Upstairs Prayer Gathering

Upstairs Prayer Gathering

“Upstairs Prayer Gathering”

(Acts 1:12-26)

Series: Back to the Basics (Acts 1-9)

Rev. Todd A. Linn, PhD

Henderson’s First Baptist Church, Henderson

  • Take your Bibles and join me in the Book of Acts, chapter 1.

While you’re finding that I want to share with you what we’ll be doing this evening.  We have our 52 Days of Prayer going on, taking time as a church family for focused, intentional daily prayer for our church.  So grateful for your taking to pray for one another, praying for yourself and for your church.  Love hearing from you as God is speaking to you during this time of prayer.

And we want of course not to just pray for one another, but we want to pray for folks who are lost or unconnected to the church.  We want to pray for our community.  We’ve got a really simple way to do that this evening.  We’ll take time tonight to be in our community and pray for our community, and let folks know that we love them.  It’s called Pray and Go.  Really simple.  You just show up tonight, paired together with a team, and you simply walk from house to house, praying for the folks and putting a door hanger on their door that says, “We prayed for you.”  [pics of door hangers].  There’s the front.  On the back: “We love our community so we are praying for our community.”  Church location and times there, including our Hispanic worship service.  Pretty simple, right?

So I’m asking you to come back this evening and take part in pray and go—about 30 minutes of praying through one of our neighborhood communities.  It’s all been thought out ahead and mapped out for you so all you need to do is show up here at six o’clock, get your assigned area and door hangers, and off we’ll go to Pray and Go.

Speaking of prayer, have you found Acts 1?  We’ll pick up where we left off last time, verse 12, the disciples have just watched Jesus ascend up into heaven.  And now we read from verses 12 to the end about the first prayer gathering, an upstairs prayer gathering in an upper room in Jerusalem. 

  • Please stand in honor of the reading of God’s Word.

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. 

13 And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. 

14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

Matthias Chosen

15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the [f]disciples (altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty), and said, 

16 “Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus; 

17 for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry.”

18 (Now this man purchased a field with the wages of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out. 

19 And it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem; so that field is called in their own language, Akel Dama, that is, Field of Blood.)

20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms: ‘Let his dwelling place be desolate, And let no one live in it’; and, ‘Let another take his office.’

21 “Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 

22 beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”

23 And they proposed two: Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 

24 And they prayed and said, “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen 

25 to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.” 

26 And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

  • Let’s pray.  “God, in a fresh way, please impress upon us the need to pray, to gather together in love for one another and to talk to You, really believing You will guide Your church, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

We’re in a series of messages from the opening chapters of the Book of Acts.  Our series is entitled “Back to the Basics.”  We’re going back to the very beginning of the New Testament church to learn from them.  What did they do?  Where was their focus?  This morning we’ll learn much from the early church about prayer, the power of prayer.  Before we talk about the prayer principles that rise from this passage, let’s go back through it and make sure we understand it. 

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. 

After Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father, the church walked back about half a mile to Jerusalem and they are gathering together at a location everyone knew about, the “upper room.”

13 And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. 

So the apostles have gone upstairs to this room in a house.  It may have been the room where the Lord’s Supper had been celebrated and the room where Jesus appeared to His disciples after the resurrection.  They are gathered there, but they are not alone.  There are several folks gathered with them.

14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

The brothers of Jesus did not believe Him to be Messiah while Jesus was alive, but that was then and this is now.  They had seen Jesus’ resurrected body and the Spirit of God had brought them to faith in their newfound Savior, Jesus Christ.

Verse 14 says that “these all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication,” meeting together like this for probably seven to 10 days before Pentecost in chapter 2.  and while praying Peter gets up to address the gathering, verse 15:

15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty), and said, 

So now we know the total of he gathering, about 120 folks gathered together for regular, ongoing, consistent prayer.  Peter stand to address the crowd and says, verse 16:

16 “Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus; 

You’ll remember Judas was the one who betrayed Jesus.  The unbelieving Jewish authorities gave Judas 30 pieces of silver to lead the them to Jesus.  And Jesus was apprehended in the cover of darkness and taken away ultimately to be crucified.

So Peter stands up to remind the disciples about this and tells them how this betrayal of Judas was prophesied in the Old Testament, a fulfillment of prophecy.  He says in verse 16, “this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before (or earlier) by the mouth of David concerning Judas…”  Judas was the one, verse 17:

17 for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry.”

Now there’s a bit of an interruption here with what is a parenthetical aside in verses 18 and 19, Luke the historian reminds us what happened to Judas:

18 (Now this man purchased a field with the wages of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out (Yuck!). 

19 And it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem; so that field is called in their own language, Akel Dama, that is, Field of Blood.)

Luke the ever careful historian is reminding us that the 30 pieces of silver was the blood money used to purchase a field known as the Field of Blood.  Judas purchased this field indirectly, which is to say that the money he returned to the authorities was used to buy this field, the very place where Judas died.  You can read more about his gruesome death in the gospels if you’d like and study how this passage complements those passages.  

