Message

---

THEY ALL JOINED TOGETHER CONSTANTLY IN PRAYER

Acts 1:12-26

Key Verse:12:14  “They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.”

Today’s passage teaches us how the early church prepared to carry out the task of world mission. They all joined together constantly in prayer. They became a vessel of the Holy Spirit through united prayer. Through this united prayer, they consecrated themselves to the holy mission of God. May God help us to learn how to join together in prayer for the task of world mission. Amen.

First, they returned to Jerusalem with great joy. (12)  Look at verse 12. “Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city.” After his resurrection, the Risen Jesus appeared to his disciples for forty days and gave them many convincing proofs that he was alive. Jesus also gave them a command not to leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit. (4) After giving the great world mission command, Jesus ascended to heaven before the very eyes of his disciples while they were on the Mount of Olives. As Jesus commanded, the disciples returned to Jerusalem. According to Luke 24:52, they returned to Jerusalem with great joy.

  How could they return to Jerusalem with great joy? Jerusalem was the city where Jesus was crucified and died. Jerusalem was the place where their enemies were seeking for their lives. But they returned to Jerusalem with great joy because they had the Risen Jesus in their hearts. They were not sorrowful anymore because Jesus rose again from the dead. They were not fearful anymore because they had the living hope of eternal life in the kingdom of God. However, they had to cope with many practical problems within and without. A big issue to them was the restoration of Israel. Their security and safety was also an urgent matter. Nevertheless, they were full of joy and hope simply because they had resurrection faith.  I pray that all our church members may live with resurrection faith. When we live with resurrection faith, we overcome fear of death. When we live with resurrection faith, we receive power and courage. However, when we live only for this life, we are filled with fear, sorrow, unnecessary stress and anxiety. May God help us to repent of our unbelief and selfishness so that we may live a victorious and joyful life of mission. Amen.

Second, they all joined together constantly in prayer. (13-14) Look at verse 13. “When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.” Here, Luke the author mentioned each of the Eleven one by one starting with Peter. The Eleven had a hard time getting along with each other because they were different in many ways. Peter and Andrew were fishermen with affection. James and John were fishermen with ambition. Philip was a sort of genius while Thomas was dubious. Bartholomew, called Nathanael, was a man of noble character (Jn 1:47) whereas Matthew, called Levi, was a tax collector. Simon the Zealot was a revolutionist while Judas son of James, called Thaddaeus, was not much known in the disciples’ list. They were all different just as all their finger prints were different.  Among our church members there are no two who are the same. All are different in one way or the other. Missionary Luke Yang and James Lee are slow to speak while missionary Abraham Park and I are quick to action. Dr. Augustine teaches theology and Msn. Isaiah Lim studies physics. Shepherdess Priscilla and Pangaa look similar like twin sisters, but they are different in many ways. I don’t have time to mention about all of us, but we all are different in character, interest, college major, job career, outward appearance, and so on. We are all different, but we all gathered here together for one reason, which is to serve our Lord Jesus Christ. We have many different ideas and desires, but we all become one because of Jesus’ world mission command.

Let’s go back to the Bible. What did the disciples do when they got together under Jesus’ world mission command? Look at verse 14. “They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.” In the past, when they got together, they had uneasy feelings toward each other because of a competitive spirit among them. But now when they got together, they prayed. They prayed with one heart and mind.  They became one when they prayed. There was no discord, no disputes, and no disagreement about Jesus’ world mission command. There was no one missing among the prayer participants. In the past, some of them might have been absent during their prayer meeting but appeared at the meal time. But now they all joined together in prayer.  They denied their feelings, physical conditions, and personal schedules  in order to join together. There was no “I, my, me, mine” but only ‘we, our, and ours” when they prayed. This was their united prayer. Through this united prayer, they became one. Through this united prayer, they made a vessel of the Holy Spirit. Through this united prayer they prepared to carry out world mission. 

