The Centraility of Corporate Prayer (March 7th 2021)
Well, I just wanted to let you know that Sandy and I have a wonderful 3 weeks off for feeling rested and raring to go and thank you so much for the gracious. Welcome on the way back in this weekend again this morning. It's just great to it's nice for a frankly. It's nice for me to leave. I enjoy vacations, but it's even nicer to come back. I love you guys, and I'm glad to see you again in the special. Thanks to Pastor Bob who has been leading our church and filling the pulpit. Well the past 3 weeks and somehow in his business. He managed to become a grandfather for the third time. So we celebrate with Mackenzie and Tim on the birth of son of Sonny. I think that's what they're going to call him. His his official name is Solomon Sonny James Goodman 8lbs 5oz is born this week. We rejoice Well, if you've been following the church email or our website or the blog in between Sunday's you know that we have declared this to be 30 days of prayer for Wesley Heights Baptist Church started yesterday continues for 30 days 30 days. If you do the math will take us through to Easter Sunday. And if you check our website, you will find that we have prayer guides both teams for the week and suggestions on how to pray for our church every day. There are other elements to a 30 days of prayer but one of the main elements this Sunday's where we get together and highlight prayer and hear from God's word about what prayer looks like in the local church. And to that end we're going to be studying for chapters in the book of Acts were in a four-week series each week will look at a different chapter in the book of Acts and it's a chapter where prayer in the local church is highlighted. The four not today is I'm simply going to walk through Acts chapter 1. So if you have your Bibles, this would be a great sermon to follow along with but we're just going to follow along verse-by-verse. I'm just going to give a running commentary but as we read through the chapter will find that there are two occasions in the chapter where prayer is highlighted where prayer Racine and then I'm going to stop the running commentary and we'll just pause a little bit around each of those little prayer lessons and we're going to preach a mini sermon and draw some application out of it and then continue on to the next one. So let's take a look at Acts chapter 1
In the first book of Theophilus Theophilus just means lover of God. I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach just a couple things here in the first book in the first books. Whoever wrote the book of Acts wrote another book and this is his second walk. Do you know who wrote the book?
Will the author and the book? Is Luke the first book is the Gospel of Luke and then his second book is this book of Acts? Well in the first book, I've dealt with all the Jesus began to do and teach notice notice what Luke doesn't say, he doesn't say in the first book. I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught past tense. He doesn't say that he says in the first book in The Book of Luke. I doubt there with the things he began to do and began to teach the message of Acts if he's not done. Yes, Jesus lived on Earth and then he died and then he resurrected and while he was on Earth. He did things he taught things but that's not the whole story he began to do and teach while he was on Earth, but that continues the good news friends is Jesus is still doing and he is still teaching. And is contained in the book of Acts Jesus ministry to the church continues. Well the first book kind of dealt with from the day he was born until the day he was taken up. And I just want to focus in on this phrase here the day. This the day refers to the day in Acts chapter one where Jesus was ascended. He was taken up to heaven will see that little bit later on in the chapter. The reason I wanted to point this out just because the Bible doesn't talk about one day the day he ascended it talks about today's the first day is the day he ascended but the next day the next day is the day he returns.
And we live between those two days. What are we supposed to be doing between those two days? What the book of Hebrews tells us. He was 10 24 and 25 and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works not neglecting as to meeting together, by the way. Thank you for being here. Do you know we're very close to capacity were like a hundred and fifty-nine people this morning. This is one way I want to talk about another way soon. But this is one way that we meet together. We cannot neglect meeting together. Not neglecting to me to meet together as is the habit of son but encouraging one another. And all the more as you see the day approaching see there wasn't a day where Jesus ascended. There's going to be a day when he comes back and in the middle we're supposed to be about the Lord's work. We're supposed to be stirring one another to love and good works. We're supposed to be meeting together encouraging one another. The course, you know, you don't need me to tell you that takes a little bit more creativity that used to but there are still ways to meet I am so thankful for the leaders in the church and Believers in the church that have risen up and made it possible for us to continue meeting not only on Sundays but on every day. In February, we just finished a month of Acts of love. I wanted to thank publicly Alicia Hannah for her leadership here because it was a way for us to stir one another up to meet together and to encourage one another during these times and this is a little bit about what it look like.
Oh my God.