Quite a gruesome end to Judas’s final days of betrayal.  And such is the sorry end of those who remain under the influence of Satan, who love what Satan loves, in this case love for riches and power.  Hope that doesn’t describe any of us.

So Peter is standing up and telling the 120 folks that this all happened as a fulfillment of biblical prophecy and how he needs to be replaced now.  They are down to 11 and Peter knows Jesus had selected 12.  So he’s eager to see that a man be appointed to replace Judas.  And Peter shows how even this matter is prophesied in the Scriptures:

20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms: ‘Let his dwelling place be desolate, And let no one live in it (from Psalm 69)’; and, ‘Let another take his office (from Psalm 109).’

We must not read through these verses too quickly without noting the early church’s love for the Scriptures and their desire to do whatever the Bible taught.  

And if we back up just a few verses to verse 16 again, we’ll note the clear affirmation for what we call the divine inspiration of the Scripture.  Peter is talking about a prophecy in the Bible and he refers to a particular Scripture as that “which the Holy Spirit spoke…”  The Holy Spirit spoke in and through David as he wrote the Psalms.  This is precisely the sort of thing Paul has in mind where he writes in 2 Timothy 3:16: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,” literally God-breathed.  The Bible is God-breathed.  That’s why we refer to it as God’s Word.  It is a God-breathed book, the Holy Spirit speaking in and through human authors so that what they end up writing down is precisely what God wants said.  As Peter echoes in 2 Peter 1:21: “…holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”

21 “Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 

22 beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”

Peter is saying, “Here is the criteria for being an apostle.  This is what is necessary for the next apostle, the one who replaces Judas.  This is the criteria: he must be one who was with us from the beginning when Jesus began His earthly ministry with the baptism of John and all the way up to the point He was taken up from us, someone who was also ‘a witness with us of His resurrection.”  

Based on that criteria, there are no apostles today—not in the most narrow definition of the word, New Testament apostles—there are no more apostles today because there are no folks still alive who have witnessed Jesus’ baptism, ministry, and resurrection.  

At that time, however, there were a couple men in the gathering of 120 who met that criteria, two men in verse 23:

23 And they proposed two: Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 

24 And they prayed and said, “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen 

25 to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place (a reference to eternal separation).” 

26 And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

What the apostles had done was something similar to the Old Testament use of the Urim and Thummin, stones used by the High Priest as one way to determine the counsel of God. 

They had taken a couple of stones or pieces of pottery or wood and marked one with the name “Barsabas” and one with the name “Matthias.”  And they would have put the two stones inside a garment or an urn or something like that, and then shaken out and based on how they fell out, the one would be selected.  Now that sounds kind of funny to most of us.  Like, “Is that how we’re to seek God today?  Am I to pray like that?!”

Remember this is the early church, not the later church.  This is before the entire Bible is completed.  We do not yet have the Canon of Scripture, the 66 books of the Bible written down.  Also, we do not have as of yet the sustaining presence of the Holy Spirit to guide.  The Holy Spirit is poured out at Pentecost; chapter 2.  So this sort of practice was customary for Old Testament believers.  It was a common way for God to guide His people, using  the Urim and Thummim stones, or the casting of lots.  As Solomon writes in Proverbs 16:33, “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.”

Things are different today.  In fact, this is the last mention of lots in the Bible.  Pentecost comes in just a few days in Chapter 2 and the Holy Spirit guides God’s children today as they live according to the Scriptures.  The Bible and the Holy Spirit guide us along.

What is important for us to understand this morning is that this entire movement known as the church begins with prayer.  It all began with prayer, folks assembled together in the upper room for an upstairs prayer gathering.  These are the same people who will eventually scatter to the ends of the earth, powerfully carrying the gospel message from the community to the continents.  But again—it all began with that first prayer meeting.  As we go back to the basics, then:

**What the Early Church Teaches us about Prayer…

  1. Our Church will not be Powerful until it is first Prayerful 

I want to repeat that because I’m afraid you may hear that statement as merely some lame aphorism, a trite bromide that sounds nice, but we don’t believe it.  Make no mistake: our church will never be powerful until it is first prayerful, until we each of us believe that there is no better position for brothers and sisters in Christ than to be on their knees regularly before God.

It is no accident that this upstairs prayer gathering occurs in chapter 1, preceding the coming of the powerful Holy Spirit in chapters 2 and following.  It all begins here.  If we want our church to be growing and powerful it must always be prayerful.

You can do an awful lot in your own strength.  Ask any minister.  Ask any deacon.  Ask any Sunday school teacher.  You can get a lesson together, you can build a team, you can recruit volunteers, you can build a big building and build a big crowd in your own strength.  It may even look impressive.  But there will be no power in it.  

The early church believed in the power of prayer.  Verse 14 says they “continued” in this prayer, regularly devoting themselves to prayer.  It was done regularly, day after day, a sustaining prayer and trust in God.