It is not too much to emphasize on the importance of united prayer in doing the work of God. We may pray to God personally. Indeed, prayer is personal and individual fellowship with God. Jesus taught his disciples to go into a room, close the door and pray to God the Father, who is unseen. (Mt 6:6) We must have deep personal fellowship with God through personal prayer. At the same time, Jesus also taught us about united prayer. Jesus said in Matthew 18:19,20, “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” In the Lords’ Prayer, Jesus asked his disciples to call God “Our Father”, not “My father.” Here, Jesus taught us that we are all family members of one God. How wonderful and joyful we were when we sang together “We are family” led by Andrew the Nigerian, during the Easter Conference.

In the Apostle’s Creed, we confess that we believe in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Our united prayer is making us a vessel of the Holy Spirit. When we pray together, we have fellowship with God and with others. We have both vertical and horizontal fellowships when we pray together. The Holy Spirit works not only through each person but also through the fellowship of the believers. We experience the power of the Holy Spirit through the fellowship and union of the believers. In fact, at Pentecost when 120 disciples gathered in one place and prayed, the Holy Spirit came down like a violent wind and fire. (Acts 2:1-11)

Here are several good examples of the united prayer. In the Old Testament, the Israelites were under life-threatening danger by the Philistines. Their situation was like a smoldering wick before a strong wind. At that time, the prophet Samuel summoned all the Israelites at Mizpah and asked them to repent of their sins before God. Samuel led a spiritual revival through their repentance. Under Samuel’s spiritual leadership they all gathered, repented of their sins, and asked for God’s forgiveness of sin. They had a united prayer at Mizaph. Then, God heard their prayer and forgave their sins and protected them from the hand of their enemies. (1 Sa 7:2-13) 

After killing James, the brother of John, King Herod arrested Peter to please his people and put him into prison. It was a great challenge to the early church of the Lord. Acts 12:5 says, “So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.” All church members had united prayer for Peter. Then, the night before Herod was to bring Peter to trial, God sent an angel and took Peter out of the prison.

Before establishing the American Constitution, our Founding Fathers had a united prayer. All the congress members got together in a chamber, knelt down, cried out to God for God’s direction. They laid the foundation of this country with prayer. National Day of Prayer is coming up (May 3^rd). This is the day when all American Christians can be one in heart and mind and pray for this country.  Two years ago, shepherd Ben, myself and some church members joined the prayer meeting at St. Louis City Hall. Regardless of all differences among the attendees, we all prayed together for this country. It was a great experience in my prayer life.

Indeed, our UBF ministry started with Bible study and united prayer. In 1961 in Kwangju Korea, several medical students gathered together and studied the Bible and prayed for Bible Korea and for world mission. Since then, the Bible students in UBF started the united prayer. Whenever they met together, they prayed for Bible Korea and for world mission. They prayed two by two, three by three and group by group. They joined all together constantly in prayer. When they had the united prayer, God pioneered all the campuses in Korea. Not long after this, God opened the door of Asia, Europe, North and South America, Russia and Africa for missionaries through our united prayer. It is not too much to say that UBF ministry is a ministry of one to one Bible study and united prayers.

During the last USA & Canada Staff Conference in Chicago, shepherd Daniel Byun from Kwanak 3 shared his mission report. Kwanak 3 is a UBF chapter which evangelizes SNU known as the Harvard in Korea. He testified that his ministry has been very fruitful every year because of two main reasons: first, women co-workers’ sincere united prayer under shepherdess Jaeun Cho’ leadership; second, diligent reaching out to campus and one to one Bible studies. There is no other secret of successful ministry but earnest prayer and diligent one to one Bible study.