Jamaica promise cheese ugv
Sister real thank you to Alicia for organizing that but you could only organize things that the body doesn't respond. There's not a lot of things you can do. So, thank you. Thank you for being faithful in the mission. We have between
In the mission, we have between the two days the day between when he ascended and the way he returns. Notice that he says until the day he was taken off. That was my first book after he giving commands for the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.
I just wanted to remind you this is not Central to the sermon but just it comes up to the text. So I thought I'd touch on it. The apostles may have thought that they chose Jesus. What was actually true was he chose them? And I just want to let you know if you're a Believer here this morning. He's chosen you.
Chosen through the portals of time and chosen you to be reconciled to The Father's Heart. And live in the hope of Heaven forever.
He presented them a lot himself alive to them after his suffering with many proofs appearing to them during 40 days and speaking about the kingdom of God. This was a major thrust of Jesus speaking when he was on Earth currently. It was also none of its preserve. But also it was a major thrust of his teaching between the resurrection and Ascension who's always talking with the kingdom of God, and I just wanted to encourage your friends. The kingdom of God is coming. The kingdom of God is coming in a visible tangible powerful political Forum. Jesus will return he will be the king over all the Earth from Jerusalem all the wrongs that we see will be righted. All the markers will be dealt with that's not our job that's his job, but the kingdom of God is coming and we can live and not hope but I also wanted to remind you that the kingdom of God is Not only coming it is here. It will take a future visible Earthly form, but it is also here in a mystery form. When Jesus was teaching he said but if it is by the spirit of God member he had cast of some demons Always by the devil that you're doing that he says. Percentage by the spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you not will come upon you has come upon you the kingdom is not only future but it is present when he was talking to Nicodemus. He said and yes, unless you're born again. You cannot see the kingdom of God people are born again. Now in the present they see and live in the kingdom of God now in the present. Yes, there is a future form of the kingdom and we live in Hope of that but that does not mean we have nothing to do now because the kingdom is established on Earth and a mystery form right now that's described in Matthew 13, but it's described in the book of Acts that the book of Acts is the story of the kingdom of God being implanted in the Earth. The king of the axis where Jesus puts his leadership and place we're going to see Celexa Matthias later on this chapter where he pours out the Holy Spirit empowered preaching and draws people to Christ access where the father receives the pure worship of the church access the story of the mystery form of the Kingdom being planted in on Earth, and that's the kingdom that we live in today.
Bruised forehead while staying with them. He ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem know this must have seemed very odd. Because the same Jesus that is saying I don't you don't you be traveling around don't you believe in this room Jerusalem now, that's the same Jesus that said in Matthew 19 going all the nations. Teach him baptized. Okay, which is it? This is temporary. Don't depart from Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit comes.
There's a message here.
The church can accomplish nothing without holy spirit Power.
nothing Can we manage our money? Sure people have been doing that without the Holy Spirit forever. Can we have meetings? Sure. You don't need the Holy Spirit to organize a meeting. But nothing Eternal is going to happen. No Ministry is going to happen the church cannot move forward without the Holy Spirit which is why were in the 30 days of Prayer. Which is why we are calling each other to 30 days of creating a prayer covering for our church. Because nothing will happen in our church without the blessing of the Holy Spirit without the power of the Holy Spirit. Don't you be leaving Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit comes you guys can't do anything in Ministry without the power of the Holy Spirit.
So when they come together, they asked him Lord will will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel course, we know from previous in the chapter that Jesus has been talking with the kingdom of God in his post-resurrection pre Ascension appearances. And they want to know I guess now's the time for the future Kingdom right? Like, okay, like you've dyed your resurrected. Let's bring in the visible for Jesus doesn't say what a dumb question. He says, it's not for you to know the times or the seasons. This word X here.
Is piranhas I think I spelled that wrong? Yeah, maybe I did is it RH or is that HR? Anyways, it's one of those to the words there is Kronos which which week at ecology. I just wanted to remind your friends that God is playing out the hand of the universe in perfect time. There is a chronology here God is on time and on target the fact that he doesn't always reveal what those times and targets are at does not mean they don't exist. Jesus doesn't say there isn't the time. He says it's not for you to know in the Old Testament teaches this thing these things are well as well. There are some things God reveals. There are some things he doesn't The secret things belong to the Lord Our God and he does not make them visible. But the things that are revealed there are things that are revealed they belong to us and our children forever. God Is On Target on time they're confused at the visible tangible Kingdom that they expected does not appear to be happening. Are you going to do it now or you going to do it now? If not for you to know not for you to know? bought but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be doing anything. Just because you don't know all the answers just because you don't know when I'm going to bring in the final form of the kingdom does not mean that you have nothing to do now, you know in business we used to have a saying.
