We Speak

Introduction

ILLUST: (The husband who doesn’t speak) Imagine for a moment you are with me for a marriage counseling session — not for you and your spouse, but you are with me as another couple (Joe and Sally) enters my office claiming there is difficulty in their relationship.

In attempting to define the issue the Sally states, “Joe never speaks to me.” At first you think this may be an over exaggeration, but as she explains further you realize that Sally is stating the situation clearly. In fact, you learn that if Joe speaks to her at all during the day it amounts to a couple of minutes and even then happens either in the morning or at night.

When Joe does talk, it is only because he needs Sally to do something and usually carries with it the same formula for asking, “Hi Sally, please take Susie to the dentist today, if you would. Thank you.”

It doesn’t take you long to see why Joe and Sally’s relationship could be described as strained and shallow.

So, you ask Joe, who says he loves his wife, why he rarely speaks to Sally. Here are his reasons:

I sometimes just forget.

I get too distracted.

I just don’t feel that close to her so I don’t speak to her.

It doesn’t seem to make a difference. She doesn’t do what I want her to.

I’m not sure how to so I made an acronym CALL - Compliment, Ask, Love, Leave

We would find this a real problem and wonder if Joe even loves Sally at all.

The problem is, many of these same excuses are used by Christians who claim to love God yet have an essentially non-existent prayer life.

Series summary:

Week 1: God Speaks: The Bible

Week 2: We Listen: The Bible

Week 3: We Speak: Prayer

I must be honest. I find prayer to be a challenge at times. I know that doesn’t sound good coming from the pastor.

Perhaps what I should say is that prayer does not always feel natural to me. Strange because I don’t seem to have a problem talking anywhere else.

Scale of 1-10:

How much time have you spent in prayer this past week? (length)

How broad have your prayers been? (breadth)

How weighty have those prayers been? (depth)

We generally pray out of:

duty

desperation

delight

Five reasons / themes to our prayer:

Worship

Confession

Petition

Intercession

Thanksgiving

Paul tells us we should “Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thess 5:17)

Gospel of Luke / Acts have more references to prayer than any other NT book.

Perhaps this is because Luke experienced the necessity and power of prayer firsthand.

29 times word for Prayer is used in Acts

In the Gospel of Luke shows Jesus praying. Why did Jesus pray?

As an example

Because he needed to

The story of the early church in Acts describes a time when the church’s and individual believers had a visibly vibrant and active relationship with God.

What does the story of the early church in Acts teach us about prayer?

Prayer is our participation with the God of the universe through the Holy Spirit to make a gospel difference in our own lives and advance the gospel in the lives of others.

The Character of Prayer

This takes place right after the ascension.

Acts 1:12–14 (ESV)

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

What do you do when you are waiting? Waiting for God’s power to change your life? The early church prayed.

While this is spoken of the corporate prayer of the church, it is also true of us individually.

They were united in prayer.

There were about 120 gathered.

Acts 1:15 (ESV) — 15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said,

There are about 120 in this room — what might God do if we, together, prayed.

They were devoted to prayer.

They were “busy” at it.

Interesting. the early church was busy. Many churches today could be described as busy.

busy with activities.

busy with events

busy with things to do, watch, listen to, learn, participate in.

Busyness can be a great danger for the Christian because distraction is a great tool of Satan.

We claim we are fully devoted . . . and the action by which we are to be fully devoted in each of those areas is first and foremost prayer.

What were they praying for?

The Content of Prayer

Theologically, then, God invites us through the gospel to participate in the life of the Trinity through union with Christ, which entails asking God the Father to do specific things for us on the basis of the fact that we now participate in Jesus’s sonship by adoption through faith, which is brought about by the power of the Spirit. (TGC website https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/the-doctrine-of-prayer/)

The promises of God

Acts 1:4–5 (ESV) — 4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Jacob called on God’s promises when he prayed

Genesis 32:9–12 (ESV) — 9 And Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good,’ 10 I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. 11 Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children. 12 But you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’ ”

This is why understanding what God has said is so important. When we understand God’s Word and his promises to us, we can pray for his promises to be made real in our lives.

God has promised his presence.

Deuteronomy 31:6 (ESV) — 6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

God has promised to love you.

Lamentations 3:22 (ESV) — 22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;

God has promised to redeem the areas of your life you give to him for good.