We St. Louis UBF co-workers had 40 days united prayer for the last Easter Bible Conference. We gathered every day and night and prayed because we believed in the power of united prayer. Our personal prayer is important and necessary. In doing the work of God, our united prayer is also very essential. That is why we frequently pray two by two, three by three and sometimes all together in a group. I believe in the power of our united prayer. When the Israelites gathered together and prayed, the great spiritual revival occurred. When the early church members prayed together, the door of the prison was opened. When our Founding Fathers all joined together constantly in prayer, God blessed this country America. When our UBF forefathers gathered and prayed one in heart and spirit under Jesus’ world mission purpose, God opened the door for world mission. When we humbly kneel down and pray together for Bible Wash U., Bible SLU, Bible UMSL and Bible St. Louis, God will work mightily in us and among us through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

We pray every morning except Sunday and Monday at 6:00 am at the Bible house. Please join us and pray together. You will experience the power of prayer and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.

Look at verse 14 again. “They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.” The disciples prayed constantly. They didn’t stop praying, but kept on praying with one heart. It is amazing that they included women in their prayer. In order to make the vessel of prayer, they removed racial, gender, and cultural barriers. They were all one in Christ as brothers and sisters. In this way, they consecrated themselves to the Lord to carry out world mission.

In church history we must acknowledge the important role of women’s prayer. Without Hannah’s prayer, there was no Samuel. Without Monica’s prayer, there was no St. Augustine. Without our women missionaries’ united prayer, there will be no fruitful ministry in St. Louis UBF. I mean to emphasize the importance of women co-worker’s prayer for God’s ministry. May God grant the spirit of unity and prayer all the more to our women co-workers. Amen.

Third, Matthias chosen to replace Judas Iscariot (15-26) When we gather and pray together, we cannot become one if someone hates another or has bitter feelings toward another. We cannot be one when we have something uneasy or uncomfortable which hinders our prayer and unity.  There were 120 disciples and they all became one under Jesus’ world mission purpose. Still, there was something which really bothered their united prayer. It was the tragedy of Judas Iscariot. Whenever the disciples thought about Judas Iscariot, their hearts became dark. They couldn’t understand Judas’ betrayal and his tragic end. Judas was one of the Twelve and one with whom they lived and worked closely for the last three years. But suddenly he betrayed Jesus and committed suicide. Suppose one of our closest friends or members suddenly turned their back on us and blamed us and left us. We would all hurt and suffer.

  What did Peter do in this situation? Peter was a born leader among the Twelve. He stood up among the believers and encouraged them to see Judas’ case with God’s point of view. Peter told them that Judas’ betrayal and his tragic death fulfilled the Scriptures. He read Psalm 69:25 and Psalm 109:8.  Peter did not see Judas’ betrayal as a tragic event, necessary to fulfill the will of God which they could not comprehend. Peter was a true leader. A spiritual leader should see all things with God’s point of view based on the word of God rather than try to understand with a human point of view. To the human point of view, Judas’ betrayal and death was a tragedy or a big mistake of Jesus’ ministry. But to God’s point of view, Judas’ case was to fulfill God’s redemptive work for world salvation.

  Peter immediately turned the issue from Judas’ death to election to replace Judas. Look at verses 21,22. “Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.” The qualification of the disciple was to be one who lived life with Jesus from the beginning and who was a witness of Jesus’ death and resurrection. So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” (23-25) Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.”(26) We don’t know exactly why Peter was not satisfied with the number 12. He might have remembered Jesus’ words of 12 thrones over 12 tribes of Israel. (Mt 19:28)  But one thing we clearly know is that Peter did his best to make a vessel for the Holy Spirit and a bond of unity among the believers.  He took leadership to remove all unnecessary things which hindered the united prayer. They cast lots by putting all things under God’s divine sovereignty. They believed whatever the result as God’s divine choice, because they had prayed. (Pr 16:33)

  Today we learned about the early church members’ united prayer. They prepared for the coming of the Holy Spirit through their united prayer. They were all different in human respects. But they all became one when they prayed together. I pray that we may all pray together for the work of God. Let us meet day and night and consistently pray for Bible America and for world mission. Then God will protect you from your enemies, provide all necessary things for your family, guide your future according to God’s will, and above all let you experience the power of and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

---

Attachment

• THEY ALL JOINED TOGETHER CONSTANTLY IN PRAYER-revised one.doc

---