If you want part of the driveway until all the lights are green that you won't pull out of the driveway.
If you won't pull out of the driveway until all the lights are green. I see exactly where I'm going. I don't see any of the driveway you pull out of the driveway and then you drive until you hit the first red light and you wait for another red light. Can you wait for it to change? You don't have to understand everything there is still you don't have to know when the future fall in the kingdom is coming. You just have to know that you have a job now because the holy spirit's coming and you're going to receive power when he does come.
And that's what I'd shows. People converted pricked in the heart. How did that happen the Holy Spirit Miracles. How does it happen? The Holy Spirit Church is founded. How did that happen? The Holy Spirit demons displays. How did that happen the Holy Spirit victory over sin. How did that happen the Holy Spirit teaching and preaching empowered to stir the hearts of men and women. How did that happen? The Holy Spirit people discovering their own gifts and ministering to each other in the church with the Holy Spirit.
All meaningful Ministry is powered by the Holy Spirit. And it's not a worldly power. It's a different kind of power. It's not an impersonal Force. What Charisma or whether it's a person is the third person in the Trinity. The holy spirit is not a political power. It doesn't hold office. It's a spiritual power the power from the Holy Spirit doesn't first focus on doing do this do this do this at first focuses on being be this kind of person and then I will use you. This kind of power is not from within what's the Disney movie Aladdin look within the diamond within that's the world. We don't have the power within that's the whole point. This is a power without and he comes in and dwells or sub lives through us. This is not a power to glorify. Our our own names are the preacher own message. It is the power.
The preach Christ no Ministry happens except by the power of the Holy Spirit. Would you be surprised if I said that includes our Lord Jesus Christ? Who Not only was the second person in the Trinity, but fully man. Do you know how his ministry happen by the power of the Holy Spirit? He's just been tempted by the devil. He comes out of the desert Luke 4:14 and Jesus returned in the power of the spirit to Galilee. Later on an ox. It identifies. Jesus Ministries power flowing from the Holy Spirit and that's why we're in 30 days of Prayer.
There is no organization. That we can put in place. That will do meaning for Ministry. There is no Financial Arrangement that we can make that will do meaning for Ministry unless the holy spirit is in it. And we're calling on each other to pray for the ministry of the church for 30 days from March 6th to April 4th.
But you will receive power and you will become my Witnesses.
Notice my Witnesses, not your witness not my witness his witness. We don't get to pick the message. We are responsible not to say what we think but to say what he said.
You know, it's Sandra G were here. I'd pick on her right now. Are you here Sandra G. She's a lawyer, you know that there are two kinds of witnesses and a legal proceeding there can be two kinds of witnesses. Did you know that? Do you know which kind of what are the two kinds of witnesses? There are?
Don's legal school is now open I will teach you there's something called the ordinary witness. The ordinary witness is a person who happened to be at the right place at the right time to observe something. Could be anything a person coming out of a place or going into a place or a loud noise or whatever, but he was just in the right place in the right time and he saw something that is material that is important to what the court is trying to decide an ordinary witness, but there's another kind of witness who wasn't there and doesn't have any material information. They're called an expert witness. They may not have been there, but they know all about DNA or they know all about weather patterns or they all know all about the decomposition of a body which sometimes is very important and legal proceeding the Holy Spirit calls us to be both. We are ordinary Witnesses. We were here just living our life when he came and found us we witness to that and as we throwing him and learn more about expert Witnesses and we can very articulately tell people who God is and what his purposes are on Earth. And when you become you're my Witnesses, you'll be my Witnesses in Jerusalem. And Judea and Samaria. This is another line of the the book of Acts. Chapters 127 is about their Ministry in Jerusalem chapters 8 to 12 is Samaria Judea is 8 to 12.
And Samaria is 13 to 28. This is an outline of the book of Acts.
