As it has been stated in the sermons of the past weeks, one of the purposes and the goal of studying what the Bible teaches us concerning God’s sovereignty as believers in Christ is to better understand how it applies and functions in our daily relationship with Jesus. If you have missed the previous weeks studies in relation to this subject, please refer to Hope Chapel’s web site, “hopechapel-oaklawn.org” or our Facebook page “Hope Chapel Oak Lawn Foursquare Church” to catch-up on all past studies you might have missed.
We are now at the point of our study on this subject where we are going to see how the early church inherently or characteristically knew of the importance of God’s sovereignty and how they applied it in their prayer concerning a threatening situation that they all were confronting. Their knowledge of God’s sovereignty is reflected in the prayer that is found in Acts 4:23-31. However, before we begin to study, we need to look some important and foundational points that lead up to the church’s prayer.
The many events that prompted the church’s prayer in Acts 4:23-31 began in Acts 3:1. It is important for our study to briefly look at some of these points to better understand basis of the church’s prayer in the second half of Acts chapter four. Below is an excerpt of the outline taken from the Spirit Filled Life Study Bible. Please take the time to read Acts 3:1–4:31.
III. The healing of the lame man 3:1–4:31
- The healing miracle 3:1–10
- Peter’s explanatory sermon 3:11–26
- The arrest of Peter and John 4:1–4
- Peter’s defense before the Sanhedrin 4:5–12
- The Sanhedrin’s response 4:13–22
- Thanksgiving for the apostles’ release 4:23–31
It is interesting to notice, which it is not a coincidence, that the events that we are going to study begins with the intentions of prayer of Peter and John and ends with the prayer of the church.
Acts 3:1
One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer — at three in the afternoon.
Acts 4:23-24
23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God.
As most Christians know from experience the importance of regular daily prayer is vital for our personal spiritual growth and for the strengthening of our relationship with God.
We can see the normality of prayer in the life of the early church in these next verses.
Acts 1:14
They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
Acts 2:42-43
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
The importance of constant prayer is also mentioned in the apostle Paul’s writings to multiple congregations in the following verses.
Romans 12:12
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Ephesians 6:18
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Colossians 4:2
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
James 5:16-17 New Living Translation
The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
Acts 3:1-4, 3 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer — at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. As we read it, John’s and Peter’s intention to go to the customary place of prayer to pray at 3:00 p.m. we see their plans were interrupted. They could have easily ignored the crippled beggar who was asking them for money and passed him by because they did not want to interrupt their scheduled prayer time. Or they could have told each other that they will deal with this man after they finished with their prayer because he would probably be there when they returned. Also Peter and John could have also easily told the crippled beggar that they would come back to talk with him after they prayed because they did not have the time at the moment to deal with him. However, they did not continue with their planed prayer time and being guided by the Holy Spirit the responded to the beggar’s plea and God performed a miracle.
The essential practice of regular prayer in the lives of all believers is important. However, there is a more important point that all believers need to learn. It is how to balance or prioritize our prayer time in our daily lives in agreement to God’s will at a particular moment, in spite of our preferred scheduled time of prayer. This is the ability to be sensitive or discerning and obedient to the voice of the Holt Spirit in order to be used by Him to do, to impact and or to bless other people’s lives. We need to be careful not to become so legalistic about our time of prayer to the point that we are not willing or are not available to do anything else but pray at that particular moment.
In this specific situation we see Peter and John putting their prayer time second of importance over what the Holy Spirit told them and the needs of the crippled beggar. As a result, God used Peter and John at that moment and the church later on to be used in many more and in much greater situations.
Acts 3:4-5, 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. When Peter said “Look at us!” the Bible does not tell us what was he thinking before he said these words or what the Holy Spirit had told him that led him to say this. But what verse 6 clearly tells us is that Peter knew exactly what he did not have and what he had. Acts 3:6, Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”
Looking at Peter’s words, “…but what I have I give you.”, it is interesting that Peter did not say, who I have I give you, referring to Jesus. What is the “what” that Peter knew he had that he was referring to? What Peter knew of what he had was not his ability or power to heal, he knew what he had came from Jesus. That is why he said, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth…” Which means with the authority given to him and the others by Jesus, the crippled man was going to be healed and walk.
Matthew 28:18, “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Last week we studied that, Jesus gave us the authority, which meant, “…the right to use His power.” The Greek word in this verse for “authority” is exousia, which means delegated influence.” Jesus delegated his authority to us. In this instance Peter had “the right to use power” or to access power that comes from Jesus to heal the crippled beggar.
The faith in the authority that Peter had received from Jesus and was now using, he did not only not express it with his words, but he also exercised his faith by doing the following as we read in verse seven, “Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up…”. Peter’s words of faith in the authority that he had received from Jesus and his actions of faith are the same as James tells in the following verses.
James 2:14
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?
James 2:17
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
James 2:18
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
As we studied in the past weeks, the relation between the sovereignty of God, the authority of Jesus, the delegated authority to us as believers in Jesus, we can clearly see the sequence in these verses in Acts. In addition, we also see the exercise of that authority by faith in words and in action by Peter.
In conclusion to this week’s study, The Spirit Filled Life Bible has a good commentary that explains these points.
“Jesus’ Name: Faith’s Complete Authority, FAITH’S CONFESSION. In this first recorded miracle performed by the disciples, we are given the key for use by all believers in exercising faith’s authority. When commanding healing for the lame man, Peter employs the full name/title of our Lord: “Jesus Christ (Messiah) of Nazareth.” Let us be complete when claiming our authority over sickness, disease, or demons.”
Take note how the following sentences specifically refer to God’s Sovereignty. “In our confession of faith or proclamation of power, confess His deity and His lordship as the Christ (Messiah); use His precious name, as Jesus (Savior). Call upon Him as Lord Jesus, or Jesus Christ, or Jesus of Nazareth, there being no legal or ritual demand intended in this point. But it is wise to remember, just as we pray “in Jesus’ name” (John 16:24), so we exercise all authority in Him—by the privilege of power He has given us in His name (Matt. 28:18; Mark 16:12; John 14:13, 14).”
Next week we will continue studying this event in Acts Chapter 3 and see how Peter understood and applied the principal of the sovereignty of God in his sermon.
Pastor John
