Prayer for bold preaching
The
Passage: Acts 4:23-31
Structure:
a. 4:23, the report of what happened
b. 4:24,
Sovereign Lord
c. 4:25-26,
gathered together against You and Your Anointed
c’. 4:27-28,
gathered in the city against Your servant Jesus whom You anointed
b’. 4:29-30,
Lord
a’. 4:31, continued to talk/speak
Historical
and geographical context:
St. Peter
and St. John go to their friends (this can be understood
psychologically/emotionally or sociologically – as those who support them).
Probably, it is the same house where they were gathered to choose the
replacement for Judas and/or during events of Pentecost.
Theology:
The
report. It is
important to see that the unity of the church is built upon common confession,
togetherness in worship, and honesty in the description of life. St. Peter and
St. John go and share their unpleasant experience with the rest of the
gathering. Which teaches us a value of shared lives – all the good and all the
difficult episodes of our walk with God. The unity of disciples in prayer let
to the similar effects like the people of Israel experienced during the
wilderness – shaking of the place.
Addressing
God as the Creator.
Interesting how the disciples address God as the creator of the heavens and the
earth, and the sea. He is the One who has the power to create and to
restructure the world. This is the reason for the parallel passage in v. 29-30,
where they ask for boldness, and the continuation for the healing, signs and
wonders that were performed “through the name of Your holy servant Jesus”. Holy
servant Jesus is the one whom Sovereign Lord raised from the grave overcoming
the power of death – this is one more reminder of the creative powers of God
who is the only one who can overcome the mortality.
Using the
psalms in prayer. First, check out how easily the disciples can incorporate the
text of a psalm in their prayer. Not as a starter, and not as a conclusion
(like we use Lord’s prayer to conclude the meeting or so). They address God as
the Creator of the Universe and then apply the text of Psalm 2 for their
particular situation. Or, better put – they see their situation through the
lenses of Psalm 2. Which presupposes years of practice of praying using the
Psalter.
Inspiration
of Scripture. There
was no questions or confusion among the believers on the sources and the Source
of the Word. For sure they recognized the difference in authorship of different
parts or books of the Bible. That’s why NT writers often go back and mention
Isaiah (Lk. 3:4-6), Jeremiah (Mt. 2:17-18). Here the communion of saints
reflected on the words of king David. At the same time without any hesitation,
they state that David was moved by the Holy Spirit when he wrote the psalm.
Similar thought we can find in 2 Pet. 1:19-21. Thinking about the nature of
Scripture, Peter says that the Word that we have is true (v. 19). His reasoning
is based on the fact that prophetic word was not done according to the will of
men, but “men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (v.
21).
Other
themes:
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