The Powerful Name of Jesus

Have you ever wondered why Christians make such a big deal about Jesus or why they always pray in his name?  It is the single most important name in history.  It is by this name we receive grace and forgiveness and salvation and blessing.  It is by this name prayers are answered, bodies are healed, and souls are saved. 

The Lord Jesus is given many names and titles in the bible:

• Son of David
• Son of God
• Redeemer
• Messiah
• Deliverer
• Bread of Life
• Lamb of God
• Living Stone
• Captain of our Salvation
• Alpha and Omega
• Prince of Life
• The Way, the Truth and the Life
• Master
• Saviour
• Shepherd
• King
• Lord

But the sweetest of all those names, which is repeated 700 times in the New Testament, is the name Jesus.  It is the central focus of every sermon preached by the apostles and every salvation message proclaimed throughout history.

In Acts chapter 3 that name takes centre stage for the very first time. 

Here is a man who is lame from birth, begging outside the temple at the Gate Beautiful.  And along comes Peter and John on their way into the temple to pray.  The lame man sees Peter and John – a hopeful source of income and calls out to them.  Peter and John, moved by the Holy Spirit, turn to him and say, “Look at us.”  He turns and Peter says:

 “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” (Acts 3:6)

As Peter reaches down and grabs him by the hand, God’s power is activated, muscles and cartilage are instantly renewed, bones are instantly strengthened, and Peter raises him up.[1] 

God, through this miracle, is putting the resurrection power of Jesus on display.  The man jumps up and he enters the temple with Peter and John, “walking, leaping and praising God” (verse 8).

This story illustrates the power of the gospel.  It demonstrates that Jesus has truly risen from the dead, that he ascended into the heavens, that he is seated at the right hand of God, that he is the Lord of all, and that he has the power and authority to perform miracles today, including the miracle of saving souls.

But the focus here is his NAME.  Notice how this theme is reiterated throughout chapters 3 and 4:

• Acts 3:6 Peter says to the lame man, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk.” 
• Acts 3:16 Peter says, “And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong”
• Acts 4:7 The Jewish leaders demand, “And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?”
• Acts 4:10 Peter says, “let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.” (Acts 4:10)
• Acts 4:12 Peter concludes, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

So what is it about this name that makes it so powerful? 

Well firstly, we need to understand is there is no inherent power in the name “Jesus” alone.  There are many people in the world who are named Jesus (it is popular in the Hispanic culture) who were no more powerful than you or I.  The name “Jesus” only has power when connected with the person Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who died and rose again and is seated at God’s right hand.  There is power in Christ’s name only because there is power in Christ’s person. 

The name “Jesus” is not a magic word.  It is not some kind of charm.  There are wizards and magicians who say magic words like “Abracadabra” or “Open Sesame” and suddenly doors magically open and people levitate off a table.  That’s black magic.  It might be fake; it might be staged, or it might be demonic.  That’s not what we do with the name of Jesus.

Remember the seven sons of Sceva in Acts chapter 19?  Paul was in Ephesus performing all kinds of miracles in the name of Jesus.  This band of 7 brothers called the sons of Sceva – Jewish exorcists thought if they emulated what Paul said, they could do what Paul did.  So they tried commanding evil spirits in the name of Jesus. 

“The evil spirit answered them, “I know Jesus, and I recognize Paul—but who are you?” Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them, overpowered them all, and prevailed against them, so that they ran out of that house naked and wounded.” (Acts 19:15–16)

The moral of the story is: don’t go messing with demons unless you know what you’re doing!  The power of Jesus is only accessed when connected with the person of Jesus.  Now let me show you how this truth is revealed in our passage. 

We’ve got this scene in the Temple and a miracle has just been performed with this guy who was lame from birth, he is jumping all over the place (as you would) and he’s hanging on to Peter and John.  It’s a perfect platform to proclaim Jesus, which is exactly what Peter does, and then he calls people to repentance.  It’s Acts 2 all over again. In verse 12 we read:

“When Peter saw this, he addressed the people: “Fellow Israelites, why are you amazed at this? Why do you stare at us, as though we had made him walk by our own power or godliness?” (Acts 3:12)

You see what he’s doing here.  He’s pushing the attention away from himself.  He’s denying any form of magic, witchcraft, sorcery, or clever mind-over-matter trick.  “The power that healed this man is not our power.” Well, whose was it then?  Peter explains in verse 16:

“By faith in his name, his name has made this man strong, whom you see and know. So the faith that comes through Jesus has given him this perfect health in front of all of you.” (Acts 3:16)

The man was healed by faith in Jesus’ name.  The question is, whose faith?  The lame man or Peter and John’s?  It can’t be the lame man.  He was not even a believer.  It has to be the faith of Peter and John.  When you hear stories of so-called faith healers today telling people the reason they didn’t get healed is that they didn’t have enough faith, that’s a cop-out. 

Whose faith was operating when Elijah raised the widow’s son – Elijah’s or the widow’s? It wasn’t the widow.  She was so distraught she could hardly think.  It was Elijah’s faith.  Whose faith was operating when Naman was healed from his leprosy?  Naaman’s or Elisha’s?  Elisha’s.  Naaman was in a sulk for being told to wash in the river Jordon.   So it is here.  The lame man is healed based on the faith of Peter and John.

The agent of the healing, however, was who?  Jesus.  It was Jesus who healed him.  You say, why didn’t Peter just say “By faith in Jesus – this man has been made strong.” Why did he say, “By faith in his name, his name has made this man strong?”  Because Peter wants to reinforce his claim that the salvation promised by Joel and other prophets is for those who call upon the name of the Lord (Acts 2:38). 

Throughout the Old Testament, we find repeated references to “the name of the Lord”:

• “Some take pride in chariots, and others in horses, but we take pride in the name of the Lord our God.” (Psalm 20:7)
• “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are protected.” (Proverbs 18:10)

So then, to call upon the name of Jesus is to call upon the name of the Lord.  And to reinforce this, Peter selects a number of significant names or titles that are found in the Old Testament and attributes them to Jesus. 

• In verse 13 he refers to him as “God’s servant” 
• In verse 14 he calls him “the Holy and Righteous One”
• In verse 15 he refers to him as “the source of life”
• In verse 20 “the Messiah” and
• In verse 22 “the prophet” foretold by Moses. 

John Stott notes at this point:

Servant and Christ, Holy One and source of life, Prophet and stone—these titles speak of the uniqueness of Jesus in his sufferings and glory, his character and mission, his revelation and redemption. All this is encapsulated in his ‘Name’ and helps to explain, its saving power^[2]

So to call on the name of Jesus is to call on the name of God.  To trust in the power of Jesus is to trust in the power of God.  Peter places his trust in Jesus and calls on his name, God’s power is released, and the man was healed.

