Title: Pray with One Heart
Acts 4:23-31 Pray with one mind Theme:24. Holy Spirit 2007. 4. 15.
◎ Introduction
: Those who truly believe will suffer persecution (John 15:20) : Those who believe in Christ, the Early Church, and even today are persecuted.
can't avoid it
※ Persecution is ① in the form of slander, anger, slander, scandal, cynicism, curses, isolation, and violence.
② It can happen in the market, church, home, community, or school.
※ What believers need: It is not about getting out of persecution, but about victory over persecution.
(Needs a strong conviction of an unshakable mission)
1. Background (23-24)
2. Confidence in Providence (25-28)
3. Confidence in mission and God's interest (29-30)
4. Results (31)
1. Background: Peter and John are released (23-24)
※ As soon as they were released, they went to their believers, that is, the church. (They were praying)
One). They reported and shared their experiences with the church.
① They were imprisoned, tried in the supreme court, threatened and warned, but not defeated, silenced
I did not keep it. (Preached the Gospel)
② Peter and John were not even triumphant. (The gospel was preached to the highest ruler.)
* Pride, pride, more used, glorifying oneself, special servant of God, higher status.
③ “Speaking all” Peter and John's interest in encouraging, instructing (building up) the church, and in dealing with impending persecution
It's for warning.
* We shared what kind of persecution would come if we preached Jesus, and how God helped us.
* There was no discussion about whether to stop preaching the gospel or not.
* You have already been commanded to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).
2). There was only one thing the church could do, pray with a victorious voice.
※ “With one heart” means praying with one mind and one spirit. Notice that they are united.
※ Some people prayed and others did not think about their work. I prayed with all my heart.
※ The prayer that God hears and answers is the prayer of such a gathering.
(Matthew 18:19, Mark 11:24, James 5:16, Jer 29:13)
“Again, truly, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth to ask for anything,
it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 18:19).
3). Confidence in God's power (24)
※ “Great Lord,” because he is the omnipotent One who created the universe, there are no people, beings, or organizations that can block God.
there is no country This is why the church has great confidence in the power of God.
※ “Lord” means the master, ruler, and lord who rules.
2. Confidence in Providence (25-28)
※ God's will-predestination: God's plan (provided providence and doing good) has already been proven.
* The prophecy of David and the death of Christ prove it.
One). People will oppose God (David's prophecy) (compare Psalm 2:1-2)
① The nations (the lost ones of the world) will be angry. It means being unrestrained, arrogant, and arrogant.
② The tribes (worldly people) operate in vain. Focus your life, time, and energy on meaningless possessions and material things (worldly things).
③ Princes and rulers come together to oppose the Messiah.
2). God has controlled man's adversary by his own plan.
※ You have set a policy for what you will do in the future.
① The prophecy was fulfilled in the death of Christ.
They: resisted the “Holy Servant Jesus” and finally killed him.
God: Destroyed all these and “raised them from the dead”
* God's intention (God's plan and omnipotence) is to accomplish all good (Acts 2:23).
② The prophecy is still being fulfilled in the life of the believer and in the church.
* The world is: still angry, manipulating in vain, and opposing God and the church.
God: Lets the gospel be preached and saves all who hear and believe the gospel.
(1 Corinthians 2:7, 2 Tim. 1:9, 2:8,9, Titus 1:2~3)
3. Confidence in mission and God's interest (29-30)
※ Evidence: They had confidence in God's mission and God's interest.
One). The mission of the disciples was “to preach the word of God.”
※ The disciples prayed for ① that the wicked would perish ② that the persecution would stop ③ that they would stop preaching the gospel until quiet.
I didn't ask you to do it.
※ Rather, I prayed for greater courage and boldness to bear witness to the gospel. “Boldness” (fear goes away)
① “Even now,” the church needed greater courage to dissipate fear and spread the gospel.
② “Be down” means to look down. Give me what I need to endure persecution with patience...
③ “Slave” (Dulos) In the sense of slave, they are slaves of God, do God’s will, and share and preach God’s word despite persecution. (Matthew 28:19~20, Mark 16:15, Acts 4: 20, 2 Timothy 1:8)
2). The disciples' demands are signs, wonders, and healing powers.
※ He asked for the power of God to be revealed so that the disciples' claims could be justified.
※ The disciples claim that the Son of God ① has come. ②He died. ③ He was resurrected. ④ He was exalted by the right hand of God. ⑤ He is still working today and is working in people's lives.
※ It is the Lord's power to prove all these things through signs and wonders.
That power is ① in the “name” of Jesus (Acts 3:6, 4:7, 10, 12, 17, 18)
②It is only for the glory of Jesus (Matthew 10:1, Mark 3:14-15, 16:17-18,...)
4. Result (31) ※ It was threefold.
One). The place where they had gathered shook. : The sign of God's dominion over the material world
2). They were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1 4): They needed and experienced a very special manifestation of God.
3). As they had prayed, they gained courage, spoke the word with courage, and preached the gospel powerfully.
(Acts 1:8, 4:13, 9:28, 14:3, 28, Titus 2:15, 1 Pet 3:15)
◎ Conclusion: