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Surprised by Prayer

Opening Illustration:

A minister dies and is waiting in line at the Pearly Gates. Ahead of him is a guy who's dressed in sunglasses, a loud shirt, leather jacket, and jeans. Saint Peter addresses this guy, "Your name, please, so that I determine your place in the Kingdom of Heaven?" The guy replies, "Aey, Joe Cohen, taxi-driver, Brooklyn." Saint Peter consults his list. He smiles and says to the taxi-driver, "Take this silken robe and golden staff, yours is the marble mansion on the hill over there."

The taxi-driver goes into Heaven with his robe and staff, and it's the minister's turn. He stands tall and booms out, "I am Joseph Snow, pastor of Grace Presbyterian for the last forty-three years." Saint Peter consults his list. He says to the minister, "Take this burlap bag and go to the shack down that back alley." "Just a minute," says the minister. "That man was a taxi-driver, and he gets a silken robe and a mansion. I’m a pastor and I get a shack? How can this be?" "Up here, we work by results," says Saint Peter. "When you preached, people slept; when he drove, people prayed."

Herod was a bad man

  1. All the Herods – from the same family of Edomites

  2. All were despised rulers – cruel, vicious

  3. One attempted to kill the infant Jesus

  4. Another participated in the death of Jesus

  5. Now he executes James

  6. Seeing it pleased the Jews – he arrests Peter

What can the church do?

  1. Facing this persecution – what can the church do?

  2. Run him out of office? No.

  3. Vote him out at the next election?

  4. Their response – prayer – Acts 12:5

  5. This is the origin of “prayer meeting” - former name for Wednesday night

Four things to learn about this prayer meeting:

  1. The prayers were intense

    1. Without ceasing

    2. Greek word = stretched out – many people, long time, with great emotion

    3. James 5:16

    4. Luke 11:8

  2. The praying was united

    1. Of the church” implies the entire congregation, all the members

    2. Church is not the building, street address

    3. Church is a planned, called assembly for a specific purpose

    4. Joint – public prayer

      1. Requires a leader to say out loud what all are feeling

        1. Must be heard by all

        2. Should be short to hold attention

        3. Not preach a sermon

        4. Not make announcements

      2. Requires all agree (say Amen) with the sentiments

  3. The prayers were real

    1. Unto God”

    2. Who else would you pray to?

      1. Self – like the Pharisees did

      2. Others – so they will be impressed with your devotion

    3. No vein repetitions are needed – Matthew 6:5, 7

    4. Prayer must “seek God's face” - 2 Chronicles 7:14

  4. The prayers were specific

    1. We often use “generic” terms

      1. Bless, be with, help – What do you want God to do?

      2. Puny prayers come from a puny faith

    2. Philippians 4:6-7 - “Let your requests be made known to God”

    3. What were they praying for in Acts 12?

      1. Peter's life

      2. Peter's safety

      3. Peter's release from prison

  5. We must pray in faith

    1. What did they believe would happen?

    2. They, like us, don't know HOW God will answer their prayer.

    3. At first – thought Rhoda was “beside herself” - mad, crazy

    4. Then some thought it was His spirit (angel) – meaning he died but is safe

    5. Finally – someone opened the door and saw Peter

    6. They were ASTONISHED

    7. Just a little faith goes a long way – Matthew 17:20 “mustard seed”

 

This sermon was developed from an article published in REVIVAL magazine, Issue 6, by Dr. Rick Flanders.



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