It is the same for us today.  That’s how God’s power is released in our own lives.  We place our faith fully on the power of Jesus.  We pray and ask for God to work in the powerful name of Jesus.  And God’s power is released in our life and the lives of others – to fight sin and temptation, endure trials, overcome sorrow and depression, give strength, heal sickness and all manner of other needs. 

The name of Jesus truly is powerful! 

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[1] egeiro – to raise up, to resurrect

^[2] Stott, J. R. W. (1994). The message of Acts: the Spirit, the church & the world (pp. 92–93). InterVarsity Press.

Rise up and Walk

In Acts chapter 3 we see a great miracle – an astounding miracle.  But the more important thing is what this miracle is teaching us.  It reveals something about the problem that paralyzes us, it reveals something about God and his eagerness to heal us, and it reveals something about the gospel and its power to transform us.  And together we are going to unpack these things as we look first at the man, the miracle and finally, the meaning. 

I. The Man

“Now Peter and John were going up to the temple for the time of prayer at three in the afternoon. A man who was lame from birth was being carried there. He was placed each day at the temple gate called Beautiful, so that he could beg from those entering the temple” (Acts 3:1-2)

Our passage opens with Peter and John, following their usual custom, going to the temple for the afternoon time of prayer.  As they arrive so does another man, “who was lame from birth” and he was being carried there – not to pray, but to beg.  This was his custom.  Remember Lazarus in Luke chapter 16, who sat at the rich man’s gate begging.  And there was blind Bartimaeus in Mark 10, who sat at the side of the highway leaving the city.  Well here, at the Gate Beautiful inside the temple, was the best spot in town.

In 20 AD King Herod started a massive building project on what was to be known as the Second Temple.  It was built on a platform — described by Josephus as the greatest ever heard of —the size of 35 football fields, held up with massive stones, weighing as much as 50 tons.  There were 12 gates giving entrance to the temple, one of which was called the “Beautiful Gate” (most likely located between the court of women and the court of the Gentiles).  Josephus says that this one was bigger than all the rest – 75 feet high and 60 feet wide, and it was overlaid with plates of gold and Corinthian brass and took 20 men to close it.  And that’s where he sat. 

Now, do you get the picture here?  Here was the temple – the place where God had determined to make himself known, the place where people could come to him, where they could approach him to find grace and mercy and forgiveness for their sins, where they could be reconciled to him.  That was God’s original intention.  

But it was not this way in Jesus’ day. Gates were put up to prevent certain people from entering – sick people, blind people, lame people – who, according to the theology of that day, were that way because of sin.  Moreover, the temple was run by priests who lacked faith and loved status and money more than God.  It had become, as Jesus put it, “a den of thieves” (Matt 21:13; Luke 19:46).  It was a place where the devout hoped to find God, but others, like this beggar, found themselves sitting outside, unwelcome.

The beggar describes the condition of many people in the world today.  They live in survival mode.  They live on the leftovers given by others; they get just enough spare change to get by another day.  They long for things to be different, but don’t expect they ever will.  They’ve never found the key to open the gate.  They’ve never experienced the abundant life that Jesus promised.

The beggar also serves as a metaphor for the lost condition of mankind; born into this world with a hopeless paralysis –blinded by Satan, bound by sin – unable to see or know God, in desperate need of deliverance but not even recognizing it.   They try and improve their lives by going to counsellors or reading psychology or listening to motivational talks or taking medication. Yet, in spite of all these collective efforts, after years and years they remain in the same condition as this man – paralysed, un-helped and tragically, still hell-bound.

That’s the man, now let’s look at the miracle. 

II. The Miracle

This is where things get exciting.  We read in verses 3-6:

“When he saw Peter and John about to enter the temple, he asked for money. Peter, along with John, looked straight at him and said, “Look at us.” So he turned to them, expecting to get something from them. But Peter said, “I don’t have silver or gold, but what I do have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!”” (Acts 3:3–6)

“When he saw Peter and John” – that’s the word eidon – it means the simple act of seeing.  He notices two able-bodied men walking by; another source of loose change.

 “Peter, along with John, looked straight at him” – this is the word atenizo – it means to look intently.  We get our word “attention” from it.  He’s been begging there for years. Nobody pays him any real attention.  They “see” him like the beggar “saw” Peter and John and how we “see” homeless people lying on mattresses in streets all over New Zealand.  We see them but we don’t see them.   

Peter says to him, “Look at us.”  Now this is a different word – it’s the word blepo – and it refers to an intent, earnest gaze or contemplation. 

And verse 5 says, “So he turned to them” – the word is epochon, it means to hold your eyes on something or fix your attention on something.  It’s what my little Jack Russel does when she sees a cat or a rat or a rabbit or anything else she can chase.  Her ears go up, her whole body stiffens, and she looks intently at it.  That’s what this beggar is doing, and he does this, notice in the text, because he was “expecting to get something from them.”

Now here is where the miracle occurs.  And it is born out of a sense of expectation.  This is why Peter told him to look intently at them.  This is what was needed. 

Peter says, “I don’t have silver or gold, but what I do have, I give you.”  He doesn’t have money for this guy.  What does he have?  He has a relationship with Jesus.  He has the Spirit of the Living God in him.  He has a direct connection with heaven.  And so he says,

“In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!”

We think this is the moment of the miracle; Peter says the magic words and then “POOF!” The guy is healed.  But it doesn’t happen that way.  Luke tells us in verse 7:

“Then, taking him by the right hand he raised him up, and at once his feet and ankles became strong.” 

It is at this moment, with the man – looking intently at Peter and John and hearing the name of Jesus and feeling Peter’s hand reach out to his, God’s power is activated, and muscles and cartilage and blood tissue are instantly renewed, and bones are instantly strengthened, and Peter raises him up.  Egairo ­– it means to awaken, to restore and to resurrect.  Do you see it?  This is the power of the resurrection at work in the world. 

Verse 8 tells us “He jumped up and started to walk…”  He jumped up!  Here is a man who has never stood – unaided, a day in his life.  Here is this man, who has never learned to walk, jumping and walking like anyone else.  And it says, “he entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.”

We’ve looked at the man and the miracle; now thirdly let’s look at the meaning. 

III. The Meaning

“All the people saw him walking and praising God, and they recognized that he was the one who used to sit and beg at the Beautiful Gate of the temple. So they were filled with awe and astonishment at what had happened to him.” (Acts 3:9–10)

If we were to share our testimony of how we got saved and came to Christ, many of us would say we did not see it coming.  We were just going about our lives, trying our best, struggling with depression, anger, lust or an addiction of some kind.  Then one day, by God’s providence, we heard the gospel.  Maybe you were like me – you’d heard it many times before, but this time it was different.  God took you by surprise.  He moved in your life with his power, and you were changed inside.  You heard the words, “Rise up and walk” and you did.  You’ve never been the same since.  You became like those captives who returned to their beloved Jerusalem in Psalm 126:

“When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Our mouths were filled with laughter then, and our tongues with shouts of joy. Then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord had done great things for us; we were joyful.” (Psalm 126:1–3)

Perhaps one reason that the world does not believe that the church can meet the need of paralysis is that such evidence is so few and far between.  The world needs to see fresh and ongoing proof that Jesus has the power to transform lives.  They need to see what the people in the temple saw – healed beggars walking and leaping and praising God.  They too will be filled with awe and astonishment.

It could well be that some of us need a fresh experience like the day we first found Christ.  We need a fresh touch from God, a quickening by his Spirit so that we can say like those freed captives, Our mouths were filled with laughter then, and our tongues with shouts of joy.  Perhaps then, we will become more aware of the dire need of the people around us.  As we walk through the malls and supermarkets of our town, we will not simply “see” human forms passing by; we will look into people’s eyes and see they are sheep without a shepherd and we would, like Jesus, have compassion on them and yearn in our hearts to speak to them about Christ. 

People of God, if you do have the opportunity to speak to them, be prepared to reach out your hand of love and help them to walk.  This may mean spending time with them or going for a meal with them or doing a bible study with them or whatever else it takes to demonstrate genuine care to them. 

What people need above all else is a restored relationship with God.  They need to have their sin forgiven.  They need a new mind and a new heart.  When they receive that, all other needs lose their significance.  What we thought was our biggest problem isn’t such a problem after all. 

Because when we have Jesus, we have all that we ever need.    

This post is based on a message from our current series on the book of Acts. You can watch or listen to that message here

Give thyself unto reading

Here’s a great word that all pastors need to hear from Spurgeon on the importance of reading:

A man who comes up into the pulpit, professes to take his text on the spot, and talks any quantity of nonsense, is the idol of many. If he will speak without premeditation, or pretend to do so, and never produce what they call a dish of dead men’s brains—oh! that is the preacher. How rebuked are they by the apostle!

He is inspired, and yet he wants books!  He has been preaching at least for thirty years, and yet he wants books! He had seen the Lord, and yet he wants books! He had had a wider experience than most men, and yet he wants books! He had been caught up into the third heaven, and had heard things which it was unlawful for a man to utter, yet he wants books! He had written the major part of the New Testament, and yet he wants books! The apostle says to Timothy and so he says to every preacher, “Give thyself unto reading.”

The man who never reads will never be read; he who never quotes will never be quoted. He who will not use the thoughts of other men’s brains, proves that he has no brains of his own. Brethren, what is true of ministers is true of all our people. You need to read. Renounce as much as you will all light literature, but study as much as possible sound theological works, especially the Puritanic writers, and expositions of the Bible.

Paul herein is a picture of industry. He is in prison; he cannot preach: what will he do? As he cannot preach, he will read. As we read of the fishermen of old and their boats. The fishermen were gone out of them. What were they doing? Mending their nets. So if providence has laid you upon a sick bed, and you cannot teach your class—if you cannot be working for God in public, mend your nets by reading. If one occupation is taken from you, take another, and let the books of the apostle read you a lesson of industry.[1]

C.S. Lewis speaks also to this subject, in particular to the content of our reading. He warns of our preference for what is trendy and new. He writes,

“A new book is still on its trial and the amateur is not in a position to judge it. It has to be tested against the great body of Christian thought down the ages, and all its hidden implications (often unsuspected by the author himself) have to be brought to light.”

That is not the case for old books. If they have survived on shelves, they have stood the test of time. He goes on to say,

“It is a good rule, after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between. If that is too much for you, you should at least read one old one to every three new ones.”

Wise words from Lewis. We would do well to heed them.

Early in my ministry, I was given a book called Preaching with Freshness, by Bruce Mawhinney. He offers a unique approach called the Sixfold Path of Reading. Instead of reading one book at a time, you read six at a time (a daunting prospect, I know!). Each is of a different genre or category such as a novel, history, biography, theology, philosophy, poetry etc. By exposing yourself to a wide variety of thoughts and ideas, your thinking is challenged, your mind is stretched and you are provided with all kinds of ideas for sermon introductions, illustrations and applications. I’ve been following this pathway for over 25 years now and I think my listeners would say it has greatly enhanced my preaching.

And finally, a few famous quotes on reading:

Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers. – Charles W. Eliot

Employ your time in improving yourself by other men’s writings so that you shall come easily by what others have labored hard for. – Socrates

Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers. 
– Harry S Truman

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[1] Paul-His Cloak and His Books, Charles Haddon Spurgeon November 29, 1863: Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit vol. 9

A Good Friday prayer

“For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb.” (1 Peter 1:18–19)

Good Friday is a day of mixed emotions for me.  There’s a sense of thankfulness and deep gratitude for what Jesus has done on my behalf, but there is also a sense of horror and shame over the fact that it was my sin that put him there.  He was innocent – I am the guilty one.  He did nothing to incite God’s wrath.  I am the one who deserved to die, not he.

I took some time to read over the accounts of Jesus’ trial and crucifixion today.  I was awed by his silence, serenity and self-control before his accusers, as they railed one charge after another at him.  I was aghast by their treatment of him.  It’s horrific the way human beings can treat fellow human beings, isn’t it?  We are seeing much of that in front of our eyes with the war in Ukraine.  But to treat one so lovely, so wonderful and so innocent is a cruel crime indeed. 

And then, as the time of his death draws near, darkness descends over the whole land as divine judgment falls on the innocent one and he utters that hear-rendering cry, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”  That forsaking was for us, so that we might be redeemed and set free. 

There’s a wonderful collection of puritan prayers called The Valley of Vision.  One of them is called “The Precious Blood.”  I found it helpful is speaking back to the Lord all that I was thinking and feeling.  You might find it helpful as well. 

BLESSED LORD JESUS,
 
Before thy cross I kneel and see
the heinousness of my sin,
my iniquity that caused thee to be ‘made a curse’,
the evil that excites the severity of divine wrath.
 
Show me the enormity of my guilt by the crown of thorns,
the pierced hands and feet,
the bruised body, the dying cries.
 
Thy blood is the blood of incarnate God,
its worth infinite,
its value beyond all thought.
Infinite must be the evil and guilt that demands such a price.
 
Sin is my malady, my monster, my foe, my viper,
born in my birth,
alive in my life,
strong in my character,
dominating my faculties,
following me as a shadow,
intermingling with my every thought,
my chain that holds me captive in the empire of my soul.
 
Sinner that I am, why should the sun give me light,
the air supply breath,
the earth bear my tread,
its fruits nourish me,
its creatures subserve my ends?
 
Yet thy compassions yearn over me,
thy heart hastens to my rescue,
thy love endured my curse,
thy mercy bore my deserved stripes.
 
Let me walk humbly in the lowest depths of humiliation,
bathed in thy blood, tender of conscience,
triumphing gloriously as an heir of salvation.

A Good Friday Reflection

Today we remember one of the most extraordinary events that took place in the history of the world – the crucifixion of the God-man, Jesus Christ.  It was extraordinary because it was one of the WORST and the same time GREATEST events ever to take place.

It was the WORST event because humanity conspired to murder the most righteous man who ever lived, the very Son of God. 

It was the GREATEST event because of the wonderful things that Jesus accomplished for us in that death.  That is how today got its name “Good Friday” (although historically it was known as Holy Friday or Great Friday).

By his death, Jesus overcame the powers of hell, drove out the prince of darkness, and ransomed, redeemed and delivered people from both the power and penalty of sin.  That means there is hope for this broken world.  And there’s plenty of evidence even in the past few weeks that our world is broken. 

As we remember Jesus’s crucifixion today, let us remember that the cross represented a shameful, four-letter word in Latin, crux.  The word signified a death reserved for political traitors and villains and never for Roman citizens.  Death on the cross said Cicero, was “the most cruel and abominable form of punishment”, and the very word “should be foreign not only to the body of a Roman citizen but to his thoughts, his eyes, his ears.”

It is incredible to think this was all in accordance with God’s plan.  Jesus, as he was dying on that cross was fulfilling prophecy.  A thousand years prior to the event, David wrote Psalm 22 which provides detailed descriptions of what Jesus endured:

• 22:1 His cry from the cross: “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

Matthew 27:46 “About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Elí, Elí, lemá sabachtháni?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?””

• 22:7 The mocking of the passer-by’s: “Everyone who sees me mocks me; they sneer and shake their heads”

Matthew 27:39 “Those who passed by were yelling insults at him, shaking their heads”

• 22:8 The railing from the crowd: “He relies on the Lord; let him save him; let the Lord rescue him, since he takes pleasure in him.”

Matthew 27:43 “He trusts in God; let God rescue him now—if he takes pleasure in him! For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’“

• 22:16 The piercing of his hands and feet: “For dogs have surrounded me; a gang of evildoers has closed in on me; they pierced my hands and my feet.”

John 20:25 “If I don’t see the mark of the nails in his hands, put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe.””

• 22:18 The gambling for his clothing: “They divided my garments among themselves, and they cast lots for my clothing.”

Matthew 27:35 “After crucifying him, they divided his clothes by casting lots.”

Alec Motyer, in his devotional commentary, says when we approach Psalm 22, we should do so with careful, hesitant steps for we walk on holy ground.  No other passage reveals the sufferings of our crucified Lord like this Psalm.  It presses to the limit of what Scripture allows, and we do well to read it sparingly and with awe.

He’s right.  Perhaps that is something you might do today.  Take a few minutes, find a quiet space, read slowly and allow Jesus, through David, to describe his suffering to you.  It will humble you.  

Martin Luther, one of the foremost leaders of the Reformation, wrote a very moving meditation on Jesus’ suffering:

The whole value of the meditation of the suffering of Christ lies in this, that man should come to the knowledge of himself and sink and tremble. If you are so hardened that you do not tremble, then you have reason to tremble. Pray to God that he may soften your heart and make fruitful your meditation upon the suffering of Christ, for we ourselves are incapable of proper reflection unless God instil it.
 
We ought to suffer a thousand and again a thousand times more than Christ because he is God and we are dust and ashes, yet it is the reverse. He who had a thousand and again a thousand times less need, has taken upon himself a thousand and again a thousand times more than we.
 
No understanding can fathom nor tongue can express, no writing can record, but only the inward dealing can grasp what is involved in the suffering of Christ.

If you have the time, listen to this rendition of “Were you there?” by the Norton Hall Band. You’ll be moved by it.

It’s all about Jesus

If you’re a Christian, then reaching the lost should be important to you.  After all, that is the whole reason Jesus came, right?  He came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10).  And if we are to win people to Jesus, then sooner or later we are going to have to tell people about Jesus.  But that’s often the sticking point for a lot of us.  Some of us, when it comes to evangelism, are like the artic river: frozen at the mouth and cold all over.  Someone asks us what we believe or how one becomes a Christian, we freeze up and the opportunity sails right past us. 

Today we are going to look at the first gospel presentation ever given, and it serves as a great example or model of how we can share the gospel with others, so we don’t miss those opportunities when they arise.

The Setting

It’s 50 days since the Passover and the Feast of Pentecost had arrived.   It’s a harvest festival and Jerusalem is packed with Jewish pilgrims from all over the world.  The believers were all together and suddenly there was a sound like a mighty rushing wind – like a 747 taking off, filled the place where they were.  And then what appeared to be little tongues of fire landed on top of each of them.  And then something amazing happened – these people from all different nations, heard these believers speaking in their own dialect about the mighty works of God. 

There’s some explaining that’s needed there.  That’s Peter’s que.  He’s got a captive audience.  Now what we might have expected here is for Peter to talk about the Holy Spirit.  After all, it was the Spirit who caused these miracles; it was the Spirit who empowered the believers to speak in languages they had never learned.  But he doesn’t because people don’t need to hear about the Spirit, they need to hear about Jesus. 

Peter starts out by quoting from a very well-known Old Testament passage from the book of Joel.  And citing Joel 2 in verse 17 he says:

“And it will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out my Spirit on all people; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.” (Acts 2:17)

The last days refer to the time period leading up to the Day of the Lord, the kingdom of God would come, all wrongs would be made right, and Israel would be restored.   It’s what every God-fearing Jew looked forward to and hoped for.  Peter is saying, “Guess what guys?  The Messianic Age has begun.  It’s here.” It’s a stunning claim, but one they would find difficult to argue with.  Because they’ve just seen the proof. 

Now it’s time to talk about Jesus.  He tells them:

1. Who Jesus is
2. Why Jesus died
3. How Jesus rose from the dead
4. Where Jesus is now
5. What they need to do about it

And that’s a perfect model for us, isn’t it – especially as we approach this Easter season. It’s exactly what we need to do.  If you get an opportunity to share the gospel, this is what you need to tell them. 

1. Tell them who Jesus is

First of all, he tells them who Jesus is.  He tells them about his life.

“Fellow Israelites, listen to these words: This Jesus of Nazareth was a man attested to you by God with miracles, wonders, and signs that God did among you through him, just as you yourselves know.” (Acts 2:22)

The miracles that Jesus performed – healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, raising the dead, were signs pointing to his Messianic credentials.  God was putting his stamp of approval on Jesus.  He was endorsing him as his Messiah.

You remember Nicodemus, who came to Jesus at night and said, “We know that no man can do the things you do except God be with him.”  He recognized what Jesus was doing was divine.  Even the chief priest admitted that he was doing miracles, that’s what upset them so much. 

This is what we need to tell people today.  We need to tell them that Jesus was no ordinary man.  He was the Son of God.  He was divine.  He had power over nature, power over sickness and disease, and power over Satan and demons.  These things are proof that Jesus is divine. 

But Peter doesn’t stay there too long, does he?  Because in the very next verse he talks about Jesus’ death. 

2. Tell them why Jesus died

“Though he was delivered up according to God’s determined plan and foreknowledge, you used lawless people to nail him to a cross and kill him.” (Acts 2:23)

We know that Jesus died upon a cross.  By doing this, the Jewish leaders thought they were getting rid of Jesus.  But Peter says this was all according to God’s predetermined plan.  God had planned this before the beginning of time.  Pilate said to Jesus, “Don’t you know that I have the authority to release you and the authority to crucify you?” (John 19:10).  And Jesus says, “You would have no authority over me unless it was given from above.”  Jesus says, “You’re not in charge here, God is.”

So why is this so important?  Because it was God’s will that Jesus dies on a cross.  That was how God was to save the human race.  The wages of sin is death, Romans 6:23 says.  Because of our sin, we all must die.  But Jesus died in our place so that we might be forgiven.  Now Peter doesn’t elaborate on all that here.  All he wants them to see is they are culpable; they are guilty of murdering God’s Messiah, even though it was all part of God’s plan.  And now he moves to what he really wants to talk about: Christ’s resurrection.   

3. Tell them how Jesus rose from the dead

Peter spends the longest on this – eight verses in all.  Peter starts in verse 24:

“God raised him up, ending the pains of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by death.” (Acts 2:24)

Here we have the great reversal.  “You put him to death, you killed him, but God raised him up.”  Now, why is this important?  Well first, by raising Jesus, God was putting his stamp of approval on his Son before the eyes of the world.  He was proving beyond a doubt that he was God’s Messiah.  Secondly, by raising Jesus, God was approving his atoning work on the cross.  Then Peter cites Psalm 16 to show the resurrection of Jesus was predicted in the Scriptures. 

“For David says of him: I saw the Lord ever before me; because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” (Acts 2:25)

Now here we have a very interesting phenomenon in prophecy.  We’ve got David speaking in the first person – “I saw the Lord ever before me,” but these words extend to the greater David – the Messiah.  It’s not the only place you’ll see this.  In Psalm 22 David says, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me” but whose were those words really?  They were the words of Jesus on the Cross.  And so here in Psalm 16, we have David speaking, but it’s really Jesus speaking.  He’s anticipating his death on the cross and he’s saying, “I’m keeping my eyes on God.  That’s all I’m doing.  I’m looking at his face and that is what will hold me firm.” 

Then Jesus, speaking through the mouth of David says in verse 26:

“Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices. Moreover, my flesh will rest in hope, because you will not abandon me in Hades or allow your holy one to see decay.” (Acts 2:26–27)

Peter goes on to explain that David died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. They can go and visit it right there in Jerusalem.  This can’t be referring to David; it is referring to the Messiah – Jesus, whom God raised from the dead. 

And you can imagine the lights going on for some of them, can’t you? They are connecting the dots.  They are seeing how it is fitting together.  They mistakenly put their own Messiah to death, and this was all part of God’s plan.  God then raised him up, as David foretold in the Scriptures, putting his divine stamp of approval on him before the whole world. 

This is what we need to tell people when we are sharing the gospel.  We tell the story of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection and explain how all this was part of God’s plan and it fulfils Old Testament Scriptures.  But it doesn’t end there. 

4. Tell them where Jesus is now

“God has raised this Jesus; we are all witnesses of this. Therefore, since he has been exalted to the right hand of God and has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, he has poured out what you both see and hear.” (Acts 2:32–33)

Not only has Jesus been raised from the dead, but he has also been exalted to the right hand of God.  That means all the authority and power God has, Jesus has.  It means Jesus is Lord and King and Judge of all heaven and earth.  That means before King Jesus everyone must kneel, and every knee must bow.  Then he quotes from Psalm 110:

“The Lord declared to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.’” (Acts 2:34–35)

Now that’s David speaking once again.  But he’s not speaking about himself.  He never sat at God’s right hand.  This is God the Father speaking to God the Son and saying, “Sit at my right hand.”  And then comes the clincher, he says in verse 36:

“Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” (Acts 2:36)

When we are sharing the gospel with people today, we can’t duck and dive from this.  It’s heavy stuff, and it has huge implications for humanity and the temptation is to soften our message with lots of nice things about Jesus.  But the fact of the matter which every man and woman must face is God has not only raised Jesus, but he has also exalted him to his right hand and therefore everyone must answer to him.  If we are going to be saved, it must be through him.  If we are to be forgiven, it must be by him.  

And that leads us to our final point.  We’ve told people about who Jesus is – his life and ministry, and we’ve told them about why he died on a cross and how God raised him from the dead, and we’ve told them where he is right now.  But all of that means nothing unless they act on it.    

5. Tell them what they need to do about it

Luke tells us about the crowd’s response in verse 37:

“When they heard this, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” (Acts 2:37)

That’s a good response, isn’t it?  That’s an appropriate response.  They are convicted.  Their hearts have been pierced.  They are in deep anguish.  And that’s the place every man, woman and child must get to.  Until they get here, they are not ready.  The crowd are at that place, so Peter simply says: “Repent.”  “Repent and be saved.” 

He’s calling them to respond.  Salvation is a personal transaction.  You don’t get to heaven by being born into a certain family or religion or belonging to a certain church or even believing certain things about the bible.  You get there by repenting.  You get there by bowing your knee to his Son, and saying, “Jesus, please save me, rescue me, in nothing in my hands I bring, only to your cross I cling.”  That’s how you are forgiven.  That’s how you get saved.

We must not shy away from this.  As hard as it is to tell people these things – I’ve said it to my own parents with tears and I’ve said it to people I’ve sat next to on a plane.  It might sound hard, but these are the kindest, most loving, most caring things you could ever say to another human being.  Because they are words that could bring them life.  They are words that can rescue them from hell. 

Conclusion

We look at the church today and we wonder why it’s not being more effective, why more people are being saved and becoming Christians and I think a great part of it we’ve gone soft on our message.  We preach a half gospel.  We tell people about God’s salvation but not his judgement.  We tell them Jesus loves them, but we don’t tell them they must one day stand before him.  We don’t press upon people their need to repent, to turn from living for self and live for God.  They never hear enough of the truth so as to be convicted by it.  They remain unrepentant.  They are never saved.

Let us change the way we talk to people about God.  Let us be telling them the whole gospel and not half a gospel.  Let us be telling them who Jesus really is, the Lord of the universe and let us be telling them who they really are – sinners who need to be rescued by impending judgement.  Let us then urge them to call upon God’s mercy so they can be saved. 

If we are on a boat and see a person drowning in the sea, we don’t throw them a raincoat to help keep them dry.  We throw them a rope so we can pull them to safety. Let us be less concerned about the love of human praise and be more concerned about the souls of men and women.  Let us be casting out that gospel rope. 

We never know who might gab hold. 

This post is based on a message from our current series on the book of Acts. You can watch or listen to that message here

What God Delights In

“His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man, but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.” (Psalm 147:10–11)

Think about the kind of people who the world admires – who they esteem.  Usually, it is based on things like:

• The size of their house
• The type of car they drive
• The money they earn
• The position they hold
• The title they have

Or it might be based on their abilities, giftings, or accomplishments in sports or music or technology or some other field. 

We have admiration for people like Lisa Carrington who has now taken out 5 gold medals for New Zealand (she is now Dame Lisa Carrington by the way), and Nico Porteous, our second only gold medallist at a Winter Olympics.  And rightly so, they showed incredible athletic skill. But those are not the kind of people God esteems, or at least, they would not be the reasons he would esteem them.

When a person of high esteem like the Prime Minister or the President of the United States or someone of Royalty walks into the room, everyone pays attention. There is instant recognition and respect.  And that is right and good.  But it would not be for those reasons that God would value and esteem such people.  When God sees someone in a high position or who is very successful, it does not excite him at all.  God already owns everything, so having expensive things mean very little to Him. He also has absolute power, so power or position or title means nothing.

No, he finds great delight in those who fear and trust Him.

• Those who know their own weakness and acknowledge his strength
• Those who mistrust their own judgment and follow his Word
• Those who stand in awe of his wisdom, power and love

He gets excited about those kinds of people.  He becomes animated they look to him in faith and say, “Lord, I need thee every hour.”  That is what excites and thrills God – not human cleverness, power and skill.

I don’t know about you, but I find that quite liberating.  In a world where we are always feeling like we need to perform and “better ourselves” in some way, it is comforting to know that God accepts us the way we are – medal or no medal, title or no title and what impresses him is simple faith and trust in his goodness, power and grace.  He loves it when we lean on him. 

I like the way Joseph Caryl puts it:

“All the strength, beauty and ability of a man are nothing to God compared to a gracious, honest and humble soul.”

I could not have said it better.

Standing Firm in Difficult Times

One of the unique things human beings have over other creatures is the ability to walk upright on two feet.  It’s something many of us take for granted – until that moment when we slip or fall.  In less than a second our sense of security vanishes as we lose our footing; a wave of panic comes over us, we feel the rush of adrenalin through our bodies and our muscles tense as we brace for impact. 

That’s not just true in the physical realm; it’s also a reality in the realm of faith.  The unexpected occurs, our spiritual “feet” start slipping and we lose our stability.  If we don’t regain our balance, doubt, discouragement and despair sink in.

Right now we are being tested as believers.  We have just endured two years of government mandates and mask-wearing and social distancing.  The cost of living has gone up but our quality of living has taken a dive.  People are frustrated and weary.  Then we look at the horror that is taking place on in Ukraine and it feels like the world is falling apart. 

It’s at these times we need a strong anchor, a firm foundation.  And we find that in God’s Word.   When we find ourselves in the midst of difficulty and it feels as if life is falling apart, there are things we need to know about God, things we need to know about mankind, and things we need to know about the gospel.

1. Things we need to know about God

There are three unshakable truths about God that will help you stand firm in days of difficulty. The first is:

1. God is good – he is gracious to the undeserving

In Psalm 103 we find these words:

¹ My soul, bless the Lord,
and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
² My soul, bless the Lord,
and do not forget all his benefits.
³ He forgives all your iniquity;
he heals all your diseases.
⁴ He redeems your life from the Pit;
he crowns you with faithful love and compassion. 

Forgiveness, redemption, compassion, faithful love – these are benefits because of God’s goodness.  We do not deserve any of these wonderful benefits.  What we deserve is God’s judgment.  What we deserve is death – as the psalmist makes clear in verse 10:

¹⁰ He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve
or repaid us according to our iniquities.

Let that sink in: whatever you are experiencing right now, whatever trial you are enduring, whatever deep water you are wading through, God has not dealt with you as your sins deserve.  Instead, he has shown kindness, love and forgiveness.

2. God is faithful – he can be trusted

In a world of broken promises, breached contracts, and forgotten vows it is good to know there is someone who is faithful, who does keep his word, no matter what the cost.  That is our God – he is faithful.  And his faithfulness is closely tied to his unchanging nature.  God’s unchanging nature sets him apart from everyone and everything. 

Everything else around us is in a state of flux and change.  The earth is subject to change.  People are subject to change.  They are flaky.  They promise one thing and do another.  God is not like that.  He never changes.  That is why he is compared to a rock that remains immovable, steadfast and firm even when the wind and waves beat upon it.  A.W. Pink writes:

Herein is solid comfort. Human nature cannot be relied upon; but God can! However unstable I may be, however fickle my friends may prove, God changes not… But, all praise to His glorious name, He is ever the same. His purpose is fixed, His will stable, His Word is sure!  Here then is a rock on which we may fix our feet, while the mighty torrent is sweeping away everything around us.

There’s a third truth about God that will hold us fast and it is this:

3. God is sovereign – he always has the last word

In Psalm 93 we have a clear picture of an important attribute of God that we must grasp clearly in this world: his sovereignty. 

¹ The Lord reigns! He is robed in majesty;
the Lord is robed, enveloped in strength.
The world is firmly established;
it cannot be shaken.

The Lord God reigns; that is he rules, he has dominion, he has power over all creation – nature, the natural forces, nations, rulers, life, death, demons, powers in heaven and on earth – all of them come under his kingly authority.  “The world is firmly established.”  Let those words sink in.  Because God rules, the world cannot fly apart. Nothing – not sickness or disease or cancer, not Covid, not President Putin, not rising food and fuel prices are outside of his grasp.  He has a handle on everything.  Nothing can happen in this world or your personal life unless God either allows it or decrees it. 

Those are things you need to know about God.  Now let me give you some things you need to know about mankind.

2. Things we need to know about mankind

The first thing you need to know about people is:

1.  He has a sinful nature.         

I was talking to a friend the other day and he said, “I cannot believe what took place on the streets of Wellington.  I cannot believe people picked up pavement stones and threw them at Police.  I cannot believe Putin would fire missiles at innocent civilians.”  My response was, “I can.” 

Have we forgotten?  Do we not read our bibles?  How long after Genesis 3 does it take for the sinful heart of man to be revealed and they start killing each other?  Not long.  Things get so bad that by chapter 6 we are told,

“The Lord saw that human wickedness was widespread on the earth and that every inclination of the human mind was nothing but evil all the time” (Genesis 6:5)

That’s a comprehensive description of the human condition.  It doesn’t mean that people are as bad as they possibly can be (there are plenty of sinful people who do things), but their hearts and minds have been thoroughly corrupted by sin.  So it should not surprise us when we see or hear of wars and murder and rape and sex trafficking and human abuse of every kind.  That’s what sinful people do.  It might disappoint us, but it should not surprise us. 

2.  His heart is rebellious and rages against God

Now, if you ever needed any proof that the hearts of human beings are rebellious from birth, just have kids.  It’s a fantastic lab experiment. 

There’s a scene I remember with our first child.  He was about 9 months old.  We said to him, “Don’t touch the heater.”  He looked at us, turned back and reached out his hand.  We pull it back.  “No don’t touch – hot.”  He ignored us and reached his hand out again.  This went on for about 5 minutes until we finally said, “Fine – go touch the heater.”  He did and burned himself and starts screaming at us.  

That’s the rebellious heart.  It rages against authority – whether it be parents or teachers or police or government.  And God calls this rebellious heart to turn from sin (that’s repentance) and submit to his Son. 

“Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.” (Psalm 2:12)

There’s a scene in the book of Revelation, chapter 16, where God’s judgements are coming down upon the earth.  These judgements are intended to bring people to repentance, so they may turn to God and be saved. And three times it says, “they blasphemed the God of heaven and did not repent and give him glory” (vv.9, 11, 21).

If you are going to have any measure of stability and sanity in this world, you need to know what we are dealing with.  Man is born for trouble as sparks fly upwards (Job 5:7).  Unless God, by a gracious work of his Spirit does a work in our hearts, we will die in our sin – raging against God. 

3.  He cannot be trusted

Time and time again we are warned in Scripture not to put out trust in man.  Psalm 146:3-4 says,

“Do not trust in nobles, in a son of man, who cannot save. When his breath leaves him, he returns to the ground; on that day his plans die.” 

Don’t put your hope in human saviours and human leaders.  They will let you down, time and time again.  How long did it take for the people of Israel to learn this?  How many lame kings, how many sinful judges and leaders did it take before they realized they needed someone greater than Moses, someone greater Joshua and someone greater than David? 

And that brings me now to my last point:

3. Things we need to know about the gospel

When we hear the word “gospel” we think of a message offering salvation and forgiveness of sins.  And it is all that, praise God.  But when we look at the New Testament, we actually find it to be more expansive and richer than that.  Let me give you two realities of the gospel that we often overlook that our world is searching for:

1. The hope of a new heart

Every person on this planet knows they are not what they should be.  It’s instinctive.  They do not live as well as they could.  They do not love as much as they ought.  People know this.  They also do things they hate and regret.  What they desperately need is a new heart.  They need, in computer terms, a new operating system.  This is exactly what God promised he would do for the people of Israel:

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will place my Spirit within you and cause you to follow my statutes and carefully observe my ordinances.” (Ezek 36:26–27)

This is what Jesus was referring to when he said to Nicodemus, “You must be born again” (John 3:7).  You need a new nature, Nicodemus.  You need a new heart.  And the gospel offers exactly this.  

The answer to war and injustice and racial discrimination and greed and selfishness is not new laws; it is not better education, it is not better living standards – it is the new heart.  And only Jesus can provide that new heart for us. The other reality the gospel promises is:

2. The hope of a new home

Why is it that human beings dream of a new world?  Why do they write books and songs about a utopia?  What moves songwriters like John Lennon to write “Imagine”?  Because we all long for a better world.  And as soon as we see some glimmer, some hope of that happening here on earth, that is soon quashed by another war or political scandal or failure of some kind.

The gospel promises that new world.  What was lost at Eden by the fall in Genesis 3 was reclaimed by Jesus on the cross and will one day come to full fruition in the new heaven and new earth (Rev 21:1-4). Then we will experience true peace and harmony.  No more wars, no more suffering, no more death, no more children’s hospitals being bombed, or innocent people being killed.  No more disease.  No more Covid!  No masks or mandates or isolation at home.  No more tears.  No more sorrow.  It is what our hearts long for.  It is the promise of a new home. 

In the final chapter of the Bible, Revelation 22, John is shown the river of the water of life and the tree of life – remnants of Eden, and he says, “the leaves of the tree are for healing the nations” (verse 2).  The book closes with a final invitation:

“Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who desires take the water of life freely.”  

That’s not an invitation in the future, it is being offered now.  God is offering to every man and woman a new heart and a new home, by coming to Jesus in faith, submitting to his kind and gracious rule, and they will drink from the water of life. 

Now, who would want to refuse that?

Conclusion

Elisabeth Elliot told how in January 1955, as she and four other women were waiting to learn of the fate of their husbands, who had flown a small plane to a sandy landing strip in an Ecuadorian jungle, she was sustained by the words of an old hymn “How Firm a Foundation”.  These I believe, are fitting words to close with:

How firm a foundation, you saints of the Lord
Is laid for your faith in His excellent word
What more can He say than to you He has said
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
 
Fear not, I am with you, O be not dismayed
For I am Thy God, and will still give you aid
I’ll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand
 
The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose
I will not, I will not desert to His foes
That soul, though all hell should endeavour to shake
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake

This post is based on a message I recently gave at our church. You can watch or listen to that message here

When flesh and heart fail

Some days you don’t feel like you’re firing on all cylinders.  Do you ever feel that?  The spark has gone, physical energy is low – just thinking about doing work makes you want to groan.  The last thing you feel like doing is opening up your bible and praying.  Yet something inside of you tells you that’s the most important thing you should be doing.

That was me this past Monday morning.  I certainly wasn’t firing on all cylinders. I would be lucky if I was firing on one.  I felt tired.  I felt discouraged.  I felt despondent when there wasn’t any reason to be so.

And then I turn to a well-known Psalm – Psalm 73 and I came to this part verses 25-26:

Who do I have in heaven but you?
And I desire nothing on earth but you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart,
my portion forever.

Do you what he is experiencing there?  A double failure – a failure of the flesh and a failure of the heart. That’s a physical and spiritual malfunction – a breakdown of sorts, that could lead to a mental, emotional and/or physical collapse.  

Our flesh fails us – and you feel it, right?  It tires.  It weakens.  It just won’t perform like you want it to.  Your mind is sluggish, your bones feel weary, and your muscles feel tired.  Your “get up and go” has got up and left.    

Our heart fails.  Hope fades; faith weakens, courage withers, love for Christ and his word wanes

BUT…

Here’s the all-important “but” – “God is the strength of my heart, my portion forever.”

You might fail God, but God won’t fail you.  When all else fails, God doesn’t. That’s the message of Psalm 73.

And that, my friends, will get you through anything.

• It will get you through sickness
• It will get you through disappointment
• It will get you through doubt and discouragement
• It will get you through failure and frustration and defeat

Spurgeon writes on this verse:

“His God would not fail him, either as protection or a joy. His heart would be kept up by divine love, and filled eternally with divine glory. After having been driven far out to sea, Asaph casts anchor in the old port. We shall do well to follow his example. There is nothing desirable save God; let us, then, desire only him. All other things must pass away; let our hearts abide in him, who alone abideth forever.”

