Putting People Together Again

January 31, 1988

Acts 4:23-31

Text (v 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.

Humpty-Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty-Dumpty had a great fall;
All the king's horses
And all the king's men
Couldn't put Humpty together again!

. . . and those old nursery rhymes usually have a grain of truth. There are some things that, once broken, can never be put together again. And yet here was a man (described in Chapter 3), apparently broken, that Jesus made 'whole' in response to the disciples' faith.

I. THE DISCIPLES HAD BEGUN TO RESPOND TO THE GREAT COMMISSION

(and to "look on the great harvest fields!")

  1. (vv9,10) THE DISCIPLES WERE AGENTS OF WHOLENESS:

    They found that Jesus had met their needs; and now Jesus IN THEM was able to reach out with help to others in need. So they were agents of HEALING. Their testimony was: The power in the name of Jesus has made this man WHOLE. Here they meant 'physically' whole. But like Jesus, they were interested in the whole person.

  2. THEY LOOKED/SAW LIKE JESUS!

    Jesus "looked with compassion"...and now Peter was doing it!

    THEY CARED/LOVED LIKE JESUS! They had not understood how Jesus could love everybody. They had watched Him during the years of His ministry, caring for the Jews, the Samaritans, men and women, children and cripples, rich and poor. They had never really understood that overwhelming love. But now they were demonstrating it.

  3. AND PEOPLE WERE BEING "MADE WHOLE!"

II. THE RESULT WAS: GROWTH IN THE MIDST OF OPPOSITION

  1. THERE WAS OPPOSITION!

    It is hard to understand, but this witness was not universally well received. It DIVIDED those who observed. One might think that people who went around loving and caring and helping would be thought the greatest thing there could be. But somehow many people were threatened.

  2. Here were Christians, human and flawed, BUT THEY WERE PEOPLE THAT JESUS USED. What was their secret?
    1. For one thing, THEY WERE FULL OF JOY! They weren't people with a "cause" or some kind of "movement" with fanatics: they were people of "the Way"— followers of Messiah, who had conquered death.
    2. For another, they didn't tolerate any Master but Jesus! THEIRS WAS A "LOVING INTOLERANCE" They loved people, and yet they did not share their allegiance. There was only one way to be made whole, through JESUS!—no other name!
    3. Still another—THESE PEOPLE WERE ORIGINALS!—genuine, artless, intense—what they were: but it was evident that they had been with Jesus!

      Whenever we hear of any kind of 'break­through' we copy everything about the situation or circumstance. We need to see that God wants us to be what we are—and stay close to Him—- and then He will use us!

    4. THEY WERE A PRAYING PEOPLE

      Perhaps most important: they KNEW Jesus! They stayed close to Him by prayer—separate and together, and so THEIR MESSAGE WAS CERTAINTY!—they were NOT following a "guide book". (They DID know their Bibles!) They LOVED because Jesus LOVED IN THEM! They weren't testifying a "rote" sales speech.

      1. They were afraid;
      2. They were at times unsure;
      3. but they knew Jesus lived in their hearts!

Do you wonder what kind of prayer and praying they did?

III. A PRAYER THAT KEPT THE CHURCH 'ON TARGET!'

  1. THEIR PRAYER (Chapter 4:23-31)
    1. IT WAS A "TOGETHER" PRAYER!.

      (23) " When they were released they went to their own companions and reported; and when they had heard this THEY lifted their voiced with one accord":) The disciples hurried back to the fellowship; they told their concerns; then together they prayed:

    2. IT WAS A PRAYER OF PRAISE!

      (24—28) "Lord, YOU are Creator! Lord, YOU are in charge!) They took the time to focus on just WHO God IS! Hebrews 11:6!!

    3. IT WAS A PRAYER FOR ASSURANCE!

      (27-29) And now, Lord, take note of their threats!") They knew that God knew! But THEY wanted to KNOW God knew!

    4. IT WAS A PRAYER FOR BOLDNESS, FOR COURAGE, FOR STRENGTH! IT WAS A PRAYER FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT!

      It is significant that the disciples did not pray for the problems to be removed. They asked for courage to do whatever God wanted them to do.

    5. IT WAS A PRAYER THAT WAS ANSWERED!
      1. They spoke with boldness!
      2. Great power attended their witness to JESUS!
      3. Great GRACE (love) was on them all: they GAVE, they SHARED, they MET EACH OTHER'S LACK
      4. It brought REVIVAL, but NOT perfection (Ananias & Saphira)
  2. OUR PRAYER!

    This is a prayer that we ALL can pray! And remember, John 15:8 comes after 15:7 !! If we can learn to pray in His will, Jesus will see that our prayers are answered!

Conclusion:

What would happen if WE would pray a prayer similar to that prayer, and keep on praying? How LONG would we have to pray? Would we be willing to let GOD show us how?

I'd like to close my message with a story. This is NOT a story that I hope we will copy—at least in the method or plan or details. But I pray that we will capture some of the "essence" of the power of praying together:

The conversion of anyone is a miracle of grace. But I'd like to tell you about a miracle that is so fresh and so wonderful it is almost unbelievable. But I need to start at the beginning, to get as much of the story as I can:

Rev. Marian (Skip) Barber, pastor of the Church of the Nazarene in Columbiana, Ohio, was facing some challenges in the life and spirit of his church. And perhaps more importantly Rev. Barber felt personally challenged in his own prayer life. Several church leaders had moved away almost simultaneously; devotions that seemed "mechanical" even though faithfully maintained failed to rout temptations to feel sorry for himself.

So in October 1985 Rev. Barber began a personal 5:30 a.m. prayer time just to seek to draw closer to God. This he continued with increasing satisfaction and joy. In February, 1986, five months later, Rev. Barber made a low-key public challenge for his congregation to join him in this 5:30 prayer meeting.

Several members responded, and almost without interruption the daily morning prayer time has continued to the present. One of the men who responded is a friend of ours, Jim Couchenour, who himself had had an early morning prayer vigil for TWO YEARS prior to this 5:30 group (that is still meeting.)

There have been other contributing factors to the Columbiana story. But something wonderful has been taking place there. There has been growth in every measurable dimension. The number one benefit, as far as Rev. Barber is personally concerned is (in his own words:), "I have a relaxed sense of being involved in prayer with my people, of not having to prove anything to anyone!"

Before-after sketches can be manipulated, but "before" the Columbiana church was a strong church that had fallen on hard times economically, had lost leadership, had harbored temptation to bitterness. "After" there is, in Rev. Barber's words, "an attractiveness to the church..." No organized visitation, as such, is going on, but people from widely varied backgrounds are coming to find God meeting their needs. Attendance at services has increased 50%, and is still growing. Rev. Barber says, "It is like I imagine it was in the early days of our denomination."

One evening Jim Couchenour, a man who has befriended many new Christians, was concerned about one man who had had a drinking problem. He went looking for him in the town's only bar. He wasn't there, but our friend had some conversation with the bar's owner, Mrs. Watson. That was more than six months ago.

Nellie Watson, 65, owns a bar in Columbiana, Ohio. But the bar is closed forever, at least as a place for the sale of alcoholic beverages. Nellie Watson became a Christian last Sunday evening, January 24, 1988, when she confessed the Lord Jesus Christ as her Savior and her Lord. What is more, last Wednesday evening, January 27th, after prayer meeting, two or three Christians went to Nellie's daughter, Nancy's home. Nancy had prayed that very day for God to give her help in getting saved. The little group found her ready and waiting to give her heart to the Lord, too.

But HOW it happened is fascinating: Jim made friendly contact. He paid the man's debts. He offered to provide music for a Saturday night: and brought his church "combo" to play Christian music. He talked with many people about the Lord; and started meeting at the bar after church on Sunday evening. when it was closed for business—except "kingdom business!"

A couple of weeks ago the church board met for an "extra" session—no minutes, no "business" just to hear about the "adventures" of one of their members in the bar; they "owned" the project! They were willing to follow the Lord in reaching out to the people God had called them to reach!

And there are a lot of happy people in Columbiana this week!! Nellie Watson was genuinely and soundly converted! She is a Christian! And Jim said she is a "Nazarene already!"

JESUS SAID, "THE HARVEST IS GREAT! THE LABORERS ARE FEW! BUT BEFORE YOU GO, PRAY! PRAY THE LORD OF HARVEST, THAT HE WILL SEND FORTH LABORERS INTO THE HARVEST!"

How long has it been since you prayed that God would send laborers into the harvest? Will you join me in a closing prayer that God, the Lord of the harvest will send laborers into His fields?

#54 [EH] O Breath of Life