And when he said these things as they were looking on he was lifted up. He goes back to Heaven. This is his Ascension Cloud takes him away, you know John 17:5 we learned that Jesus came from the glory of the father. Will this is him returning to That Glory
And while they were gazing into heaven as he went behold to men, these are really Angels not Central to the sermon but it is interesting to note that Angels sometimes appear as men.
What men of Galilee why do you say I'm looking into heaven this Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven will come in the same way. He ascended bodily. He will return bodily. That's the next they were looking for. The first day is his Ascension. The next day is his dissension is returned. And in the middle, we stir one another up. We don't neglect meeting 1 to get meeting one another we encourage one another
By the way notice, they returned to Jerusalem, why would they return to Jerusalem because they were being obedient Jesus just told them to do this in verses 1 and 2. They are being obedient. Do they understand? Why do they even know exactly what they're waiting for not exactly.
But they did it and disobedience is about to be blessed in a tremendous way. The place is the entire church and impact human history. And when he entered they went into the upper room where they were staying and then all the disciples Peter and John and James if you count them all out, there's 11 and why was there 11 because these are the guys that stuck too at these are the guys that had the willpower? Remember, I think verse 2 that Jesus chose the disciples. They didn't chose him. The reason these 11 stuck to it is not because of willpower is because Jesus started them.
It is prayer in John 17. Jesus says while I was with them. I kept them in your name, which you have given me I have guarded them. And not one of them has been lost except the son of Destruction judah's because he had to be lost friends. I just want you to know that God. Has elected you for salvation, he has chosen you you didn't choose him. He chose you and he will keep you. He will keep you you are safe.
Now we get to our first little paws point because we talked about prayer and these withoneaccord we're devoting themselves to prayer together with the women and Mary and his brothers. the sentence don't forget your little grammar here. This sentence has only one verb Clause. There's only one bit of action in here. We're devoting themselves to prayer this answers the question. What were they doing? Hey, what was I doing? Oh, I can tell you that they were devoting themselves to prayer. That's the verb Clause. However, there is a manner Clause that says not only what they were doing. But in the way that they were doing it, we know from the verb Clause that they were devoting themselves to prayer, but we know from the manner Clause how they were doing it. They were doing it with one Accord. Both of these phrases are critical to understanding our 30 days of Prayer. first they were devoted to prayer. Christ has gone imagine that just put yourself in their shoes prices gone.
The form of the Kingdom that you expected does not appear to be I don't know. I don't know if we're on track anymore other what I expected there in chaos. The government is hunting them down there in danger. What's their first thought?
pray pray together their first thought in a crisis was to pray. And then how did they pray with one Accord? This literally means with the same mind in agreement with one another if we forget these 11 disciples were men with flaws and differences and yet they overcame those differences to come together with one Accord. Can I just highlight two kinds of differences that existed among the disciples one was personality differences. You have people like Peter who's always rushing into things this matter fact later on in this chapter when you don't do this is Dad. We're going to choose another one is Peter that says, hey we got to do something. Now you do this and you do that search Peters the one who says out of the boat. Let me walk on water heaters. The one that says, I'll never deny you he's always talkin. He's always impetuous. He's always taking lead. He's always saying something doing something. He's always in action. That's not bad. That's just Peter. Andrew's not like that. Andrew barely says anything. The only time we ever see Andrew in the gospels as when he's bringing someone else to Christ. He almost never speaks. He's never the guy jumping up and say okay boys.
Even with the enormous personality differences they came together in one Accord with the same mind. Star personality differences here and not every personality will appeal to your personality. That's okay. We come together in one Accord. No, we're not only personality differences among the disciples. There were political differences. notice the list of disciples
It says Simon the Zealot was. Is that actually it was a set of political beliefs at the time that saw the Romans as evil occupiers that the right move was violence. They opposed the Romans violently at every turn is a matter of fact to become a zealot. You had to pledge to always have the dagger on you because if you ever found yourself alone with a Roman soldier you were Duty bound to kill him. Simon the Zealot those evil Romans are taking over our nation of of Israel. If I ever get my hands on a Roman guard. I'm going to choke them and then I'm going to stop them Simon the Zealot that was his political beliefs.