Whatever else we may do during this time of church transition, nothing will be more important than regular, daily, prayer.  That’s why we’re encouraging every member to pray through the 52 Days of Prayer guide.  Our church will never be powerful unless it i first prayerful.

What else can the early church teach us about prayer?  Secondly, when it comes to prayer:

  1. Our Trust in God is more important than Our Talking to God

These 120 folks gathered together in that upstairs prayer gathering had an unquestionable trust in God to guide them.  They didn’t just pray.  They really believed God would answer their prayer.

They knew the Holy Spirit would soon come and bless them with His empowering presence.  They had been told that by their Lord.  They were awaiting that event we now know as the Day of Pentecost in chapter 2.  So it is reasonable to infer that they were praying for the Holy Spirit to come have His way with them.  

And they also knew that God would be faithful to guide them in their selection of the 12th apostle to replace Judas.  How was it they had prayed?  Verse 24: “And they prayed and said, “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen…”

Note that prayer carefully: they did not just pray; they really believed God would answer their prayer.  They trusted in His sovereignty, “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all…”  God knows the hearts of all!  He knows your heart right now.  Knows exactly what you are thinking.  “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen…”  That is, “We know You already have chosen one of them because You are always working and so we just want to be sure our actions line up with Your actions.  Show which of these two You have chosen.”

They had an unswerving, unwavering, unquestionable trust in God.  Our trust in God is more important than our talking to God.  

When you pick up the 52 Days of Prayer guide, or when you access it online, and you go to praying, do you really trust God to do what you are praying?  Without really trust in God, everything is just words.  Words.  They don’t get up to God.  They don’t get any higher than the ceiling.

In Matthew 6:7, Jesus said, “When you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.”

There’s a way of praying where you’re just talking.  You’re not thinking about what you are saying and you’re not believing God to really do anything.  Just words.  Our trust in God is more important than our talking to God.  

When you pray this week, take time to pause while you are looking up the Scripture reference and praying through the prompt.  Pause and ask yourself, “Do I really believe this?  God help me.  I don’t want to be a hypocrite.  I don’t want to pray like the heathen do, thinking my talking to You is more important than my trust in You.”

We’re going back to the basics.  We’re learning what the early church can teach us about prayer: 1 Our church will not be powerful until it is first prayerful, 2 Our trust in God is more important than our talking to God, thirdly:

  1. Church Unity is Essential to Prayer Efficacy 

 

That word “efficacy” is a good theological word.  It means to produce a desired result or effect; effectiveness.  Remember what James says in James 5:16, “The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous person avails much,” results in much.  

The point here in Acts 1 is that church unity is essential to prayer efficacy.  In order for our prayers as a church to have the intended effect and powerful result we all hope to see—we must be united together.

Luke describes this first gathering of the 120 as a people who were—verse 14—“with one accord.”  Put another way, they were united together in love.  Unity.  They were in agreement.  They were with one accord.

Being of “one accord” does not mean that they agreed upon everything, but it does mean they got right with one another.  They were at peace with one another.  They had confessed and repented of any sin that separated them from one another and they were united together in spirit.

It’s so important!  Luke does not want us to miss it.  He says they were with one accord here at the close of Chapter 1 and what does he write in the beginning of Chapter 2 where the power comes at Pentecost?  Chapter 2, verse 1, “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord…”  There it is again, Church Unity is Essential to Prayer Efficacy.

James 5:16, “Confess your faults to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed.”  

I have longed to see true revival break out in our church.  It will never happen until brothers and sisters get right with one another.  These 120 folks who had been together during Jesus’ earthly ministry confessed their sins to one another during those days of prayer.

Can’t you picture them huddling together the way we do in prayer meetings, holding hands, or coming alongside and placing a hand upon the shoulder of another?  Being honest with one another?

Mary and Martha would have been there.  Can’t you see Martha coming over to Mary and confessing how she was wrong to be so brusque with her.  “Mary, I’m sorry for the way I acted.  I was so jealous.”  And Mary responds, “No, Martha, I’m the one who needs to confess.  Forgive me.”  And they forgive one another.

“Confess your faults to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed.”  

And James and John under conviction for their always wanting to be first.  They begin to go around to the other disciples, “Forgive us for our sinful, self-centeredness.”  And Peter replies, “No, forgive me!  I’m the one who was all about self!”  And they forgive one another.  

Prayer meeting.  Revival.  

What about you?  Have you ever wondered whether you may be the very one keeping revival from happening?  Is there someone in the church you’ve gossiped about?  Ignored?  You’re jealous of another person?  Avoiding someone?  Hating someone?

We’ll never know true revival without being of “one accord.”  Plain and simple.

  • Let’s pray now.

“Dear God, forgive us of our sin.  Give us grace to go make it right with others.  Like the 120 who prayed, ‘You O Lord know the hearts of all.’  You know our hearts right now.  Show us what needs to change.  Give us grace to follow through.  We confess our sin right now and repent, turning to You in reconciliation—and turning to our brothers and sisters in reconciliation.  As we sing, Lord, have Thine own way with us, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

• Now stand as we sing our hymn of response.

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