Teach Me to Pray

“Faith is a Relationship”

Acts 6:1-4 “And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.”

I. Intro

Do you ever wonder where the first deacons came from? Do you ever wonder how they came about? The church was experiencing “growing pains” and this was making it difficult for the Apostles to minister to everybody. The fact that the “outsiders” were being neglected created a situation that could have divided the church. However, the Apostles handled the problem with great wisdom and did not give Satan any foothold in the fellowship. When a church faces a serious problem, this presents the leaders and the members with a number of opportunities. For one thing, problems give us the opportunity to examine our ministry and discover what changes must be made. In times of success, it is easy for us to maintain the status quo, but this is dangerous. Henry Ward Beecher called success “a last-year’s nest from which the birds have flown.” Any ministry or organization that thinks its success will go on automatically is heading for failure. We must regularly examine our lives and our ministries lest we start taking things for granted. The Apostles studied the situation and concluded that they were to blame: they were so busy serving tables that they were neglecting prayer and the ministry of the Word of God. They had created their own problem because they were trying to do too much. Even today, some pastors are so busy with secondary tasks that they fail to spend adequate time in study and in prayer. This creates a “spiritual deficiency” in the church that makes it easy for problems to develop. This is not to suggest that serving tables is a menial task, because every ministry in the church is important. But it is a matter of priorities; the Apostles were doing jobs that others could do just as well. D.L. Moody used to say that it was better to put ten men to work than to try to do the work of ten men. Certainly it is better for you, for the workers you enlist, and for the church as a whole. Church problems also give us an opportunity to exercise our faith, not only faith in the Lord, but also faith in each other. The leaders suggested a solution, and all the members agreed with it. The assembly selected seven qualified men, and the Apostles set them apart for ministry. The church was not afraid to adjust their structure in order to make room for a growing ministry. When structure and ministry conflict, this gives us an opportunity to trust God for the solution. It is tragic when churches destroy ministry because they refuse to modify their structure. The Apostles were not afraid to share their authority and ministry with others. We commonly call these seven men of Acts 6 “deacons” because the Greek noun diakonos is used in Acts 6:1 (“ministration”), and the verb diakoneo (“serve”) is used in Acts 6:2. However, this title is not given to them in this chapter, although you find deacons mentioned in Philippians 1:1 and their qualifications given in 1 Timothy 3:8–13. The word simply means “a servant.” These seven men were humble servants of the church, men whose work made it possible for the Apostles to carry on their important ministries among the people.

II. Let’s be Honest

The apostles had to be careful so they wouldn’t become so occupied with serving God that they neglected the Word, which is knowing God, and prayer, which is communicating with Him. Serving God, valuable as that may be, is no substitute for knowing Him and communicating with Him. Real service flows out of relationship, not obligation. A healthy, strong, vital relationship is based on communication: speaking, listening, and understanding. This is why, when the pressures of leadership over the affairs of the early church became too much, these leaders knew they had to take immediate steps to change their situation. And that’s just what they did, taking action that gave rise to the very first church deacons. Seeing what they did will help us too. I will be asking you to follow along, and note exactly what God is teaching you in these passages.

Read they first four verses of Acts 6, and write down two things that the early church leaders devoted themselves to.

Prayer and Study of the Word.

Now let’s pause for a moment and reflect some on our priorities as well. It was the business of life, the pressures of the ministry that caused the Twelve to stop and reflect on what was most important. But business hasn’t stopped after the first century, has it? We each have our own life, our own career, our own family, our own responsibilities. Too often, we find ourselves in a dizzying whirlwind of activities, responsibilities, and ministries to others. In the midst of our busy lives and multiple ministries to others, we need to periodically stop and evaluate our own priorities. Otherwise we too might very well neglect the essensials.

It’s time to get down to the nitty gritty. Remember, God only blesses honesty. What are your two top priorities for each day? What are your “these are what I am determined to do day in and day out” hopes? Be honest in your answer, for God meets us in our objective honesty. Lying to ourselves is not doing anybody any good. Writing out your priorities right now will help you to see where you are at, and what changes you need to make. The apostles knew that prayer and the ministry of the Word were absolutely vital. They were building the church, and the church had to be built on the solid foundation of truth. To neglect the Word of God would be nothing short of disaster. Do you understand what they meant when they spoke of the “ministry of the Word” in Acts 6:4? Jesus gave a clear definition of “the word” on His way to the garden of Gethsemane, where He was betrayed and arrested. Let’s see what Jesus prayed on behalf of the disciples and all who would believe in Him,.....which Beloved, means you!

III. How to hear from God

In His time of crisis, what did Jesus desire for you and me? You can find the answer in John 17:17 “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” Of course, i would like for you to read more of Jesus’ prayer to His Father, in verses 1-17, so you can see the context for which Jesus is praying. Someone has once said that prayer and the Word are like two wings of a bird-both are necessary for the bird to fly. Even if the bird has one of the two wings, he still cannot fly, it takes both wings to soar. And both are necessary for us if we want to soar in our relationship with our heavenly Father. As did the apostles, we must give ourselves first and foremost to prayer and to the ministry of the Word. These twin priorities make a dramatic difference in the vitality of your relationship with God. As you discovered in John 17:17, God’s Word sanctifies us, setting us apart from the world for Him. Never forget that God’s Word-from the first verse of Genesis to the last verse in Revelation-is pure truth! You can trust it completely!

Let’s look at another verse that shows us the interlocking of prayer and the Word. John 15:7 “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” In this verse and in one simple sentence, write what you observed from this verse about the relationship of the Word and prayer. Also, what word in this verse refers to prayer?

Finally, let’s look at 1 John 5:13-15. Because these verses contain such precious promises , the passage is printed for you so you won’t miss a one. Read these verses outloud and notice or underline every use of “you,” “we,” and “us.” Then read the passage a second time and mark every reference to prayer. While you won’t find the specific word “pray,” you will find a synonymn. 1 John 5:13-15 “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” Now look back to where you marked “you,” “we,” and “us,” and write down a truth you learned from marking the text this way. What did you learn about prayer, or “asking” from these verses? The answer is right there in the text. Just look where you marked the word “ask,” which is a synonymn for “prayer,” and write down what you observed.

IV. Conclusion

Now, reason with me. If you want God to hear you and provide what you ask, then you need to ask according to His will. And how will you know His will? By listening to-knowing-His Word. God speaks in His Word, and we are to listen; we speak in prayer and God listens. Doesn’t this truth make you want to give yourself to prayer and to the Word? Don’t pass up the opportunity to hear from God. If you’re like me, you’ll find yourself wanting more time with Him each passing day. So what is your prayer today in light of what you have learned? Make it short and simple. Write it down, and come back later to see how He specifically answers your specific requests. What a faith builder this will be in your life.