Remember what Matthew was?
tax collector he cooperated with the Roman government to extract money from Jewish people and give it to Romans. How do you suppose Simon saw Matthew? compromiser Weak how do you suppose Matthew? Saw Simon idealist unrealistic foolish. Even with these political differences with the Bible never reports that they were resolved that they never came to an agreement. That doesn't say that they did doesn't say that they didn't it says in spite of those they came together in one Accord why to devote themselves to prayer friends our first lesson disruption calls for prayer?
Disruption calls for prayer and here's a secret formula be devoted to prayer in one Accord and asking for power and that's what we're doing. That's why we're having 30 days of Prayer. In those days Peter stood up, of course he did. And he starts talking.
Brothers the scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke be home for Hand by the most of David concerning Judas to little rabbit trails are not Central to the sermon, but I thought they were so interesting. I just wanted to point them out noticed who the speaker is here at the Holy Spirit spoke. Who's speaking in tongues in the scripture the Holy Spirit? How did you do that by the most of David? That's what we mean by biblical inspiration. It is the holy spirit speaking what he's doing it through the most of other people doesn't mean he's dictating doesn't mean that they did their personality doesn't bleed in. It just means that when scripture speaks. It's the Holy Spirit speaking even if he's using human agents. Any other interesting Robert Trail is concerning Judas? Friends, this is in your kids. This is in your sermon notes Judas appeared real.
He was one of the 12. Saw the healings heard the teaching he appeared real.
He wasn't. He was never a follower of Christ.
That's why the scripture say examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves and that's why the 30 days of prayer which started yesterday the first thing in our 30 days of prayer is to examine ourselves.
You'll see on the website of reprint of a Jonathan Edwards article on just a step-by-step way of how to examine ourselves. We've reprinted that article we put in the 48 for those of you here in the building with us, but I would encourage even if you missed yesterday start your 30 days of prayer with self-examination.
Beginning from the baptism of John until the day where he was taking up from us. One of these men must become a witness with us a witness to his resurrection.
This word witness here is the same root word as murder being a witness to Jesus was not a politically wise move in those days or in these. I didn't turn out well physically for the disciples by the way, Peter was crucified upside down they offered to crucify him right side out pieces. That would be just I don't want to die the same way the Lord died and I'm not worthy of that. So he requested being crucified upside down and he was Thomas and Matthew were speared to death. James was beaten to death Jude Philip and bar the following you all wouldn't all crucified. Witness means to become a murder. But the broader prayer points is notice they need to replace Judas. And so they set criteria whoever we choose needs to be a witness to his resurrection to actually have seen it. And so they put forward to Joseph and Matthias by the way, my newest grandson named after this Matthias. And I'm told by their parent by Matthias is Parenthood. Just pronounce Matthias. The H apparently is silent. And they prayed and said you Lord who know the hearts of all do you know what is the secret ingredient here? The first was do what you can do we can set some criteria here at like it can't be anybody that replaces Judas. It should be someone who witnessed the resurrection this we can do we can set criteria and then they prayed to God do what you can do and pray for the rest because Dad had something that they didn't have. The heart knowledge of every other person.
So which of these two you have chosen tone is this is so beautiful. Before when Jesus was on Earth, he chose the disciples the disciples didn't choose him. That was just the beginnings of his doings and sayings doing some teaching choosing. leaders for his church Friends, we see a secret ingredient hear destruction calls for prayer. But so do decisions call for prayer think of it. There's 11 Christian leaders in the entire universe. We need a 12. What do they do? They do they set on some criteria? You should be a witness to the resurrection and then they pray for what they can't do. I can't see everybody's hurt. The secret formula to our 30 days of prayer as we should do what we can do. And I start to what we cannot do. Which is why were in our 30 days of Prayer? To examine what we can do to contribute to the ministry of the church and to ask God to do what we cannot do.
Invite Laura in the worship team to come up now, but just as I close, I want to remind you that this prayer is not a academic exercise. This is not another program Prayer Changes Things and I want Laura to give a testimony to that effect. But I also want to invite you to come next week. Next week will be out of Acts 1 and 2 or 8 and we'll find two special ingredients into prayer, and I also wanted to mention. That I'm writing devotionals on the chapters were preaching from so if you were following our website, you noticed that there was a devotional on Acts chapter 1 preparing us for the sermon very shortly today tomorrow sometime soon The Acts chapter 8 devotional will be published. I encourage you take this week and read acts 8 over and over and over again in at the devotional we've written is helpful so much the better Laura tell us what's on your heart.