Take that through with you today and tomorrow.

Praying like our lives depended on it

There’s a story about a ship that was caught in a raging storm out at sea.  The captain learned the ship was sinking and so he called out, “Anyone here know how to pray?” One man stepped forward. “Aye, Captain, I know how to pray.” “Good,” said the captain, “you pray while the rest of us put on our life jackets – we’re one short.”

I think too many of us are like that captain.  We think prayer is a nice idea and it helps us feel better, but when push comes to shove, it doesn’t really make any difference.  It’s not really effective.  Especially when our lives depend on it. 

That’s not what the early believers of the church thought.  They were putting their lives on the line on a daily basis for their faith.  For them, prayer wasn’t a little add-on to their lives.  It was their lifeline to heaven itself. 

The Setting

In Acts chapter 1 we find the disciples together in the city of Jerusalem.  They had been told by Jesus not to leave but to wait for the Father’s promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit.  And so we read in verses 12-14:

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is near Jerusalem—a Sabbath day’s journey away. When they arrived, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. They all were continually united in prayer, along with the women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. (Acts 1:12–14)

The “upper room” (Gk. ὑπερῷον) was a structure that was built on the roof of a lower level; used variously for sleeping, dining, or entertaining guests.  Some believe it to be the same Upper Room where Jesus and his disciples met for the Last Supper—but that is unlikely.  It would have needed to be a very large room because there are a lot of people here and was likely owned by someone with wealth.  When they came together in this room, they prayed.  Note some features of their praying. 

Firstly, it was unanimous – “all were continually united in prayer.” I’m all for praying alone, quiet times, and going to a solitary place to talk to God.  Jesus did that often and so should we.  But there is also a time and place for God’s people to come together to cry out to God.  Sadly however, we do it so seldom and when we do, only a small handful attend.   Let me ask you, do you have anyone or any group with whom you meet on a regular basis for prayer?  If the answer is no, you need to do something about it.  You’re missing out on a large part of what God wants to do in you and through you. 

Secondly, it was harmonious – they were “continually united in prayer.” The word Luke uses is homothumadon – from homo meaning “the same” and thumos – translated “mind.”  Paul uses this word in Romans 15:6 where he speaks about glorifying God the Father “with one mind and one voice.” That’s how the prayers of the early church started.  They were unified and cohesive, not disjointed and divided.  This is what prayer often does, it unifies God’s people.  The Spirit of God is at work binding our thoughts and prayers and desires together as one.  

Thirdly, it was continuous – they were “continually united in prayer.” The Greek word here means to continue steadfastly in something; to be persistent and unyielding.  They didn’t give up or give in.  They kept banging on heaven’s door. 

Acts 1:12-14 gives us a pattern for how the church should operate in every age.  We have so much compared with the little they had.  There are over two billion Christians in the world today; they had a little over a hundred.  We have vast libraries filled with theological books and references; they didn’t even have a New Testament.  We have millions of churches; they had one small group in an upper room.   But what they did God calls us to do today – to come together as one body, under the one Lord led by the One Spirit and plead for God to move in power amongst us. 

There are many great benefits to praying together as Christians – whether that means large groups or in small groups or one-on-one.  Let me share some of those benefits with you:

Benefits of Praying Together

1. Praying together invites the presence and power of God.

There is a beautiful scene, in the book of 2 Chronicles, where Solomon is dedicating the Temple.  It tells us “the whole congregation of Israel was standing there” (2 Chron. 6:3) And Solomon begins to pray, calling on the presence of God:

“Now, my God, please let your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayer of this place. Now therefore: Arise, Lord God, come to your resting place, you and your powerful ark. May your priests, Lord God, be clothed with salvation, and may your faithful people rejoice in goodness.” (2 Chron 6:40–41)

And we are told when he finished praying, fire descended from heaven and consumed all the burnt offerings and sacrifices and, “the priests were not able to enter the Lord’s temple because the glory of the Lord filled the temple of the Lord” (7:2).

Can you imagine that?  That would rattle a few cages, wouldn’t it?  Do we believe in the same God?  Do we believe God will work in power like that today? 

2. Praying together strengthens our faith.

When our faith is fragile and doubt is creeping in, corporate prayer and worship can strengthen us as we lean into the faith of others.  The Apostle John wrote that we can have the confidence that if we ask in prayer, God hears us and answers (1 John 5:14-15).  However, often when prayers go seemingly unanswered for a long time, doubt creeps in.  When we pray with other believers and experience God moving it strengthens our hearts to wait on Him for our own answers.

3. Praying together builds unity

Praying together is the single most significant thing we can do to cultivate unity in the church.  You’ve heard the saying, “Couples who pray together, stay together.”  The same applies to churches.  Right now churches in our nation are divided.  They are divided because of decisions our government has made to segregate people.  We need to pray that God mends that division and brings healing and forgiveness so that our church family can be united again.

4. Praying together aligns our purposes with the purposes of God

Most of us pray because we want God to fix something in our lives.  When we set ourselves to pray with others, and we pray long enough, there is a dynamic that happens: people start to let go of their desires and start to open themselves up to what God wants.  I’ve gone to prayer meetings to pray for money or buildings and left praying instead for souls.  If we are truly seeking God, and we do that together, more often than not we will end up praying for things we didn’t intend. 

5.  Praying together creates a sense of expectancy.

In Psalm 5 verse 3, David prayed, “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I plead my case to you and watch expectantly.” As believers regularly gather for times of prayer a sense of anticipation arises.  People become excited to have these prayer meetings, expecting to see God show up and answer.  As we witness God answering the prayers of others, our sense of hope builds, and we wait with expectation for God to answer our own requests.  Faith in an all-powerful God grows.

We need this now more than ever.  Many have lost their sense of hope.  Is it possible that hope will be rekindled as we gather in groups both small and large to corporately pray and seek the face of God? I believe it is!

Conclusion

Charles Spurgeon knew the importance and power of praying.  His church grew to be one of the largest in his time with over 10,000 weekly attendees in downtown London.  Pastors and church leaders would travel to his church to learn the secret of his success.  Spurgeon would then take them down to a basement room where there were more than 300 people on their knees praying as the service went on upstairs. 

He called this prayer-room the Engine Room Of The Church.  “If the engine room is out of action,” Spurgeon explains, “then the whole mill will grind to a halt.  We cannot expect blessing if we do not ask.”

I love being part of God’s church.  There is no limit to what God can do in and through us.  But those things are never going to come to pass unless we commit to being a people of prayer.  Jesus reminds us that He is the vine, we are the branches, and apart from Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5). We need to know only know this but believe this. 

We need to pray like our lives as well as the lives of others, depended on it. 

This post is based on a message from our recent Advent series. You can watch or listen to that message here