Romans 8:28 (ESV) — 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

God has promised to guard you against evil.

2 Thessalonians 3:3 (ESV) — 3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.

God has promised to remain faithful to you.

2 Timothy 2:13 (ESV) — 13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.

God has promised to help you pray.

Romans 8:26–27 (ESV) — 26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

God has promised the Holy Spirit.

The commands of Jesus

Jesus told his disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit then. . .

Acts 1:8 (ESV) — 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Make disciples

This is consistent with what Jesus commanded at the end of Matthew to make disciples of all nations.

Love one another

John 13:34–35 (ESV) — 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

We need to pray that we love one another. We need to pray that we fulfill that command of Christ.

The world has seen way too many angry Christians, fighting Christians, divided Christians.

It is time they see the love of Christ among each other.

This is what the early church displayed when they took all of their possessions and gave to any that had need. That’s a display of love! What if we were known for that type of love?

Give, pray, etc

The power of the Spirit

Jesus had told them to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit

Acts: An Introduction and Commentary c. The Return of the Disciples to Jerusalem (1:12–14)

If the Holy Spirit is the divine gift which empowers and guides the church, the corresponding human attitude towards God is prayer. It is as the church prays that it receives the Spirit. So at the outset Luke emphasizes that the disciples spent the time of waiting for the Spirit in an attitude of continuous and united prayer

The Message of Acts Chapter 2. The Day of Pentecost (2:1–47)

Without the Holy Spirit, Christian discipleship would be inconceivable, even impossible. There can be no life without the life-giver, no understanding without the Spirit of truth, no fellowship without the unity of the Spirit, no Christlikeness of character apart from his fruit, and no effective witness without his power. As a body without breath is a corpse, so the church without the Spirit is dead.

They knew their prayer was answered when they received the Holy Spirit.

They knew they had the power to accomplish what God had called them to do.

It didn’t take place immediately. It would be ten days before they received the Holy Spirit.

Why? Holy Spirit slow? late? busy?

This was a promise and it still happened later than I would have expected.

God is never late on his promises.

There is usually a direct correlation between the time it takes for God to deliver on his promise and the lessons I need to learn in the meantime.

And the thing that ushers both of those items in is PRAYER.

What are you waiting on God to deliver on today? A promise of God? A persistent prayer?

God

When we pray with these conditions, we can be sure God hears and will answer.

So, what happened when the church prayed?

Acts 1:24

Acts 1:24 (ESV) —24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen

God gives direction and leadership.

Acts 3 - Peter going to pray and a lame man is healed.

Acts 6 - focus on prayer - deacons called - people cared for - disciples made.

Acts 8 - Holy Spirit opens eyes for salvation

Acts 9 - Apostle Paul called — direction of life changed

Acts 9:40 - dead raised to life

Prayers are worship

Acts 10:4 (ESV) — 4 And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.

Acts 10 - God orchestrates people and events to bring the gospel to those who need.

Acts 11 - God clarifies his Word. He heals a racial divide

Acts 12 - Prison doors are opened

Acts 13 - People are sent on mission

Acts 14 - Churches are multiplied

Acts 16 - New opportunities for evangelism

Acts 16:15 - Demons flee

Acts 16:25 - Joy in the threat of death

Acts 20-21 - Strength for new seasons of life

Acts 26 - Hearts of politicians are stirred to hear the gospel

Acts 27 - Physical safety in the midst of extreme danger

Acts 28 - Healing in the midst of new mission ventures

Conclusion

Let’s pray together.

2 things for 2 min at 2:00 (in the 2 o’clock hour)

God will work among us individually and as a church to make us unified and fully devoted — that there would be something real and weird about us — revival

God will empower us through the Holy Spirit to increase his kingdom in exponential ways.

It begins with you. There were no spectators to the prayer life of the early church.

So, what happens when our church prays?

What the Church needs to-day is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more and novel methods, but men whom the Holy Ghost can use—men of prayer, men mighty in prayer. The Holy Ghost does not flow through methods, but through men. He does not come on machinery, but on men. He does not anoint plans, but men—men of prayer.

Edward M. Bounds, Power through Prayer (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1999).

“Some brethren pray by the yard; but true prayer is measured by weight, and not by length.”

— Charles Spurgeon

*PRAY*