can pray for the lost and the saved alike. In doing so, we are brought together through prayer. Our hearts is united to their heart. Our love, care, and concern for that individual or group increases.
It is through prayer that we truly learn to forgive those who have wronged us. It is through prayer that we learn to love our enemies. It is through prayer that we learn to overcome prejudices. It is through prayer that we learn that people are not our enemy, but that Satan is. This is because prayer brings our hearts in line with God’s heart and our thoughts in line with his thoughts. The more we are brought together with God, the more we will be at peace with those around us.
Let me pause for just a moment on that thought. We can be at peace with people without them being at peace with us. This is how we can love our enemies. This is how we can love a family member who hates us for our faith. Their hate does not limit our love. Their disdain does not hinder our prayers. Nor does it limit God’s ability to answer our prayers.
So, back to our point of being brought together through prayer, perhaps no story in the Bible shows this truth more clearly than Peter and Cornelius.
1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, 2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. 3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. 4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. 5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: 6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do. 7 And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually; 8 And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.
9 On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: 10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, 11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: 12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. 13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. 14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. 15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. 16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.
17 Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate, 18 And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there. 19 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. 20 Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.
Cornelius was a religious man but lost.
Peter was a saved man but prejudice towards Gentiles
Cornelius prayed and God directed his prayers for a preacher
Peter prayed and God directed his heart towards those who were different from him
Different can mean a lot of different things
Yes there is difference in skin
There is difference in color
There is difference in language
There is difference in culture
There is difference in religion
Different does not mean that any are excluded from the gospel call!
Prayer brought Peter and Cornelius together for the gospel.
Prayer created an eternal bond between Peter and Cornelius.
Peter was blessed by Cornelius and Cornelius was blessed by Peter
This is exactly what Paul wanted with the church at Rome!
He wanted to preach the gospel to them.
He wanted to see lost saved
He wanted to see saints encouraged and strengthened in their faith
He wanted to be encouraged by them as well.
Prayer was the means that all of this was set in motion.
Prayer brings us together at God’s throne to accomplish His will in our lives.
Conclusion:
Prayer brings people from all over the world together at God’s throne to accomplish His will in our lives. Sometimes it is lost and saved people who are brought together. Other times it is saints who are brought together. These saints may or may not know each other. They may never know each other this side of Heaven. This does not limit our prayers.
Charles Spurgeon said, “Earnest intercession will be sure to bring love with it. I do not believe you can hate a man for whom you habitually pray. If you dislike any brother, Christian, pray for him doubly, not only for his sake, but for your own, that you may be cured of prejudice and saved from all unkind feeling.”