THE PRAYER THAT UNIFIED THE CHURCH
THE FIRST RECORDED PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
BY PAT GULLEY
Acts 4:2
And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said,
Lord, thou art God which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:
The Apostles Peter and John were filled with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost with the 120 and are now being living witnesses to the Resurrected Power of the Living Lord Jesus. The 120 born again Believers had grown to 3,120 in just one day and met together on a daily basis to worship and praise the Lord. (Ac 2: 41-47)
One day Peter and John went to the Temple in Jerusalem at 3:00 in the afternoon to pray. As they walked in through the Beautiful Gate, they saw a crippled man who had been lame from the day he was born begging alms. This man did this on a daily basis and when Peter and John saw him, they said to him, "Look at us." He did so in expectation of receiving a substantial amount of money because most people draw attention to themselves when they want to be noticed for their generosity.
But then Peter said to the man, "Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee, IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH, RISE UP AND WALK." He took the man by the hand and lifted him up and immediately his feet and anklebones received strength and he stood up, walked, and entered with them into the Temple, walking, leaping, and praising God.
Everyone recognized him and was amazed at the fact he was walking. They asked how this miracle came about and the Apostles told them not to look at them because it was not by their power or holiness that this man was walking but by the NAME OF JESUS AND FAITH IN THAT NAME.
Of course as is often the case, no good deed goes unpunished and Peter and John were thrown in jail within a few hours because the Temple Leaders were upset at what had happened. They were also angry that everyone in the Temple saw what a wonderful thing happened to the crippled man in the Name of Jesus.
The next day, the Apostles were questioned again and they said the same thing. THE NAME OF JESUS AND FAITH IN THAT NAME MADE THIS MAN WHOLE. In fact, they added these two statements. (Acts 4: 11-12)2
1. This is the stone that was set aside by you builders and it is become the head of the corner. (Head of the Church)
2. There is salvation in no other (person): for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
This went over like a lead balloon with the elders, rulers, scribes. They had a meeting behind closed doors and then commanded both Peter and John that they quit preaching the Resurrection of Jesus and forbad them to teach in the Name of Jesus. Of course, they told them that it made more sense for them to obey God than to obey them and they left the Temple and went back to their own company of believers.
THIS IS WHERE WE SEE THE FIRST RECORDED PRAYER OF THE CHURCH. (Acts 4: 23-31) As you read it, notice that they took it from the first 8 verses of the Second Psalm. It is awesome.
Acts 4:23-31
23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.
24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:
25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?
26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.
27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.
29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,
30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.
31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
(KJV)
They prayed that the Lord would give them boldness to speak the Word of God by stretching out His Hand in Healing, and that signs and wonders would be done in the Name of the Holy Child Jesus.
God answered this prayer and the world has never been the same.
BY PAT GULLEY
Acts 4:2
And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said,
Lord, thou art God which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:
The Apostles Peter and John were filled with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost with the 120 and are now being living witnesses to the Resurrected Power of the Living Lord Jesus. The 120 born again Believers had grown to 3,120 in just one day and met together on a daily basis to worship and praise the Lord. (Ac 2: 41-47)
One day Peter and John went to the Temple in Jerusalem at 3:00 in the afternoon to pray. As they walked in through the Beautiful Gate, they saw a crippled man who had been lame from the day he was born begging alms. This man did this on a daily basis and when Peter and John saw him, they said to him, "Look at us." He did so in expectation of receiving a substantial amount of money because most people draw attention to themselves when they want to be noticed for their generosity.
But then Peter said to the man, "Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee, IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH, RISE UP AND WALK." He took the man by the hand and lifted him up and immediately his feet and anklebones received strength and he stood up, walked, and entered with them into the Temple, walking, leaping, and praising God.
Everyone recognized him and was amazed at the fact he was walking. They asked how this miracle came about and the Apostles told them not to look at them because it was not by their power or holiness that this man was walking but by the NAME OF JESUS AND FAITH IN THAT NAME.
Of course as is often the case, no good deed goes unpunished and Peter and John were thrown in jail within a few hours because the Temple Leaders were upset at what had happened. They were also angry that everyone in the Temple saw what a wonderful thing happened to the crippled man in the Name of Jesus.
The next day, the Apostles were questioned again and they said the same thing. THE NAME OF JESUS AND FAITH IN THAT NAME MADE THIS MAN WHOLE. In fact, they added these two statements. (Acts 4: 11-12)2
1. This is the stone that was set aside by you builders and it is become the head of the corner. (Head of the Church)
2. There is salvation in no other (person): for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
This went over like a lead balloon with the elders, rulers, scribes. They had a meeting behind closed doors and then commanded both Peter and John that they quit preaching the Resurrection of Jesus and forbad them to teach in the Name of Jesus. Of course, they told them that it made more sense for them to obey God than to obey them and they left the Temple and went back to their own company of believers.
THIS IS WHERE WE SEE THE FIRST RECORDED PRAYER OF THE CHURCH. (Acts 4: 23-31) As you read it, notice that they took it from the first 8 verses of the Second Psalm. It is awesome.
Acts 4:23-31
23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.
24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:
25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?
26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.
27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.
29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,
30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.
31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
(KJV)
They prayed that the Lord would give them boldness to speak the Word of God by stretching out His Hand in Healing, and that signs and wonders would be done in the Name of the Holy Child Jesus.
God answered this prayer and the world has never been the same.
posted by Metamora Patter at 5/27/2005 10:38:00 AM
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