Sunday Re Cap (8th July 2012)

An Anointed Prayer (Acts 4:23-31)

Five reasons this prayer is relevant to us today:

1. The Answer That Came

Acts 4:31: The answer that came shows us that Pentecost was not a unique event, but the Holy Spirit is freely available now if God’s people would pray! This outpouring of the Spirit is exactly what is desperately needed in the church in Malaysia because of the challenges that face us.

2. Who Is Praying

This prayer is relevant because of who is praying. Acts 4:23 Luke does not say they went to "the other apostles." He says they went to "their friends," literally: "their own." Therefore this prayer is relevant to us because it is prayed not by someone with special rights and privileges, but by Christians. So the prayer is relevant because of who prayed it—people like you and me.

3. When It Was Prayed

The occasion for this prayer is very dangerous threats against the preaching of God's Word in the name of Jesus. They do not assume that they can keep on and advance in effective ministry without a fresh baptism of the Spirit. If the early Christians needed to seek a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit to carry on in their situation, how much more we.

4. To Whom It Was Prayed

It is remarkable that these Christians take five verses to tell God who he is, and two verses to ask what they want from him. God does not need to be told who he is. But Christians need to know who He is. They identify God in two ways. First, they say he is the Creator of all things. Verse 24. Second, they say that God is the one who is ruler of all, even the deeds of evil men. Many would tell us that doctrine and theology are not important if you can have the power of the Holy Spirit. But these early Christians knew their doctrines well.

5. What Was Asked

They ask for three things: that God would give them boldness; that he would stretch out his hand to heal people; and that he would cause signs and wonders to happen—all this through the name of Jesus. In other words their desire is to be empowered in such a way that the name of Jesus will be vindicated. This is relevant for us because it shows us how we should be seeking the power of God's Spirit. We should be praying for it like they were—and remember Jesus says not to lose heart, but to keep seeking and knocking and asking the Father for the Holy Spirit (Luke 11). And that means praying not only in general ways for the outpouring of God's Spirit but in specific ways: for the gift of bold proclamation, for his hand to be stretched out to heal, and his Son's name to be honored and vindicated through signs and wonders. Preaching is primary but signs and wonders are helpful witnesses to the Word of grace (Acts 14:3; Heb 2:4)

It is a very relevant prayer. Not for an inward looking people who are merely interested in unusual experiences, but for a people who long for the salvation of sinners and the magnifying of God's glory and the public vindication of Jesus' name. If that is what we want, then this is the way to pray.

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